A Short-lived Peace

By the end of 30 BC, the sixty-second year of the judges’ reign, most of the Lamanites had become a righteous people—more righteous than the Nephites—because of their great faith. Many Nephites had become hardened, unrepentant, and very wicked. They had rejected God’s word and all the preaching and prophesying that had come to them.

However, the people of the church were overjoyed by the conversion of the Lamanites. They fellowshipped them and with great joy established God’s church among them.

Many Lamanites came down to the land of Zarahemla and told the Nephites of their conversion, calling them back to the faith. They preached with great power and authority, bringing many Nephites to the depths of humility, and convinced them to become humble followers of God and the Lamb.

At the end of 29 BC, many Lamanites went north to preach, as did Nephi and Lehi. There was peace in all the land, and the Nephites traveled freely without any fear among the Nephites and Lamanites. The Lamanites also traveled freely—buying, selling, and profiting as they wished. Everyone became rich together, having plenty of gold, silver, and other precious metals that were found both in the southern and northern lands.

The southern land had been named after Lehi, and the northern land after Mulek, for they were the first inhabitants of those lands, and they had been brought there by the Lord.

There was plenty of gold, silver, and precious ore to be found in all the lands, and many Nephites and Lamanites became very skilled in the art of refining and metal working. This is how they became very rich. They also raised plenty of grain in the north and south. Soon they became a populous, strong people. They raised many flocks, herds, and fatlings, and their women spun and wove all types of cloth and fine linen.

Their peace continued throughout 28 and 27 BC. The people were filled with joy and peace as they listened to the many prophecies of what was to come. But in 26 BC, Cezoram was murdered by an unknown assassin while sitting upon the judgment-seat. That same year, his son, who had been appointed by the people to take his father’s place, was also murdered. As the next year began, the people began to grow very wicked again. The Lord had blessed them with so many riches of the world that they began to set their hearts upon them, and they began to war with one another. They sought for more and more wealth in order to put themselves above their neighbors. They committed secret murders, robbed, and plundered in order to obtain more wealth and power.

Those who did these things were part of the band that had been formed by Kishkumen and Gadianton. At this time, there were many members of this secret band, even among the Nephites. However, most of the band was made up of wicked Lamanites, and they were called Gadianton’s robbers and murderers. They had murdered the chief judge, Cezoram, and also his son, yet they had not been found. When the Lamanites discovered that there were robbers among them, they were very sorrowful and did everything in their power to destroy them off the face of the earth. But Satan had taken hold of the hearts of most of the Nephites, who united with those bands of robbers. They entered covenants and oaths to protect and preserve one another in whatever difficult circumstances they might be placed. This is how they escaped justice and did not suffer for their murder, plunder, and theft.

All of the bands had secret signs and words to distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant. Once identified, regardless of what crime he had committed, an evil brother would not be hurt by another brother of his own band who had taken this covenant.

This is how they were able to get away with murder, theft, immorality, and all types of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and their God.

If any brother that belonged to their band revealed their wickedness to the outside world, he was tried and punished, not by the laws of the land, but according to their wicked laws given to them by Gadianton and Kishkumen. These evil secret oaths and covenants were the same ones that Alma had commanded his son not to describe to the world. For if they were known among the people, they would bring them all down to destruction. These secret oaths and covenants did not come to Gadianton from the records that were delivered to Helaman. They were put into Gadianton’s heart by that same being who enticed our first parents to eat of the forbidden fruit—by that same being who plotted with Cain that if he would murder his brother, Abel, it would not be known to the world. He plotted with Cain and his followers from that time forward. It was that same being who had inspired people to build a tower high enough to get to heaven. Then he inspired those people, who came to this land from the tower, to spread the works of darkness over the land until he had dragged them down to an entire destruction and everlasting hell. It was that same being who had inspired Gadianton to continue the work of darkness and secret murder. He has done this from Adam and Eve’s day even until now. He is the author of all sin, carrying on his works of darkness and secret murder, handing down their plots, oaths, covenants, and plans from generation to generation as he takes hold of the people’s hearts. He had a great hold on the Nephites’ hearts, and they became very wicked. Most of them turned away from righteousness and trampled God’s commandments. They turned to their own ways and built up for themselves idols of gold and silver.

All these sins came to them in only a few years, and most of them had come in 25 BC. Their sinfulness continued to grow during 24 BC, to the great sorrow and lamentation of the righteous. From this history we see that the Nephites began to lose their power and faith, while at the same time, the Lamanites began to spiritually grow in the knowledge of their God. For they kept His statutes and commandments, and walked in truth and uprightness before Him. We also see that the Lord’s Spirit began to leave the Nephites because of sin and pride.

The Lord began to pour out His Spirit upon the Lamanites because of their willingness to believe in His words. The Lamanites hunted the band of Gadianton’s robbers. They preached God’s word among its most wicked members until the band of robbers was completely dissolved from among the Lamanites. But on the other hand, the Nephites built up and supported the robbers. At first, only the most wicked Nephites built up these bands. Then, over a period of time, the Gadianton system seduced most of the righteous—those who belonged to God’s church—until they not only believed in the Gadianton system, but actively participated in its wickedness and in reaping its benefits.

This is how the wicked system gained complete control of the government, putting down God’s poor, meek, and humble followers. We know that these people were in an awful state, ripening for an everlasting destruction. This is how 24 BC ended—the sixty-eighth year of the judges’ reign over the Nephites.