Alma the younger has been made the high priest in the Church as well as the chief judge over the people. In his first year reign a very large and strong man named Nehor began preaching false doctrine to the people. Many believed him and began to support him. He started to wear very nice clothes and started a church of his own. One day he met Gideon who was a teacher for the Church and Nehor began to contend with Gideon sharply. Gideon was able to withstand him with the words of God. Nehor became so angry that he stabbed Gideon with a sword. Gideon was so old and he died from the blows. Nehor was brought to Alma to be judged of his crimes. Alma told him he was guilty of priestcrafts and enforced it by the sword even to the shedding of blood. Nehor was sentenced to death. He was taken to the top of the hill Manti and there he admitted that what he had taught was a lie. He then suffered a dishonorable death.
This did not end the priestcrafts. Many who preached false doctrines for the riches of the world. They knew they could not lie under law so they pretended to believe the things they were preaching. They began to persecute the Church memebers. The Church members had a strict law that they do not persecute anyone whether in or out of the Church. Some did not heed the law and would fight with their persecutors. Many Church members were disgusted by this and removed themselves from among the Church members. It was a very hard time for the Church. The Church members all labored to support themselves. They gave to the needy and poor. They did not wear costly apparel but they were comely. They began to have peace in the land. The Church members began to prosper and the people who did not belong to the Church did not prosper because they wasted their time on the vain things of the world. There was peace for five years.
I am very amazed at the influence one person can have on a community whether good or bad. What kind of person do you have to be to have that kind of influence? Why are the rest of us so willing to follow?
I love that the Church members in their abundance did not wear costly apparel but were a comely people.
