Page:Book of Mormon (1840).djvu/206

 aoos w momtau M kadtoCluBf Noahmnd hk |>«op^, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire that ye should, stand fast ia this liberty wheiewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust np man to be a king over yon; and also trustinff no one to be your teacher nor your minister, exeef>t he be ft man ol God, walking in his ways ,and keeping his com* maodments. Thus did' Alma teach his people, that every nun ahoald love his neighbor as himself; that there should he no contention among tlvem. And now Alma was thetK high priest, he being the founder of their church. Aiid it Cftme to pass thar none received authority to preach or td teach, except it were by him from Qod. Therefore he coO" Mcrated all their priests, and all their teachers, and nona were consecrated except they were just men. Therefoia they did watch over their people, and did nourish them with things pertaining to righteousness. And it came to pass that they began to prosper exceedingly in the landt Bfid they called the land Helam. And It came to pass that they, dia multiply and prosper exceedingly in the land of Helam; and tney built a city, which they called the city of Qelam. Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people|»yea, he trieth their patience and their faith. Nev« ertheless, whosoever puttetn his trust in him, the sema shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was withxhis people. For behold, 1 will shew unto yen that they were ,. brought into bondage, and none could delivei t&em bat the Lord their God; yea, even the God of Abra« ham and Isaac, and of Jacob. And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and did shew forth his mighty power nn* to them4 and great were their rejoicings. For behold, it came to pass that wnile they were in thtt ifnd of Helam, yea, in the city of Helam, while tillii^ the land round aj^out, behold an army of the Lamanites wera in the borders of the land. Now it came to pass that the brethren of Alma fled from their fields, and gathered theoft* sehes together into the city of Helam ; and they were mueh frightened because of the appearance of the Lamanites. But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be fri^tened, but that thejr ihould remember the Lord their God, and he would deliver them ; therefore they hushed their fears, and began to eiy tmto the Lord, that he would soften the hearts of the Lih Banitea, that they would spare them, and their wives, and their children. And it bame to pass that the Lorfl did soften the hearU of the Lamanites. And ^ma and his brethren vent forth and delivered themselves up into their hands; ^i the I«ani|inites took posseMiou of the land of Helnm»