HOW THE PEOPLE OF ZENIFF WERE BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE.
While Zeniff was king over his people they were greatly blessed of the Lord. Zeniff had taught them to lead good lives and to be kind and helpful to each other.
The years passed by, Zeniff grew old and finally died. His son Noah began to reign in his stead. Noah was just as wicked as his father was good. He gathered around him many bad men. They flattered him and made him think he was a great man.
Noah built costly palace had horses and chariots and a large number of wives and servants. He led a shameful life, spending his days in feasting and in doing things which were exceedingly displeasing in the sight of the Lord. It required a great deal of money to support this ungodly king. He, therefore, put heavy taxes upon his people, and the Nephites had to work hard to pay the expenses of their wicked ruler.
One by one the Nephites began to follow the example of their king, and in the course of time the greater part of them had become almost as bad as Noah himself.
Now, there was a man among the Nephites who had watched with sorrow the conduct of his people. His name was Abinadi. He was a good man, and the Lord loved him.
One day the voice of the Lord came to Abinadi, saying, "Abinadi, I want you to go among this people and call them to repentance. Tell them that I, the Lord, am very angry with them because of their wickedness, and that if they do not cease doing evil, I will let the Lamanites come down upon them and overcome them, and they will become servants to the Lamanites."
Abinadi did as the Lord commanded him. He stood up in the midst of the Nephites and told them of the wicked things they had done, how angry the Lord was with them, and warned them of the trouble which would come upon them if they did not repent.
His words made them very angry. They rushed upon him, seized him, and marched him roughly to the king's court. They told Noah of the terrible things which Abinadi had prophesied would come upon the king and his people if they did not repent of their wickedness. "What shall we do with this man," they asked, "who has spoken such things against the king and against us?"
The cry went up, "Let him be put to death!" But Abinadi had not completed his mission, so the Lord delivered him out of their hands.
Two years later he appeared in their midst again. He began to preach with great power and courage. He repeated all that he had said before, and told them of the fate which awaited them if they refused to listen to the warning of the Lord.
O, foolish people! Instead of thanking the prophet for pointing out to them their errors, and for telling them how they could be saved from the judgments of God, they turned upon him with hearts full of anger, treated him in a shameful manner, and finally put him to death.
Among those who listened to the preaching of Abinadi was a young man named Alma. Alma believed what the prophet had said. He knew that he had spoken the truth. So Alma repented of his sins and began to live a godly life.
He wrote down all that Abinadi had said. Then he went quietly among the people and read to those who would listen to him the wonderful things which the prophet had spoken. Many believed the teachings of Alma. They repented also and commenced to serve the Lord. They had to be very careful.
They knew that if King Noah heard that they believed what Abinadi had said, he would have them put to death also. So on certain days they would go away out into the country, to a little forest, and there they would worship God and listen to the preaching of Alma.
In the forest there was a fountain of clear water, called the waters of Mormon. One day when all the believers were gathered together Alma asked them if they would like to be baptized, to show to the Lord that they were willing to serve Him and keep His commandments. They all clapped their hands for joy and said that that was what they desired. So Alma went down into the waters of Mormon and baptized them. Others were baptized from time to time, and finally the followers of Alma numbered four hundred and fifty.
It was too bad that poor Abinadi died without seeing the result of his labors. He had been the means of converting Alma, and Alma had converted four hundred and fifty people. Therefore, if Abinadi's life had been spared a few years longer his heart would have been made glad at seeing hundreds of his people forsake their evil ways and turn unto the Lord.
One day a man went to King Noah and told him that Alma had gathered a large number of people together and was advising them to turn against the king. That was not true, but the king believed it, and he at once sent out his army to destroy Alma and his people. But Alma heard of the coming of the army. He told the news to his followers and they quickly took down their tents and went away to another part of the country.
You will remember that Abinadi told the Nephites that if they did not stop doing wicked things the Lord would let the Lamanites come down upon them, conquer them and make them their servants. I will now tell you how the words of the prophet were fulfilled.
One day King Noah was up in a high tower. As he looked over the land he saw a sight which frightened him terribly—the armies of the Lamanites were coming to make war upon the Nephites! Noah ran down quickly out of the tower calling to his people to flee for their lives, as the Lamanites were coming to destroy them. Noah was a coward. He not only ran away himself, but told his men to leave their wives and children, so as to save their own lives.
Some of them did so, but the greater part of them stayed with their families. The cowardly Nephites who ran away were pursued by the Lamanites. A number of them were overtaken and slain.
When the Nephites who had stayed with their families saw the Lamanites coming towards them they sent out their fair daughters to plead with the Lamanites to spare their lives. The Lamanites were charmed with the beauty of the Nephite maidens. They told them not to fear, that they would neither hurt them nor their parents.
The Lamanites told the Nephites they would let them return to their homes and farms if they would agree to pay to the king of the Lamanites one-half of all their gold and silver and precious things, and also one-half of the crops which they might raise each year.
In order to save their lives the Nephites agreed to the demands of the Lamanites. That day the words of the Prophet Abinadi were fulfilled—the Nephites had become servants to the Lamanites.
"Did they remain all their lives in that condition?"
I will answer that question in my next story.