,bruington1 ,byron ,clark1 ,ben         
,crowder1 ,lili ,de,forest1 ,eric       
,heaps1 ,tod ,robbins4                  
,,corianton  ,a ,nephite ,story   ,,by  
,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts     ,,copyrighted ,,by
 ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts #aijb     ,,preface4 
,corianton was first published as a     
serial in the ,contributor1 #ahhi4 ,at  
that time the story was well received by
 a large circle of readers and the      
,author was urged by many of his friends
 to continue in that line of            
composition1 as much good might come of 
it4 ,a call came to engage in other     
work1 however1 and the delightful field 
just entered had to be abandoned4       
,during the years that have intervened  
since the first publication of the      
story1 many have inquired if ,corianton 
would not appear in booklet form1 to    
which the ,author always replied in the 
affirmative1 but without being able to  
say when the time of publication would  
come4 ,since the simple ,nephite story1 
however1 promises to become famous      

through ,mr4 ,o4 ,u4 ,bean's            
dramatization of it1 many--,i may say   
very many--have expressed a desire of   
forming the acquaintance of ,corianton  
as he first appeared2 and hence the     
,author presents ,corianton1 the        
,nephite4     ,,corianton4   ,,chapter  
,,one4  ,,the ,,prisoner4   ,the        
summer's sun was just struggling through
 the mists that overhung the eastern    
horizon1 and faintly gilding the towers 
and housetops of ,zarahemla1 as a party 
of seven horsemen1 evidently weary with 
the night's travel1 were seen slowly    
moving along the foot of the hill       
,manti1 in the direction of the above   
named city4  ,the manner in which the   
party traveled was evidently by         
pre-arrangement1 and for a purpose4 ,two
 rode in advance and two in the rear1   
while the other three rode abreast1 the 
one in the middle being closely guarded 
by those who rode beside him4 ,a second 
look showed that his arms were securely 
bound behind him1 and the guard on each 

side held the powerful horse he rode by 
means of a strap of raw-hide fastened to
 the bridle4 ,the prisoner was the most1
 in fact the only person of striking    
appearance in the little cavalcade1 the 
others being rather heavy1 dull men of  
serious countenance2 the prisoner1      
however1 had an air of boldness and cool
 defiance which contrasted sharply with 
the humble aspect of his guards4 ,he sat
 his horse with an easy grace which gave
 less evidence of fatigue from the long 
ride through the sultry night than that 
exhibited by his guards2 the man1       
indeed1 seemed especially adapted for   
endurance4 ,the head1 too1 was massive  
and the countenance striking2 the       
brilliancy of the bold black eyes       
challenged contest or flashed back      
defiance1 while the peculiar expression 
about the mouth1 half scornful smile1   
half sneer1 seemed to breathe contempt  
for all things on which he looked4  ,the
 party now came in full view of the     
city4 ,at last1 with mocked solemnity1  

exclaimed he that was bound1 the        
soldiers of ,christ and their prisoner  
behold the holy city1 where dwells the  
great prophet--even ,god's ,high        
,priest1 who smites with the words of   
his mouth1 and with the breath of his   
lips slays the wicked6 and the speaker  
laughed scornfully1 but his guards made 
no reply4  ,methinks ye soldiers of the 
king that is to be1 give scant homage to
 a shrine so holy as this--why1 think   
men1 this is the abode of ,god's        
vicegerent1 the headquarters of heaven  
on earth so to speak6 ,and yet ye move  
on in full view of this holy shrine     
unbowed6 ,down slaves1 and worship the  
place of my sanctuary--so run the words 
of holy prophets1 is it not so8  ,still 
no answer4  ,yet uncovered and unbowed8 
,ah1 ,i forgot1 you are from the land of
 ,gideon1 where dwells another of these 
holy prophets--and1 it may be1 that to  
worship at this shrine would be treason 
to your own ,high ,priest6 ,o1 thou     
bright-eyed goddess of liberty1 what    

distraction1 what fears must disturb the
 breasts of the poor1 craven wretches   
who worship aught but thee6  ,further   
remarks of the scoffer were cut short by
 the guards in advance urging their     
horses into a brisk gallop1 an example  
followed by the rest of the party4 ,the 
good broad road1 down which they dashed1
 sloped gently from the western base of 
the hill ,manti to the gate in the east 
wall of the city4 ,the road had been cut
 through a primeval forest1 and the     
strips of woodland on either side of it1
 still untouched by the woodman's ax1   
made of it a grand avenue4 ,here and    
there to the right and left were lanes  
leading off to the fields beyond1 toward
 which agricultural laborers were slowly
 moving to begin the toil of the day4   
,these turned to look with unconcealed  
wonder upon the strange party as it     
dashed past them1 and some few turned   
back to the city1 bent on finding out   
who the prisoner was and what was afoot4
  ,as the party drew rein near the gate1

 two guards armed with heavy swords and 
long spears1 challenged their entrance1 
and demanded their business4  ,great    
,god6 exclaimed the prisoner1 and this  
is the people who boast of their        
freedom6 ,this is the free city of      
,zarahemla6 and yet here stands the     
minions of the ,high ,priest and the    
,chief ,judge to question whence ye come
 and why6  ,we come from the city of    
,gideon1 said one of the guards of the  
prisoner1 in answer to the questions1 we
 have in charge ,korihor1 the           
anti-,christ1 who seeks to destroy      
religion and subvert all government2    
we--  ,thou liest1 almost as well as a  
high priest1 broke in the prisoner2 ,i  
seek but to root out of men's minds the 
false traditions of the fathers         
concerning ,god and ,christ1 and to make
 them free6 ,i only--  ,you will do     
well1 quietly replied he whom he had    
interrupted1 to make your defense before
 the ,high ,priest and ,chief ,judge of 
the city1 and not before your own and   

the city guards4 ,then turning to the   
guards of the gate he continued3 ,we    
have brought ,korihor from the city of  
,gideon where he was tried--  ,for his  
virtues1 broke in the prisoner4--  --for
 his offenses1 continued the guard1 not 
heeding the interruption1 but the ,chief
 ,judge at ,gideon hath sent him to the 
,chief ,judge of the whole land in this 
city1 to hear his case1 and he--  ,and  
,god's ,high ,priest1 spoke up the      
prisoner1 ,i charge thee1 guard1 leave  
not out the holy prophet1 ,i long to    
meet in sharp contest the vicegerent on 
earth of your ,christ that is to        
be--'according to the holy prophets4'   
,well1 then1 we seek the ,high ,priest  
and ,chief ,judge before whom this man  
is to be tried1 said the guard1         
evidently vexed with the mocking tone of
 the scoffer4  ,pass on1 said the guard 
at the gate3 ,com1 said he to his       
companion1 conduct these men to the     
,judgment ,hall1 give their prisoner to 
the keeper of the prison1 then direct   

them to the house of the chief judge2 ,i
 shall wait until you return2 and ,i    
pray ,god that this bold man may be     
silenced1 for before now he hath        
disturbed the quiet of our city not a   
little4  ,as the party passed through   
the massive gateway1 ,korihor turned to 
look back at the guard1 and raising his 
voice1 said to the crowd which had      
gathered there rather than to the one   
whom he addressed1 ,guard1 tell your    
good people as they pass in and out of  
the city1 that ,korihor1 their friend1  
who would see them free1 is in bonds for
 liberty's sake1 and is soon to be tried
 before an imperious ,high ,priest and a
 tyrant judge1 for honest disbelief in  
the foolish traditions of their         
fathers--tell them this1 and ask them if
 the time has came when all men must be 
slaves to superstition6 ,there was an   
instant buzz of excitement in the crowd1
 for ,korihor was not unknown in        
,zarahemla4 ,a few months before he had 
been through that city and had spoken   

boldly against the prophets and the     
traditions respecting the coming and    
,atonement of ,christ4 ,since then he   
had been traveling through the land of  
,jershon among the people of ,ammon1    
there he met with little success2 for   
that people bound him and banished him  
from their lands4 ,from thence he went  
into the land of ,gideon where he       
sought1 as in other places1 to stir up  
sedition4 ,he was brought before the    
,high ,priest and ,chief ,judge of that 
city1 and they being in doubt as to what
 they ought to do with him1 bound him   
and sent him to the ,high ,priest over  
the whole church1 and to the ,chief     
,judge of the whole land1 both of whom  
resided in the city of ,zarahemla4      
,,chapter ,,two4  ,,zarahemla4   ,the   
city of ,zarahemla which our party of   
horsemen and their prisoner had entered1
 was the capital and metropolis of the  
,nephite ,republic4 ,its exact location 
cannot be definitely fixed4 ,according  
to the ,book of ,mormon it was situated 

on the west bank of tho river ,sidon1 a 
noble stream1 supposed to be identical  
with the river ,magdalena4 ,it rises in 
the great mountain chain of western     
,south ,america1 and flows directly     
north through an immense valley to the  
sea4 ,the city ,zarahemla was originally
 founded by the descendants of a colony 
of ,jews that escaped from ,jerusalem1  
after the destruction of that city by   
,king ,nebuchadnezzar1 early in the     
sixth century ,b4 ,c4 ,with the colony  
of ,jews that escaped was ,mulek1 the   
son of ,king ,zedekiah1 and the colony  
took its name from him4 ,they landed in 
the northern continent of the western   
world and afterwards drifted southward  
into the valley of ,sidon1 and there    
founded a city1 but what name they gave 
it is not known4 ,having brought no     
records with them from ,jerusalem1 and  
being in possession of none of those    
incentives to the preservation of       
civilization1 it is not surprising that 
they deteriorated to semi-civilized and 

irreligious conditions4 ,serious wars   
broke out among them at times1 but they 
preserved themselves a people1 and by   
the year #bjj ,b4 ,c41 had become very  
numerous4 ,it was about this time that  
their chief city was discovered by a    
migrating host of ,nephites from the    
,south1 led by ,mosiah ,i1 whom ,god had
 commanded to gather together the more  
righteous part of the people of ,nephi  
and take them into the land northward4  
,a double purpose was served in this    
movement3 first1 the righteous ,nephites
 were relieved from the oppressions     
practiced upon them by their more       
vicious brethren2 second1 they carried  
enlightenment1 and especially the       
knowledge of ,god1 to a numerous people4
 ,at the time of the arrival of the     
,nephites in the valley of the ,sidon1  
one ,zarahemla was the recognized leader
 of the descendants of the people of    
,mulek4 ,it was a ,nephite custom to    
name their cities after the men who     
founded them1 and the surrounding       

country after the name of the chief city
 therein4 ,in this instance the         
,nephites doubtless named the city after
 the chief man they found there1        
,zarahemla1 and the surrounding country 
the land of ,zarahemla4 ,but as         
suggested1 this may not have been the   
name of the city previous to the advent 
of the ,nephites4 ,the two peoples      
readily united under the form of        
government known at that time among the 
,nephites1 viz41 a limited and at times 
elective monarchy4 ,mosiah1 the ,nephite
 leader1 became king of the united      
people4 ,he caused that the people of   
,zarahemla should be taught in the      
knowledge of their forefathers2 and in  
reverence for the ,god of ,israel4 ,both
 peoples were greatly benefited by this 
union4 ,the people of ,zarahemla so     
strengthened the ,nephites in numbers as
 to make them strong enough to resist   
any attempted invasion of ,lamanites2   
while to the people of ,zarahemla the   
,nephites brought their civilization1   

their ideas of government1 and          
enlightenment through means of          
education4  ,at the time of the opening 
of our story1 #ge ,b4 ,c41 something of 
a republican form of government or reign
 of ,judges had supplanted the before   
mentioned monarchy4 ,king ,mosiah ,i4   
was succeeded by his son ,benjamin1 and 
he by his son1 under the title of       
,mosiah ,,ii4 ,it was the reign of the  
last mentioned king that the remarkable 
revolution took place which resulted in 
the establishment of the ,nephite       
,republic in place of the kingly form of
 government which under various         
modifications had existed from the first
 ,nephi1 until about #ia ,b4 ,c41 or    
some sixteen years previous to the      
events recorded in the preceding        
chapter4 ,the revolution seems to have  
occurred at that time in consequence of 
the sons of the second ,mosiah refusing 
to accept the kingly dignity4 ,they had 
consecrated their lives to the service  
of the ,church1 and had departed on     

missionary expeditions among the        
,lamanites4 ,the good ,king ,mosiah ,,ii
 was fearful that if the people elected 
a king1 as was their light under certain
 contingencies1 his sons might          
subsequently seek to take possession of 
the throne they had abdicated1 and thus 
bring on civil war4 ,in his anxiety to  
avoid the possibility of so great a     
calamity he proposed a change in the    
constitution by which the kingly form of
 government should be abolished1 and a  
species of republic established in its  
place4 ,the principal feature of the new
 constitution was the provision for the 
election of a ,chief ,judge and         
subordinate ,judges1 graded most likely 
according to the importance of the city 
or district of country over which their 
administration extended4 ,all the judges
 were endowed with executive as well as 
judicial power2 from the subordinate    
judges appeals could be taken to the    
superior judges2 while an easy means of 
impeachment was provided as a corrective

 of corrupt administration4 ,the        
revolution proposed was carried out     
peacefully under the wise supervision of
 ,mosiah ,,ii1 who stipulated1 when     
proposing the constitutional change1    
that he would continue as king until his
 death1 at which event the new          
government was to go into force4 ,the   
first election was held within the      
lifetime of ,mosiah ,,ii4 ,alma1 the    
presiding ,high ,priest of the ,church1 
was elected ,chief ,judge1 so that he   
united in his person both priestly and  
civil power4 ,alma was a remarkable     
character4 ,he was the son of the       
,nephite ,high ,priest of the same name4
 ,in his youthful days he had been      
exceedingly wayward1 and had united with
 the sons of ,king ,mosiah ,,ii1 in     
their efforts to overthrow what they    
called the superstition of their        
fathers4 ,being young men of marked     
abilities and pleasing address1 the     
mischief they did was appalling4 ,the   
very pillars of the ,church seem to be  

shaken by their audacious boldness of   
declamation against it4 ,and it was only
 through the visitation of an angel who 
appeared before them in all the glorious
 brightness1 of that heaven from which  
he had descended1 and the administration
 of sharp reproofs1 that they were      
turned from their sinful ways1 and      
stopped from persecuting the ,church of 
,christ4 ,as is frequently the case with
 characters of this description1 from   
being violent scoffers of religion and  
bitter enemies of the ,church1 they     
became ardent supporters of both1 and1  
as already stated1 the sons of ,mosiah  
,,ii1 abdicated their right to the      
,nephite throne and consecrated their   
lives to the service of the ,church1 of 
which ,alma became the ,high ,priest    
upon the death of his father1 ,alma2    
and1 as we have seen1 was made ,chief   
,judge also of the republic4 ,he did not
 hold the double office long1 however2  
for finding that the office of ,chief   
,judge so occupied his time that it     

forced neglect upon his duties as ,high 
,priest1 he resigned his civil position 
after eight years of service1 that he   
might devote himself exclusively to his 
ministerial calling4 ,nephihah was      
elected to the office of ,chief ,judge1 
and held that position at the opening of
 our story4 ,by this action of ,alma's  
the office of ,high ,priest was         
separated from that of ,chief ,judge1   
still there appears to have been some   
participation in the affairs of         
government by the ,high ,priest4  ,not  
that there was a union of church and    
state as that term is usually           
understood1 for the ,church was         
recognized as being separated from the  
state2 but while they were distinct     
societies1 they were close neighbors1   
and nearly interested in one another2   
they lived separate1 but not estranged2 
and each helped the other at need4 ,and 
hence it happened that the ,high ,priest
 at times sat with the ,chief ,judge in 
cases involving the interests of the    

,church4     ,,chapter ,,three4  ,,the  
,,brothers4   ,meantime our party passed
 down one of the principal streets of   
the ancient city1 into the market       
square4 ,here many were engaged in      
unpacking fruits and vegetables from    
huge baskets strapped across the backs  
of asses1 and arranging them under      
awnings to preserve them from the       
scorching rays of the sun4 ,in the      
richest profusion were piles of fruits  
and vegetables1 luscious grapes and     
fragrant bananas1 lemons1 limes1 figs1  
dates1 bread-fruit and a variety of     
vegetables such as the tropics alone can
 produce4 ,purchasers were already      
thronging to the market1 and as our     
party from the city of ,gideon passed   
on1 ,korihor shouted to them1 as he had 
done to the crowd at the gate1 which    
resulted in quickly gathering a throng  
of men who eagerly questioned the guards
 as to the man's offense--alleged       
offense1 you mean1 he cried1 for ,i am  
guilty of no crime1 except we have      

fallen on those evil days to which the  
idle traditions of our fathers tend1    
when to disbelieve the words of ancient 
dotards styling themselves prophets1 and
 giving expression to one's honest      
thoughts has become a crime2 or when    
resisting the oppression of judges1 who 
ever have one ear turned to a priest to 
learn what superstition teaches is the  
word of ,god1 be a wrong2 and when to be
 the friend of liberty1 a foe to tyranny
 whether in priest or judge--and an     
enemy to an enslaving superstition1 is  
considered worthy of bonds and the      
prison4  ,this and much more that he    
said as he passed along1 surrounded by  
his guards1 produced no little          
excitement in the crowd1 for in those   
ancient days and distant climes1 as well
 as in our own day those who persuaded  
men they were not well governed had many
 willing followers2 and then as now     
demagogues1 blasphemers and the enemies 
of law and order knew what a tower of   
strength the cry of freedom gave to a   

cause1 however unworthy or destructive  
of the very thing in the interest of    
which1 ostensibly1 they worked4  ,having
 passed through the marketsquare and    
through a narrow1 irregular street1 with
 massive1 two-story stone houses on     
either side1 which marked the most      
ancient part of the city1 the guards    
suddenly turned to the right into a     
large square1 on one side of which stood
 an immense structure of hewn stone with
 a wide1 high porch1 supported by       
massive pillars1 and approached by a    
broad flight of stone steps4 ,this was  
the ,hall of ,justice1 as indicated in  
an inscription carved in the stone above
 the porch4 ,to the right of the        
building extended a high stone wall in  
which was hung a heavy wooden door1     
plentifully studded with iron spikes4   
,to this door the guard who had led the 
party from the east gate of the city    
directed his footsteps1 and taking a    
small wooden mallet suspended by a chain
 fastened to the door post1 he struck   

the door three smart blows1 and a moment
 later a small wicket in the upper part 
of the door was opened and a harsh voice
 demanded what was wanted4  ,a guard of 
horsemen from the city of ,gideon bring 
with them to the judgment seat of the   
,high ,priest and ,chief ,judge1 one    
,korihor1 charged with seeking to breed 
sedition and subvert the government2    
they deliver him to the care of the     
keeper of the prison--open the door and 
admit him at once--the people are       
becoming excited and may raise a tumult4
 ,the latter clause of the sentence was 
delivered hurriedly and in an undertone4
 ,there was a profuse rattling of       
chains1 the falling of an iron bar1 and 
the door swung open with a grating      
sound4 ,meantime the guards of ,korihor 
had assisted him to dismount and with   
their prisoner before them1 and leading 
their horses1 passed into the           
prison-yard4 ,a number of men pressed   
close after them1 but were denied       
admittance by the gate keeper1 who drove

 them back and closed and barred the    
door4  ,seeing ,korihor safely bestowed1
 and their horses cared for1 the guards 
from ,gideon were conducted across the  
square fronting the ,hall of ,justice1  
to the house of the ,chief ,judge1 and  
presented to him the communication or   
commitment from the ,high ,priest and   
,chief ,judge of ,gideon4  ,the crowd   
which had been attracted by the unusual 
spectacle of the small cavalcade passing
 through their streets1 and the animated
 speeches of the prisoner1 still        
lingered in the public square1 gathered 
in groups1 discussing the events of the 
morning4 ,i tell you1 said a hard       
visaged man to a group of listeners     
standing near the center of the         
square1--,i tell you there is too much  
truth in the complaints of ,korihor4    
,the ,high ,priests and the ,chief      
,judges are becoming too arbitrary in   
their rulings2 there's too much said    
about law and order and not enough      
regard paid to personal liberty4  ,tut1 

man1 said a voice from the outskirts of 
the group1 whenever has a disturber of  
the peace1 a blasphemer of ,god1 an     
enemy to religion come amongst us but   
what he has taken refuge behind the cry 
of 'liberty8' ,so did ,nehor in the     
first year of the reign of the judges2  
so did ,amlici five years later2 and    
,korihor is such as they were1 and with 
like cunning adopts their cry of        
'liberty1' when in reality his          
principles lead to the destruction of   
freedom and all its safeguards4 ,believe
 me friends1 he continued1 addressing   
the crowd among whom there began to be  
great agitation--,believe me1 not every 
one that cries out against ,god1        
religion and the law is a friend to     
freedom1 they are always its enemies4   
,the law stands watch and guard over    
your rights and liberties2 by that      
,korihor will be judged and justice     
rendered4 ,in the meantime let not your 
minds be carried away by the persuasions
 of men whose business is agitation1 who

 prosper by violence1 and thrive on     
tumults4 ,so saying1 the young man1 for 
such he was1 putting his arm about a    
still younger man who stood at his side1
 walked away4 ,the crowd also began to  
break up1 the man who had been          
harangueing it when interrupted1        
muttering that it could only be expected
 that the sons of the ,high ,priest     
would defend the oppressions of their   
father2 they themselves were interested4
  ,as the two young men were crossing   
the square1 the younger said to his     
brother3 ,notwithstanding what you said 
just now to the crowd1 ,shiblon1 and the
 truth of it in general1 ,i think this  
treatment of ,korihor is too harsh4 ,our
 law protects a man in his belief and in
 the expression of it2 and though       
,korihor hath a proud bearing and holds 
what you believe to be dangerous views1 
still ,i think the officers at ,gideon  
exceeded their jurisdiction in sending  
him bound to this city4  ,holds what ,i 
believe to be dangerous views6 ,and do  

not you believe them to be dangerous8   
,corianton1 ,i fear the spirit of       
unbelief1 the moral and spiritual poison
 that the orations of this same man     
infused into your soul when he first    
appeared in our city1 hath not yet been 
worked out4 ,the hot blood rushed to the
 temples of ,corianton at this          
accusation1 and he replied with some    
warmth1 not unmixed with bitterness3 ,it
 has not been the fault of brother      
,helaman or yourself1 then1 for ,i have 
heard little else since his departure   
from ,zarahemla but your lame arguments 
in support of the shadowy traditions of 
our fathers about the coming of ,messiah
 and his ,atonement4  ,i am sorry to    
find you in this mood my brother1       
replied ,shiblon1 and it grieves me to  
hear you speak so lightly of things that
 are sacred2 but if too much restraint  
has been thrown upon the liberty of     
,korihor by the authorities of ,gideon1 
you know full well that justice will be 
done him in the court of our father and 

the ,chief ,judge--you know that no     
oppression is countenanced by them4  ,at
 this moment the guard from the gate who
 had conducted those in charge of       
,korihor to the presence of the ,chief  
,judge passed them1 and in answer to a  
question from ,corianton replied that   
the case of ,korihor was appointed to be
 heard on the morrow4  ,it is the time  
of day1 said ,shiblon to his brother1   
appointed for the meeting of the        
priesthood1 to consider the mission     
about to be appointed to the ,zoramites4
 ,our father sent me to find you and    
bring you to the council1 for ,i think  
he wishes you to be a party to the      
undertaking4  ,you may go1 brother1 but 
,i will not1 replied ,corianton4 ,i have
 no relish for these dull councils1 and 
as for converting the ,zoramites1 they  
may be as nearly right in their theology
 as yourself or our father1 for aught ,i
 know2 the whole subject is so wrapt in 
mystery that we can at least afford to  
be liberal1 and not bind men and thrust 

them into prison for daring to assert   
their unbelief in these mysterious      
things4  ,but it is the express wish of 
father that you should attend this      
council1 said ,shiblon1 out of respect  
for him1 will you not come8  ,say1 to   
our good father the ,priest1 that ,i am 
gone to visit one who is cast into      
prison for the cause of liberty4 ,then  
seeing the pained expression in his     
brother's face1 his manner changed1 and 
placing his hand affectionately on his  
shoulder he said3 ,shiblon1 go thou to  
the council1 and give no further thought
 to me2 let me follow the bent of my own
 mind4 ,your steady patience2 your deep 
conviction as to the truth of the       
traditions of our fathers3 your wisdom  
and goodness make you a fitting minister
 for ,god1 if such a being there is2 you
 are destined to become a pillar in the 
church2 not so with me2 my wild love of 
liberty can ill brook the restraints of 
the gospel or the priesthood1 and the   
skepticism ingrained in my very nature  

disqualifies me for the work ,i could   
readily believe you were designed to    
support4 ,but ,i'll none of it1 until ,i
 see some manifestation of the power of 
,god spoken of so frequently by our     
father and of which the scriptures speak
 on nearly every page2 so farewell4     
,turning on his heel1 he bent his       
footsteps in the direction of the prison
 gate1 while ,shiblon with a troubled   
heart stood gazing after him4  ,david   
had his ,absalom1 ,lehi1 his ,laman1 and
 this my brother1 my father's darling   
son1 seems destined to wring my father's
 heart1 as they did theirs4 ,oh6 why is 
it1 that those formed in the very       
prodigality of nature--endowed with a   
heaven-born intelligence-- genius--must 
be cursed with a doubting1 rebellious   
spirit that weighs down all their better
 parts1 and wrecks the hopes1 built on  
what their talents promise8 ,oh1 that   
some good angel would my brother meet1  
as was my father met1 shake off his     
doubting fears1 and give him back to us 

converted to the truth and pledged to   
its maintenance1 as was my father6 ,then
 how would shine that master power      
within him which overawes men's minds or
 bends them to his purpose6 ,brother1   
flout me1 resist me how you will2 ,i'll 
follow you through all your fortunes    
good or ill1 and win you yet to ,god and
 truth6  ,with these words on his lips1 
and this pious purpose in his heart1    
,shiblon1 the son of ,alma the ,priest1 
directed his steps to the council       
chamber4     ,,chapter ,,four4  ,,in    
,,the ,,hall ,,of ,,justice4   ,the next
 morning the sun shone more brightly    
than on the day before4 ,through the    
night a terrific storm had raged4 ,black
 clouds burdened with moisture had been 
split by vivid flashes of lightning1 and
 poured down all their floods4 ,but with
 the approach of light the storm ceased1
 the clouds parted and drifted into     
great cumulous heaps lightened to snowy 
whiteness by the glorious morning sun4  
,the air was fresh and pure1 the        

electric storm having dispelled the     
mists and fogs so common to the tropics4
  ,long before the sun had reached      
midway between his rising and high noon1
 the open square before the ,hall of    
,justice was filled with groups of men1 
some boisterously disputing the         
rightfulness of ,korihor's treatment1   
and others with equal warmth defending  
the action of the authorities of        
,gideon4  ,the ,hall of ,justice was    
crowded to overflowing with men anxious 
to see and hear the man1 who had by a   
few leaps and bounds sprung into        
notoriety4 ,the hall within was circular
 in form1 with tiers of stone seats     
rising one above the other1 their       
regularity broken only by three         
promenades extending three-fourths of   
the way around the building4 ,the       
entrance was through two wide double    
doors in the south1 along a walk leading
 into a circular space1 around which    
ranged the first row of seats1 and from 
which ran flights of steps leading to   

the seats and promenades above4 ,on the 
west side was a spacious platform with  
two seats well to the back of it1 raised
 on a dais1 evidently intended for the  
high officials of the state4  ,a murmur 
that commenced near the entrance and    
then extended to all parts of the house1
 gave notice that some one of           
importance--perhaps some of the chief   
actors in what was to take place that   
day--were entering4 ,two men walking    
side by side and preceded by two guards 
and followed by two1 passed up the short
 flight of steps to the platform1 and   
occupied the seats before mentioned4    
,one of them was still in the prime of  
manhood1 with a full beard and glossy   
black hair4 ,the eyes were deep set and 
black1 the forehead low and broad1 the  
lower part of the face square and heavy4
 ,the stature of the man was in keeping 
with the face2 below the common height1 
broad shouldered and ungraceful1 the    
whole aspect was stern1 almost          
harsh--such was ,nephihah1 the ,chief   

,judge of the whole land4 ,his          
companion1 the ,high ,priest1 was a     
different type of man2 tall in person1  
slightly stooped with age1 a high       
receding forehead1 and hair of silvery  
whiteness4 ,in that face one could see  
compassion1 patience1 tenderness--all   
the qualities in fact that go to make up
 the highly spiritual temperament4 ,but1
 as one may say1 back of the indications
 of those qualities stood others of     
sterner character4 ,the closely         
compressed lips1 together with the whole
 form and movement was expressive of    
determination2 while the light that     
flashed from the eyes when animated1    
bespoke a quick spirit within4 ,but now 
as he takes his seat by the side of the 
,chief ,judge1 his whole air is         
calmness1 almost sadness2 and indeed1   
care had drawn many and deep lines in   
the noble face of ,alma4  ,neither of   
these officers1 though the foremost men 
in the great ,nephite ,republic1 wore   
any badge of office2 but was dressed    

very similar to hundreds of common      
people in the hall4 ,the dress consisted
 of a sort of tunic drawn over a close  
fitting under garment1 gathered in at   
the waist by a girdle and extending to  
the knees1 but leaving the arms and legs
 bare4 ,over the tunic was generally    
thrown a light robe1 very often of rich 
material and varying in color to suit   
the taste of the wearer2 on the feet    
sandals were worn1 fastened to the feet 
and legs by broad thongs of tanned deer 
hide--such was the male dress of that   
period among the ,nephites4 ,the chief  
judge's tunic was of light brown1 with a
 dull red robe thrown over the          
shoulders4 ,the tunic of the high priest
 was white and his robe a light blue    
gathered in graceful folds about his    
person4  ,at a signal from the ,chief   
,judge one of the guards left the hall  
and soon returned1 conducting to the    
platform ,korihor and the guards who    
brought him from ,gideon1 a few others  
following--friends of the accused4      

,among the latter there was one whose   
graceful form towered above the rest1   
whose step was more firm1 and whose     
every limb and feature and movement     
seemed conscious of power and pride4 ,as
 he followed ,korihor up the steps to   
the platform and stood near him1 the    
,high ,priest started from his          
seat--there was a convulsive twitching  
of the fine features1 and then the tears
 stole silently down his furrowed       
cheeks4 ,he had recognized his son      
,corianton1 as the follower of this     
unbeliever4 ,he was aware that his son  
had called upon him the day before1 knew
 that he had expressed some sympathy for
 him1 but he was not prepared to see him
 thus openly identify himself with the  
cause of the scoffer against ,god4  ,as 
,korihor took his place before the      
,chief ,judge the latter unrolled a     
parchment which contained the charges   
against him1 as set forth by the        
authorities of ,gideon4  ,korihor1 said 
he1 the voice was strong and harsh1 you 

are charged1 by the authorities of the  
land of ,gideon with having sought to   
stir up sedition1 disrupt the government
 and destroy religion4 ,it doth not     
appear1 however1 that you have set on   
foot any definite movement1 or          
organization looking to the             
accomplishment of these unworthy        
purposes4 ,it cannot be said you are    
guilty of any overt act in pursuance of 
your pernicious doctrines1 but have     
merely agitated for them by your        
speeches4 ,our law cannot punish a man  
for his belief nor for the expression of
 it1 therefore it is our decision that  
you be set at liberty4 ,however1 it     
becomes my duty to caution you that the 
path you tread is filled with danger1   
both to yourself and those you may      
induce to follow you4 ,let me remind you
 that our present system of government  
has been most fruitful of happiness to  
the people1 and holds out to them the   
fairest promise of future good2 and he  
who becomes its enemy1 becomes the enemy

 of the people1 and in the end must come
 to sorrow4 ,let not1 therefore1 your   
love of notoriety1 or any other motive1 
betray you into seeking it1 by paths so 
pregnant with danger to yourself should 
you fail1 and so disastrous to the      
public weal should you succeed4 ,you are
 acquitted before the law of the land2  
but the ,high ,priest may have some     
advice for you4  ,acquitted by the law  
of the land--now ,i suppose ,i am to be 
tried by the law of--heaven6 said       
,korihor4 ,well1 we've heard from earth1
 now we are ready to hear from          
heaven--what a pity the other place1    
pointing significantly downward1 is not 
also represented1 we would then have a  
trinity of you to hear from4 ,proceed   
heaven6 said he1 turning to the ,high   
,priest4  ,korihor1 said the ,high      
,priest1 your speech ill becomes your   
intelligence1 your--  ,what1 has a      
priest turned flatterer1 can a priest   
speak to an opponent in fair1           
well-seeming words8 ,you know well to   

whom you speak-one who will not kneel in
 the dust before you-one who fears      
neither you nor your gods1 but whose    
soul abhors you both1 and is free from  
your superstition and the slavish       
submission it begets1 else we should    
have had thunder from ',god's           
mouthpiece1' and not the mellifluous    
tones breathing softly--',korihor1 your 
speech ill becomes your intelligence2'  
but go on1 speak as is your wont1 ,i    
despise your flattery as ,i defy your   
power4  ,think not ,i meant to flatter1 
continued the ,high ,priest1 unmoved by 
the rude interruption1 for ,i meant to  
say1 had you listened patiently1 that   
your utterances are but the vain        
repetition of what others of like       
temperament have said before you4 ,you  
scarcely do more that repeat1           
parrot-like1 the catch phrases of ,nehor
 and ,amlici1 your immediate            
predecessors in this ribaldry of        
blasphemy4  ,this was a conclusion of   
the sentence ,korihor had scarcely      

expected1 and the scoffer felt that his 
impetuosity had placed him at a         
disadvantage4  ,why do you go about to  
destroy the people's belief in ,god and 
their hope in ,christ8 continued the    
,high ,priest4  ,to undeceive them1 to  
free them from a groveling superstition1
 which bows down their souls that they  
dare not assert their rights and        
liberties1 nor raise their heads in     
manly pride1 nor gratify their          
appetites1 lest they offend the ,god of 
your tradition--a being who never has   
been seen or known1 nor ever will be4 ,i
 seek to strike off the servile chains1 
with which your priests have loaded     
them1 in order to bring to pass your own
 designs--that you may glut yourselves  
with the labors of their hands1 and hold
 them at your mercy4 ,i would see men   
free from superstition1 acknowledging no
 power more potent than their own1 ,i   
would teach them that intelligent       
management is providence1 that genius is
 ,god2 that this life--so far as we     

know--terminates existence1 and         
therefore they should encompass all the 
pleasure possible1 by enjoying what the 
appetites and passions crave4 ,i tell   
thee1 proud priest1 now playing at      
humility1 he exclaimed with sudden      
vehemence1 your religion is slavery2    
your priesthood1 a fraud2 your ,christ1 
a delusion3 your ,god1 a lie6  ,the     
great audience grew breathless at the   
fierce denunciation1 and then the calm  
but strong voice of the ,high ,priest   
rang through the hall--,could a         
deception1 a lie produce such supreme   
joy in the hearts of men as the faith of
 this people in ,god does8  ,yea it     
could1 and the proof of it is in that it
 does2 but the joy this people think    
they have is not joy2 man never tastes  
joy until he breaks away from all       
restraint1 and feels himself accountable
 to no one for his actions1 then and    
then only is he capable of joy4  ',tis a
 lying spirit prompts thee so to answer1
 replied ,alma1 for never while sense   

and judgment keep their seat in the mind
 of man can he cast off restraint1 or   
become dead to the sense of moral       
responsibility2 therefore what you would
 call joy would be the wild delirium of 
the madman or the drunken--long may this
 people be preserved from such joy as   
this--its spirit is drawn from hell1 its
 effect is destruction4 ,equally false  
is your statement that the priests glut 
themselves on the labors of the people4 
,from the commencement of the reign of  
the judges1 seventeen years since1 until
 now1 ,i have labored with my own hands 
for my support2 and notwithstanding all 
my travels for the ,church1 and labors  
in it1 ,i have never received even one  
senine for my labors1 nor have my       
brethren1 save it were in the judgment  
seat2 and then we have received only    
according to the law for our time4 ,what
 doth it profit us to labor in the      
,church1 then1 but to declare the truth1
 that we might have happiness in the    
prosperity of our people8  ,the scoffer 

was silent at the calmness of the high  
priest2 something in the manner of ,alma
 moved him strangely1 but he stared     
boldly in the face of the speaker4      
,corianton1 however1 manifested more    
uneasiness1 for under the calm exterior 
he saw the spirit in his father         
awakening4  ,korihor1 said the ,high    
,priest1 and there was an intensity in  
the voice now which thrilled the whole  
assembly1 you mock at religion1 you deny
 the existence of ,god1 but ,i testify  
to you there is a ,god1 and now will you
 deny his existence or blaspheme his    
name8  ,yea1 that ,i will6 ,what1       
thinkest thou because a ,high ,priest   
says in solemn tones1 ',i tell thee1    
,korihor1 there is a ,god1' that ,i will
 crouch at his feet and confess what ye 
would call my sins1 and like an echo say
 'amen' to your testimony8 ,by the gods1
 if such there be1 you must think my    
spirit easily over-awed6 ,i tell thee   
no1 there is no ,god--ye have no        
evidence that there is--give me proof of

 his existence--let me see a            
manifestation of his power--show me a   
sign6  ,all things testify of his       
existence4 ,the traditions of our       
fathers affirm it--  ,the traditions of 
our fathers6 contemptuously broke in    
,korihor1 ,i demand a living sign1 and  
you talk to me of tradition6  --,the    
written testimony of many of the        
prophets from the beginning of the world
 to the time our fathers left           
,jerusalem1 as recorded upon the brass  
plates they brought with them into this 
land1 prove his existence2 the testimony
 of all the holy prophets that ,god hath
 raised up to minister to this people   
declare it2 and back of these witnesses 
stands all nature--the earth with its   
wealth of fruits and flowers and        
vegetation and animal life2 the rains   
which make it fruitful1 the glorious    
sun1 which kisses its fruits and grains 
to ripeness2 day and night1 seed-time   
and harvest--all proclaim the ,creator  
and his goodness and wisdom and love6   

,the existence and harmonious movement  
through space of many other worlds than 
ours in such exact order and regularity1
 proclaim his power and glory2 and more 
than all1 the still small voice of the  
,spirit of ,god1 testifying to the      
secret soul of man of the being of ,god 
and man's accountability to him--all    
these things united give ample proof of 
,god's existence and power and majesty4 
,yet there stands a man1 and he pointed 
his finger at ,korihor1 and addressed   
himself to the audience1 who denies     
there is any proof2 turns from all this 
and impiously demands a sign6  ,the     
scoffer stood awed before the awful form
 of the priest2 and well indeed he      
might1 for he had risen in delivering   
the above2 his face shone with          
intelligence1 his eyes reflected the    
light of heaven1 his voice trembled with
 the power of ,god2 and the form drawn  
up to its fall height was magnificently 
grand4  ,i--,i do not say--there is--no 
,god1 faltered ,korihor in subdued1     

husky tones1 and trembling from fear--,i
 do not believe there is1--,i will not  
believe--recovering some of his         
boldness--except ye show me a sign6     
,then this shall be thy sign--,i tell   
thee1 in the name of ,god1 thou shalt be
 dumb and never speak again6  ,the voice
 was trumpet toned now1 and seemed to   
shake the building and the whole        
audience had started to its feet4 ,there
 was a half stifled exclamation from the
 scoffer1 and he wildly clutched the    
air2 his eyes seemed bursting from their
 sockets and his face was purple with   
his effort to speak4 ,those who had     
stood with him drew back as if by       
instinct1 and he stood alone writhing   
under his curse4 ,exhausted at last by  
violent contortions of his whole frame1 
he became more calm2 and in answer to   
the question by the ,chief ,judge--     
,art thou now convinced of the existence
 of ,god8  ,he wrote an answer1 saying  
that he was2 that he knew there was a   
,god1 but the devil had deceived him by 

appearing to him as an angel of light1  
that he had taught his words because    
they were pleasing to the carnal mind1  
and his success made him believe1       
finally1 that they were true4 ,he       
pleaded piteously that the ,high ,priest
 would remove the curse1 but ,alma      
replied3  ,if this curse should be taken
 from thee1 thou wouldst again lead away
 the hearts of this people2 therefore it
 shall be unto thee1 even as the ,lord  
will4  ,korihor looked around him1 but  
no one gave him recognition as a friend2
 those who had accompanied him into the 
hall stood terror stricken1 and         
amazement was depicted in every         
countenance4 ,he realized that he was   
deserted in this his extremity1 and with
 a gurgling cry he fled from the hall   
and the city4  ,the vast audience which 
had breathlessly witnessed this         
remarkable scene and the demonstration  
of the power of ,god1 began to break up1
 and quietly leave the hall1 each person
 too deeply impressed with what he had  

witnessed to speak to his neighbor4 ,the
 ,chief ,judge and the ,high ,priest    
were among the last to depart4 ,as the  
latter was approaching the door his robe
 was clutched1 and turning round he     
stood face to face with his wayward     
son--,corianton4     ,,chapter ,,five4  
,,the ,,new ,,convert4   ,for a moment  
father and son faced each other1 but    
neither spoke4 ,the proud head of       
,corianton was bowed1 his lips quivered 
with emotion4 ,the father held out his  
hand1 and the young man grasped it4     
,father1 he said1 in humbled tone1 ,i   
have sinned against ,god1 and against   
thee2 ,i pray you pardon me1 and ask thy
 ,god to pardon me1 too4  ,corianton1   
thy rebellion against ,god is in truth a
 grievous sin4 ,but youth is thoughtless
 and wayward1 impatient of restraint1   
easily misled1 and often1 too1 by       
generous impulses4 ,the high sounding   
phrase1 the reckless plea for unbridled 
license1 miscalled liberty1 of which men
 of ,korihor's type well know the       

influence1 the mocking jests at sober1  
righteous lives1 the boldness which     
dares mock at sacred things1 and bid    
defiance even to ,god1 hath in it a     
false daring which captures             
inconsiderate youth1 and works its ruin4
 ,i do remember my own youth1           
,corianton1 and how in my mad folly ,i  
threw away restraint1 consorted with the
 wicked1 mocked the righteous1 and      
impiously blasphemed the name of ,god1  
and afflicted my noble father's soul as 
thou hast mine--but ,i forgive thee1    
hastily added the ,priest1 as a great   
sob escaped his son1 as he did me2 and  
so far as my earnest prayer can pluck   
down ,god's forgiveness on thy head1 be 
assured1 my son1 my most dear son1 ,god 
shall forgive thee1 too4 ,with these    
words ho fondly embraced ,corianton1 and
 a few moments later they left the ,hall
 of ,justice together4  ,at the house of
 the ,high ,priest they found ,ammon1   
,aaron1 ,omner and ,himni1 and also     
,helaman and ,shiblon1 the two elder    

sons of ,alma4 ,the first four persons  
named were the sons of ,mosiah1 the last
 king of the ,nephites1 at whose death  
the reign of the judges began4 ,these   
men had been the companions of ,alma    
from his boyhood1 and together in their 
youthful days they had been recklessly  
wicked and sought the destruction of the
 ,church1 as already detailed in chapter
 two4 ,after their conversion they had  
traveled to and fro through all the land
 of the ,nephites1 seeking to undo the  
mischief they had done2 and then        
performed glorious missions among the   
,lamanites where the power of ,god had  
been wondrously manifested to the       
converting of many of that people to the
 truth4 ,often separated in their       
labors1 cast into prisons1 surrounded by
 dangers1 threatened by mobs1 weary1    
foot-sore1 hungry--now received into    
palaces and hailed almost as ,gods1 now 
outcasts1 without a place to lay their  
heads--they experienced all the changes1
 the successes1 and the vicissitudes of 

missionary life1 but through all of it  
they were faithful to ,god1 and held    
each other in fondest remembrance4  ,the
 present occasion of their meeting      
together was to determine what steps    
should be taken in relation to the      
,zoramites1 a people who had dissented  
from the ,nephites and had established  
themselves at ,antionum1 south of the   
land ,gershon1 and bordering on the     
lands occupied by the ,lamanites2 and it
 was feared they would become           
confederate with the ,lamanites and     
create trouble4 ,the meeting held on the
 subject the day before had been        
interrupted by the ,chief ,judge sending
 for ,alma to consult over the case of  
,korihor4 ,now they had met to conclude 
the business thus interrupted4  ,alma   
was warmly greeted by his brethren1 who 
had witnessed the scene in the ,hall of 
,justice2 and all expressed their       
gratitude to ,god for the great         
manifestation of his power1 and the     
vindication of his cause4  ,the most    

happy fruit of this issue1 said ,alma1  
is that it gives back to us my son      
,corianton2 who1 at first1 stood with   
the unbeliever1 but now has seen a      
demonstration of ,god's power1 to the   
conversion of his soul4 ,at this        
announcement the brethren gathered about
 ,corianton and warmly embraced him1    
thanking ,god for his deliverance from  
darkness4  ,it was finally arranged that
 ,alma1 ,ammon1 ,aaron1 ,omner together 
with ,shiblon and ,corianton1 should go 
on a mission to the ,zoramites2 that    
,himni should remain to preside over the
 church at ,zarahemla1 assisted by      
,helaman4  ,as the council was breaking 
up1 ,alma suggested that he would like  
to take with him on this mission ,amulek
 and ,zeezrom1 but they were in the city
 of ,melek1 west of ,zarahemla4         
,corianton volunteered to go after them1
 and ,shiblon expressed a willingness to
 accompany him4 ,that afternoon they    
started4  ,en route they passed through 
several villages1 and on such occasions 

were everywhere questioned in relation  
to the curse which had fallen upon      
,korihor1 of which they had heard       
conflicting rumors4 ,the young men gave 
to those inquiring correct information1 
though ,corianton in testifying to the  
existence of ,god1 and to the truth1 was
 not always as humble or merciful to    
those who were not yet converted as was 
conformable to the spirit of the gospel1
 or consistent with the position which  
he himself had so lately occupied4 ,it  
is ever thus with your new convert2 by  
his actions and by his words you would  
be led to think1 if you did not know    
better1 that he was the last sinner ,god
 was waiting to bring into his fold     
before he damned the rest4 ,shiblon     
observed these faults in his brother1   
but knowing his haughty spirit1 which   
could ill brook restraint1 he resolved  
to remain silent1 and let those older   
correct him4  ,finding ,amulek and      
,zeezrom1 they delivered their message  
from the council of the priesthood in   

,zarahemla1 and both these worthy men   
returned with them to that city1 and    
from thence the party took its journey  
to ,antionum1 the chief city of the     
,zoramites4  ,of that journey it is     
necessary to say but little4 ,it        
occupied eight days1 the party going on 
foot1 driving with them but two asses1  
on which were packed the tents1 food and
 other necessary articles for the       
comfort of the party4 ,for the sons of  
,mosiah and ,alma1 who were all         
experienced missionaries1 and had passed
 through many trying scenes together1 as
 also1 indeed1 had ,amulek and          
,zeezroni1 it was a glorious reunion2   
and many and various were the adventures
 and special manifestations of the power
 of ,god related4 ,to the younger men1  
,shiblon and ,corianton1 it was a feast 
of spiritual food--the conversation of  
these servants of ,god4     ,,chapter   
,,six4  ,,the ,,zoramites4   ,the sun   
was slowly sinking in the western sky1  
as the party of missionaries presented  

themselves at the main entrance to the  
city ,antionum1 the gateway of the north
 wall4 ,they were permitted to pass in  
unchallenged1 and inquired out a lodging
 house1 where they all stayed together4 
,uninformed as to the exact nature of   
the heresy of the ,zoramites1 they had  
resolved to avoid proclaiming their     
mission1 until they should become       
acquainted with the nature of the errors
 it was their hope to correct4  ,the day
 following their entrance into the city 
was the holy day of the ,zoramites1 when
 they repaired to the synagogues1 of    
which there were many1 to worship4 ,the 
interior of their places of worship was 
gorgeously decorated4 ,near the center  
of each rose a stand1 the top of which  
extended half the height from the floor 
to the ceiling4 ,the stand proper rested
 on a sort of frustum of a cone4 ,up the
 sides were several flights of steps1   
and at the top of the frustum was       
standing room for a number of people2   
but in the stand proper there was room  

for but one4 ,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 heaven1 exclaimed in      
solemn tones3          ,holy1 ,holy1    
,holy ,god6       ,thou art ,god1 ,there
 is no ,god beside4     ,spirit ,bright1
 and ,everlasting--     ,the same to-day
 and ever more4     ,separate are we    
from men--     ,elected us hast ,thou   
and made us holy1     ,while all beside 
thou hast condemned2     ,for which1    
,most ,high1 and ,holy ,god we give     
,thee thanks--     ,that we are not as  
other men4     ,separated are we from   
false traditions of the ,christ--       
,that deep blasphemy of corrupted       
,nephites1     ,who know not ,thee as   
,spirit-,god3     ,but as a man expect  
to see ,thee     ,come on earth1 and all
 mankind redeemed6     ,for deliverance 
from such traditions vile     ,most     
,high and ,holy ,god--,i give ,thee     
thanks6       ,amen1 amen1 amen6  ,at   

the conclusion of every distinct thought
 in the above prayer1 the company of    
worshippers at the top of the frustum   
would cry aloud--,amen1 amen6 ,and at   
the conclusion of the prayer an unseen  
choir accompanied by instruments1       
chanted selected and slightly altered   
passages of the above prayer such as--  
,holy1 holy ,god6 ,thou art ,god4 ,thou 
are holy4 ,thou are spirit1 and ever    
shall be--,holy is thy name6 ,amen6     
amen6  ,such was their form of worship1 
such their set prayers1 as witnessed    
that day by ,alma and his fellow        
missionaries4  ,after witnessing this   
mixture of impiety and hypocrisy1       
self-glorification1 and abasement of    
those not of them4 ,alma thought it not 
necessary to wait longer in commencing  
the work1 and hence1 that night he laid 
hands upon the heads of his associates1 
blessed them and set them apart for the 
accomplishment of the work in hand4 ,the
 next morning they separated for the    
better prosecution of their enterprise4 

,they took no thought of themselves1    
what they should eat1 or where they     
should be lodged4 ,they preached in the 
synagogues1 in private houses1 and even 
in the streets4  ,no one in the         
beginning of this work was more zealous1
 or more successful than ,corianton4    
,indeed it was his success that began to
 work a great mischief2 for it filled   
him with pride and boasting in his own  
strength4 ,by the force of his          
brilliancy1 and a kind of genius for    
controversy1 he discomfited the         
,zoramites1 and exposed the shallowness 
of their principles to the great delight
 of the multitude who1 though they      
believed not the message he was         
delivering1 were immensely pleased with 
the youthful orator4  ,there were       
fundamental truths of the gospel1       
however1 to which ,corianton himself was
 not converted2 the atonement of        
,christ1 the resurrection1 the justice  
of ,god in punishing the wicked1 being  
among them4 ,he found1 as many since his

 day have found1 that seeing a single   
manifestation of the power of ,god--a   
miracle--had not removed all the        
difficulties in the way of a sound faith
 in the gospel2 and in his own mind he  
began to find ways of accounting for the
 destruction of ,korihor's speech--his  
own excitement1 the mysterious magnetism
 of his father which swayed men's minds1
 a power which he flattered himself he  
had inherited1 notwithstanding his      
unbelief4  ,one day about sunset1 while 
in this frame of mind1 as he was passing
 down one of the main thoroughfares of  
,antionum1 he saw a poor1 wretched      
object begging of those who passed him  
on the street4 ,he was miserably clad   
and filthy1 his form emaciated and      
trembling with weakness1 but there was  
something in the profile of the face1 a 
resemblance to a countenance which lived
 in ,corianton's recollection1 that     
attracted his attention4 ,as he         
approached nearer he observed a wildness
 about the man1 occasioned by desperate 

efforts at speech1 resulting only in    
harsh1 disconnected and unintelligible  
mumbling4 ,to his astonishment1 it was  
,korihor4 ,the form was wasted1 the     
features shrunken almost past           
recognition1 and insanity glared from   
his wild eyes4 ,corianton gazed in pity 
upon him1 and ,korihor returned that    
look with one of puzzled wonder4 ,then  
as the mists and confusion of his mind  
cleared up for the moment1 he recognized
 his former1 and what he accounted his  
false friend1 and with a wild shriek    
fled out into the street1 looking back  
at ,corianton as he ran with an air     
expressive of horror4 ,at that moment a 
troop of horsemen was passing down the  
street1 and so sudden had been the poor 
half maniac's flight from the presence  
of ,corianton1 that he threw himself in 
front of the horsemen1 and before they  
could check their speed or change their 
course1 he was knocked down and trampled
 upon4  ,a crowd quickly gathered around
 the bruised and bleeding form4 ,his    

case was notorious in ,antionum1 and it 
was generally believed that his dumbness
 was brought upon him through sorcery2  
hence1 even while he was shunned by the 
people1 there were many who sympathized 
with him1 so far1 at least1 as          
execrating those who had been the means1
 as they thought1 of bringing the evil  
upon him4 ,corianton ran to the man and 
raised him to a sitting posture1 but he 
never regained consciousness2 a few     
painful gasps1 and the body sank back   
into the arms of the young man1 limp and
 lifeless4 ,one of the guards of the    
city came up to the crowd1 and1         
recognizing the body as that of the     
dumb1 half-crazed beggar1 he took charge
 of it1 and finally interred it4  ,as   
,corianton walked away with the mangled 
form of the once bold anti-,christ      
vividly pictured in his mind1 he        
muttered half aloud--,this is one of the
 judgments of ,god--cruel1 infinitely   
cruel6 ,he above all others could have  
been generous and have pardoned him     

before his justice1 and he fairly hissed
 the word1 had turned to cruelty6  ,by  
this time he had reached his lodgings1  
one of the finest palaces in all that   
city1 and strange enough1 it was the    
home of one of the chief ,zoramites who 
had been especially pleased1 or at least
 feigned to be especially pleased1 with 
,corianton1 and had invited him to make 
his house his home4 ,at the entrance to 
the walk leading up to the house1 he was
 met by a woman1 who asked if he was one
 of the ,nephite prophets that had come 
to preach the doctrines of the ,nephites
 to the ,zoramites4 ,corianton answered 
that he was of that party4 ,and is your 
name ,corianton8  ,yes1 that is my name4
  ,then at last ,i have found you6      
,,chapter ,,seven4  ,,joan4   ,was the  
woman who accosted ,corianton at the    
gate of his lodging1 young1 beautiful8  
,he could not tell2 the twilight had    
deepened too much into the shadow of    
night1 to permit him to see clearly2 but
 there was a fascination in the full1   

sweet tones of her voice1 and he was    
thrilled by the touch of her soft hand1 
as she laid it gently on his arm1 as if 
to detain him while asking the questions
 with which the last chapter closed4    
,you are going to ,seantum's8  ,yes1    
that is where ,i lodge4  ,i will go with
 you4  ,he hesitated1 and was not a     
little astonished at her perfect        
self-possession1 which1 to his thinking1
 bordered on boldness4 ,it must be      
remembered that among the ,nephites1 one
 of the chief characteristics of their  
women1 so far as one is able to judge   
from their annals1 was modesty--an      
excellent thing in woman1 when not      
feigned or prudish4 ,the freedom1       
therefore1 with which this woman had    
accosted him1 a perfect stranger1 and   
now proposed to go with him1 uninvited1 
to the place where he lodged1 was a     
boldness to which ,corianton was        
unaccustomed4 ,she observed that he     
hesitated1 and broke out into a light1  
silvery laugh4  ,ah1 ,i forgot1 she     

said1 in an apologizing tone1 yet with a
 touch of mockery in it1 thou art one of
 the prophets1 perhaps a solemn one1 and
 unacquainted with our people1 and my   
manners are too bold4 ,but ,seantum1    
with whom you lodge1 is a near          
kinsman--my father's brother2 now1 will 
you throw open the gate1 and allow me to
 go in with you8  ,he complied with her 
request mechanically1 and in silence1   
for he knew not what to say4 ,as they   
approached the house he again felt that 
soft hand laid gently on his arm1 and   
the same sweet voice said1 almost       
pleadingly3 ,let us not go into the     
house yet1 the evening is beautiful2    
see1 the moon is just peeping over the  
tree tops1 and floods the earth with her
 soft light--let us walk in the garden4 
,she had retained her hold upon his arm1
 and obeying her will rather than his   
own1 he turned down a path leading away 
from the house4  ,the house of ,seantum 
was situated at the southern outskirts  
of the city1 in the midst of a spacious 

and splendid garden4 ,there were        
extensive lawns1 studded with tropical  
trees1 several species of palms and     
plantain2 the cocoa trees standing in   
groups1 their great tufts of gigantic   
leaves rustling in the moonlight at the 
height of sixty and seventy feet2 banana
 and papaw trees growing side by side in
 rows along the walks1 and back of them 
in irregular order stood pomegranates1  
while here and there were clumps of     
lindens1 interspersed with sumach and   
cashew1 and a great variety of evergreen
 shrubbery4 ,here side by side1 and in  
fine contrast1 were rhododendrons1 with 
their rose-colored flowers1 and the     
coffee shrub with its clusters of       
delicate white blossoms4 ,other flowers 
and flowering trees there were in great 
profusion--the fragrant eglantine1 the  
elegant1 airy though thorny acacia1 and 
now and then an aloe plant1 and1 ah1    
rare sight6 several of them were in full
 bloom2 these1 with splendid magnolias1 
mingled their odors2 and burdened the   

air with ambrosial fragrance1 which1    
with the chirrup and hum of insect life1
 the gentle whispering wind1 stealing   
softly through shrubbery and tree1 and  
all kissed to beauty by the glorious    
moonlight1 made up a night such as      
lovers love1 and love's young dream     
expands4  ,you are not at all curious1  
said ,corianton's new-found companion4  
,you have not yet asked my name1 nor why
 ,i am here1 nor what it is ,i want with
 you--you have not spoken half a dozen  
words since we met--you smile1 do you   
mean by that ,i have not given you a    
chance to say more8  ,such were my      
thoughts1 lady1 but ,i would know your  
name1 and am most curious to know what  
you would with me4  ,by this they had   
reached a lakelet at the lower end of   
the garden1 from whose moist beach grew 
several gigantic mango and sycamore     
trees4 ,they had passed in the shadow of
 one of the latter whose inclining trunk
 extended far out over the water-lily   
bedecked lake4 ,half seating herself on 

the inclined tree1 she raised her hand  
to clutch a grape vine that drooped from
 a branch above1 and as she did so the  
ample folds of her sleeve slipped back  
and left uncovered a beautiful white    
arm4  ,and now ,corianton noticed for   
the first time that the form was supple 
and finely proportioned4 ,her head1 too1
 had been covered with a kind of        
mantilla which had also partly shrouded 
her face2 this fell back now1 revealing 
a face of uncommon loveliness1 and a    
profusion of brown hair4  ,you must know
 then1 sir prophet1 she said with a     
light air1 that ,i am ,joan1 from       
,siron2 my father is a ,nephite by      
birth1 but when young met with my       
mother1 taken captive during a war with 
your people4 ,he fell in love with the  
captive1 married her and she induced him
 to go with her to her people4 ,they    
settled in ,siron where they lived      
happily until my mother died4 ,my father
 still lives1 and has never been        
entirely rid of the traditions of the   

,nephites1 and hearing that a party of  
,nephite prophets were preaching in     
,antionum1 it was his wish that ,i      
should come to our kinsman ,seantum1    
find you1 and ask that you would also   
preach in ,siron4  ,but why did you come
 to me8 ,i do not lead our party1 ,i am 
youngest in it4  ,ah1 sir prophet1 you  
are more famous than you know4 ,it was  
,corianton that we first heard of in    
,siron2 it is he whose eloquence most   
baffles the ,zoramites1 and threatens   
the disruption of their church--believe 
me1 sir1 ,i was charged by my father to 
bid you come4  ,oh1 flattery6 what man  
is proof against thy sweet1 seducing    
charms6 ,and how those charms are       
heightened1 when flattery falls from    
beauty's lips6 ,the vanity of ,corianton
 was well pleased with the words of the 
woman2 pride swelled his bosom1 and he  
felt exalted above his brethren4  ,for  
two days ,i have sought you 7,corianton 
had been absent two days from his       
lodgings71 now ,i have found you and    

delivered my message1 will you go to    
,siron8  ,i cannot say1 lady1 ,i must   
first confer with my brethren1 and if by
 them it is thought best1 ,i--  ,what6  
are you not free to come and go where   
and when you like4 ,are you in bondage8 
,no1 lady1 not in bondage1 yet it is    
mete ,i counsel with my associates1 and 
if--  ,and 'if' they give you leave1 why
 then you'll go6 ,ah me1 that is such   
liberty as a maiden has under her       
father's control4 ,i've often wished    
myself a man1 that ,i might have a more 
extended liberty1 but if men cannot act 
independent of control1 it pleases me   
that ,i am a woman4  ,i fear1 ,sir      
prophet1 that ,i shall never be a       
convert to your faith4  ,then ,i would  
esteem my success in ,siron of little   
value though ,i gained the whole people1
 if ,i failed to number one so fair     
among those who followed me4  ,come1    
sir1 let us now go in2 you begin to find
 your tongue1 and even a prophet1 ,i    
see1 can flatter4  ,so saying she drew  

her mantle over her head1 and they      
walked in silence towards the house4    
,corianton1 as he walked away1 did not  
observe shadowy forms glide from under  
adjacent trees1 hold a brief            
consultation and depart from the spot   
which he himself had just quitted4      
,,chapter ,,eight4  ,,the ,,revel4   ,as
 ,corianton and ,joan approached the    
house1 lively strains of music floated  
out upon the evening air1 and lights    
gleamed from all the windows2 now sounds
 of revelry could be heard--the merry   
laugh1 and flying feet4 ,in the hall    
they were met by ,seantum4 ,returned    
home at last1 ,corianton1 eh8 he said   
with blustering familiarity1 what1 and  
with ,joan1 too6  ,yes1 kinsman2 ,i     
found our prophet as he was entering the
 grounds1 and have detained him long    
enough to deliver my message4  ,quite   
right1 too1 quite right2 if you have    
anything to do1 do it1 and do it at     
once1 say ,i4 ,but come1 sir1 some young
 people have gathered here1 to make     

merry the night1 recreation will do you 
good1 sir2 youth was made for enjoyment1
 sir1 and youth cheats itself if it make
 not good use of its time4  ,oh1        
kinsman1 you forget6 said ,joan4 ,this  
man1 though he hath not a gray beard1 or
 a stooped back--and though he hath no  
staff1 yet is he a holy man6 and will   
account the youthful revels you commend1
 as sinful4 ,alas1 said she1 with       
charming mock solemnity1--alas1 that    
youth should so soon wed itself to the  
vocation of the aged6 ,besides1 ,i      
warrant me1 he will tell thee he must   
first counsel with his fellow-prophets1 
before he can stir in what you would    
have him enjoy4 ,so pray forbear1 tempt 
not the holy prophet6 ,and with this    
tantalizing witchery she left him4      
,seantum laughed heartily at the evident
 discomfiture of ,corianton4 ,by my     
life1 sir1 she hath hit you as hard with
 her sarcasm of your solemnities1 as    
your ridicule hits the weakness of our  
,zoramite faith2 but come1 sir1 come1   

you must rally1 you must let her see    
that you have spirit--which ,i know you 
have--go in1 sir1 lowering his voice1 it
 shall not harm your reputation2 go in1 
you shall find beauty1 gaiety1 pleasure 
and secrecy beneath my roof--go in1 sir2
 youth was made for pleasure6  ,his     
pride1 wounded by the light sarcasm of  
,joan1 and1 influenced1 it must also be 
confessed1 by the cajolery of ,seantum1 
,corianton permitted himself to be led  
down the hall into a spacious saloon1   
brilliantly lighted by cressets1 and at 
one end of which1 on a platform1 was    
arranged a banqueting table1 ladened    
profusely with all the delicacies of the
 tropics--a rich variety of meats1      
fruits and wines1 of which all were free
 to partake at pleasure4 ,the ceiling   
and wall of the saloon were frescoed    
with voluptuous figures or grim         
monsters1 half animal1 half human--with 
here and there indications that some    
knowledge of the old mythologies was    
still retained2 the windows were draped 

with curtains of rich stuffs1 variously 
colored2 their ample folds gently       
stirred by the soft breeze which stole  
into the room1 filling it with the rich 
perfumes of the garden4 ,the floor was  
variegated ,mosaic work1 smooth as      
polished ivory1 covered at the sides and
 ends by soft carpeting4  ,as ,corianton
 and ,seantum entered the saloon1 a     
pretty dark-eyed girl was executing a   
sort of fandango to the evident delight 
of a number of young men sitting or     
lounging promiscuously about the room4  
,at the conclusion of the dance the girl
 was greeted warmly with a round of     
applause4 ,then there was quiet1 broken 
occasionally by light ripples of        
laughter1 the hum of confused           
conversation1 or occasional commands to 
the slaves to serve fruits or wines4    
,there were whispered nothings1 tender  
caresses1 and loose jests4 ,groups of   
women of all degrees of beauty were     
reclining on divans or cushions1 half   
concealed by the rich foliage of        

gigantic plants in great vases2 and     
sometimes in recesses nearly shut out   
from the main body of the saloon by     
closely drawn curtains4  ,the entrance  
of ,seantum and ,corianton had attracted
 no attention2 but as the tall1 graceful
 ,nephite passed the various groups1 the
 girls broke out in exclamations of     
admiration--how handsome6 how young6    
what fine eyes6--and what a form6 who is
 he8 a stranger--a ,nephite4 ,all this  
agitated ,corianton1 and rendered him   
uneasy4 ,arriving at the head of the    
saloon1 he was introduced to a group of 
young men about his own age4  ,this is  
my ,nephite prophet of whom you have    
heard me speak1 said ,seantum1 receive  
him as my honored guest and friend4 ,at 
this ,corianton was warmly saluted1 and 
called upon to pledge the acquaintance  
in wine4 ,there was no retreating now1  
nor could there be any refusal4  ,though
 our new friend is a ,nephite1 said     
,seantum1 after the pledge of friendship
 had been drunk1 and reared under       

traditions which we have forsaken1      
religious differences1 arising solely   
from training in childhood1 should make 
no difference in social life4 ,no1 no1  
broke in several voices4 ,let us bury   
thoughts of all such differences in     
another bowl of wine1 said a youth of   
,lamanitish appearance1 and already     
under the influence of the beverage he  
now called for4  ,at that moment in the 
lower part of the saloon some one was   
greeted by hearty applause2 looking in  
that direction ,joan was seen advancing 
clad in loose1 fleecy garments2 she held
 in her hand a long strip of crimson    
gauze1 and as she reached the middle of 
the saloon she shook out its folds and  
began a dance of exquisite grace4  ,what
 mischief hath not been worked by the   
witching grace exhibited by beautiful   
women in the dance6 ,the elegance and   
harmony of motion1 the poetry of        
movement1 gives a lustre to beauty and  
influences the senses through the       
imagination4 ',twas the dancing of the  

fair daughter of ,jared which drove     
,akish of old to pledge himself to      
murder ,king ,omer among the ,jaredites2
 and men hereafter shall promise with an
 oath anything to the half of a kingdom1
 to some fair one for dancing before    
them4  ,never had ,corianton seen such a
 combination of motion and beauty as    
that now before him4 ,the slight willowy
 form of ,joan swaying with easy grace1 
the poise of the head1 the movement of  
the arms1 all in perfect harmony with   
the rest of her actions4 ,frequently the
 company applauded her1 but now         
evidently the dance is drawing to a     
close1 concluding with rapid whirling   
round the entire saloon4 ,as she passed 
near ,corianton she suddenly threw her  
gauze scarf over his head1 as a         
challenge for him to join her in the    
finale2 and he1 forgetful of all but her
 loveliness and bewitching grace1 caught
 her hand1 holding the tips of her      
fingers1 and accompanied her in that    
whirling circuit4 ,he had evidently     

acquitted himself well1 for he shared in
 the applause which greeted her1 and the
 compliments that followed4  ,ah1 my    
friend1 ,i scarcely thought a prophet   
could do so well1 she whispered1 in her 
taunting manner2 but seeing that he     
turned pale at her remark1 and that a   
pained expression also passed over his  
features1 she quickly added you did     
well1 ,i am proud of you1 and you must  
be my companion for the night2 and her  
hand once more stole within his arm4    
,the revels were continued through the  
night1 wine flowed as freely as water1  
and long before the gray dawn began to  
break in the east1 many had sunk down in
 a helpless1 drunken sleep4 ,corianton  
also was intoxicated1 but not so much   
with wine as with the beauty and chic of
 ,joan4 ,when she left him1 as she did  
soon after midnight1 he began to realize
 the situation into which his half      
thoughtless indiscretion had plunged    
him1 and he knew not how he would well  
answer his brethren for his conduct4    

,though he had drunk but little wine1   
not being accustomed to it his brain was
 on fire1 and a mad spirit of           
recklessness seized him4 ,passing a     
group of young fellows in an advanced   
stage of intoxication in one of the     
recesses of the saloon1 he was hailed by
 them1 and congratulated upon his       
conquest of the fairest lady in all     
their land4 ,he joined them in their    
praises of her beauty and in their      
revel4 ,what he did1 what was done he   
knew not1 his brain was confused--he had
 an indistinct recollection of          
boisterous1 frenzied jollity1 then high 
words1 a quarrel1 but not the reason of 
it1 and then all was darkness1 oblivion4
     ,,chapter ,,nine4  ,,isabel4   ,as 
the grey light of morning struggled     
through the heavy curtained windows of  
the saloon1 ,corianton awoke4 ,for some 
time he lay half bewildered1 unable to  
call to mind what had happened1 or where
 he was1 conscious only of the heavy1   
dull pain in his head4 ,at last1        

however1 the revels of the past night   
were conjured up by his recollection2   
but awakening consciousness brought with
 it a sickening sense of shame4 ,he was 
lying on a cushioned divan in one of the
 many recesses opening into the saloon1 
and near him in a heavy stupor1 on the  
floor1 was a young ,lamanite girl4 ,he  
arose and staggered from the recess to  
seek the open air4 ,in the saloon the   
lights in the cressets were burning low1
 but giving out sufficient of their     
pale1 yellow light to reveal the general
 disorder that prevailed4 ,fruits1      
drinking bowls1 withered flowers and    
ottomans lay scattered about            
promiscuously4 ,the banquet table itself
 with its burden of fruits and wines and
 silver furniture1 had been overturned1 
doubtless in the melee which followed   
the quarrel1 of which ,corianton had but
 an indistinct recollection4 ,near the  
door leading into the hall were two     
slaves sleeping in each other's         
arms--worn out by the services of the   

past night4  ,corianton wended his way  
through all this debris and at last     
reached the garden2 but neither the cool
 morning air1 the song of birds nor the 
perfume of flowers brought relief to his
 aching heart or troubled mind4  ,he    
followed the same path down which ,joan 
had led him the night before to the     
margin of the lake1 and stood under the 
same trees where her loveliness first   
attracted his attention4 ,again he saw  
her half reclining against the tree1    
once more heard her sweet voice deriding
 his faith and mocking at the bondage it
 brought with it--,what1 are you not    
free8 ,are you in bondage8 she had said2
 and the humiliation he had experienced 
by the taunting question still hurt his 
pride4 ,he sought a bower near at hand1 
and stretching himself upon a seat      
beneath it1 was soon lost in a fitful   
slumber4  ,he was suddenly awakened by  
some one in a subdued but hurried tone  
calling his name4 ,shaking off his sleep
 at last1 he was surprised and not a    

little troubled at seeing his brother   
,shiblon standing over him4  ,wake1     
brother1 wake and leave this horrible   
place6 ,the speaker was pale and        
evidently much excited4 ,come brother1  
in the name of ,god shake off this      
slumber1 and come with me before it is  
too late6  ,why ,shiblon1 what's amiss8 
,alas1 ,i fear thou art amiss2 and your 
bad deeds are like to bring trouble to  
us all4 ,your association with harlots  
in this place is the talk of the whole  
city1 and everywhere we are threatened  
with violence--we can no longer preach  
to the people since they judge us all by
 your conduct1 and condemn us all as    
hypocrites and bid us be gone4 ,the     
other brethren have started to leave the
 city1 but ,i came in search of you2 now
 brother1 come--in ,god's name come6    
,come1 let us leave together2 by a      
penitent life you may yet cancel this   
great sin--you are young--not yet       
hardened in vice2 ,i pray you1 come6    
,corianton stood before his brother     

bewildered2 to him his speech was       
incoherent--wild4 ,shiblon1 said he1 ,i 
have not associated with harlots1 and   
though the revels of last night were    
indiscreet1 ,i am free from such sin as 
you impute to me4  ,god grant that you  
are1 and far be it from me to believe   
that you add the sin of falsehood to a  
grosser sin2 but brother1 the house of  
,seantum where you have lodged1 is the  
worst den of infamy in all ,antionum1   
and only last night you were seen in    
loving converse on the shores of this   
very lake with the harlot ,isabel4      
,isabel6 echoed ,corianton1 ,i know and 
have seen no such woman4 ,i walked      
through the grounds here last evening   
with ,joan1 niece of ,seantum1 and      
though of sprightly disposition yet     
modest1 and ,i believe as virtuous as   
she is fair4  ,oh1 ,corianton1 in this  
you are cozened4 ,that woman is not     
,joan1 nor is she ,seantum's niece2 but 
a wicked harlot from ,siron whose body  
to the chief men of this city has been  

as common as their wills have desired   
it2 you have fallen into the trap laid  
by the ,zoramites to destroy the mission
 in this city4 ,seantum is one of the   
leaders of the ,zoramites1 he it was who
 sent for this cunning harlot to work   
your ruin1 and in that hoped for the    
destruction of our mission2 and he has  
succeeded1 alas6 too well4 ,they have   
deceived you2 and as the devil appears  
as an angel of light1 so this woman     
assumes a virtue that she possesses not1
 and by that seeming grace wins you to  
your destruction4 ,but break this chain1
 and let us flee4  ,before ,corianton   
could reply there was heard a hurrying  
of feet and they were surrounded by a   
body of men4  ,take that man1 said      
,seantum1 pointing to ,shiblon1 and bind
 him4 ,the young man saw at a glance    
that neither flight nor resistance would
 avail anything1 and he submitted       
without an effort at either4            
,corianton1 said ,seantum1 ,i overheard 
the ungracious words of your brother    

against my house and my kinswoman1 and  
,i insist upon a vindication of both    
before the magistrates of this city2    
hence ,i have taken him1 but ,i mean him
 no further mischief2 and does not      
justice to my great reputation and to my
 household dictate the taking of this   
course8  ,though the sentence fall upon 
my brother1 ,i must say your cause is   
just2 let him answer it before your     
judges1 and let this experience teach   
him discretion4  ,corianton1 said       
,shiblon1 ,i complain not at my         
captivity1 incurred by an anxiety for   
your good2 nor shall ,i shrink before   
the judges however unjust or merciless  
they may be4 ,but take my advice1 if you
 are still free from the sin that       
reputation sticks on you1 lose no time  
in leaving this man's accursed house2   
trust not his friendship1 for it is     
poison2 believe not in the pretensions  
of the harlot ,isabel1 ,joan she is not1
 she is one whose feet go down to death1
 whose steps take hold on hell6  ,away  

with him1 and stop his slanderous mouth6
 cried ,corianton1 white with rage4 ,one
 of those who held him1 struck ,shiblon 
a blow in the face4  ,noble ,seantum1   
continued ,corianton1 see that yourself 
and your fair niece be cleared of those 
slanders1 and tell her that there is one
 ,nephite at least who can rise above   
the prejudices of a narrow faith and not
 impute lewdness to mirthfulness1 nor   
wantonness to innocent gaiety4  ,be     
assured1 sir1 replied the one addressed1
 ,i shall not fail to report you truly  
to the fair ,joan2 and you shall not    
suffer in her estimation by reason of   
your brother's slander4  ,brother1 you  
are now blinded by your infatuation and 
anger1 said ,shiblon1 whose spirit      
neither blows nor prospective harsher   
treatment could daunt1 but the time will
 come1 when the scales will fall1 and   
you will see the black wickedness of    
those who have entrapped your unwary    
feet2 farewell1 and whatever fate       
overtakes me1 remember ,i suffer it out 

of love of you4  ,he was then dragged   
away in the direction of the house1     
followed by ,seantum4     ,,chapter     
,,ten4  ,,taunts ,,of ,,the ,,crowd4    
,left alone to battle with the          
contending emotions that struggled in   
his breast1 and his anger having        
subsided1 ,corianton began to be plagued
 with rising apprehensions4 ,what if    
,shiblon were right8 ,what if he had    
been duped by the crafty ,zoramites8    
,many things that passed under his      
observation in the banqueting saloon the
 night before now arose to give support 
to his increasing fears4 ,yet1 ,i'll not
 believe it1 until proven true1 then if 
she be indeed a harlot1 and hath        
betrayed me into this compromising      
position1 may ,god pity her1 for she    
hath need of pity6  ,with these words he
 left the garden and started in the     
direction of the market place of the    
city4  ,he observed as he walked along  
that many people looked curiously at    
him1 and turned to follow him with their

 gaze4 ,as he turned into one of the    
principal streets he heard a tumult1 and
 saw an excited crowd of people rapidly 
gathering about two men who were        
evidently making efforts to extricate   
themselves from the throng4 ,they were  
coming in his direction1 and stepping   
aside into a narrow alleyway1 he thought
 to let the throng pass without being   
observed4 ,as the crowd drew near1 to   
his astonishment1 he saw the two men    
were his father and ,ammon4 ,the mob at 
their heels1 however1 was evidently1 as 
yet1 good natured1 and were merely      
mocking them4 ,some who occasionally ran
 in front of them would shout at the    
spectators gathered at the sides of the 
streets--  ,behold the ,nephite prophet1
 who comes to teach us 'holiness' while 
his son makes merry the night with      
harlots6  ,teach your own son virtue    
before you leave your cities to convert 
the ,zoramites1 cried another4  ,the    
son's no worse than the father ,i'll    
warrant1 shouted a third4  ,nor so bad  

either1 broke in several4  ,say old     
greybeard1 said a voice from the crowd1 
which of you holy men is contracted to  
,isabel to-night8 and the insinuation   
was followed by shouts of laughter4  ,so
 the crowd passed on1 yelling1 cursing1 
mocking1 deriding1 pushing2 the spirit  
of violence constantly increasing4 ,the 
two prophets answered nothing1 but bore 
all meekly2 the only sign of emotion    
being the tears that silently flowed    
down the furrowed cheeks of ,alma at the
 taunts thrown at him respecting his    
son2 indeed he seemed weighed down with 
grief1 and would have been trampled     
under foot but for the support of his   
strong companion1 who bore him up1 and  
kept back those who would have used     
violence had they dared4  ,the crowd    
passed and their shouts rose faintly    
above the busy hum of life in the city1 
and then at last died away altogether4  
,corianton had remained in the alley way
 from which he had seen and heard what  
is described above2 there he stood      

trembling from head to foot in an agony 
of shame and terror4 ,at last he walked 
away1 and rather from instinct than     
design he retraced his footsteps in the 
direction of ,seantum's4     ,,chapter  
,,eleven4  ,,face ,,to ,,face4   ,as he 
walked along ,corianton increased his   
speed2 passion rocked his frame1 and a  
deep design for revenge filled his      
heart4 ,he passed down the path with    
rapid strides and entered the hall of   
,seantum's dwelling4 ,here he met a maid
 who had attended on                    
,joan--,isabel1--and in whose company he
 had left her the night before4  ,where 
is your mistress1 maid8 he demanded in  
no gentle tones4  ,she is yet in her    
room1 sir prophet1 said the maid1       
trembling with fear4  ,and where is that
 room8  ,the first door to the left     
opens to a passage leading to it2 shall 
,i say to my mistress you would see her8
  ,no1 he replied in tones husky with   
anger4 ,i will see her unannounced4     
,small need to stand on ceremony with   

such as she4  ,and with a few rapid     
strides he reached the door indicated1  
and entered the passage leading to the  
splendid rooms set apart for the use of 
,isabel4  ,he threw aside the heavy     
curtain drawn across the passage and    
stood in the presence of the woman bent 
on his destruction4 ,she was seated on a
 low ottoman with a silver mirror in her
 hand and a slave was just putting the  
finishing touches to her toilet4 ,she   
hastily arose as ,corianton entered1 and
 intense anger flashed in her dark eyes4
  ,methinks this entrance is somewhat   
rude1 bold ,nephite4 ,at least ,i should
 have thought a 'prophet' would have had
 respect for a maiden's privacy4  ,aye1 
no doubt he would4 ,all men would       
respect a maiden's privacy2 the most    
licentious wretch would tremble did he  
invade its hallowed precinct4 ,but who  
respects the privacy of a commoner8 ,who
 pauses on the threshold of a strumpet8 
,commoner8 ,strumpet8 echoed ,isabel1   
choking with rage1 what mean you8       

,mean8 mean8 he cried1 ,i mean that the 
mask behind which you would hide as     
,joan is snatched away4 ,i mean that you
 are a base harlot2 that that fair face 
is besmirked with loathsome filth1 that 
the sweet tones of your voice1 the arch 
smile1 that angel form1 are but the     
blandishments of hell to decoy men to   
ruin4 ,i mean that you with your        
paramours conspired to work my undoing2 
and ,i1 fool-like1 must walk in midday  
light into your traps4  ,he had         
approached her at this climax of his    
passion and seized her by the throat6   
,with a shriek she sank upon her knees  
before him in terror4 ,finding her      
helpless in his grasp1 he recovered his 
self-control sufficiently to loose his  
hold4  ,no1 no1 ,i will not kill you--,i
 meant not to harm you--pardon me4 ,o1  
my ,god6 why1 oh why1 is this woman so  
foul and yet so fair that heated rage is
 cooled1 madness subdued to gentleness1 
and man's purposed revenge weeps itself 
to softness in woman's tears8 ,covering 

his face with his hands he sank into a  
settee overpowered by the emotions which
 shook his frame4  ,by this time ,isabel
 had recovered from the terror into     
which ,corianton's sudden rage had      
thrown her2 and deeply read in man's    
moods and passions1 she saw what an     
influence she held over the one now     
before her4 ,stealing softly to his     
side1 and placing her hand on his       
shoulder she gently said3  ,corianton1  
have you done well in thus proceeding8  
,what have ,i done to merit such harsh  
treatment--such bitter words--how       
deserved it8  ,what have you done8 he   
cried--you came to me with a lie on your
 lips1 deceit in your heart1 and under  
the guise of innocence1 purity and      
goodness sought to encompass my         
ruin6--,well madame1 your plans have    
carried--,i am undone--ruined6 ,i can   
never return to my people1 to them ,i am
 infamous--an outcast6 ,and again his   
form was convulsed in an agony of grief4
  ,but may there not be some extenuating

 circumstances to free me from the harsh
 judgment you passed upon me8 ,trained  
from my childhood to hate your people1  
and taught that all means were proper   
that would lead to their destruction1   
the helpless instrument of unscrupulous 
men bent on defeating your mission to   
the ,zoramites--is it any wonder that ,i
 undertook the part assigned me in the  
scheme8 ,but ,corianton1 and she sank on
 her knees at his feet1 the moment ,i   
saw you--so noble in bearing--so        
young--my heart relented2 ,i shrank from
 the performance of the wicked plot--but
 what was ,i to do8 ,had ,i told you the
 truth-- that ,i was ,isabel--the infamy
 of that name would have steeled your   
heart against me--you would have driven 
me from you as an unclean thing2 and    
your presence--the nobility which looked
 from your eyes1 inspired me with love  
such as ,i have never known before--,i  
experienced a longing for something     
better than ,i had known--a desire for  
purity1 goodness1 virtue1 that ,i might 

be worthy of you2 and even wicked and   
unclean as ,i am1 hope whispered high   
promises to my woman's heart--'love will
 forgive and forget the past2 it lives  
only in the present and for the future1'
 it said2 but alas6 it was a vain       
hope--,i awake and find it dust6 ,oh1   
why is there so much difference between 
man and woman6 ,no matter what the past 
of a man may have been1 he hath but to  
repent1 and all is forgiven--and1       
forgotten4 ,but when a woman falls1 'tis
 never more to rise or be forgiven4     
,these indirect appeals to him touched  
the gentler nature of ,corianton1 and   
bending over her as he took her hand1 he
 said3 ,nay1 do not weep2 if ,i have    
fallen ,i alone am to blame1 ,i should  
have had better discretion4 ,i am no    
coward to lay the blame upon another4 ,i
 alone am to blame and ,i will alone    
bear the burden of ,god's displeasure4  
,corianton1 cried ,isabel as a sudden   
idea seized her1 if you are an outcast2 
come to me1 go with me to ,siron2 we are

 both young1 we may live for each other1
 and life may yield us much of          
happiness--,i will be true to you1 work 
for you1 nay1 my proud spirit is        
conquered by my love1 ,i will even be   
your slave2 let us unite our shattered  
fortunes3 all may yet be well4  ,oh     
youth1 how elastic is thy texture6      
,oppressed with the heaviest grief1     
bowed down into the dust by ruin1 thy   
buoyancy will up-raise the soul--hope   
dwells perennially in thy breast6 ,the  
proposition of ,isabel revived the      
sinking spirits of ,corianton1 and under
 the influence of her hopeful words his 
life yet seemed to promise something    
worth living for4  ,if you have become  
an outcast from your people1 she        
continued1 and that through me1 ,i will 
become an outcast from those who knew me
 here1 ,i will forsake my friends for   
you2 and then1 hand in hand1 we will    
seek our new and better fortune4 ,but   
men are changeful in their love1 she    
added1 and when time or care steals     

beauty from our checks1 your eyes will  
wander--swear to be true to me1         
,corianton4  ,her arms stole gently     
about his neck and she looked pleadingly
 into his eyes4 ,all his love for this  
woman now seemed to go out to her1 and  
warmly returning her tender embrace he  
said3  ,do not fear the vanishing of my 
love1 ,isabel1 for ,i do love thee with 
my whole heart1 better than my country1 
my people or my ,god--the last ,i am    
estranged from1 and henceforth thou     
shalt be my idol1 and he lovingly kissed
 her lips4  ,that night they left for   
,siron1 and reached their destination4  
,the following day when it became known 
that ,corianton had gone to ,siron with 
,isabel1 the excitement in ,antionum    
greatly increased4 ,shiblon the day     
before had been released from his       
bondage and was stoned by the people in 
the streets1 led on by some of the      
servants of ,seantum4 ,he escaped them1 
however1 and joined his father and      
brethren1 and told them of the blind    

infatuation of ,corianton4  ,it was     
decided that it would be useless to     
attempt to preach longer to the people  
of ,antionum1 and that evening the      
brethren of the mission departed for the
 land of ,jershon1 their spirits bowed  
down with grief at the hardness of the  
hearts of the ,zoramites2 but sorrowing 
most of all for the wickedness of       
,corianton and the disgrace he had      
brought upon the work4  ,zoram and his  
associates1 chief among whom was        
,seantum1 were not satisfied with the   
departure of the ,nephite prophets2 but 
formed the resolution of driving from   
their midst those who had believed in   
their words4 ,hence they sent among the 
people secretly to find out those who   
believed in the words which ,alma and   
his companions had taught2 and learned  
the sentiments of those who disbelieved 
their teachings4 ,the reports justified 
them in concluding they could drive the 
former out of their land with impunity4 
,the effort was successful2 and the     

outcasts fled to ,jershon where the     
people of ,ammon received them with     
gladness1 and provided for their        
immediate wants4     ,,chapter ,,twelve4
  ,,the ,,love ,,of ,a ,,wanton4   ,the 
home of ,isabel1 in ,siron1 was nearly  
as magnificent as that of ,seantum in   
,antionum4 ,all that wealth could do to 
satisfy the caprice and extravagant     
tastes of woman1 had evidently been     
lavished upon ,isabel by her lovers4    
,for two days after the arrival from    
,antionum she had been all that could be
 desired by ,corianton--loving1 gentle1 
and at times sprightly4 ,but the morning
 of the third day when he suggested     
leaving her establishment1 whose luxury 
constantly reminded him of her former   
life and shame1 she manifested some     
petulance1 and replied--  ,you knew who 
and what ,i was before you came here1 ,i
 take it unkindly that you upbraid me   
for the past4  ,the fact was that during
 the night ,zoram had arrived from      
,antionum and was filled with jealous   

rage4 ,he feared the young and handsome 
,nephite had won the fancy of his       
mistress1 and demanded that he should be
 gotten rid of4  ,about midday          
,corianton entered the apartments of    
,isabel and urged again that she would  
consent to leave ,siron and go to a land
 where she was not known and there begin
 their new life4  ,there is the door1   
she said coolly1 if you like not to     
stay1 you may go4  ,nay1 ,isabel1 but   
you promised that you would forsake all 
this for me6  ,and are you so simple as 
to believe a woman's words8 ,i was      
blinded by my infatuation and half      
repentance1 but the dream is past1 ,i am
 myself again1 and see we are not suited
 to each other2 you had better return to
 your people1 sir prophet1 fall down at 
their feet1 and seek their forgiveness4 
,he stood amazed--twice deceived and by 
this woman--twice damned in shame for a 
thing scarce worth his pity6  ,and is   
this the return for my great love for   
you8 he asked4  ,that for your love1 and

 she threw a goblet of wine in his face4
 ,i despise both you and your love4     
,several of the servants and ,zoram     
entering the apartment at that moment1  
she threw herself into the arms of the  
latter1 saying as she kissed him1 this  
is my love--my prince--my king of men6  
,now go6 she cried1 pointing to the     
door4  ,not ,i1 replied ,corianton2 ,i  
will not budge until ,i have laid him   
dead at my feet who set on foot the plan
 that brought my shame6 ,and he sprang  
at ,zoram with the fury of an enraged   
tiger4 ,before he could reach him1      
however1 he was overpowered by the      
servants and bound securely4 ,zoram had 
drawn his dagger1 and would have killed 
the ,nephite1 but ,isabel clung to him4 
,no1 no1 you shall not slay him1 he is  
my prey1 and 'tis for me to say what    
shall be his fate4 ,nephite1 she said1  
our friend ,korihor went into your chief
 city where1 through sorcery1 he was    
smitten dumb and fled from your land4   
,he returned to us half crazed1 and     

miserably perished4 ,that1 your people  
said1 was a judgment of ,god1--a        
manifestation of his almighty power4    
,now live1 return to your people to be  
the scorn and shame of the times1 and   
let them know that your fall is a       
manifestation of ,isabel's power--let it
 be ,corianton for ,korihor--,isabel    
against your ,god6  99 99 99  ,see that 
a number of servants go with him as     
guards and take him to the borders of   
the land ,jershon1 said ,zoram4 ,come1  
move1 slaves1 away with him1 and be not 
over-tender of him in your journey6     
,two men were soon mounted1 and         
,corianton1 his hands bound behind him1 
was compelled to run between them1 each 
of his guards holding him by a thong    
fastened about his body4 ,all that day  
and night1 and part of the next day they
 continued their journey1 with          
occasional rests for themselves and     
their horses4 ,reaching the borders of  
the land of ,jershon before noon of the 
second day1 they cruelly beat their     

prisoner and left him1 directing their  
course for ,siron4     ,,chapter        
,,thirteen4  ,a ,,brother',s ,,love4    
,left more dead than alive by his hard  
journey and merciless beating1          
,corianton lay in a stupor for some     
time4 ,regaining consciousness he       
wandered1 he knew not whither1 but at   
last came to one of the chief towns of  
the people of ,ammon2 where a large     
number of the outcast ,zoramites had    
been given a resting place4 ,in passing 
through the streets he was recognized by
 some of them1 and the news of his      
return soon spread throughout the city4 
,the people came running together to see
 him4 ,some looked on him with pity1    
others looked upon him as the author of 
all their distress and began clamoring  
for vengeance4 ,the latter class was by 
far the more numerous1 and the          
excitement was growing uncontrolable4   
,stone him1 stone him6 was the cry4     
,corianton1 hard pressed1 threw back his
 tattered robe1 and addressing the crowd

 said--  ,yes1 good people1 ,i am the   
cause of the affliction that has        
befallen you--let my life pay the       
penalty of my follies--,i refuse not to 
die--to die would be relief4  ,those who
 heard these words1 and saw the majesty 
of the speaker1 fallen though he was1   
were awed into silence2 but those on the
 outskirts of the ever-increasing crowd 
still clamored for his life1 and even   
began to cast stones at him4 ,these     
volleys soon caused those near him to   
draw back1 and he stood alone4          
,shrouding his face in his mantle he    
sank to the ground prepared to meet the 
worst4  ,at that moment a clear1 strong 
voice rose above the tumult of the mob3 
,in the name of ,god1 hold6 ,stay your  
hands1 men6 ,let him be accursed that   
casts another stone6  ,shiblon1 all     
breathless1 pushed his way through that 
angry crowd to where his brother lay1   
half stunned and bleeding4 ,he threw    
aside the mantle and bent over the poor1
 bruised form4 ,alas6 my brother1 cast  

down and well nigh destroyed6 and the   
tears flowed down his cheeks and dropped
 upon the half unconscious face of      
,corianton4 ,then the murmurs of the    
crowd1 awed but for the moment by       
,shiblon's appearance1 rose into cries  
for vengeance4 ,quickly rising to his   
feet1 ,shiblon waved his hand for       
silence and thus addressed them3  ,you  
people from ,antionum1 listen to me4 ,my
 father and the sons of ,mosiah1        
together with this my brother and       
myself1 came into your midst to teach   
you the truth4 ,out of love for you my  
father1 though bowed with age and       
unremitting toil in the behalf of       
others1 left the pleasures and comforts 
of his home1 risked his life1 and       
endured the scoffs of the proud         
,zoramites1 that you might live1 and    
live in the truth1 and be free1 and for 
this you would reward him by slaying his
 dearest son1 who fell by the practice  
of a cunning harlot4 ,i grant you the   
sin was great2 such as he are great1    

even in their sins2 and they are        
likewise great in their sufferings4  ,if
 his crime is worthy of death1 has he   
not already suffered more than death8   
,the burden of his great sin he must    
carry through life--and could his worst 
enemy be gratified by casting one more  
stone at this poor1 bleeding body1 or be
 pleased by adding one more pang to his 
tortured mind8 ,oh1 men6 has pity1      
mercy1 gratitude left your breasts2 and 
does your mad frenzy make you brutish   
beasts8 ,my brother's sin is more       
against himself and ,god than you1 and  
it is for you to leave him to the       
justice and mercy of his ,god who hath  
said1 ',vengeance is mine1 ,i will      
repay4  ,the crowd slunk away1 except   
those who remained to assist ,shiblon in
 removing his brother to the home of    
,ammon1 who lived in the city4 ,here his
 wounds were dressed2 and he was        
attended upon by ,shiblon with all the  
devotion of a loving brother4  ,his     
father forgave him1 and took no small   

pains in teaching him1 instilling into  
his soul faith in the great fundamental 
truths of the ,gospel4 ,and ,corianton's
 proud1 haughty spirit now humbled to   
the dust1 listened with prayerful       
attention to the instruction of his     
father1 and found the faith of the      
,gospel the stay and hope of his soul1  
and no longer questioned1 but lovingly  
trusted in the justice and mercy of     
,god4  ,may it not be that even this    
great sin was necessary to humble his   
pride1 and prepare him to receive and   
sense the gospel1 that by and through it
 he might be prepared to receive the    
highest degree of glory to which his    
nature could attain1 and which he never 
could have attained with his pride      
unbroken8  ,i give unto men weakness1   
saith the ,lord1 that they may be       
humble2 and my grace is sufficient for  
all men that humble themselves before   
me4