The Collected Works. Joseph Smith Jr.
10 Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places
which he had recovered.
Alma 59:11
11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost
he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the
wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the
hands of their brethren.
Alma 59:12
12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains. They
doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the
people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over
them.
Alma 59:13
13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the
government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom
of their country.
Alma 60 Chapter 60
Alma 60:1
1 And it came to pass that he wrote again to the governor of the
land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote,
saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of
Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land,
and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to
govern and manage the affairs of this war.
Alma 60:2
2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of
condemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been
appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and
with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind,
and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they
should come into our land.
Alma 60:3
3 And now behold, I say unto you that myself, and also my men,
and also Helaman and his men, have suffered exceedingly great
sufferings; yea, even hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and all manner
of afflictions of every kind.
Alma 60:4
4 But behold, were this all we had suffered we would not murmur
nor complain.
Alma 60:5
5 But behold, great has been the slaughter among our people;
yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have
otherwise been if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient
strength and succor for them. Yea, great has been your neglect
towards us.
Alma 60:6
6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this
exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of
your thoughtless state.
Alma 60:7
7 Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of
thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of
death around you? Yea, while they are murdering thousands of
your brethren—
Alma 60:8
8 Yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea,
have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them,
yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened
them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword.
Alma 60:9
9 But behold, this is not all—ye have withheld your provisions
from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their
lives because of their great desires which they had for the
welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they
were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceedingly
great neglect towards them.
Alma 60:10
10 And now, my beloved brethren—for ye ought to be beloved;
yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for
the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have
neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come
upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all
their cries, and all their sufferings—
Alma 60:11
11 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones,
and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing
and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this ye
have supposed in vain.
Alma 60:12
12 Do ye suppose that, because so many of your brethren have
been killed it is because of their wickedness? I say unto you,
if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto
you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it
is to your condemnation;
Alma 60:13
13 For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his
justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need
not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain;
but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.
Alma 60:14
14 And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the
judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their
exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our
government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their
brethren, yea, towards those who have been slain.
Alma 60:15
15 For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at
our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could
have gained no power over us.
Alma 60:16
16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among
ourselves; yea, were it not for these king-men, who caused so
much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were
contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we
hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power
and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been
true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone
forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords
against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among
ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them