The Collected Works. Joseph Smith Jr.
the children of
men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this
time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:
Alma 50:20
20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in
the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my
commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
Alma 50:21
21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the
people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their
contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their
idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were
among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their
destructions.
Alma 50:22
22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their
wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by
the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the
Lamanites.
Alma 50:23
23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,
even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of
the judges.
Alma 50:24
24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the
reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year.
Alma 50:25
25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have
been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a
contention which took place among them concerning the land of
Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of
Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.
Alma 50:26
26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton
did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be
a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of
Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were
determined by the sword to slay them.
Alma 50:27
27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to
the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for
behold they were not in the wrong.
Alma 50:28
28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who
were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people
of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly
fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy
them.
Alma 50:29
29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they
should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered
with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which
was northward.
Alma 50:30
30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect,
(which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold,
Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry
with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her
much.
Alma 50:31
31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp
of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and
also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.
Alma 50:32
32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or
rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain
possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a
foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi,
yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their
liberty.
Alma 50:33
33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land
northward.
Alma 50:34
34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they
had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they
did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the
land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.
Alma 50:35
35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni,
which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the
people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of
Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering
words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum
did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners,
and returned to the camp of Moroni. And thus ended the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.
Alma 50:36
36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back. And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the
land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the
people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.
Alma 50:37
37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect
uprightness before God.
Alma 50:38
38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his
fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon
his son, Helaman.
Alma