Nephites Separate and Pursuewickedness

Event 155

Reference: 3 Ne. 6:10-30; 7:1-14

But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there beganto be some disputings among the people; and some werelifted up unto pride and boastings because of theirexceedingly great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;11 For there were many merchants in the land, and alsomany lawyers, and many officers. 12 And the people beganto be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches andtheir chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant becauseof their poverty, and others did receive great learningbecause of their riches. 13 Some were lifted up in pride, andothers were exceedingly humble; some did return railing forrailing, while others would receive railing and persecutionand all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revileagain, but were humble and penitent before God.MormonLand northwardand landsouthwardA.D. 2914 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land,insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea,insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken upin all the land save it were among a few of the Lamaniteswho were converted unto the true faith; and they would notdepart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, andimmovable, willing with all diligence to keep thecommandments of the Lord. 15 Now the cause of thisiniquity of the people was this—Satan had great power,unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner ofiniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, temptingthem to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and thevain things of the world.A.D. 3016 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people todo all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peacebut a few years. 17 And thus, in the commencement of thethirtieth year—the people having been delivered up for thespace of a long time to be carried about by the temptationsof the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and todo whatsoever iniquity he desired they should—and thus inthe commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in astate of awful wickedness. 18 Now they did not sinignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them,for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully rebel against God. 19 And now it was in the days ofLachoneus, the son of Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill theseat of his father and did govern the people that year.MormonLand northwardand landsouthwardA.D. 3020 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sentforth, standing among the people in all the land, preachingand testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people,and testifying unto them concerning the redemption whichthe Lord would make for his people, or in other words, theresurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of hisdeath and sufferings. 21 Now there were many of the peoplewho were exceedingly angry because of those who testifiedof these things; and those who were angry were chiefly thechief judges, and they who had been high priests andlawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry withthose who testified of these things. 22 Now there was nolawyer nor judge nor high priest that could have power tocondemn any one to death save their condemnation wassigned by the governor of the land.23 Now there were many of those who testified of the thingspertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were takenand put to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledgeof their death came not unto the governor of the land untilafter their death. 24 Now behold, this was contrary to thelaws of the land, that any man should be put to death exceptthey had power from the governor of the land— 25Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla,to the governor of the land, against these judges who hadcondemned the prophets of the Lord unto death, notaccording to the law.Land ofZarahemla26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought upbefore the judge, to be judged of the crime which they haddone, according to the law which had been given by thepeople.27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friendsand kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all thelawyers and the high priests, did gather themselvestogether, and unite with the kindreds of those judges whowere to be tried according to the law. 28 And they did enterinto a covenant one with another, yea, even into thatcovenant which was given by them of old, which covenantwas given and administered by the devil, to combineagainst all righteousness. 29 Therefore they did combineagainst the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty ofmurder from the grasp of justice, which was about to beadministered according to the law. 30 And they did set atdefiance the law and the rights of their country; and theydid covenant one with another to destroy the governor, andto establish a king over the land, that the land should nomore be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.MormonLand ofZarahemlaA.D. 301 NOW behold, I will show unto you that they did notestablish a king over the land; but in this same year, yea, thethirtieth year, they did destroy upon the judgment-seat, yea,did murder the chief judge of the land. 2 And the peoplewere divided one against another; and they did separate onefrom another into tribes, every man according to his familyand his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy thegovernment of the land. 3 And every tribe did appoint achief or a leader over them; and thus they became tribes andleaders of tribes.Land northwardand landsouthward4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he hadmuch family and many kindreds and friends; therefore theirtribes became exceedingly great. 5 Now all this was done,and there were no wars as yet among them; and all thisiniquity had come upon the people because they did yieldthemselves unto the power of Satan. 6 And the regulationsof the government were destroyed, because of the secretcombination of the friends and kindreds of those whomurdered the prophets. 7 And they did cause a greatcontention in the land, insomuch that the more righteouspart of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, therewere but few righteous men among them.8 And thus six years had not passed away since the morepart of the people had turned from their righteousness, likethe dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in themire. 9 Now this secret combination, which had brought sogreat iniquity upon the people, did gather themselvestogether, and did place at their head a man whom they didcall Jacob; 10 And they did call him their king; therefore hebecame a king over this wicked band; and he was one of thechiefest who had given his voice against the prophets whotestified of Jesus.11 And it came to pass that they were not so strong innumber as the tribes of the people, who were unitedtogether save it were their leaders did establish their laws,every one according to his tribe; nevertheless they wereLand northward enemies; notwithstanding they were not a righteous people,yet they were united in the hatred of those who had enteredinto a covenant to destroy the government. 12 Therefore,Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous thanthey, he being the king of the band, therefore hecommanded his people that they should take their flight intothe northernmost part of the land, and there build up untothemselves a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters,(for he flattered them that there would be many dissenters)and they become sufficiently strong to contend with thetribes of the people; and they did so. 13 And so speedy wastheir march that it could not be impeded until they had goneforth out of the reach of the people. And thus ended thethirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the people ofNephi.MormonLand northwardA.D. 3014 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that theywere divided into tribes, every man according to his family,kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to anagreement that they would not go to war one with another;but they were not united as to their laws, and their mannerof government, for they were established according to theminds of those who were their chiefs and their leaders. Butthey did establish very strict laws that one tribe should nottrespass against another, insomuch that in some degree theyhad peace in the land; nevertheless, their hearts were turnedfrom the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophetsand did cast them out from among them.Land northwardand landsouthwardA.D. 31