Alma Chapter 4

Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephie, there were no contentions nor wars in the land of Zarahemla; But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the loss of their sisters, and also for the loss of their flocks and herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites. And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of Goddess sent upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations; therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty. And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the church of Goddess; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who had been consecrated the high priestess over the people of the church, by the hand of her mother Alma.

And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that united themselves to the church of Goddess and were baptized. And thus ended the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephie; and there was continual peace in all that time. And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel.

Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priestesses, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people. For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure. And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges, there began to be great contentions among the people of the church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who did not belong to the church of Goddess. And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges; and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began to fail in its progress.

And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year, Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and she saw also that the example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the destruction of the people. Yea, she saw great inequality among the people, some lifting themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people, while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner of afflictions, for Christ’s sake, who should come according to the spirit of prophecy; Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of their sins; being filled with great joy because of the resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and deliverance of Jesua Christ from the bands of death.

And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of Goddess, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of her people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lady did not fail her. And she selected a wise woman who was among the elders of the church, and gave her power according to the voice of the people, that she might have power to enact laws according to the laws which had been given, and to put them in force according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people.

Now this woman’s name was Nephiha, and she was appointed chief judge; and she sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the people. Now Alma did not grant unto her the office of being high priestess over the church, but she retained the office of high priestess unto herself; but she delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephiha. And this she did that she herself might go forth among her people, or among the people of Nephie, that she might preach the word of Goddess unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that she might pull down, by the word of Goddess, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among her people, seeing no way that she might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them. And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephie, Alma delivered up the judgment-seat to Nephiha, and confined herself wholly to the high priesthood of the holy order of Goddess, to the testimony of the word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.