The Book Of Helaman (Chap. 8)

Helaman 8:1
And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words,
behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the
secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out
against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon
this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according
to the crime which he has done?

Helaman 8:2
Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this
people and against our law?

Helaman 8:3
For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the
corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which
cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to
the commandments of God.

Helaman 8:4
And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly
unto them concerning their secret works of darkness;
nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for
they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.

Helaman 8:5
Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you
suffer this man to revile against us? For behold he doth condemn
all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these
our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no
place in them.
Helaman 8:6
And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are
powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no
power over us.

Helaman 8:7
And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to
anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there
were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good
man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass
except we repent;

Helaman 8:8
Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has
testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto
us concerning our iniquities. And behold they are many, and he
knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of
our iniquities;

Helaman 8:9
Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not
have testified concerning those things.

Helaman 8:10
And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy
Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay
their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them,
seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch
that the remainder of them did fear.

Helaman 8:11
Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying:
Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto
one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and
they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who
were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters
closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?

Helaman 8:12
And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then
why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath
given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the
judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?

Helaman 8:13
But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all
the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the
words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great
power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken
concerning the coming of the Messiah.

Helaman 8:14
Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come?
And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so
shall he be lifted up who should come.

Helaman 8:15
And as many as should look upon that serpent should live,
even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith,
having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which
is eternal.

Helaman 8:16
And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things,
but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of
Abraham.

Helaman 8:17
Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled
with gladness and did rejoice.

Helaman 8:18
Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of
these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who
were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his
Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great
many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption
should come unto them.

Helaman 8:19
And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days
of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified
these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly;
for the which he was slain.

Helaman 8:20
And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and
Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the
destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was
destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah. O then why not the
Son of God come, according to his prophecy?

Helaman 8:21
And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed? Will
ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it
were Mulek? Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah
are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem?
But behold, this is not all—

Helaman 8:22
Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he
testified of these things. Nephi also testified of these things,
and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea,
they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked
forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.

Helaman 8:23
And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did
manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and
they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.

Helaman 8:24
And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them
except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye
have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences
which ye have received; yea, even ye have received all things,
both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as
a witness that they are true.

Helaman 8:25
But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against
your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and
where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for
yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.

Helaman 8:26
Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your
murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting
destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you
soon.

Helaman 8:27
Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto
the judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is
murdered, and he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by
his brother, who seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.

Helaman 8:28
And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose
author is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the
souls of men.