CHAPTER SIX.
THE ZORAMITES.
The sun was slowly sinking in the western sky, as the party of missionaries presented themselves at the main entrance to the city Antionum, the gateway of the north wall. They were permitted to pass in unchallenged, and inquired out a lodging house, where they all stayed together. Uninformed as to the exact nature of the heresy of the Zoramites, they had resolved to avoid proclaiming their mission, until they should become acquainted with the nature of the errors it was their hope to correct.
The day following their entrance into the city was the holy day of the Zoramites, when they repaired to the synagogues, of which there were many, to worship. The interior of their places of worship was gorgeously decorated. Near the center of each rose a stand, the top of which extended half the height from the floor to the ceiling. The stand proper rested on a sort of frustum of a cone. Up the sides were several flights of steps, and at the top of the frustum was standing room for a number of people; but in the stand proper there was room for but one. Each in his turn ascended the single flight of steps to the top of this holy stand—Rameumptom they called it—and stretching forth his hands towards heaven, exclaimed in solemn tones:
Holy, Holy, Holy God!
Thou art God, There is no God beside.
Spirit Bright, and Everlasting—
The same to-day and ever more.
Separate are we from men—
Elected us hast Thou and made us holy,
While all beside thou hast condemned;
For which, Most High, and Holy God we give Thee thanks—
That we are not as other men.
Separated are we from false traditions of the Christ—
That deep blasphemy of corrupted Nephites,
Who know not Thee as Spirit-God:
But as a man expect to see Thee
Come on earth, and all mankind redeemed!
For deliverance from such traditions vile
Most High and Holy God—I give Thee thanks!
Amen, amen, amen!
At the conclusion of every distinct thought in the above prayer, the company of worshippers at the top of the frustum would cry aloud—"Amen, amen!" And at the conclusion of the prayer an unseen choir accompanied by instruments, chanted selected and slightly altered passages of the above prayer such as—
"Holy, holy God! Thou art God. Thou are holy. Thou are spirit, and ever shall be—Holy is thy name! Amen! amen!"
Such was their form of worship, such their set prayers, as witnessed that day by Alma and his fellow missionaries.
After witnessing this mixture of impiety and hypocrisy, self-glorification, and abasement of those not of them. Alma thought it not necessary to wait longer in commencing the work, and hence, that night he laid hands upon the heads of his associates, blessed them and set them apart for the accomplishment of the work in hand. The next morning they separated for the better prosecution of their enterprise. They took no thought of themselves, what they should eat, or where they should be lodged. They preached in the synagogues, in private houses, and even in the streets.
No one in the beginning of this work was more zealous, or more successful than Corianton. Indeed it was his success that began to work a great mischief; for it filled him with pride and boasting in his own strength. By the force of his brilliancy, and a kind of genius for controversy, he discomfited the Zoramites, and exposed the shallowness of their principles to the great delight of the multitude who, though they believed not the message he was delivering, were immensely pleased with the youthful orator.