The Book Of Alma (Chap. 48)

Alma 48:1
And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had
obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to
speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.

Alma 48:2
And thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites,
insomuch that in the latter end of the nineteenth year of the
reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far,
yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to
reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the
land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.

Alma 48:3
Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened
the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred
them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a
numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.

Alma 48:4
For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number
of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into
bondage.

Alma 48:5
And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they
being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and
their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities;
therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.

Alma 48:6
And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth
toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.

Alma 48:7
Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been
obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand,
had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto
the Lord their God.

Alma 48:8
Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and
erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of
earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls
of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the
borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.

Alma 48:9
And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater
number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land
which was possessed by the Nephites.

Alma 48:10
And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their
lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that
they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might
maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of
Christians.

Alma 48:11
And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a
perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in
bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the
freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and
slavery;

Alma 48:12
Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his
God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon
his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and
safety of his people.

Alma 48:13
Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ,
and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights,
and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

Alma 48:14
Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against
their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were
necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an
offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against
an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

Alma 48:15
And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper
them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in
keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the
land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to
their danger;

Alma 48:16
And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they
should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so
doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of
Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of
blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in
keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.

Alma 48:17
Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and
were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very
powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil
would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

Alma 48:18
Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea,
and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his
sons, for they were all men of God.

Alma 48:19
Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable
unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of
God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would
hearken unto their words.

Alma 48:20
And thus they went forth, and the people did humble
themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly
favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and
contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four
years.

Alma 48:21
But, as I have said, in the latter end of the nineteenth
year, yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they
were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the
Lamanites.

Alma 48:22
Yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of
many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much
reluctance.

Alma 48:23
Now, they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites,
because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and
this was not all—they were sorry to be the means of sending so
many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world,
unprepared to meet their God.

Alma 48:24
Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives,
that their wives and their children should be massacred by the
barbarous cruelty of those who were once their brethren, yea, and
had dissented from their church, and had left them and had gone
to destroy them by joining the Lamanites.

Alma 48:25
Yea, they could not bear that their brethren should rejoice
over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who
should keep the commandments of God, for the promise of the Lord
was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in
the land.