Category: Book of Mormon Project

Alma 17:1-3, LeGrand Baker. the sanctity of friendship.

1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.
2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God (Alma 17:1-3).

To me, this is one of the most moving stories in the scriptures because, like the story of David and Jonathan, it celebrates the sanctity of friendships.

My soul teaches me that friendships are eternal and that we come here under covenant to know each other when we meet— that we may support, and be supported by people whom we loved before we came here and whom we will always love. I believe that. Not only do my experiences teach me it is true, but my reason insists that it must be true. I cannot conceive of our Heavenly Father’s sending us into this world alone, to fulfill our seemingly impossible assignments, without also promising us that we would find mutual strength with the people we love.

“Friendship,” as much as any word in one’s personal language, is always defined within the confines of one’s own world-view. If that world-view begins at birth and ends with in the nothingness of the moldering grave, then friendship is a passing pleasure of unfinished value. If one’s world-view is a foggy notion of a pre-mortal existence and a hopeful projection into an ill-defined eternal hereafter, then friendship is a bonding that takes place here and a hoped-for forecast of pleasant things to come. However, if one’s world-view begins as an intelligence progresses through a premortal spirit world until we come to here, then, within that world-view one understands one’s Self and one’s friends is a continuum of timeless personalities engaged in mutual growth. Then “friendship” is understood as a necessary part of that continuum, and a friend is an integral part of one’s own immortal Self and an ever enriching part of the eternal progression of each other.

If it is true that beloved others are an integral part of our eternal Selves, then it is also true that there are parts of us that are empty unless filled by specific and precious family and friends. It is the filling of that emptiness that we recognize when we meet “for the first time” someone whom we immediately recognize as an eternal friend If those things are true, then it is also true that without an eternal association with family and friends whom we love, we cannot be wholly our Selves. Thus, not just a limited “eternal family” but an expansive circle of eternal friendships are necessary components of “eternal life.”

Just as friendships may not originate in this life, they are certainly not confined to it. Brigham Young observed,

“We have more friends behind the veil than on this side, and they will hail us more joyfully than you were ever welcomed by your parents and friends in this world; and you will rejoice more when you meet them than you ever rejoiced to see a friend in this life; and then we shall go on from step to step, from rejoicing to rejoicing, and from one intelligence and power to another, our happiness becoming more and more exquisite and sensible as we proceed to the words and powers of life.” (Journal of Discourses, 6: 349)

One of the reasons I like the Hymn of the Pearl so much is because it acknowledges that eternal relationship.

The Pearl is the story of a young prince who is given a seemingly impossible task. He must leave home to find a treasure (his true Self) and bring it to his Father. When he arrives at his destination, he meets another like himself (“an anointed one”) and they assist each other in preparing for the darkness to come. Though we do not hear about the “anointed” friend again, he is a central part of the story. It is true that the hero must fulfill his covenants alone, but it is also true that his loving Father will not let that aloneness be void of the help of treasured family and friends.

The Pearl was first translated and published by A. A. Bevan. In lines 24-28, the prince meets a young nobleman from his own country. The qualities of the friend cause them to confide it, and support each other. They warn each other against the temptations and the defilements of Egypt. Bevan’s translation reads,

23 And when I was single and alone,
A stranger to those with whom I dwelt,
24 One of my race, a free-born man,
From among the Easterns, I beheld there-
25 A youth fair and well favored ….
26 ….and he came and attached himself to me.
27 And I made him my intimate,
A comrade with whom I shared my merchandise.
28 I warned him against the Egyptians
And against consorting with the unclean
[The Hymn of the Soul (Cambridge, University Press, 1897), 12-31.]

The Pearl has been translated many times since then. Each translator has treated these lines differently. The differences are interesting, so I quote each of them here. There is apparently a problem in the original manuscript between lines 25 and 26 and that may account for part of the differences in translation. In many places throughout the poem, the other translated simply borrow words from Bevan. But here, as they try to capture the intimacy implied by those few line, all their translations are different from each other. I suspect, if one hopes to catch the full meaning of the friendship between these two boys, a combination of all of the translations would help one do that.

23 And when I was single and alone,
A stranger to those with whom I dwelt,
24 One of my race, a free-born man,
From among the Easterns, I beheld there-
25 A youth fair and well favoured,
[a son of great rulers.] –
26…and he came and attached himself to me.
27 And I made him my intimate,
A comrade with whom I shared my merchandise.
28 I warned him against the Egyptians
And against consorting with the unclean; (Grant, Gnosticism, 118.)

– – – – – – – – – – –

24 But there I saw a Cousin* of mine from the East-a free person,
25 Gracious, handsome, and young, a child of members of court:
26 Who came and kept me company,
27 And whom I made my friend and partner in my travels: had as a constant companion:
28 And exhorted to guard against the Egyptians and against intercourse with their impurities. (Layton, Gnostic Scriptures, 372.)

(* Layton’s footnote reads: “Probably not an indication of close blood relationship, but rather an Eastern title bestowed at royal court as a mark of honor.” note “d,” p. 372.)

– – – – – – – – – – –

23 And forasmuch as I was alone I made mine aspect strange, and appeared as an alien to my people.
24 And there I saw my kinsman from the East, the free-born
25 a lad of grace and beauty, a son of princes (or an anointed one).
26 He came unto me and dwelt with me,
27 and I had him for a companion, and made him my friend and partaker in my journey (OT merchandise).
28 And I charged him to beware of the Egyptians, and of partaking of those unclean things. (James, Apocryphal New Testament,412 .)

– – – – – – – – – – –

23 And since I was all alone
I was a stranger to my companions of my hostelry.
24 But one of my race I saw there,
A nobleman out of the East,
25 A youth fair and lovable,
26 An anointed one,
And he came and attached himself to me
27 And I made him my intimate friend,
My companion to whom I communicated my business.
I (He ?) warned him (me ?) against the Egyptians
And against consorting with the unclean.
(Hennecki, New Testament Apocrypha, 499.)

– – – – – – – – – – –

As I was alone, [I was a stranger
to my hosts who were my companions].
But there I saw one of my fellow countrymen
from the East, a free man, a youth gracious and favored,
a son of the mighty.
He came and joined me,
and I made him my bosom companion,
my friend, to whom I communicated.
I warned him to watch the Egyptians
and their unclean companionship.
(Cartlidge and Dungan, Documents for the Study, 47-48.)

– – – – – – – – – – –

Here are some scriptures that teach about the importance of friendships:

– – – – – – – – – – –

35 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother were not confounded.
36 Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord, and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are our friends, that he confound not their language.
37 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also, that they were not confounded.
38 And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth but the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.
39 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto the Lord according to that which had been spoken by the mouth of Jared.
40 And it came to pass that the Lord did hear the brother of Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him:
41 Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female, of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind; and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and their families. (Ether 1:35-43)

7 My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;
8 And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes.
9 Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.
10 Thou art not yet as Job; thy friends do not contend against thee, neither charge thee with transgression, as they did Job. (D&C 121:7-10)

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you…….
26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning (John 15:1-19, 26-27) .

1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep……..
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?(John 11:1-11, 32-37)

30 And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son, Nephi, forever.
31 Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever.
32 Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with the seed of my son. (2 Nephi 1:30-32)

1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.
11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. (Luke 12:1-13)

62 Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.
63 And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God’s high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends;
64 Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost…..
77 And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power; (D&C 84:62-64,77)

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you who have assembled yourselves together to receive his will concerning you:
2 Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
3 Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—
6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made….
62 And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—
63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you; (D&C 88:1-7, 62-64)

45 Verily, I say unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., or in other words, I will call you friends, for you are my friends, and ye shall have an inheritance with me—
46 I called you servants for the world’s sake, and ye are their servants for my sake— (D&C 93:45-6)

1 Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my voice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of Zion, many of whom are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.
2 Verily, verily I say unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy unto all the meek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be justified when I shall bring them unto judgment. (D&C 97:1-2)

1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.
3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord. (D&C 98:1-3)

1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my friends Sidney and Joseph, your families are well; they are in mine hands, and I will do with them as seemeth me good; for in me there is all power.
2 Therefore, follow me, and listen to the counsel which I shall give unto you. (D&C 100:1-2)

1 Verily I say unto you, my friends, behold, I will give unto you a revelation and commandment, that you may know how to act in the discharge of your duties concerning the salvation and redemption of your brethren, who have been scattered on the land of Zion; (D&C 103:1)

Alma 16:16-19, LeGrand Baker, Preparing the people for the Saviour’s coming

16  … the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming—
17  That they might not be hardened against the word, that they might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord their God.….
19  Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and also the resurrection of the dead.

There is a story behind those words here that is easy to miss if we only look back at them from our own place in history. From our perspective, it is quite simple. The people had to repent so they would be ready when the Saviour came. We can say the same thing about ourselves as we look forward to the Second Coming.

Yet there was much more to it than just that. They had to be prepared for a major change in the way they understood their theology and in their way of practicing their religious worship.

The change in the way they practiced their religion rites was this: Their sacrifices of animals, grain, and incense would all be done away. A sacrifice is a kind of pistis. It is the formal affirmation of a covenant. Until the time of the Saviour’s last sacrifice, that affirmation looked forward to the future, and the animal sacrifices were a token or an evidence that the Saviour would keep his part of the covenant. After the Saviour performed the atonement there was no more need for that anticipatory affirmation. When the Saviour came to America, he had already performed the atonement so his part of the covenant was an accomplished fact. But for the Saints, their part to make the covenant validity still had to be sealed by sacrifice. But the sacrifice acceptable was no longer a cow or a sheep but one’s Self— a broken heart and contrite spirit.

The people had always known that this change was coming, They had sung about it during their own New Year Festival temple services. The 51st Psalm asserts,

16  For thou desirest not sacrifice;
else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart,
O God, thou wilt not despise (Psalms 51:16-17).

The Saviour reminded them of that psalm when he spoke to them during the three days of darkness (3 Nephi 9:20-22). What he told them wiped away much of their need for the old ceremonial religious way. Only the most important personal ordinances would remain.

Those where the changes in their religious practices. The changes in the way their theology was to be understood were no less dramatic. They literally had to develop a new understanding of who their God was. Before it had been Jehovah who had presided at the Council in Heaven and who was the covenant God of Israel. That was still true and it would never change, but now he was also Jesus, the Saviour who had been a man on the earth and who had fulfilled all the covenants that their old theology only promised he would do. His atonement could no longer be taught as future hope, for now it was a promise fulfilled

For many, those changes would be a joyous fruition of eternal covenants, but there would always be some who would seek to retain the old ideas and the old ways. The challenge that Mormon points out here is that the leaders of the church had to prepare all the people to anticipate and accept those changes. Mormon makes us aware of that challenge this early in the story so that we may watch how it was accomplished.

It is likely that it was Mormon’s concern for us that prompted him to include this challenge in his history. Those of you who are as old as I have seen many changes in the way the church operates as our culture has softened and permitted us to become a more purified Kingdom of Heaven. Those of you who are much younger will see changes that may be even more exciting. When those changes occurred, or when they will occur in the future, for us, as for the Nephites, the simple rule of “follow the prophet” is the only sure way we can keep our moorings in the shifting waves of cultural, social, and even political change.

Alma 16:14-16, LeGrand Baker, Mormon’s conclusion to Alma’s story.

14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any respect of persons, continually.
15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all the land. And the establishment of the church became general throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the people of the Nephites.
16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming

With the conclusion of chapter 16, Mormon ties a nice bow around this portion of the story of Alma. From here, Mormon will do a flashback and tell us about the adventures of the sons of Mosiah.

These chapters in Alma’s life are about his success as president and prophet of the Church, but they also demonstrate that Mormon is an accomplished historian as well as a master storyteller.

As an historian, he has not only taught us about the adventures of Alma, but he has also carried Alma through the full-cycle of the cosmic myth, showing that Alma’s story is an example of how the Lord’s purposes are accomplished when we fulfil our part of the program.

The book of Alma began by explaining that even though the members of the church were a persecuted minority, the faithful among them esteemed each other as equals and blessed each other’s lives.

26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man according to his strength.
27 And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely.
28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions (Alma 1:26-28).

Then trouble sets in and sense of equality based on mutual esteem has dissipated. Mormon reports,

12 Yea, he 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…..
15 And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful; nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him (Alma 4:12, 15).

It is in response of this lack of mutual esteem, which is symptomatic of the members of the Church not keeping their covenants, that causes Alma to go on his extended missionary journey. It is significant that, unlike the sons of Mosiah who taught non-members, Alma directed his mission toward the Nephites who were (or who claimed to be) followers of the Saviour. He began in Zarahemla. Alma 5 records a compelling sermon in which he quotes several of the psalms that were the text of the drama of their temple service. By doing so, he drew sharp contrast between the covenants they had made and the way they were not living those covenants.

Alma 7 is a sermon he delivered at a priesthood meeting that emphasized those covenants to people who were living them more faithfully than the people of Zarahemla. Then he went among the people who had perverted them entirely. Alma 8 through 14 are about his confrontation with the people of Ammonihah. . In chapter 12 he reminds them of their covenants and of the consequences of their not keeping them. In chapters 14 and 15 Mormon teaches us that those consequences are as real as the blessings to the righteous.

Now Mormons rounds out the whole story by reporting that trough Alma’s work all of the Nephites had become faithful to their covenants and there was no inequality among them.

14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did impart the word of God, without any respect of persons, continually.
15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all the land. And the establishment of the church became general throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the people of the Nephites.
16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming (Alma 16:14-16,).

Alma 16:13, LeGrand Baker, Multiple Ancient Israelite Temples

Alma 16:13
13  And Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews.

This reference to multiple temples is consistent with our own understanding of what a temple is used for. However it seems inconsistent with the Old Testament’s apparent insistence that the only valid temple was at Jerusalem. The problem is not with the meaning and purpose of the ancient temples, rather, the problem is that the post-exilic authors and editors who wrote the historical books of the Old Testament. Relative to their predisposition toward only one temple, the Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible reports,

Now the exclusive monopoly of the temple of Jerusalem had become for the authors of the historical books a political as well as a religious dogma, which they traced back to the prophetic utterance of Moses. They were, of course, hard put to reconcile their views with historical reality, confronted as they were with the existence, not of one national place of worship prior to the reign of Solomon, but of several local sanctuaries. (“Temples,” in Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible [New York, Abingdon Press, 1962], 4:566-67).

Until the reign of Josiah, there had been several small temples scattered throughout Judea. However, Josiah’s “reforms” closed them down and transferred their wealth and their priests to the main Temple in Jerusalem. He also changed some of the religious rites. We know, for example that he changed the way the Feast of Tabernacles temple drama was celebrated. How much of the Jewish apostasy that occurred between Josiah and Zedekiah was orchestrated by Josiah is impossible to know. But Ezekiel assures us that by the time of Zedekiah the Temple was under the control of people who worshiped gods other than Jehovah. The speed with which this apostasy occurred is remarkable. Lehi’s four oldest sons were all born during the reign of Josiah, and by the reign of Zedekiah things had become so serious that Lehi was fleeing for his life.

When Lehi and his family came to America, they brought with them the original ancient temple rites, not the changed version introduced by Josiah.

In a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph, the Lord explained why he caused his people to build those ancient temples. The context of this statement is his instructions that the Latter-day Saints should build the temple in Nauvoo.

36 For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.
37 And again, verily I say unto you, how shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name?
38 For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was.
39 Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name.
40 And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people (D&C 124:36-40).

Menahem Haran believes that before Josiah’s reforms small, legitimate temples could be found throughout Jedea . Whenever the Bible mentions sacred rites performed in any location, he has identified that as the site of a local Israelite temple. He identifies about a dozen, then writes,

In addition to the twelve or thirteen temples listed so far, ancient Israel may have known some other temples which have left no trace whatsoever in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, it is a reasonable assumption that any addition to this list (which would have to be based on new, extra-biblical evidence) would be insignificant, and that the total number of Israelite temples can not have been much greater than that which emerges from the biblical records. (Temples and Temple-Service in Ancient Israel [Winona Lake, Indiana, Eisenbrauns, 1985], 39

The pre-exilic small temples are also discussed by Beth Alpert Nakhai, “What’s a Bamah? How Sacred Space Functioned in Ancient Israel,” Biblical Archaeology Review, v. 20 (May/June, 1994) n. 3, p. 18-29. On page 26 there are two photographs of the remains of a small Israelite temple dedicated to Jehovah that was probably destroyed as part of Josiah’s crusade against the small temples.

The same was apparently true with the early Christians. In an article describing early Christian meeting houses Tzaferis gives us a photo of the interior of one. While he identifies it as a meeting house, it might also have been a small Christian temple. (I want to send you a copy of the photo, but I have a distrust for email, so rather than sending it to now, I’ll send it to you separately. If you don’t get it, please let me know.) The caption under the photo does not mention the stars at the top. It reads: DOMUS IN QUA CHRISTIAN I CONVENIEBANT, or “houses in which Christians gather,” also called domus ecc/es;ae, came into use in the second century A,D., when the Christian community did not yet have permanent churches dedicated to worship, A “house church” functionally similar to the prayer hall at Megiddo was found in the 1930s in Dura Europos in Syria. Although not originally meant to be a religious structure, the simple two-story dwelling was converted into a house of worship with a place for the Eucharist table, a vestry for clergy clothes, and a baptistery. The walls of the baptistery were decorated with frescoes illustrating scenes from the Bible such as Adam and Eve, the Good Shepherd and a parade of women that might depict the women at the tomb of Jesus (shown at right in photo). The walls of the prayer hall at Megiddo were also adorned with frescoes, as fragments were found among the debris. (Vassilois Tzaferis, “Inscribed ‘To God Jesus Christ’,” in Biblical Archaeology Review [March/April, 2007, v. 33, n. 7, p. 38-49.] Picture and quote are on p. 49.)

Attached photo

The attached photo is from Vassilois Tzaferis,“Inscribed ‘To God Jesus Christ’,” in Biblical Archaeology Review [March/April, 2007, v. 33, n. 7, p. 38-49.] Picture and quote are on p. 49.)

The caption under the photo does not mention the stars at the top. Even though this photo is identified by the author as a Christian meeting house, its decorations reminds one of the stories told in the Ancient Israelite New Year festival temple drama.

Alma 16:4-12, LeGrand Baker, The Negative Side of the Blessings of Abraham.

Mormon is a great historian and a marvelous story teller. Like his other stories, this one has a good plot, and an obvious moral. In this case that moral is that if a general will ask a prophet what to do, and then do it, his military success is assured. Yet, even though this is no doubt Mormon’s point there is still a deeper undercurrent of truth that sustains the other principles of the story. The key to that undercurrent is found in two contrasting ideas, reflecting both the blessing and the curse of the Abrahamic Covenant.

The ownership of land is very important among any agrarian people. It is not only an evidence of wealth but also of stability. So it is consistent that part of the Abrahamic covenant should include the promise of land—both an earthly security and an eternal inheritance.

The psalms emphasize that principle when they say the meek will inherit the earth (Psalm 37) and more explicitly when they say the children of the meek will inherit the earth (Psalm 25). The Saviour quoted from those psalms when he spoke the Beatitude, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” Section 88 explains that the earth will be prepared as a celestial world so “the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.”

Another part of the Abrahamic covenant is “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).

Mormon brings all of these ideas sharply into focus by simply telling this story. To do so, he created a parallel contrast that makes his point.

The word “brethren” in the Book of Mormon is a priesthood term (as “beloved brethren” in Alma 7 and Moroni 7). So it is clearly not just a mission to rescue fellow Nephites, but a necessary church-related responsibility that causes Zoram and his sons to ask Alma “whither the Lord would that they should go into the wilderness in search of their brethren.” Alma gives them instructions about where to go and promises, “ there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren.” The military action worked, and “not one soul of them had been lost,” After the successful rescue, the former captives “were brought by their brethren to possess their own lands.”

The key phrases are “they took [rescued] their brethren,” “not one soul of them had been lost,” and “they were brought by their brethren to possess their own lands.

In contrast, the people of Ammonihah “were of the profession of Nehor,” “every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed,” and “their lands remained desolate.”

There is nothing subtle about Mormon’s intent. His story is set in a this-world context, but its implications still harken back to Alma’s sermon in chapter 12 about the consequences of spiritual rebellion and the meaning of the second death.

Alma 16:1-3, 9-11, LeGrand Baker, Cost of disobedience

1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla, there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.
2  For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.
3  And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the wilderness.

….

9  And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness.
10  But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.
11  Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a shallow covering. And now so great was the scent thereof that the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for many years. And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands remained desolate.

It is easy to read this story in the same way the Old Testament authors and editors would have interpreted it. That is the Lord was angry with the people of Ammonihah and sent the Lamanites to execute his judgement upon them. But, notwithstanding what those editors repeatedly included in their work, I don’t think God does that sort of thing. So in my mind I have created a different scenario.

God moves through time like you and I move through space. We can go there and come back again. God knew that the Lamanites would come as surely as if they had already done it. So he sent his prophets to warn the people. If they had listened to the prophets they could have been prepared for the Lamanite onslaught.

But instead, the Ammonihahites drove out those who would listen (coincidentally saving them from the Lamanites), and stole their property. Thus making both their own lives and the property forfeit for their refusal to listen.

I like that version better because it is more compatible with God’s kindness, and doesn’t try to make him uncharacteristicly vindictive.

– – – – – – – –

When I sent this to Bruce for his OK, he responded, “I like your insight and perspective here. Someday I’d like to hear why you think the OT prophets took such a dim view of God’s love.”

It seems to me that if Bruce has that question, others may also. So I’ll tell you how I answered him. I wrote,

Most of the Old Testament was written after the Babylonian captivity when the Jewish religion was being modified to fit better with the Persian religion. When the editors of the books of Moses, and the authors of Joshua, Judges, King, Chronicles, etc., wrote, they and blamed everything bad in their history on either the king or on God. The prophets didn’t do that, even though modern scholars think they did. For example, when Isaiah says “The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God (Isaiah 52:10),” both Jewish and Christian scholars think of military action, but whenever it’s quoted in the Book of Mormon, Isaiah is talking about the temple (as in 3 Nephi 20).

Alma 15:18 , LeGrand Baker, the integrity of Amulek

Alma 15 is the winding up scene of the story that began in chapter 8 when Alma first went into the city of Ammonihah. Its surface text is the powerful story of Zeezrom’s repentance, and with that story comes the assurance that repentance is not only possible, but necessary for happiness and salvation.

There is another story that can be followed through the text, but to which Mormon only alludes. It concludes,

18   Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord. (Alma 15:18)

With the words that Alma took Amulek “to his own house, and did administer unto him,” we are brought back, with a jar, to a remembrance of who Amulek was, and what he had suffered in this very short time.

Amulek’s story is a contrast to Zeezrom’s. It is not about a man who had to repent, but about a man of unbending integrity.

We first met him when Alma was alone and hungry. We know that Amulek was a man of wealth and influence because later he would introduced himself by saying,

4  And behold, I am also a man 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. (Alma 10:4)

An angel had told Amulek to find Alma and to nurture him. After the men met they forged a bond on friendship. The record tells us almost nothing about the development of their friendship, Mormon simply reports,

And Alma tarried many days with Amulek before he began to preach unto the people. (Alma 8:27)

During those days, with Alma’s tutelage, Amulek became completely conversant with the mysteries of godliness. His testimony to his belligerent neighbors, and his later explanation of the atonement teach us that he had a brilliant mind and profound understanding of the meaning of the Saviour’s sacrifice.

As we read the story, we discover several things that happened to those who believed, and we can understand that they also happened to Amulek personally. Even though the details of his story are different from theirs, many of the events were the same.

For example, the leaders of the mob (judges, lawyers, and professional religionists) were “angry with Alma and Amulek; and because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put them away privily” (Alma 14:3). That would have been a convenient way to get rid of them. It didn’t work, so they turned on the men who believed the words of the prophets. “They cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them” (Alma 14:7-8).

We learn later that “cast them out” does not mean that they drove the believers from the town square, for we next hear of them as refugees in land of Sidom”(Alma 15:1).

Then the mob and their leaders did the unpardonable.

8  And they [the mob] brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire. (Alma 14:8)

The apostates had driven away the men and killed their families. This was clearly not only a violation of their persons, but it was also a confiscation of their property. That fact throws a vivid light on the motives of the apostates, but it also teaches us about what happened to Amulek.

He had described himself as a man of some wealth. Now he lost it all because he bore testimony of the divinity of Alma’s call. Furthermore, nothing suggests that his wife and children did not suffer the same fate as the others. Therefore, we may know that he not only watched as other innocent women and children were burned, but he watched as his own family was consumed by the fire.

10  And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. (Alma 14:10)

After that, he was thrown into prison where he was humiliated, from which he was never intended to leave alive.

Amulek had born testimony with his mouth, with his property, with everything he loved, and with his own life. Surely one can find few more sterling examples of absolute integrity.

Mormon lets us know that, but does not dwell on its importance, for he has other purposes. Yet, at his conclusion he invites us to recognize Amulek’s integrity and the depth of his pain, but also the depth of Amulek’s newfound friendship with Alma. Mormon tells us all of that with the tender words,

18  Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord. (Alma 15:18)

Alma 14:17-29, LeGrand Baker, Veil to darkness

17  And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison.
18 And when they had been cast into prison three days, there came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they answered them nothing.
19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.
20 And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves?
21 And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we look when we are damned?
22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison.
23 And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and Amulek were bound with cords.
24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this people according to your words.
25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.
26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.
29 Now the people having heard a great noise came running together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek.

– – – – – – – – – – –

I was frustrated when I read these verses this week because I couldn’t see the point in them. Mormon usually teaches a principle, often using someone else’s words or a sermon, then he illustrates its principles by telling a story. I couldn’t figure out what his point was in telling this story until I realized that the apostates had asked three times— and each time Alma refused to respond. I thought, “Wow, is that where he is going with this?” Then I began to read carefully, and was captivated with what I found.

These verses are another amazing evidence of Mormon’s ability as a story teller, and as a master of double speech—to write, as Nephi wrote, in the language of the world, but the learning of the Jews. As Mormon relates this narrative, he includes nothing that is unnecessary to the sub-text, and he leaves nothing out. Its context is still the confrontation reported in chapter 12, where Alma reminds his listeners of the way one may be redeemed—the steps that bring one into the presence of God. Now, Mormon illustrates in vivid prose what Jacob taught in 2 Nephi 9:41-42. In doing so, he follows the same pattern that is outlined in the 21^st Psalm. (If you are not familiar with those scriptures, this would be a good time to read them.)

The story, as Mormon tells it, is this:

The apostates approach the prophets three times, demanding that they respond and repeat their testimony. Their requests are not a prayer, but a challenge of authority. They mockingly asked, “If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves?” and “How shall we look when we are damned?” But the antagonists are beyond hearing, therefore, the prophets say nothing at all.

“And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst.”

Similarly, these apostates were denying to themselves the promises of the fruit of the tree of life, and the waters of life. Therefore, they would hunger and thirst forever.

“ and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked.” As the apostates had disrobed the prophets, as they had also disrobed themselves, and were left naked without the ennobling symbols of priesthood and kingship.

The apostates extended their hands to the prophets, but their hands were a symbol of their own damnation. “And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this people according to your words. And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last;”

In chapter 12, Alma had contrasted God’s eternal embrace with the chains of hell. The apostates had chosen to had imitated that damning embrace. Though it looked secure, it was rejected and overthrown by the prophets. “And thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison….And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound.”

The reality of the embrace was turned upon the apostates. The earth itself was repulsed by their wickedness, it testified of their eternal sorrow. The walls of the prison, like an ever-excluding veil, encompassed them in darkness and death. “And the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.”

In telling this story, choosing only the details that he chose, and relating them in that order, Mormon drew a devastating and final contrast to the invitation of redemption that Alma had extended in chapter 12.

Alma 14:10-13, LeGrand Baker, Comfort: The power to transcend sorrow

Alma 14:10-13
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

These verses present an indelible contrast against the later picture of the Saviour blessing the little children.

My own sensitivities compel me to search about—not to discover the answer to the question “why,” for Alma gives us that answer. It is an eternal principle founded upon the eternal law of progression: If all the good guys were taken out of the reach of all the bad guys, one result would be that the bad guys could not be demonstrated to be bad, but another would be that the good could not be proven valiant.

The question I had struggled with was about “how.” It is one thing to submit the righteous to an unjust death, but it is quite another to let that death be a prolonged agony. My question presupposed that there must be an alleviation to their pain, and my desire was to discover it. It fact, that seems not at all difficult to do.

The Saviour explained,

51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.(John 8:46-55)

Many years later, he explained to the Prophet Joseph why it was so.

45 Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die, and more especially for those that have not hope of a glorious resurrection.
46 And it shall come to pass that those that die in me shall not taste of death, for it shall be sweet unto them;
47 And they that die not in me, wo unto them, for their death is bitter. (D&C 42:35-53)

Paul explained that dying without tasting the bitterness of death is a gift of the atonement. He said,

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)

Brigham young explained the principle in very practical terms, just as one would expect Brigham to do.

Jesus says, “He that liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” His body may be laid away to rest for a short time, but he shall not taste of death. When his spirit is released from this mortal tabernacle, the body drops back to mother earth; but the spirit departs with an assurance that the body will not always remain in the dust. The body has merely fallen asleep for a while, to be again quickened and united with the spirit to live forever. (Journal of Discourses, 8:283.)

We find the word, “comfort” in the Old Testament in Isaiah 61 where it introduces the coronation ceremony, and where that passage is paraphrased in the Beatitudes where the Saviour said, “Blessed are all they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Comfort: The power to transcend sorrow.

In Isaiah 61:2, “comfort” is an important word whose meaning is difficult for us to capture because it has changed since the King James Version was translated. In 1622, when the English word was nearer in time to its Latin origins, the first definition of “comfort” meant just exactly what the Latin said: “with strength.” or to strengthen, to empower. “Comfort” still meant that in 1787 when the American Constitution was written, and treason was defined as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy.” (That did not mean it was treason to give the enemy an aspirin and a warm blanket. It meant that it is treason to empower an enemy.) The most extensive analysis of the Hebrew word is by Gary Anderson, who wrote,

This verb “to comfort” (n-h-m) does not connote a simple act of emotional identification. Comfort can imply either the symbolic action of assuming the state of mourning alongside the mourner, or it can have the nuance of bringing about the cessation of mourning. In grammatical terms, the former usage reflects a processual usage of the verb, while the latter usage would be resultative. {1}

He goes on to explain:

The latter usage, to bring about the cessation of mourning, is very common in prophetic oracles of deliverance. The famous exhortation of Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, comfort, my people,” comes to mind immediately. As Westermann noted, the term conveys “God’s intervention to help and restore.” {2}

Anderson’s definition can account for the way the English translators used the word “comfort” to mean the bestowal of authority or power—an empowerment—and it also adds substantial depth to the meaning of the 23rd Psalm and other scriptures where “comfort” might be read as “to give consolation,” they might also be read as “to give power and authority, thus enabling one to transcend sorrow.”{3} There, comfort is associated with the symbols of priesthood and kingship. It reads,

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod [a scepter, symbol of kingship]
and thy staff [a shepherd’s crook, symbol of priesthood]
they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)

So the words say, “I am empowered by the symbols of kingship and priesthood.”

The Meaning of “Comforter.”

When one realizes that to comfort is to bestow the power to transcend sorrow, then one better understands the word “Comforter” as the source of that power.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you…..
25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:15-18,25-27)

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)

In a letter to his son Moroni, Mormon wrote,

25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God. (Moroni 8:25-26)

The Lord both expanded upon, and encapsulated that teaching, when he promised Edward Partridge,

2 And I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom;(D&C 36:2)

He reiterated it again in a revelation through the Prophet Joseph to James Covill,

6 And this is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which showeth all things, and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom. (D&C 39:6)

The theme here is empowerment with peace, just as it was many generations ago when the Lord spoke to Adam:

1 Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment. (Moses 6:61)

Which brings us back to our beginning, where the Saviour said,

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:26-27)

Enoch’s famous question to the Lord is very relevant here:

29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

The Lord’s response was different from what one might expect. He did not weep for those who were sinned against, but for those who sinned. He explained,

37 But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer? (Moses 7:28-37)

When I read this story of the burning of women and children, the only way I can wrap my mind around that incident is to combine these two ideas: The righteous shall not taste death, and the Comforter—the Empowerer—administers peace.

I would like to show you three examples of death that is triumph. The first is about Stephen.

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:54-60.)

Beginning with verse 55 and continuing until “he fell asleep,” Stephen was no longer in linear time or profane space. Rather, as I understand it, his spirit was in sacred time and sacred space—no doubt aware of the events that were killing his mortal body, and perhaps even of its agony—but the power of his spirit transcended those events and while his body may have responded to the pain, his soul—the real him—felt only sorrow for those who were hurting him.

The deaths of the Prophet Joseph and his brother Hyrum are another example. John Taylor, who was in the jail with Joseph and Hyrum wrote the account published in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 135.

1 To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a dead man! Joseph leaped from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner, and both received four balls. (D&C 135:1)

Some historians have made a great deal out of Joseph’s final words. Because they are the beginning of the Masonic cry for help, they claim this was Joseph’s last-ditch attempt to save his own life. But that notion is contrary to his nature. Many of those involved in his death belonged to the Masons, but there is little contemporary evidence that it was a factor in the murder.

An entirely different explanation for Joseph’s last words is this: As Brigham Young died, his last words were, “Joseph, Joseph, Joseph.” This sounds like a greeting to his dearest friend whom he recognized had come to meet him. Joseph similarly spoke a greeting: “O Lord, My God”—to his dearest friend who had come to meet him. Their friend, John Taylor, described their murders as “brutal,” and they certainly were. But there is no since of feeling the brutality in the last words spoken by either man.

The final example is very personal and sacred to me and to our family. It was written yesterday, at my request, by my favorite Baker cousin, Cheryl Rode. Her father is my Dad’s youngest brother. Daddy was one of those who came to usher her Dad home. Which means, Cheryl was the last person in this world to see my Dad.

The conclusion, if we need a conclusion, is this: Notwithstanding the horror of the situation, I believe that within the flames, there was peace, and that Alma sensed that peace even though the perpetrators of the deed never would.

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FOOTNOTES

{1} Gary A. Anderson, A Time to Mourn, A Time to Dance, The Expression of Grief and Joy in Israelite Religion (University Park, Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1991),84, fn. 74. Italics in the original.

{2} Anderson, A Time to Mourn, 84.

{3} Isaiah 40:1-2 is an example. The verses report an event at the Council where God (Elohim) speoke to the Council (the work ye is plural). If one reads “comfort” to mean empower through the coronation ceremony, the verses take on enormous power. The verses read:

1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. (Isaiah 40:1-2)

Alma 14:6-7, LeGrand Baker, sin is apostasy against Self

6  And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
7  And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.
8  And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire.

Repentance is, and must be, commensurate with the sin. It must also be balanced on the scale of one’s prior knowledge of the seriousness of the sin. John Thompson has pointed out to me that in the Law of Moses, the sin offerings were to make an atonement for sins committed unawares, but there was no sacrifice or offering that made atonement for deliberate sins.

The whole system of salvation for the dead is founded upon the understanding that when one is unaware, one is not irrevocably guilty. But, as this story demonstrates, repentance from deliberate sin is more difficult, and more painful—but also not impossible. Sin is a violation of the law of one’s own being, and that law of self is defined and sustained for each of us by the light of Christ. Sin is an apostasy from what one is, against one’s on sense of right and wrong, and against the common decencies that are inherent in the innate human sense of fair play.

As is often the case, when an individual (or a culture) begins to apostatize from the directives of his own conscience, he also begins to apostatize—and to support the apostasy of others—from the principles of human dignity and decency. Thus, a moral apostasy often results in a political apostasy as well, just as had happened with these people.

The idea of the reality of a political apostasy was first introduced to me by this extraordinary statement by President Wilford Woodruff.

“I will here say, before closing, that two weeks before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, “You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God.” These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they waited on me for two days and two nights. I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them. The thought never entered my heart, form the fact, I suppose, that heretofore our minds were reaching after our more immediate friends and relatives. I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon brother McCallister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all, including John Wesley, Columbus, and others; I then baptized him for every President of the United States, except three; and when their cause is just, somebody will do the work for them.
“I have felt to rejoice exceedingly in this work of redeeming the dead. I do not wonder at President Young saying he felt moved upon to call upon the Latter-day Saints to hurry up the building of these Temples.” (Sunday, September 16, 1877, Journal of Discourses, 19:229)

The Founding Fathers believed that there is an innate sense of right and wrong that is the same in all people, and that the legitimate function of government is to make laws that are consistent with that universal sense of morality: to pass laws making wrong things illegal and to support things that are right. The Declaration of Independence is a catalogue of what they believed were those correct principles, and the Constitution is the functional authority that enabled governmental righteousness.

We (both as individuals and as a society) would do well to maintain intact the standard from which the Founding Fathers refused to apostatize. They believed that no person or government has the right to violate the legitimate sense of self— the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit happiness—of any other human being.

In that regard, these verses in Alma contain another warning that is also relevant to us in our time. Not everything that one’s dominant culture defines as sin is actually a violation of eternal principle. In this story, as is true in many human cultures, people defined good as evil, and evil as good. In our time, we would do well to be watchful that we do not expend our energy fighting against “sin” that is only identified as sin by our culture, but is not a sin in the eyes of God.