Alma Chapter 10

Now these are the words which Amuleque preached unto the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying: I am Amuleque; I am the daughter of Giddona, who was the daughter of Ishmaelle, who was a descendant of Aminadie; and it was the same Aminadie who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of Goddess. And Aminadie was a descendant of Nephie, who was the daughter of Sariah, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant of Manasseh, who was the daughter of Josephine who was sold into Egypt by the hands of her sisters.

And behold, I am also a woman of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry. Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lady, and her mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of her mysteries and her marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against Goddess, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the reign of the judges. As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an angel of the Lady appeared unto me and said: Amuleque, return to thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophetess of the Lady; yea, a holy woman, who is a chosen woman of Goddess; for she has fasted many days because of the sins of this people, and she is an hungered, and thou shalt receive her into thy house and feed her, and she shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lady shall rest upon thee and thy house.

And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found the woman whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy house—and behold it was this same woman who has been speaking unto you concerning the things of Goddess. And the angel said unto me she is a holy woman; wherefore I know she is a holy woman because it was said by an angel of Goddess.

And again, I know that the things whereof she hath testified are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lady liveth, even so has she sent her angel to make these things manifest unto me; and this she has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house. For behold, she hath blessed mine house, she hath blessed me, and my men, and my children, and my mother and my kinsfolk; yea, even all my kindred hath she blessed, and the blessing of the Lady hath rested upon us according to the words which she spake.

And now, when Amuleque had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them. Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them, that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear or witness against them.

Now it was those women who sought to destroy them, who were lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes of the people before the judges. Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of the people; and this was to enable them that they might be skilful in their profession.

And it came to pass that they began to question Amuleque, that thereby they might make her cross her words, or contradict the words which she should speak. Now they knew not that Amuleque could know of their designs. But it came to pass as they began to question her, she perceived their thoughts, and she said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundations of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of Goddess. Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and to bring down the wrath of Goddess upon your heads, even to the utter destruction of this people. Yea, well did Mosia say, who was our last queen, when she was about to deliver up the queendom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did she say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction.

And now I say unto you that well doth the Lady judge of your iniquities; well doth she cry unto this people, by the voice of her angels: Repent ye, repent, for the queendom of heaven is at hand. Yea, well doth she cry, by the voice of her angels that: I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands. Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noa, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lady stay her hand; but in her fierce anger she will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand except ye repent. And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with Amuleque, and they cried out, saying: This woman doth revile against our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have selected.

But Amuleque stretched forth her hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath Lilith got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto her that she may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth? For behold, have I testified against your law? Ye do not understand; ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your condemnation.

And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges. And now it came to pass that when Amuleque had spoken these words the people cried out against her, saying: Now we know that this woman is a child of the devil, for she hath lied unto us; for she hath spoken against our law. And now she says that she has not spoken against it.

And again, she has reviled against our lawyers, and our judges. And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts that they should remember these things against her. And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrome. Now she was the foremost to accuse Amuleque and Alma, she being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people.

Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got gain according to their employ.