The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi. Kirtland, OH: P. P. Pratt and J. Goodson; printed by O. Cowdery & Co., 1837. iii–vi, 7–619 pp., plus two additional pp. The copy used herein is held at CHL. Includes signature marks.
their priests, who do yoke them according to their desires, and have brought them to believe by their traditions, and their dreams, and their whims, and their visions, and their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say is God; a being who never has been seen nor known, who never was nor ever will be. Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness of his heart; yea, when they saw that he would revile even against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge, who was governor over all the land.
And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme. And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake of glutting in the labors of the people.— Now Alma said unto him, thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold, I have labored even from the commencement of the reign of the judges, until now, with mine own hands, for my support, notwithstanding my many travels round about the land, to declare the word of God unto my people. And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment seat; and then we have received only according to law, for our time. And now if we do not receive any thing for our labors in the church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church, save it were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren? Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get gain, when thou of thyself knowest that we receive no gain? And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes such joy in their hearts? And Korihor answered him, yea. And then Alma said unto him, believest thou that there is a God? And he answered, nay. Now Alma said unto him, will ye [p. 325]