The Collected Works. Joseph Smith Jr.
46:7
7 And there were many in the church who believed in the
flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even
from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi
exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great
victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great
rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the
hand of the Lord.
Alma 46:8
8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord
their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by
the evil one.
Alma 46:9
9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man
can cause to take place among the children of men.
Alma 46:10
10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning
device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the
hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy
the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which
God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon
the face of the land for the righteous' sake.
Alma 46:11
11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief
commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these
dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.
Alma 46:12
12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a
piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our
religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our
children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.
Alma 46:13
13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and
his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took
the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he
called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the
earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of
liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band
of Christians remain to possess the land—
Alma 46:14
14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged
to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the
church.
Alma 46:15
15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea,
all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them,
gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called,
because of their belief in Christ who should come.
Alma 46:16
16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of
the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
Alma 46:17
17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to
God, he named all the land which was south of the land
Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and
on the south—A chosen land, and the land of liberty.
Alma 46:18
18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are
despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be
trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own
transgressions.
Alma 46:19
19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the
people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all
might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part,
and crying with a loud voice, saying:
Alma 46:20
20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let
them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a
covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their
religion, that the Lord God may bless them.
Alma 46:21
21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these
words, behold, the people came running together with their armor
girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as
a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or,
in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of
God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them
the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had
rent their garments.
Alma 46:22
22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast
their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with
our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the
land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may
cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our
garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall
into transgression.
Alma 46:23
23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed
of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat
was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold,
let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments
shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be
sold, or be slain.
Alma 46:24
24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea,
let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold,
he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was
preserved and had not decayed. And he said—Even as this remnant
of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of
the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken
unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall
perish, even as the remnant of his garment.
Alma 46:25
25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul
hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall
be taken unto God.