Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/34

Alma, the elder. people (except the few apostates with Amulon) in one land and under one king.

Alma and his people must have dwelt in the land of Helam quite a number of years, as he is called a young man at the time of Abinadi's martyrdom, and at the time he led his people into the land of Zarahemla he was more than fifty years old, possibly several years older.

On the arrival of Alma in the land of Zarahemla, king Mosiah gave him charge of the spiritual concerns of the Nephites. He became the high priest to the whole nation. In this capacity he gathered the people together, and in words of power and plainness he reminded them of their duties to Heaven. Nor had he unwilling hearers; numbers hearkened to his words, renewed their covenants with God, went down into the waters of baptism, and recommenced a life of godliness and faith. From place to place Alma bent his way, preaching, counseling, reproving, comforting, instructing, as the Holy Spirit led. Through these labors seven churches, or rather seven branches of the Church, were established in the land of Zarahemla, while great prosperity attended the faithful. As years rolled by, the hearts of those who loved the Lord were pained by the unbelief and wickedness of the rising generation. Many of these not only rejected the truth themselves, but persecuted and reviled those who were righteous. This unholy crusade received great strength and assumed great effrontery owing to the fact that the four sons of king Mosiah, and the son of the high priest Alma, were their ringleaders. Vain were the exhortations of these holy men to their wayward sons; they rebelled against their fathers' admonitions, and set their authority at defiance. Great was Alma's grief. The Lord of Hosts was his only resource. In much sorrow, but with much faith, he earnestly and unceasingly prayed for his loved but rebellious son. The Lord heard