Alma — Chapter 60
1 Then Moroni wrote again to Pahoran, the chief judge of the land, saying: This letter is to Pahoran, the chief judge and ruler over the land, in the city of Zarahemla. This letter is also to all those who have been chosen by the people to lead this war.
2 I want to say something against you all. You know that you have been chosen to gather men together and give them swords and all kinds of weapons, and to send them to fight against the Lamanites wherever they come into our land.
3 I and my men, and Helaman and his men have suffered very much. Yes, we have been hungry, and thirsty, and tired, and have had all kinds of troubles.
4 If this was all we had suffered, we would not complain.
5 But many of our people have been killed. Yes, thousands have been killed who might not have died if you had sent more men to us to make our armies stronger, and sent us supplies. You have not helped us as you should have.
6 We want to know why you have not been helping us.
7 Why are you just sitting and dreaming on your thrones when your enemies are killing people — yes, murdering thousands of your brothers all around you?
8 Your brothers have looked to you to protect them and have given you the power you need to do so. You should have sent armies to them to make them stronger. Then thousands of them would not have been killed.
9 But this is not all. You have not sent them supplies, so many of them have been hungry because of you even while they have been fighting and bleeding to save this people.
10 Now, my dear brothers — yes, you should be dear to us — you should have worked harder for the good and freedom of this people. But you have not, and you will be guilty of letting thousands of them die. God has heard their cries and knows what they have suffered.
11 Do you think you can just sit and dream on your thrones — that even if you do nothing, God in his goodness will save you? If you think this, you think wrong.
12 Do you think your brothers were killed because they were wicked? If you think this, you think wrong. Many have been killed, and you are to blame.
13 The Lord lets righteous people be killed to bring justice to the wicked when he judges them. The righteous are not lost after they are killed, but go to rest with the Lord their God.
14 I am afraid God’s judgments will come on this people because of the laziness of the government in not helping our brothers who were killed.
15 If it were not for the wickedness that happened at the same time this war began, we would have defeated our enemies, and they would not have any power over us.
16 Yes, if it had not been for the war we had among ourselves — if we had not had kingmen making so much trouble — yes, if we had not had to fight among ourselves, but had worked together as we had done before, [we would have defeated our enemies]. Yes, if the kingmen had not wanted to have power over us, but had wanted freedom and joined with us against our enemies, instead of fighting us, [we would have defeated our enemies]. Yes, if we had gone against the Lamanites in the power of the Lord, we would have scattered our enemies, as he promised.
17 But now the Lamanites have come against us. They are taking over our lands, and murdering our people, and making our women and children suffer as slaves. All this happened because those wicked kingmen wanted power.
18 But why am I talking about this? For all we know, you might be trying to get more power. Maybe you have become our enemies.
19 Or have you forgotten about us because you are living safely in the middle of our land? Is that why you have not sent us food or more men?
20 Have you forgotten God’s commandments? Have you forgotten our ancestors’ slavery? Have you forgotten all the times we have been saved from our enemies?
21 Do you think the Lord will save us while we sit on our thrones and not use the things he has given us to help ourselves?
22 Are you (and thousands or tens of thousands of people like you) just going to sit while thousands in the borders of the land are falling and bleeding and dying?
23 Do you think God won’t judge you guilty for just sitting there and seeing these things? I tell you, No. I want you to remember that God has said he will clean the inside of the pot first, and then the outside.
24 Now, if you do not repent, and do not send food and men to us and to Helaman (so he can protect the parts of the land he has taken back, and so we can get back the rest of our lands), we will stop fighting against the Lamanites until we have cleaned the inside of the pot first — yes, cleaned up the government.
25 If you do not answer my letter, and show me that you still want freedom, and are trying to help our armies and send them food, I will leave some of my army here to protect this part of the land. I will leave God’s power and blessings on them so no other power can defeat them,
26 Because of their great faith and patience with their troubles.
27 Then I will come to you, and I will take any who still believe even a little bit in freedom and make rebellions against you until those of you who want to take over and have more power are dead.
28 I am not afraid of your power, but I am afraid of my God. He has commanded me to take my sword to protect my country, and we have had great losses because of you.
29 The sword of justice is hanging over you now. If you do not work to protect your country, that sword will fall on you and completely destroy you.
30 I am waiting for help from you. If you do not help us, I will come to you in the land of Zarahemla and kill you with my sword, so you will not have any more power to stop our work for our people’s freedom.
31 The Lord will not let you live and get more wicked while his righteous people are destroyed.
32 Do you think the Lord will save you and send his judgments against the Lamanites? The Lamanites hate us because of the wrong teachings of their ancestors, and because of those who have rebelled against us, but your wickedness comes from your love for glory and the vain things of the world.
33 You know you are breaking God’s laws. The Lord has said to me: “Go fighter against your rulers if they do not repent of their sins and wickedness.”
34 Now I, Moroni, must keep the promise I made to keep God’s commandments. So I want you to do what God has said quickly, and send food and supplies and men to me and to Helaman.
35 If you don’t do this, I will come against you quickly, because God will not let us die of hunger. He will give us your food, even if we have to use our swords to get it. Now do what God says.
36 I am Moroni, your chief captain. I am not looking for power, but am trying to pull it down. I do not care what the world says. I am working for the glory of God, and for the freedom and good of my country. I end my letter now.
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