Beware of Priestcraft
Book of Mormon Notes - Monday, August 7, 2023, Alma 1
We’re getting deeper into the meat of the Book of Mormon.
The record of Alma, abridged by Mormon, is the longest book in the Book of Mormon. Alma 20 is the middle chapter in the Book of Mormon, counting by chapters. Alma 20:15-16 are the middle verses of the entire Book of Mormon, when measured by chapters and verses. Measured by verses only, the central verses of the Book of Mormon are found in Alma 27:23-24. By some counts, there are 269,320 words in the current Book of Mormon, but there were 269,518 words in the original text. Christopher Bross found the center of the Book of Mormon in the following way:
There are 267,218 words in the verse text of the Book of Mormon. The mid-point, therefore would fall between the 133,609th and 133,610th words. Those two words are “I cannot” in Alma 26:16. The entire verse (and the following verse for symmetry) reads in this manner:
“Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I [mid-point here] cannot say the smallest part which I feel. Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?”
We could find the mid-point in another way. There are - not including spaces - 1,146,400 individual characters in the Book of Mormon text (not including verse numbers or breaks between verses and such). The mid-point in these is still in Alma 26 but centered between the “s” and “a” in the word “save” from verse 26:
“But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent that perhaps we might s-[mid-point]-ave some few of their souls.”
If we include spaces between words in the character count, we get 1,406,719 characters in the text which makes the mid-point the space between the words “spent” and “in” from verse 24 in Alma 26:
“For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been spent [mid-point] in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of a transgressor from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language.”
There are others ways too! Of the 531 pages in the printed Book of Mormon, page 265 would be the mid-point. Page 265 is the middle of Alma 22 (specifically, verses 18-27 and the last bit of verse 17). There are 6604 verses which puts the mid-point between verses 23 and 24 in Alma 27. The middle chapter of the 239 total would be Alma 24.
And so forth.
I'd personally focus on Alma 26:16–26 as the most logical center of the Book of Mormon text. This centers the central message of The Book of Mormon on, most appropriately, the salvation of Jesus Christ. It really is “another Testament of Jesus Christ.”
Edit:
I'd like to add two things.
First, Alma 27:23-24 is the middle of the verse count. Coincidentally, these verses describe the Nephites placing themselves in the middle of the repentant Lamanites and the Lamanites who would destroy them. They did this to keep the repentant Lamanites safe both physically and spiritually. This presents a coincidental juxtaposition that might suggest ideas on which to ponder regarding the Savior's position in protecting repentant sinners from the the Adversary and his efforts to bring them back into the bondage of sin. This being one of the center messages of The Book of Mormon makes it all the more surprising.
Second, Manu Padro’s answer emphasizes an important aspect. The central portions of the Book of Mormon found in Alma 26 and 27 are the culmination and conclusion of a much broader narrative about the Sons of Mosiah and their missionary efforts to the Lamanites. The center of the character count and words in Alma 26 focus on the testimony that change through the Lord is possible even for the most depraved individual or group. The center of the verses in Alma 27 see the converted Lamanites safely settled in Nephite society.
I would venture that the story of the Sons of Mosiah and the conversion of the Lamanites is, therefore, the textually central story of the Book of Mormon. This is a seventh central aspect to consider though it could be argued that, given the message and focus of the entire Book of Mormon, the visitation of the Savior in 3 Nephi is the central story.
The question to ask, in my mind, however, is what Mormon considered to be the center of the Book of Mormon and whether or not he organized his book accordingly. Whatever the case, as far as I can tell, Mormon composed the introduction to the Book of Alma:
The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma, the first and chief judge over the people of Nephi, and also the high priest over the Church. An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and contentions among the people. And also an account of a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record of Alma, the first and chief judge.
One way to study the Book of Mormon in the future may be to study book by book, or in other words, to consider each book in the Book of Mormon on its own as its own book. In the meantime, as we enter into the Book of Alma, as far as I understand, the original record from which Mormon draws his abridgment was composed by Alma the Younger himself. Assuming that Mormon read the entire record, it is interesting to consider the things that he included in his introduction to this book:
Alma, the son of Alma made the account
Alma the Younger was the first chief judge
Alma the Younger was the first high priest over the Church
Alma’s record contains an account of the reign of the judges
Alma’s record contains an account of the wars and contentions among the people
Alma’s record contains an account of a war between the Nephites and the Lamanites
Of course, there is much, much more in the Book of Alma, but these are the things that Mormon included in his introduction. But on second thought, Alma himself may have written the introduction to his own book, just like Nephi wrote the introduction to his own book. This makes more sense to me.
It is an interesting time in Nephite history. King Mosiah and Alma the Elder have passed on. The reign of the kings is over, and the reign of the judges has just begun. Alma the Younger, a former rebel and persecutor of the Church is the chief judge and the high priest over all the Church. The sons of Mosiah have departed on a mission to the Lamanites for many years. Zarahemla is growing. Only nine more decades remain before Christ’s First Coming. Everything should be going well for the Nephites.
But Alma records, and Mormon includes in his abridgment, the story of a new trouble among the Nephites, or rather, an old trouble that resurfaces. We already encountered one antiChrist named Sherem in the Book of Jacob. At the beginning of the Book of Alma we encounter another: Nehor.
Sadly, Nehor was very influential among the Nephites, so much so that his influence was felt long after his ignominious death. Nehor was one of the first to practice priestcraft among the Nephites. Nehor developed and taught a counterfeit form of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that fooled many people. What were the basic tenets and characteristics of his counterfeit?
He preached that which he termed to be (but was not) the word of God
He bore down against the Church
He declared unto the people that every priest and teacher ought to become cpopular
He declared unto the people that they ought dnot to labor with their hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people
He testified unto the people that aall mankind should be saved at the last day
He testified unto the people that they bneed not fear nor tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for the Lord had ccreated all men, and had also dredeemed eall men; and, in the end, all men should have eternal life
He taught these things so much that many did believe on his words
Many who believed him began to support him and give him amoney
He began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart
He yea even began to bestablish a cchurch after the manner of his preaching
Nehor’s counterfeit gospel was a form of priestcraft.
What is priestcraft?
Priestcraft is when men preach and set themselves up for a light to the world that they may get gain and praise of the world, and they do not seek the welfare of Zion. (2 Ne. 26:29). When I consider what priestcraft is, it seems to me that priestcraft is much more prevalent today then we might suppose. After all, how many people preach? How many people set themselves up for a light to the world? How many people seek the gain and the praise of the world? When the Lord appeared to the Nephites nine decades later, He prophesied that in the last days, the gentiles would be riddled with priestcraft:
And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall asin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be blifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and cmurders, and dpriestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall ereject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them. (3 Nephi 16:10)
Who really seeks the welfare of Zion? Who really labors for Zion, and not for money? Very few people. But as the Prophet Joseph Smith taught the building up of Zion is the greatest cause in which anyone can engage:
The building up of Zion is a cause that has interested the people of God in every age; it is a theme upon which prophets, priests and kings have dwelt with peculiar delight; they have looked forward with joyful anticipation to the day in which we live; and fired with heavenly and joyful anticipations they have sung and written and prophesied of this our day; but they died without the sight; we are the favored people that God has made choice of to bring about the Latter-day glory; it is left for us to see, participate in and help to roll forward the Latter-day glory.”6
Priestcraft is the opposite of building Zion, but it is even worse. The opposite of building Zion is building Babylon. That is what most of us do at our jobs every day, whether we know it or not. But priestcraft is even worse than building Babylon because it is a counterfeit, pretending to build Zion while building Babylon. Priestcraft and iniquities led to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. No wonder the Book of Mormon warns so frequently and fervently against pride and priestcraft.
As Nehor went about deceiving the people with his priestcraft, he met the great Nephite hero, teacher, and man of God: Gideon. Gideon opposed Nehor, withstanding him and admonishing him with the true words of God. Naturally, Nehor was not pleased that Gideon discerned and rejected his priestcraft. But Nehor even became angry and began to smite the old Gideon with the sword. In his prime, Gideon would have prevailed, but since he was old, Gideon was slain by Nehor.
Nehor was brought before Alma the Younger to be judged, and Alma the Younger wisely discerned and dealt with Nehor’s heinous crime:
But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that apriestcraft has been introduced among this people. And behold, thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to enforce it by the sword; and were bpriestcraft to be enforced among this people it would prove their entire destruction.
And thou hast shed the ablood of a righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare thee his blood would come upon us for bvengeance.
Therefore thou art condemned to adie, according to the blaw which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been cacknowledged by this people; therefore this people must dabide by the law.
And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was aNehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious bdeath. (Alma 1:12-15)
Alma’s first response to Nehor is a kind of prophesy, because the entire Nephite nation was later destroyed by pride and by priestcraft. If pride and priestcraft are major influences in our world today, as the Lord prophesied that they would be, then what does that tell us about our impending destruction?
Alma the Younger justly enforced the death penalty against the murderous Nehor. But even this just but drastic measure did not put an end to priestcraft in the land. Mormon informs us in this abridgment of Alma the Younger’s record that many people practiced and accepted priestcraft because of their love for the vain things of the world, for riches and for honor. False doctrine spread among the Nephites because many people set their hearts so much upon the things of this world that they could no longer discern truth from error. These wicked and sly Nephites tried to keep things “legal” while simultaneously spreading pride and priestcraft. They also persecuted members of the Church, those who had taken upon themselves the name of Christ.
Pride and priestcraft, within the Church and without, led to contention and even violence. They even got into fist fights.
Meanwhile, the humble followers of Christ only sought to build up the Kingdom of God upon the earth and to establish Zion. They imparted the word of God to one another, without money and without price. These faithful people demonstrated many Christ-like qualities:
Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in the faith; nevertheless, they were asteadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with bpatience the persecution which was heaped upon them.
And when the priests left their alabor to impart the word of God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear the word of God. And when the priest had imparted unto them the word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors; and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and they did all labor, every man baccording to his strength.
And they did aimpart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the bpoor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly capparel, yet they were neat and comely. (Alma 1:25-27)
Because of their righteousness and goodness, these people began to establish peace and they also began to prosper greatly. They became very rich, but they did not set their hearts upon riches. They used their wealth to bless the poor, needy, afflicted, sick, hungry, thirsty, and so forth. And they didn’t just minister to those within the Church, but to everyone in need. Thus the Lord blessed them and prospered them.
On the other hand, those who did not belong to the Church indulged themselves in every kind of wickedness imaginable.
Peace and prosperity were increasing on the one hand, but much trouble was brewing internally as well.