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.
did appoint priests and teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches.
And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches, that there arose a dissention among them, and they would not give heed to the words of Helaman and his brethren; but they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because of their exceeding great riches; therefore they grew rich in their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk uprightly before God.
And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the words of Helaman and his brethren, were gathered together against their brethren. And now behold, they were exceeding wroth, insomuch that they were determined to slay them. Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren, was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah. And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who were wroth, were also desirous that he should be their king; and they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land; and they were seeking for power. And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him, and establish him to be their king, that he would make them rulers over the people. Thus they were led away by Amalickiah, to dissensions, notwsthstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren; yea, notwithstanding their exceeding great care over the church, for they were high priests over the church. And there were many in the church who believed in the flattering words of Amalickiah; therefore they dissented even from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi exceeding precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great rejoicings which they had had, because of their deliverance by the hands of the Lord. Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord their God; yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by the evil one; yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men; yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning devices, and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to [p. 370]