Alma 30-31

Chapter 30

In the 16^th year there was peace throughout the land,

But that ended with the arrival of a man.

He was Anti-Christ, just like Sherem and Nehor,

And his preaching shook many members to the core.

This man, Korihor, taught that Jesus wouldn’t come

Saying, “All believers are foolish, frenzied, dumb!

“You cannot know anything that you cannot see,

“So you can’t know that Christ will come with surety.”

He taught many more such things as he passed his time,

Saying there was no afterlife, nor was there crime.

He was free to preach this, though it gave members grief,

Because there was no law against a man’s belief. 

When he went to Jershon the people of Ammon

Recognized the damage that his teachings had done.

They jailed Korihor and exiled him from their land

So he tried his luck in the land of Gideon.

They were also wise and they soon had heard enough.

They sent Korihor to the judge and locked him up.

When the judge, Giddonah, saw how hard his heart was,

He sent Korihor to the chief judge and Alma.

Korihor claimed that priests exploited church members.

“No!” Alma replied, “Priests have not been paid, ever!

“Our only motive in preaching is to rejoice

“When our brethren repent and listen to God’s voice.”

When Korihor said he did not believe in God

Alma then explained why atheism is flawed.

“Everything—the earth and planets with their motion—

“Prove that they’re under a loving God’s direction.

“What evidence do you have for your unbelief?

“I say you have none, save it be your word only!”

Korihor refused to believe without a sign,

So God struck him dumb and he was mute from that time.

Korihor then wrote a confession of his fraud,

“Really, I have always known that there was a God.

“But the devil tricked me, he appeared unto me
“And I spread his message because it was pleasing.”

Then Korihor asked Alma to remove the curse,

Alma told him no, this curse wouldn’t be reversed,

“If the curse was taken, you would go preach some more!”

Korihor was cast out and begged from door to door.

While begging, he was run over and left for dead.

Satan doesn’t support his children—not one bit!

Chapter 31

Korihor was trodden down by the Zoramites,

People who had deserted the church out of spite.

Alma’s heart felt sick when he heard of these people.

Whose leader, Zoram, had them worshipping idols.

Even worse, he worried that soon the Zoramites

Would unite against them and join the Lamanites.

So Alma decided to try to preach God’s word

Since it had proven more powerful than the sword.

Several others joined him who felt as Alma did.

They were shocked to see how the Zoramites worshipped.

Once a week they all gathered at the synagogue,

Where they’d each deliver a haughty monologue.

Each would climb to the top of the Rameumptum

And say the same prayer to be heard by everyone,

“Holy God, we thank thee that thou hast chosen us

“So we won’t believe in the coming of Jesus.

“It was handed down by our fathers long ago,

But it’s just a foolish tradition.  This we know.”

Alma’s heart was grieved to see this and so he cried,

“Lord, how long must we see such wickedness and pride?

“Give me strength, O Lord.  Please comfort my soul in Christ,

“Give success to all my brethren who’ve sacrificed.

“Lord, their souls are precious, we need to help them see!

“Please give us the power to bring them back to thee.”

 After Alma prayed, he blessed each of his brethren,

And they all went forth, with strength to bear afflictions.

© 2020 by N. Noelle Maes