The Hidden Things of Darkness

Christopher S. Bentley

An Exposé of the Enemies of Christ

Christopher S. Bentley

1st edition 2001 2nd printing 2006

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, filming, microfilming, tape recording, or any other means, without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles where the author, title and ISBN are mentioned.

This book is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All opinions expressed herein are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the publisher or of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

For additional copies: www.freedomslight.net

Cover design by SunRise Publishing www.SunriseBooks.com

Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 0-9717909-0-6 v

Contents

Introduction Keeping All Of The Commandments 1

Chapter 1 Another Look At The War In Heaven 13

Chapter 2 The Church Of The Devil 29

Chapter 3 Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings 43

Chapter 4 Rome In The Meridian Of Time 51

Chapter 5 The Whore Of The Latter Days 61

Chapter 6 Satanocracy 71

Chapter 7 Secret Combinations 99

Chapter 8 Secret Works Of Darkness 115

Chapter 9 Kingdoms And Glory 135

Chapter 10 Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 151 Of Secret Combinations

Chapter 11 Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 173

Chapter 12 The Book Of Mormon Warns 195 The Latter-day Gentiles

Conclusion Getting Out From Under Condemnation 219

Appendix 1 The Meaning Of “Two Churches Only” 235

Appendix 2 Further Commentary On Satanocracy 243

Appendix 3 Textual Evidence For The Importance 263 Of The Subject Of Secret Combinations

Figure 1 Scriptural Frequency Of Secret 269 Combinations In The Book Of Mormon

Author’s Note 275

Index 285

“…it is an imperative duty…that we should waste and wear our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them…” ---D&C 123:7, 13

“…the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.” --- President Ezra Taft Benson

“I [the Lord] will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.” --- Alma 37:25

Introduction

Keeping All Of The Commandments “Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments?” --D&C 58:30

Obedience to God’s Commandments

The importance of obedience to God’s commandments can hardly be overstated (D&C 59:21). Indeed, one of the major overarching messages of the standard works is the need for strict obedience to all of Heavenly Father’s commandments (D&C 98:11). Yet the world at present, if it obeys God’s commandments at all, usually approaches such strict divine requirements with a relativistic set of ethics, and a lackadaisical, “moderation-in-all-things” attitude (2 Nephi 28:7-9; Mormon 8:31). The Prophet Joseph Smith boldly preached to a congregation of non-members the folly of such an attitude towards God’s commandments, as if people can pick and choose which ones they want to keep like they were some kind of smorgasbord of divine rules. In words as applicable to today as ever, the Prophet Joseph said, “to get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded.”1 Expressing what his personal motto was, he said, “the object with me is to obey and teach others to obey God in just what He tells us to do.”2 Demonstrating his commitment to such a stand (and as was evidenced by his life’s example itself), no matter what the cost, he declared, “it mattereth not whether the principle is popular or

1 Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), p. 332. 2 Ibid. 2 The Hidden Things Of Darkness unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle, even if I stand alone in it.”1 On another occasion he stated, [I]n obedience there is joy and peace unspotted, unalloyed; and as God has designed our happiness—and the happiness of all His creatures, he never has—He never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of his law and ordinances.2

But to those who will not obey, the Lord queried, “Who am I that made man, saith the Lord, that will hold him guiltless that obeys not my commandments” (D&C 58:30)?

Some Commandments Well Received, Others Not The world at present, as it plunges deeper and deeper into spiritual darkness and wickedness, is unarguably turning a collective deaf ear toward God’s divine teachings (D&C 5:8). But how do Latter-day Saints fare, who are members of Christ’s true Church, are beneficiaries of the priesthood, and have the Holy Ghost for guidance? Besides what ancient prophets saw in vision (see 2 Nephi 28:14), a cursory look at Church history plainly shows that the prophets’ pronouncements have been received with mixed attitudes of acceptance. While Joseph Smith was viewed as a prophet by almost all of the Latter-day Saints, his revealing of the principle of polygamy was too much for some members of the Church to handle. Many apostatized and became his enemies. The reverse happened under President Wilford Woodruff’s administration. When polygamy was abandoned, some members could not let the principle go, even though the Lord had once declared, “I…command and revoke, as it seemeth me good” (D&C 56:4). President Heber J. Grant taught the Saints many beautiful truths about the gospel, and its principles, but when he spoke out

1 Smith, p. 332. 2 Ibid., p. 256-257. Keeping All Of The Commandments 3 against government “old age assistance,” some members thought that he “ought to keep his mouth shut.”1 Many members were undoubtedly motivated at hearing President David O. McKay’s famous declaration that “every member is a missionary.” But when he said, “Next to being one in worshipping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States,”2 many refused to listen. Even now today, certain members think that America’s Constitution is out-dated and that its independence and sovereignty should be scrapped in favor of joining a world government. President Spencer W. Kimball was well received when he declared that every “worthy young man” should serve a mission, and that members of the Church must “lengthen their stride.” Yet, how many rejoiced at his plea for mothers to stay in the home and raise their children? Or, how many took seriously his admonition for families to fix up their homes and to garden, and to obtain a year’s supply of food? President Ezra Taft Benson received accolades for reemphasizing the Book of Mormon, but how many listened to him as he spoke about the Constitution of the United States of America, and the evils of a secret combination that is seeking to “overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries”?3 Of how many blessings have members been deprived, by failing to obey God’s commandments that He has revealed through His servants the prophets? And for that matter, since God will not hold “guiltless” those who do not keep His commandments, what price will Latter-day Saints have to pay for ignoring prophetic counsel (1 Nephi 10:20)? While the exact answers to these questions are probably only understood and known by God, a little pondering of the following verse of scripture might well provide a heavenly response that would generate a flood of understanding. The Lord

1 Elder Marion G. Romney, General Conference, April 1953. 2 President David O. McKay, The Instructor, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1956), vol. 91, p. 34. 3 President Ezra Taft Benson, “I Testify,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, November, 1988), p.87. 4 The Hidden Things Of Darkness said, “I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing” (D&C 58:32). Other scripture is more blunt. To those who half-heartedly attempt to follow divine counsel, the Lord said, “But he that doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with a doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned” (D&C 58:29). If they who follow divine counsel with a “doubtful heart” and with “slothfulness” are “damned,” what is to be said about they who willfully disobey? In the sections and chapters that follow, special consideration is given to certain commandments that will have far-reaching negative effects if members of the Church continue to ignore them (see D&C 1:33), or outright disobey them. Those effects will be far more amplified if they who seek to obey those commandments are mocked, ridiculed, and thwarted by those who do not. Or even worse, surely God will not withhold His wrath should His own people actually work towards building up the very enemies of Christ that the scriptures and prophets, both ancient and modern, have warned about (see D&C 112:23-26). Even though some of the subject matter presented throughout the rest of this book might appear to be unrelated at first, evidence for the interconnected nature of these seemingly diverse topics will be given. Each topic will be examined separately in some detail, which will accordingly serve as a building block for the subsequent ones to follow and be placed upon. As all of these subjects are examined in their proper context, each piece will be tied together in its relationship to the rest into one seamless whole. When completed, it will be clear how they are all parts of one total picture. The purpose of such an endeavor is to bear witness of the importance of these commandments, especially in how they relate to one another. Individually, these commandments can easily be overlooked. Taken together collectively, in light of the burden and responsibility they represent, they cannot be ignored.

A Commandment to the Early Missionaries Some ten months after the Church was organized through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith, he received a Keeping All Of The Commandments 5 revelation known as “the law” of the Church (D&C 42:2). In that revelation, the Lord first set forth the manner in which the elders of the Church were to do missionary work (D&C 42:1-17). They were to go “two by two,” teaching the principles of the gospel, including baptism by water and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (D&C 42:6-7). They were also commanded to “teach the principles” of the gospel as contained in the Bible and the Book of Mormon (D&C 42:6, 7, 12). After outlining how He wanted missionary work to be done by His representatives, the Lord turned His attention to the Church as a whole (D&C 42:18), and gave an extensive list of commandments (D&C 42:18-63). While many of them were a divine reaffirmation of Biblical standards of conduct, primarily based on the Ten Commandments (D&C 42:18-27), others were specific for the latter days. For example, in one verse after the Lord commanded His members to “ask,” He promised to reveal the exact location of the New Jerusalem in His “own due time” (D&C 42:63). Before giving further instructions on how to handle matters pertaining to divers transgressions of Church members, the Lord returned to the topic of missionary work. He commanded His servants to be “sent forth to the east and to the west, to the north and to the south” (D&C 42:63). He then gave another commandment, in which He said, “even now, let him that goeth to the east teach them that shall be converted to flee to the west, and this in consequence of that which is coming on the earth, and of secret combinations” (D&C 42:64).

A Revelation about their Efforts Those particular missionaries then embarked on their missions, having been told beforehand that the Spirit would tell them when it was time for them to return home (see D&C 42:5). After being gone for a year and a half, Joseph Smith recorded in his History of the Church that some of those Elders “began to 6 The Hidden Things Of Darkness return from their missions to the Eastern States, and present the histories of their several stewardships in the Lord’s vineyard.”1 As some of them gathered together to report on their missions, it was in that setting that the Prophet Joseph prayed to the Lord and received a revelation now known as Section 84 of the Doctrine and Covenants. While it would be purely speculative to assume to know what went through those missionaries’ minds as the Prophet Joseph spoke the words of the revelation, it would not be unreasonable to believe that at one point they became very uncomfortable with the rebuke they received from the Lord Himself. Speaking to them, and to the Church as a whole, the Lord said, Your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things which you have received—which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon, and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written (D&C 84:54-57).

Since the missionaries did “present the histories” regarding their “several stewardships,” they must have preached at least some of the principles of the gospel. Such being the case, a few questions readily come to mind. Of what kind of “vanity and unbelief” were they guilty? What were the “former commandments” they failed to keep? Clearly, the Lord’s rebuke was directed at those coming back from the “Eastern States.” And the only commandment those Elders of Israel received specific to them in the prior revelations given to Joseph Smith was for them to warn the people about “that which is coming on the earth, and of secret combinations” (D&C 42:64). Therefore, because they were the ones, who being commanded to go “east,” to warn those people about “secret

1 Joseph Smith, History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Company, 1978), Vol. 1, p. 286. Keeping All Of The Commandments 7 combinations” (D&C 42:64), could it have been they who “treated lightly” (D&C 84:54) that admonition of the Lord?*

What are Secret Combinations? Because those elders are not around to answer for themselves, the answer to that question will probably never be known. Nevertheless, this important, overarching principle and commandment of the Book of Mormon (see Ether 8:24), which the Lord has revealed to His people, to warn others concerning secret combinations (Ether 8:22-25), has never been revoked. Being able to warn about such things requires that they who are responsible for issuing the warning have a proper understanding of those enemies of Christ. Therefore, what are secret combinations, and how might they be identified? Also, why are there so many emphatic scriptural warnings against them (Ether 8:23)? One purpose of this work is to seek answers to those questions. In so doing, the importance of this divine duty that is still incumbent upon members of the Church to warn against such evil will be plainly demonstrated.

The Abomination of Desolation After the Lord pronounced the whole Church to be under condemnation (D&C 84:54-57), He then gave His servants another commandment. He told them go ye forth as your circumstances shall permit, in your several callings, unto the great and notable cities and villages, reproving the world in righteousness of all their unrighteous and ungodly deeds, setting forth clearly and

* "Why," some may query, "do members still live in the 'east' in the present, and why is the Church building numerous temples there?" The full answer to that question is outside the scope of this work. However, in brief, it is submitted that the warning applied to that specific time period, and that it had to do with calamities that would soon overtake the United States, namely the Civil War (see D&C 87). There is substantial historical evidence that a secret combination (i.e. conspiracy) was instrumental in precipitating the Civil War, and like its revolutionary forebear in France, was planning to exterminate many lives (see D&C 38:9-14, 28-30; 45:62-64). The Lord, in His mercy, warned the Saints of this genocidal conspiracy far in advance (D&C 38:29; 45:64). 8 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days (see D&C 84:117).

Not only were the missionaries of that era to warn* of secret combinations and that which was “coming upon the earth” (D&C 42:64), they were to also call the world to repentance. They were to explain “clearly and understandingly” (D&C 84:117) to their listeners that failure to repent would bring upon them the “desolation of abomination” as foretold by the prophets. What is the abomination of desolation? What forces will bring about that abomination of desolation, unless repented of? A second purpose of this book is to explain what the “desolation of abomination” means in “the last days,” and how it ties into the Lord’s servants’ responsibilities to warn of that which is “coming on the earth, and of secret combinations” (D&C 42:64).

Contending with the Church of the Devil There are other related commandments members are obligated to obey, which have never been revoked. Speaking to His servants before the true Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth in 1830, the Lord issued forth a commandment to them to “contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil” (D&C 18:20). What exactly is the church of the devil? Why does the Lord make an exception with this particular organization when He has given instructions to His people to cease from contending, and that contention “should be done away” with altogether (3 Nephi 11:29)? The answer to this question is a third purpose for this work.

Ripening in Iniquity unto a Fulness In relation to the topics of secret combinations and the church of the devil, is how those two bring about a state of evil

* It is obvious that present-day missionaries are not called to teach these things. However, since these commandments have not been revoked, then they must still be binding upon the general membership of the Church. Therefore, “it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor” (D&C 88:81). Keeping All Of The Commandments 9 the prophets call “ripening in iniquity.” Variations of that phrase, such as ripe, ripen, ripening, ripened, or fullness of iniquity, are found scattered throughout the scriptures. Speakers and writers often use those words rather liberally to describe wickedness in general, especially when it is perceived to be pervasive. But, are such generalizations in harmony with what the scriptures say about the term? What is the relevance of this terminology to secret combinations and the church of the devil? Is there a specific meaning of “ripening in iniquity?” If so, should it even be of any concern to Latter-day Saints? Answering these questions is another purpose for this work.

A Commandment to Expose Christ’s Enemies While the Prophet Joseph Smith languished in the misnamed Liberty Jail in Missouri, the Lord gave him still another commandment connected to the prior three cited herein. After receiving it from the Lord, Joseph told the members of the Church that it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart…that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—These should then be attended to with great earnestness. Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things (D&C 123:11, 13-15).

What lies in “futurity, pertaining to the saints,” which is so important for them, that they are commanded to expose “the hidden things of darkness” now? Why should this commandment be “attended to with great earnestness?” What is it that “depends upon these things” being brought “to light?” The Book of Mormon shows that the Nephites were under a similar divine obligation. Speaking to his son Helaman about secret combinations, Alma said that the Lord would “bring forth out of darkness unto light all [the Jaredites’] secret works and their abominations” (Alma 37:25). Furthermore, Alma said that the Lord promised to “bring to light all their secrets and 10 The Hidden Things Of Darkness abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land” (Alma 37:25). Since modern day Gentiles now possess the land, the Lord has brought forth an ancient record, namely the Book of Mormon, as evidence of His having kept that promise. But, why is it important for a modern day people to know about the iniquities of ancient civilizations that are long since dead and gone? Why is this topic so significant, that the commandments to expose those “secret works” to other nations have stayed in force throughout generations of time? Still another purpose of this work is to find answers to these questions.

The Major Purpose of this Book For Latter-day Saints, the Book of Mormon is plainly accepted as “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” Undeniably, the primary reason why the Book of Mormon was written (which is found on the first page) is to convince “the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations.” Faithful Latter-day Saints bear solemn testimony of that truth whenever, and wherever, they can. Yet, how many consider other important purposes for which the Book of Mormon was written? The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni stated that “these things” are written so “that evil [i.e. secret combinations and their works of darkness]” might be “done away” with, so that “the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men” (Ether 8:26). The primary overarching purpose of this work is to examine separately “these things” that have been “written,” and then to tie them together to show how they are all part of the same evil plan of the devil. It is only through approaching this problem in its totality that the Elders of Israel specifically, and Latter-day Saints in general, along with other freedom-loving people, can put a stop to Satan’s master plan before their civilization is destroyed like their predecessors.

Keeping All Of The Commandments 11

The Book of Mormon and the Millennium At some point in the future, a glorious and bright Millennium will be ushered in (D&C 29:11; 43:29-30). And when it is, a world will emerge where secret combinations, the church of the devil, abominations of desolation, and the hidden things of darkness will no longer be (D&C 101:24). The flooding of the earth with the Book of Mormon will be a great catalyst in helping to bring about those future conditions (Moses 7:62). Then, as humanity learns to keep the commandments of God more perfectly, and as people live in peace and righteousness, the brightness of that Millennial light will shine brilliantly at that day upon God’s children (D&C 45:58). But, such a day will only come when people learn to not only cleave unto all that is good, but also to recognize and reject all that is evil (D&C 98:11). It is especially important that righteous people reject in totality the organized evil that Satan and his followers are promoting as they seek to drag mankind down into the gulf of misery (D&C 45:55). This book is written with the intent of helping freedom-loving people everywhere to recognize Satan’s plan as it has been exposed by Book of Mormon prophets, and to cease building up those who promote his “secret” “works of darkness” (Alma 37:23). Indeed, when enough righteous and freedom-loving people everywhere become equipped with the knowledge they need from the Book of Mormon, to more effectively expose and rout the forces of evil that Satan has marshaled once again in these latter days, the time will come when truth will eventually prevail, and righteousness will ultimately triumph (Moses 7:62-65). When such a day arrives, then will “the earth…be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (2 Nephi 30:15). And in that day, when the blessed Millennium is ushered in, …the things of all nations shall be made known; yea all things, shall be made known unto the children of men. There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light….Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of 12 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

the children of men no more, for a long time….(2 Nephi 30:16-18).

It is the author’s hope and prayer that Latter-day Saints will do all within their power to help assist in that great work, and to flood the earth with these messages of the Book of Mormon (Moses 7:62). Then, as the dawning of such a glorious and grand day arrives, and as people learn to keep all of God’s commandments, and reject all evil, they will be ready for when Christ Himself returns, who will rule over those who are worthy to have Him for their King (D&C 29:11; 38:21-22; 45:59; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 19:15-16). Chapter 1

Another Look At The War In Heaven “We beheld Satan…who rebelled against God, and sought to take away the kingdom of our God and his Christ….” --D&C 76:28-29

The First Estate

Fundamental to Latter-day Saint theology is the doctrine that all people on earth once lived in heaven, in a premortal state with God, the Eternal Father. That sphere of existence, also known as the “first estate” (see Abraham 3:26), is mentioned in numerous places throughout the scriptures. While very little has been revealed concerning what life was like there, certain scriptural references speak of two events that occurred, prior to God’s first spirit children being sent to earth. Those events are the Grand Council and the War in Heaven.

The Father’s Plan Presented at the Grand Council In this section, a very generalized overview of the Grand Council and resulting War in Heaven, information as is widely and traditionally understood by Latter-day Saints, will be briefly reviewed. In order to plan out how His children would have the opportunity to enter into a mortal state, and to obtain a body necessary for their future progression, Heavenly Father called together His family into a Grand Council to discuss that very plan (Abraham 3:22-25). After all of the multitudes of Heavenly Father’s spirit children gathered themselves together, He presented a plan, referred to as the plan of happiness, or the plan of salvation (Moses 6:62). He said that an earth would be made for mankind to dwell upon in physical bodies, called the “second estate” (Abraham 3:26). Since people would make mistakes, and 14 The Hidden Things Of Darkness because all would die, it would be necessary to have a Savior atone for mankind (2 Nephi 2:8). When the time came to sustain Father’s choice of who the Savior would be, Lucifer offered to be the Redeemer in place of Jesus Christ, and promised to save all of God’s children by taking away their agency (Moses 4:1-3). A vote was taken, Christ was sustained, Satan and his modified plan were rejected, and so he started a War in Heaven (Revelation 12:7). Because of that, he and his followers were cast out of heaven (Moses 4:3; Revelation 12:8-9).

Aspects of the War in Heaven Seldom Considered

While all of the foregoing is right and true, many key details are left out, details which often are not considered, or get brushed aside. These details greatly enhance the picture of Satan’s real motives and intentions, and show how he has brought that war to earth. Even though it is widely understood that agency was at the center of the controversy, there were other underlying issues associated with what happened that are all too often missed. By turning to the accounts of the various writings of the prophets themselves to see what those details are, a much more complex picture emerges that broadens one’s understanding of what actually happened, and what some of those underlying issues dealt with.

The Testimony of Moses In his vision of the pre-earth life, Moses saw the Grand Council and the War in Heaven, but it was removed from the scriptures long before the Bible was compiled. Being restored by revelation, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, Moses recorded Satan saying, “Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). When Satan and his plan were rejected, he started a war. And regarding that event, the Lord said, Another Look At The War In Heaven 15

[w]herefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice (Moses 4:3-4—emphasis added).

It should be remembered that Satan demanded God’s “honor,” or “power” (Moses 4:3; compare D&C 29:36), and that he sought to “destroy the agency of man.” He also claimed to be able to save every single soul, that not one would be “lost.”

Isaiah’s Brief Synopsis The prophet Isaiah also saw the war that broke out in heaven. Speaking to Lucifer himself, Isaiah wrote, How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit (Isaiah 14:12-15—emphasis added).

Once again, a prophet exposed Satan as desiring to have God’s power, and even more, to ascend above Heavenly Father Himself.

The Prophet Joseph’s Accounts Besides Joseph Smith’s instrumentality in bringing to light the Book of Abraham and the Book of Moses for God’s people in the latter days, he recorded other information relative to the Grand Council and the War in Heaven. They are now revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants and the History of the Church. Concerning that meeting in heaven, Joseph wrote, 16 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me [God], saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels (D&C 29:36-37—emphasis added).

With still another witness, the scriptures expose Satan’s desire to have God’s power, and that because he could not obtain it, he rebelled against Heavenly Father and Jesus. In a revelation received by the Prophet Joseph, known as “The Vision,” it pinpoints exactly what Satan was after. Both Joseph and Sidney Rigdon recorded, And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take away the kingdom of our God and his Christ—Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about (D&C 76:25- 29—emphasis added).

Special emphasis is stressed on the fact that Satan initiated a premortal coup d’etat in seeking to dethrone God, and to “take away the kingdom.” During another occasion, the Prophet Joseph wrote the following concerning that premortal conflict: The contention in heaven was—Jesus said there would be certain souls that would not be saved; and the devil said he could save them all, and laid his plans before the grand council, who gave their vote in favor of Jesus Christ. So the devil rose up in rebellion against God, and was cast down, with all who put up their heads for him.”1

Once again, Satan is shown as claiming to be able to “save them all.” He also laid “his plans before the grand council.” This

1 Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), p. 357. Note: The term “certain souls” does not imply predestination, but rather it simply states that some would choose not to be saved, so they would not return. Another Look At The War In Heaven 17 means that he actually offered some kind of method for executing his plan. But, his plan, along with him, were both rejected.

Piecing Together the Details to See a Clearer Picture Having cited the various statements of the Lord’s prophets concerning premortality, it is easy to see the overlapping similarities between the above-cited scriptures. Satan proposed to be rewarded God’s own power and authority (D&C 29:36, Moses 4:1). Also, Satan claimed that he could save all of his brothers and sisters so that not one soul would be lost (Moses 4:1). His reasoning for being able to do so was that he would take away man’s agency (Moses 4:3). War broke out (Revelation 12:7), a third part of God’s children chose to follow Lucifer (Revelation 12:4, D&C 29:36), and sought to dethrone God (D&C 76:28) in order to replace Him with their new leader. Satan actually sought to take over Heavenly Father’s kingdom. Satan and his angels were beaten by Michael and his forces, and then were cast out of heaven as sons of perdition (Revelation 12:8-9, D&C 76:26-27).

A Pattern Emerges In this tragic conflict following the Grand Council of Heaven, instigated by Satan, there are certain details from the scriptures that emerge which depict Satan with a specific motive and agenda. Those details demonstrate a particular pattern of events that will be vital to gaining an understanding of how Lucifer and his followers operate on the earth. Distilling that pattern into its three basic components, it is easy to see that Satan:

1) sought to dethrone God, and to take control of His kingdom (D&C 76:28),

2) wanted to abolish the agency, or freedom, of all mankind (Moses 4:3),

18 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

3) and made war against all those who were not on his side (D&C 76:29).

The importance of understanding this pattern cannot be overstated. In the chapters to follow, it will be shown how Satan has merely transferred his plan for God’s children from the War in Heaven, to the battlefield of earth. It will also be shown how his plan is the time-tested method by which tyrannical, power- seeking individuals operate, whether it be Satan and his hosts in premortality, or whether it be his followers who dwell in the flesh. That method can be summarized simply as follows. First, they seek to replace or overthrow existing government authority, especially when it is good government, based on freedom and justice. Second, they seek to destroy the agency, or freedom, of all those over whom they have in their power. And last, with that authority, they persecute and murder all those who resist in any degree.

Was Lucifer’s Plan Possible? Incidentally, there are several questions that naturally arise from all of this. Was Lucifer’s plan possible? Could God’s children have come to mortality, have their agency deprived from them, and then forced to be good? Could Lucifer have forced everyone back to heaven? The scriptures, and the innate spirit of freedom that each child of God possesses, shout the answer to be a resounding, no! The tremendous significance of this answer will become much clearer in later chapters when the topics of the church of the devil, Satanocracy, secret combinations, and ripening in iniquity are dealt with at length, and in detail. The spirtually and temporally devastating effects of those aspects of Satan’s plan will be shown. When the evidence is in, it will become obvious how Satan’s plan was a fraud from the beginning, and that it is still a sure path to temporal and spiritual destruction for all of God’s children.

Another Look At The War In Heaven 19

Lucifer—The Greatest False Philanthropist If Satan’s plan was not possible, what, it might be asked, was his motive in advocating such an agenda? Having shown that Lucifer promised to be able to redeem all mankind by destroying their agency, and that he wanted to usurp God’s place and authority, how does one account for such contradictory claims and behaviors? While it might seem speculative to address such questions, careful consideration leads to some possible answers, one being false philanthropy. As is commonly known, a philanthropist is a person who desires to help others through charitable acts. Therefore, a false philanthropist is a person who exhibits or feigns concern for the welfare of others, but whose actions demonstrate just the opposite. In this behavior, Satan has no peer (Alma 30:60). The Savior exposed Satan’s fraudulent motive by stating he was a liar, and a murderer, “from the beginning” (John 8:44). Satan falsely appealed to the mercy and compassion of his brothers and sisters that not “one” soul should be “lost” (Moses 4:1), and emphasizing the tragic fact that many would not make it back, and that if he were just put in charge, such a tragedy need not happen. Given the fact that he had so many followers, it is apparent that Satan found what he perceived to be the great weakness in Heavenly Father’s plan. Using that alleged weakness (that “certain souls would not be saved”), Satan played with the emotions of his brothers and sisters. One can just hear him say, “How unfair this plan is, that it is already foreknown that some of us will not be saved!” It is also reasonable that he made an appeal to their logic as well. He undoubtedly argued that to rely on Christ’s singular ability to be able to endure under the weight of the sins of mankind would be too risky for one individual to undertake. What if Christ failed? Apparently he pointed out that all of God’s children would forever be cut off from His presence (see 2 Nephi 9:4-13). In light of the kind of person Lucifer is, it also seems reasonable to assume that he mocked the Savior’s ability to be able to work out the perfect Atonement. Perhaps he conceded that the Atonement could be made, but that even it if were, most 20 The Hidden Things Of Darkness of God’s children would not exercise the faith necessary to benefit from it anyway. This deduction seems to be supported by scripture. John the Beloved, as he saw in vision the end of the premortal part of the War in Heaven, wrote that, “the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:10-11). Of what did Satan accuse them? It stands reason that he accused them of not having enough faith to believe that the Savior could actually work out the Atonement. But the faithful “overcame” Satan’s faith-destroying accusations through their testimonies. Satan did not love his brothers and sisters. He merely saw the opportunity to use his siblings in order to satiate his own diabolical greed. Jesus, however, loved, and still loves them infinitely. Yet, notwithstanding His knowing that few would exercise the faith sufficient to fully benefit from His Atonement, He was still willing to suffer for the sins of all His brothers and sisters. Truly, Christ’s charity “suffereth long” and “seeketh not [its] own” (Moroni 7:45). Satan’s shallow, flimsy claim, on the other hand, to be able to save them all (Moses 4:1), was not only an impossibility at best, at worst it was a complete fraud. This is because he advocated the destruction of their agency (Moses 4:3), which is an indispensable component in the plan of salvation. Satan simultaneously demanded to replace God with himself (D&C 76:28), which reveals his true motive.

Why Did “A Third Part” Follow Lucifer? Notwithstanding the so-called flaws he exposed in Heavenly Father’s plan, and because Satan was a fraud (as his plan was impossible), another question begs to be asked. Why did “a third part” of God’s children follow this evil personage (Revelation 12:4)? The scriptures provide at least two reasons, and a third possible one may be deduced from understanding the big picture of the War in Heaven. First, if God’s children overcame Satan in the War in Heaven through faith in Jesus Christ (see Revelation 12:11) and through testimonies, then conversely, those who were overcome by Satan simply did not have or exercise faith in the Savior. It Another Look At The War In Heaven 21 almost seems too simplistic to point this out, yet such was the case. Second, the Lord told Joseph that “a third part of the hosts of heaven turned away from [Him] because of their agency” (D&C 29:36). What a bit of scriptural irony that shows how selfish Satan truly is! He wanted to abolish the agency of man, and yet he and his hosts willingly turned away from God using that very thing. In other words, they did not hesitate to want to strip others of the very same thing that they used to cut themselves off from God’s eternal family. Third, based on the big picture view of the War in Heaven, it seems reasonable to suppose that those who followed Satan did so because they thought that they would get their share of the power and authority Satan sought after. The scriptures also testify that Satan sought to destroy God’s kingdom and to take it away from Him (see D&C 76:28). Therefore, since God is the owner and ruler of the universe, and since Satan and his minions tried to dethrone Him, would they not have thought that there would be plenty of authority from His kingdom to spread around between the victors? While these three reasons show why a third part of God’s children chose to follow Satan, the core motive, for these things, is still lacking. But, if those reasons are reduced to their most basic component, it is easy to see that each of the reasons springs from the same root source. It is pride. The proud do not exercise faith in Christ. They do not follow God’s counsels and submit to His will, but they turn away from Him, following their own perverse desires. The proud seek for power, authority, and gain. They use their agency to make selfish decisions, not caring what the long-term consequences are, but rather how they themselves will be benefited, at the exclusion of everybody else. That was the animating force behind Satan’s and his hosts’ behavior.

The Aftermath of the War in Heaven

Having expounded upon events and principles associated with the great premortal conflict, two observations concerning 22 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Satan and his plan can be made. First, Satan was a power-hungry fraud who only feigned concern for his brothers and sisters. Second, his plan involved not only the individual, but also the collective, destruction of the agency of mankind. Since Lucifer became such an evil individual anyway, there is a tendency to look upon his departure from heaven as “good riddance.” Yet, the scriptures testify that “the heavens wept” when he fell (D&C 76:26). This event teaches another aspect of God’s flawless character. He does not delight in the fall of individuals, no matter how wicked they are. Notwithstanding this heart-wrenching experience, God moved forward with His plan, and the earth was created. Adam and Eve were then placed on the earth to become the first of God’s children to receive bodies. In preparation for an experience on earth, many of God’s children “received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men” (D&C 138:56).

Lucifer—His Role as the Tempter God’s children are by no means alone on this world. Having been cast down to earth (Revelation 12:4), and though they are unseen, living as spirits, Lucifer and his followers now serve as the tempters of mankind. As Moses wrote, “and he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto [God’s] voice” (Moses 4:4). As part of the probationary state, the Lord allows Satan to tempt humanity. This role allows for evil to be in the world, which presents God’s children with the perfect laboratory of life in how they use their agency, to see whether or not each person is really willing to keep God’s commandments (Abraham 3:25). The scriptures testify that Satan cannot tempt above that which people are able to stand (1 Corinthians 10:13). God’s children are to rely on Him in order to overcome all of the evil that Satan seeks to inflict on those who once opposed him.

Another Look At The War In Heaven 23

The Purpose of Mortality Now for those who kept their “first estate,” the Lord is proving them in their second estate, as spirits clothed in physical bodies, to see if they “will do all things whatsoever” He commands them (Abraham 3:25-26). The Lord is testing His children, by allowing Satan and his hosts to entice mankind to do evil. The Lord allows this to take place to see if they will follow all of His commandments, or if they will listen to that Evil One, while here in the flesh, after having rejected him once in the premortal world.

Another Purpose of Earth Life—To Support Liberty Latter-day Saints generally recognize that the purpose of mortality is to receive a body, and to follow God’s commandments. The importance of obtaining a body is made plain in the scriptures, where the Lord told Joseph Smith that “spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:33-34). And it takes a fulness of joy to be able to return to live with God again (2 Nephi 9:18). But, how many consider that there is another major reason for being on earth? Is it not equally important that liberty be supported and defended on earth, even as in premortality? If Satan and his followers were denied physical bodies, and cast out as sons of perdition for wanting to dethrone God, and to destroy His other children’s agency, should not the act of seeking to destroy the liberty of other people on earth be viewed in a similar light? Is it not vitally important to support freedom here in mortality?

Lucifer’s Attempts to Implement his Plan on Earth Satan, having been cast down this planet, did not abandon his original designs. Lest it be forgotten, author H. Verlan Andersen reminded his readers that “the central issue of the conflict between Christ and Satan is over the free agency of 24 The Hidden Things Of Darkness man.”1 That conflict is far from over. Satan’s goal has always been the same. Namely, it is self-exaltation brought about by the enslavement of God’s children through the deprivation of their agency. At first glance, this seems a little difficult for him to accomplish, because God’s children, who made it through “the first estate,” have already rejected his plan once in premortality. Nevertheless, the veil of forgetfulness that has been placed over the minds of those who have physical bodies gives Satan new opportunities to win over supporters. Even though that veil might seem to give him the advantage, that is not always the case. Since the light of freedom still burns brightly within many of the Heavenly Father’s children, it stands to reason that Satan has had to modify his approach in order to gain new followers. Concerning that modified approach, H. Verlan Andersen pointed out, “if Satan is to successfully deceive the world he must do so regarding (1) the Lord’s plan for providing for free agency, and (2) his own plan for destroying it.”2 To do this, he stated “that the only way Satan can deceive us regarding the distinction between his plan and the Lord’s is by confusing us regarding what acts preserve and what acts destroy freedom.”3 In subsequent chapters, it will be shown in part how Satan has deceived mankind into destroying the agency of many of God’s children throughout time. But for now, suffice it to say that his overall strategy is brilliant, but simple. In modern times, the First Presidency referred to it as a “tactic as old as mankind itself—a fervid, but false solicitude for the unfortunate over whom they [the false philanthropists] thus gain mastery.”4 This tactic is clearly part of the three-step pattern by which Satan seeks to enslave all mankind, as was previously mentioned. First, there is an

1 H. Verlan Andersen, The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, (Orem, Utah: H. Verlan Andersen, 1972), p. 27. 2 Ibid., 27. 3 Ibid., 28. 4 The First Presidency as quoted by Jerreld L. Newquist in Prophets, Principles, And National Survival, (Salt Lake City, Utah: Publishers Press, 1964), p. 213. Another Look At The War In Heaven 25 undermining of established (especially righteous) authority through deceptive tactics; second, the use of usurped authority to enslave others under the guise of saving people from themselves; and third, the destruction of all who oppose and resist. And all of it is done under the guise and pretense of saving people from themselves. In light of this pattern, it is appropriate to ponder President Benson’s statement that “one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict our agency through the power of earthly governments.”1 Since it is in the political realm where all too often those who are in authority use the coercive power of government to restrict or abolish the liberties of the rest of Heavenly Father’s children, then it may be surmised that it is one of Satan’s major ways by which he seeks to implement his rejected plan here in mortality, through the prideful complicity of his earthly followers. This particular method of destroying man’s agency will be discussed at length in subsequent chapters.

The On-Going Conflict over Agency in Mortality Since Satan is relentless in his desire to make all of humanity as miserable as he is, he will never cease to use those who succumb to his temptations to destroy the agency of another. While Satan cannot exercise force over human beings himself, and compel them to do evil,2 he can entice members of the human race to commit sin and to use force on others. As one of the major lusts of the flesh, the craving for power to exercise compulsion over the lives of others is near universal. With that near universal human weakness, Satan has had marked success throughout time. This is why the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion” (D&C 121:39).

1 President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), September 1987, p. 6. 2 Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 187. 26 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Admittedly, while the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants 121 is specifically talking to priesthood holders, it is not limited to that alone in its application. Indeed, are only priesthood holders capable of exercising unrighteous dominion? Obviously, all people are capable of this behavior, both men and women, whether Latter-day Saints, or not. Therefore, if almost all men are inclined to “exercise” unrighteous “dominion” over others (D&C 121:37, 39), even when they have just a little authority, then how much more pervasive and tempting is that disposition to do so if the individual has much more authority, such as that of a government office, where one wields coercive political power? Until each and every person submits to the influence of the Holy Ghost, and to the will of the Father, relying on the grace of the Savior, and be willing to keep all of the commandments, this sin of seeking to destroy another person’s agency through Satan’s temptations, be it in a family relationship, or in government, will never be conquered. This is an on-going conflict in mortality. Will people uphold the inviolate agency of others, or will such seek to destroy it? The answer to this question will decide which side people are on when the War in Heaven, which was relocated to earth, is brought to an end.

The War in Heaven in Review Satan offered to be able to save all of God’s children by destroying their agency. He vocally expressed his lustful desire to have God’s power. The scriptures state that he also “sought to take away the kingdom of our God and his Christ” (D&C 76:28). Those who follow the pattern of his plan seek to do the same on earth. They attempt to propel themselves into positions of authority and wield unrighteous power to maintain control over the rest of humanity. Once in power, they use it to suppress or destroy the agency of their fellow brothers and sisters under the guise of protecting humanity from itself, or as Satan put it, that he “could save them all.” Those who resist are severely persecuted, or even worse, marked for destruction. The near countless pages of history written in human blood and suffering amply testify of this fact. Another Look At The War In Heaven 27

The War in Heaven is being waged on earth. It did not cease after Satan was cast out. On the contrary, his efforts have only intensified. He and his hosts are doing everything possible to get those who rejected his plan in premortality to implement it here on earth, setting up systems aimed at destroying the agency of God’s children. As will be shown in subsequent chapters, corrupt government is one of his primary vehicles for accomplishing this goal.

Chapter 2

The Church of the Devil “Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches.” --1 Nephi 13:5

Identifying “That Great and Abominable Church”*

When Nephi, the son of Lehi, was “caught away in the Spirit of the Lord” (1 Nephi 11:1) in a panoramic vision of the world’s history, the angel who guided him in that spiritual experience periodically commanded him to “look” at certain times (see 1 Nephi 11:8, 12, 19, 24, 26, 30-32; 12:1, 11; 13:1; 14:9). It seems that the angel did this in order to underscore the importance of those particular parts that Nephi was beholding. Significantly, those events dealt with the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ; the history of the Nephites down to the time that Christ visited America; and the great and abominable church that Nephi saw in the meridian of time and in the latter days. The focus of this chapter will be concerned with laying a scriptural foundation in order to later identify “that great church” (1 Nephi 14:10; D&C 88:94) which Nephi saw among “many nations and kingdoms” (1 Nephi 13:2). Concerning that part of his vision, Nephi wrote, “and it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church” (1 Nephi 13:4). The rise of this particular church that Nephi saw in vision occurred in the meridian of time. Nephi also beheld that the “great and abominable church” formed “among the nations of the Gentiles” was founded by “the devil” (1 Nephi 13:4, 6).

* The development of this chapter and some of the subject material in this book would not have been possible without H. Verlan Andersen’s ground-breaking work The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil. His book cannot be recommended highly enough. 30 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

But Nephi further beheld that great church (as recorded in 1 Nephi 14) cover the entire earth in the latter days. What is the identity of this church, or of these churches? When a question such as this is posed in Latter-day Saint circles, there are generally two responses. While not so prevalent today, in former years a typical response to the above question would be that the church which Nephi saw is none other than the Roman Catholic Church, which sprang up in the wake of the Christian apostasy in the meridian of time. A more modern answer today, through a strained interpretation of the scriptures, is that the church of the devil (that allegedly was once the Roman Catholic Church) is now merely a term, or a description, for all of the evil in the world which Satan himself sponsors. Which of these two is scripturally tenable? Are both in error? Are there other possibilities that have seldom been considered? In accordance with the evidence that follows, it is submitted here that the church of the devil has a general identity that is the same throughout time. However, its differing manifestations throughout the earth’s history (such as is found in 1 Nephi 13- 14) can be identified as specific organizations. As the evidence is presented in the sections that follow, both the general identity of the church of the devil, as well as the historical entities mentioned in 1 Nephi 13 and 14, will come into focus.

Many Titles, Same Church In order to identify “that great church,” it is necessary to start from the beginning, and build a foundation of understanding from the scriptures themselves that describe this organization. As will be seen, the scriptural references cited below all contain repetitive words and phrases that link to one another. They collectively show that although the names and titles of this church may vary, each verse refers to the same organization. The following list of scriptures, though incomplete, speak of “that great church” (D&C 88:94):

• “that abominable church…is the mother of harlots” (1 Nephi 13:34)

The Church Of The Devil 31

• “that great and abominable church…is the mother of abominations” (1 Nephi 14:9)

• “the church of the devil…[or] that great church…is the mother of abominations…and…is the whore of all the earth” (1 Nephi 14:10)

• “the mother of harlots…is the great and abominable church of all the earth” (1 Nephi 14:17)

• “that great and abominable church…is the whore of all the earth” (1 Nephi 22:13)

• “that great whore…yea, that great and abominable church” (1 Nephi 22:13)

• “that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth” (2 Nephi 28:18)

• “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:5)

• “the great and abominable church…is the whore of all the earth” (D&C 29:21)

• “the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon” (D&C 86:3)

• “that great church, the mother of abominations” (D&C 88:94) 32 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Thus, according to the prophets, the great and abominable church of all the earth is known by several names. They are the church of the devil, the mother of harlots, the mother of abominations, the whore of all the earth, the great whore, Babylon the Great, the great persecutor of the church, that great church, and the apostate. These are all titles and names for the same organization, even the kingdom of the devil itself.

Why the Names Whore and Harlot? The most striking adjectives that the prophets used in describing this church are “whore” and “harlot,” which are found in some fifteen verses of scripture (see 1 Nephi 13:34; 1 Nephi 14:10-12, 16, 17; 22:13, 14; 2 Nephi 10:16; 28:18; Revelation 17:1, 5; 19:2; and D&C 29:21). Why do the prophets use such harsh terminology? As the identity of this church is discovered, the reason for such bold speech will be understood. In seeking to identify that church, it is necessary to start by defining some terms. The words “whore” and “harlot” are synonyms for the word prostitute. In simplest terms, a prostitute is a person who sells her (or his) moral principles for money. Another definition, according to the dictionary, is a verb form of the word, which is “to devote [oneself or something] to corrupt or unworthy purposes or ends.”1 Since the prophets were not talking about an immoral person, but rather an organizational entity of unparalleled evil, it is evident that they were speaking of something that prostitutes itself in behalf of the grossest wickedness and evil. Yet, one might easily conclude that there are many organizations that could fit this definition. Therefore, in order to be able to properly identify this church, some more terms must first be defined by listing some of this organization’s scriptural characteristics.

Satan is “the Founder” of “That Great Church” In looking at Nephi’s interview with the angel, one can see that he became preoccupied with the possibility that his reading

1 Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, (Philippines: G. & C. Merriam Co., 1981), p. 1822. The Church Of The Devil 33 audience would miss a very basic idea he was trying to get across. It should be kept in mind that Nephi only wrote those things that are of “worth unto the children of men” (1 Nephi 6:6). There was no “filler” material in his writings. Therefore, given the space constraints that the small plates placed on the amount of words Nephi could use, it is significant that he would repeat himself in four separate verses, when referring to “that great church.” In the first verse, Nephi emphasized that “the devil was the founder” of (1 Nephi 13:6) the great and abominable church. In the second verse, he remarked again that the “great and abominable church” was “founded by the devil,” but added significantly that it was also founded by the devil’s “children” (1 Nephi 14:3). In the third verse, he stated again that the “founder” of the “great and abominable church…is the devil” and added that Satan’s church “is the mother of abominations” (1 Nephi 14:9). And in the fourth verse, he emphasized for a fourth time that the “founder” of “the mother of harlots…is the devil” and that his organization of prostituted principles “is the great and abominable church of all the earth” (1 Nephi 14:17). In all four verses, Nephi reminds the reader that Satan is the “founder” of the “great and abominable” church. So, what is the relevance of this fact? The scriptures already state that Satan is “the author of all sin” (Helaman 6:30). If, indeed, the church of the devil is merely an umbrella term for all of the world’s evil, then why would Nephi spend so much effort in stating what would be plain to the reader? Why waste precious plate space knowing that his reading audience would already be aware of that obvious fact? Fortunately, the scriptures themselves provide the keys for not only answering these questions, but also in helping to identify the church of the devil. For example, in one verse, Nephi remarked that the great whore perverts “the right ways of the Lord” (1 Nephi 22:14). Based on this verse, it is evident that Satan’s organization prostitutes the Lord’s plan for His children. In another verse, Nephi prophesied that the kingdom of the devil “shall be built up among the children of men,” and that his kingdom would be “established among them which are in the flesh” (1 Nephi 34 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

22:22). This verse shows that Satan’s church is not just some spiritual organization hidden in darkness (although it is partly that), but rather it is an established organization on the earth in a temporal form. Joseph Smith also provides some additional clues, one of which is found in D&C 86. In that revelation, the Lord told Joseph that Satan “sitteth” in the hearts of those who head his great and abominable church, so that through them, he might “reign” (D&C 86:3). This verse says the same thing that 1 Nephi 22:22 does. Namely, Satan’s church is here on the earth and serves as a means by which Satan might exercise his power. And, lest it be forgotten, the total focus of his power is aimed at destroying the freedom of all God’s children (see Moses 4:3-4). Satan has never abandoned his efforts to see that his plan for destroying man’s agency is implemented here on earth. In light of that fact, along with the two above-mentioned verses, students of the scriptures are compelled to consider those earthly organizations whose potential ability for destroying mankind’s freedom is the greatest. The organization must also be a perversion of the Lord’s plan. By getting those “in the flesh” to hearken to his voice, Satan is able to “reign” in wickedness through the actions of those who follow him. He is able to destroy freedom as he proposed to do before the world was. Therefore, he is the “founder” of the great and abominable church that seeks to do the same.

Most Abominable above All Others As stated already, one of the two groups of thought, concerning this subject, claims that the great and abominable church of the devil is merely an umbrella term for all of the evil in the world, whose author is Satan himself. (This line of reasoning is usually derived from an erroneous interpretation of at least two passages of scripture found in the Book of Mormon, namely 1 Nephi 14:10 and 2 Nephi 10:16).∗ But is such a position tenable with Holy Writ?

∗ For an analysis and dissection of this flawed reasoning, see Appendix 1 after reading through chapter 5. The Church Of The Devil 35

When writing about his vision with the angel, Nephi recorded that the great and abominable church, “whose founder is the devil” (1 Nephi 14:9), “is most abominable above all other churches” (1 Nephi 13:5). So that the importance of this phrase not be missed, the angel repeated it again to Nephi, stating, “thou seest the formation of that great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches” (1 Nephi 13:26). There is a logical, but simple, question that illustrates a big flaw in the “all the evil in the world” response. How can this church be all the evil in the world, and then at the same time be “most abominable above all other” evils? It is a contradiction in terms. The scriptures plainly state that the great and abominable church is an organization of evil that is a cut above the rest (i.e. “most abominable”), and is therefore identifiable and distinguishable from all other churches. A second witness for the fact that the devil’s church is a singular, identifiable organization (and not just evil in general) is found in another verse of scripture in modern revelation. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord gave a commandment to His people to “contend against no church save it be the church of the devil” (D&C 18:20). Assuming for a moment that the great and abominable church is a general term for all of the world’s evil, how then can members obey this commandment? How can Latter-day Saints contend “against no church save it be the church of the devil,” if the church of the devil is all of the combined evil in the world? How can it be both ways? This scriptural mandate to contend against the church of the devil, which is “most abominable above all other churches,” makes no sense unless the idea that the church of the devil is a unique organization apart from the rest of the evil in the world is accepted. There is a third question to ponder, which for the moment will complicate the picture, but in a later chapter, the answer to it will actually help to unravel this whole subject, and make it plain to see. Nephi saw the church of the devil form among the “nations of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:4). The context for this part of his vision was the meridian of time, and in particular, after the Great Apostasy had taken place. The question at hand, 36 The Hidden Things Of Darkness then, is this. If the church of the devil is all the evil in the world, then why did Nephi say that he saw it form among the Gentiles? Was there no evil in the world prior to that time, or in any other place in the world, other than among the “nations of the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:4)? The church of the devil in 1 Nephi 13 cannot be a term for all of the evil in the world. To accept that premise is to also accept that there was no church of the devil prior to that time, or in any other place in the world. It has been established thus far that Satan’s church can only be a single, identifiable organization, the purpose of which is to provide a channel whereby Satan can exercise his power so that he might “reign” through his followers who are “in the flesh.” It must also be kept in mind that the exercising of Satan’s power through his earthly followers is nothing more than his continued effort to see that his rejected premortal plan for destroying mankind’s agency (Moses 4:3-4) is carried out here on earth. With those two things in mind, some more terms can now be defined.

What is a Church? In seeking the identity of this organization, a closer look at the word church will now be undertaken. Is a “church,” such as Nephi describes in his writings, the same as is thought of in modern times? Author H. Verlan Andersen’s writings help to shed light on the matter. He wrote, many people make the assumption that when Nephi used the word ‘church’ to describe Satan’s organization, he meant the same thing as we do when we use that term today. Even though John the Revelator never used this term [in this context], and even though both prophets used a variety of other names to identify this world-wide evil, the tendency has been to fix attention upon the name church to the exclusion of all other names used, and to confine identification efforts to ‘religious’ movements only.1

1 Andersen, p. 76. The Church Of The Devil 37

It is that assumption, combined with some other misinterpreted verses of scripture that has been the source of the belief that the Roman Catholic Church is the “great and abominable” church of the devil. More will be said about this view later. The word for church in Nephi’s time was used in a much broader way than in modern times. To illustrate, some Oxford scholars have defined “ecclesia” (the Greek word from which the English word “church” is derived) as “an assembly of the citizens regularly summoned,” or as a “legislative assembly.”1 Another scholar defines it as an “assembly of citizens or soldiers; corporation; church; assemblyroom.”2 The word “church,” being used in that manner, would be more familiar to Nephi, rather than the particular use of that word in modern times, which is usually limited to religious organizations. Modern revelation also expands the possibilities when considering the meaning of the word church. Citing the Doctrine and Covenants, H. Verlan Andersen reasoned that since “governments were instituted of God” (D&C 134:1), then they can qualify as being churches as well.3 In this sense, at its most basic meaning, a church is really nothing more than a group of people who belong to a particular organization, and who share a common belief in or view of something. Thus in scriptural terminology, a “church” may refer to a much broader range of possibilities than what Latter-day Saints are accustomed to thinking of in modern times, which is to tend to restrict the term to only religious organizations. It has been demonstrated thus far that the great and abominable church, “whose founder is the devil” (1 Nephi 14:9), has many different names given to it by the prophets. But, they all refer to the same organization. Since Satan is the founder of it, this entity represents his most intense efforts to see his plan placed into action here in mortality, the goal of which is the

1 An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon: Founded Upon the Seventh Edition of Liddell and Scott’s Greek-English Lexicon. (Oxford: Oxford UP, 1995), p. 239 2 Feyerabend, Dr. Karl. Langenscheidt’s Pocket Greek Dictionary, Classical Greek-English. (Germany: Langenscheidt), 1999. 3 Andersen, p. 77. 38 The Hidden Things Of Darkness destruction of the freedom, or agency, of all God’s children. It has also been demonstrated that the devil’s church can only be a single, identifiable organization, since the scriptures state that it is “most abominable above all other churches.” As such, the scriptural mandate to contend with no other church “save it be the church of the devil” makes no sense unless one considers that Satan’s organization is distinct from all other churches. It has also been shown that the term “church,” in ancient times, can be applied to many more organizations (such as government) than people tend to think of in the modern day world.

Some Characteristics of the Whore of the Earth

In order to further narrow the list of possibilities concerning the identity of this church, some more of its characteristics must be briefly considered. While a couple of them may seem general enough to fit any organization, the rest are not. The list of potential candidates is reduced to just one single possibility.

Hoarding Wealth through Slave Labor One of the most noticeable characteristics of the “whore of all the earth” (2 Nephi 10:16) is that church’s desire for material gain. Nephi saw that “gold,” “silver,” “silks,” “scarlets,” “fine- twined linen,” and “all manner of precious clothing” (1 Nephi 13:7) “are the desires of this great and abominable church” (1 Nephi 13:8). John the Beloved saw in vision “the great whore” (Revelation 17:2), and noted that “gold,” “silver,” “precious stones,” “pearls,” “fine linen,” “silk,” “scarlet,” “most precious wood,” “marble,” (Revelation 18:12) and other “delicacies” (Revelation 18:3) are the things she desires. It should be noted that these things are not evil in and of themselves, but it is the great and abominable church’s method of obtaining these goods (which will be examined more thoroughly in a later section) that is repugnant. Briefly, John noted that not only did “that great church” trade in all of those delicacies, she also trafficked in “slaves” and in the “souls of men” (Revelation 18:13). The Jaredite king Riplakish also The Church Of The Devil 39 obtained great wealth through government mandated theft and state slavery. He “did tax” his people “with heavy taxes,” and “did cause that they should labor continually for” his support (Ether 10:5-6), as slaves to his regime.

Pursuing the Lusts of the Flesh During his vision, Nephi recorded a second characteristic of “that great church” (D&C 88:94), writing that he also saw “many harlots” (1 Nephi 13:7). The angel informed him that “the harlots…are the desires of this great and abominable church” (1 Nephi 13:8). Hence, the wicked people associated with that great church’s leadership is, in general, immoral and sexually promiscuous. The lusts of the flesh are what they pursue. As an aside, it might sound a little ironic that the desires of the “mother of harlots” are harlots themselves. This, however, is merely a mixing of semantics. The term “mother of harlots” is just a title that denotes supreme evil. Stated another way, of all the prostituted organizations in the world that are evil, Satan’s church is the most wicked and corrupt of them, with immorality being one of its hallmarks.

Persecution of the Righteous A third distinguishing aspect of “that great church” (D&C 88:94) is her universal mistreatment of the righteous. Nephi saw her, “for the praise of the world,” (1 Nephi 13:9), “slay [and destroy] the saints of God” (1 Nephi 13:9). John the Beloved saw that “in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints” (Revelation 18:24). In another verse, he said, “I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6). In the last days, Joseph Smith recorded that “the mother of abominations” shall persecute “the saints of God” and will “shed their blood” (D&C 88:94).

Destroyer of God-given Freedom A fourth characteristic (which is closely related to the first) attributed to “that great church,” by the scriptures, is her disdain for liberty, or people’s God-given, inalienable rights. The whore 40 The Hidden Things Of Darkness of the earth, wrote Nephi, “tortureth [the saints] and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity” (1 Nephi 13:5). Nephi’s meticulous use of words in this verse shows that the great and abominable church is an enemy to life, liberty, and property. Nephi shows the steps the whore took in order to enslave the people from that era. First, the whore of the earth “[bound]” the people down. Apparently she restricted some of their ability to be free. Once the people were bound, she slipped a “yoke of iron” around their necks, like a mule or an ox. Being so yoked, the people were then brought into “captivity,” completely enslaved. Those who were courageous enough to resist this enslavement were murdered (see 1 Nephi 13:9).

The Power to Make War The last recorded aspect in the scriptures, concerning “that great church,” is her ability to make war. While the other characteristics could point to any number of potential candidates, it is this one, coupled with her ability to enslave, that narrow the possibilities to effectively one. Nephi saw “wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth” that were united with the great and abominable church in the last days (1 Nephi 14:15). He prophesied later that nations, which would make up the “great and abominable church” in the latter days, shall “war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads” (1 Nephi 22:13). For the most part, only the governments of nations have war-making powers that can cause “wars and rumors of wars” among other “nations.” It is the military that wields the “sword” in behalf of the nation. Therefore, it may be surmised that the whore of the earth uses war to attack its victims for gain, or for increased political power.

The Church of the Devil in Review After having considered several characteristics of the great and abominable church, it is evident that:

The Church Of The Devil 41

1) the whore of the earth corrupts the principles upon which it was founded, or it is founded upon corrupt principles to begin with;

2) it is Satan’s plan placed in action in mortality through his earthly followers who now believe in his plan;

3) it is an identifiable, singular organization, that represents supreme evil, not all combined evil itself;

4) it is a church, that as defined in ancient times, has a much broader meaning than one is apt to think about in modern times;

5) it has a penchant for accumulating wealth through evil and coercive means;

6) it promotes immorality;

7) it persecutes the saints;

8) it destroys liberty and enslaves people;

9) it steals property through heavy taxation and/or slave labor; and

10) it practices murderous warfare.

Having considered all of the above, a foundation has been laid so that the search for a definite match can now begin. But rather 42 The Hidden Things Of Darkness than speculate on its identity, without substantial scriptural support, the following two examples are offered from the Book of Mormon as evidence to illustrate the nature of this organization. Chapter 3

Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings “I will…discover the abominations of this people to other nations.” --Mosiah 12:8

The Jaredite King Riplakish

The Jaredite king, Riplakish, is a solid example of a person whose kingdom embodied those characteristics of the church of the devil. While the picture Moroni paints of him is lacking in many details, there is enough information in the record to demonstrate that Riplakish’s kingdom matched the church of the devil in nearly every way.

Riplakish Enslaved his Subjects Riplakish, notes Moroni, “did not do that which was right in the sight of the Lord…for he did…lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne” (Ether 10:5). What did he place upon their shoulders? The scriptures state that “he did tax them with heavy taxes; and with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings” (Ether 10:5—emphasis added). Furthermore, he did erect him an exceedingly beautiful throne, and he did build many prisons, and whoso would not be subject unto taxes he did cast into prison; and whoso was not able to pay taxes he did cast into prison; and he did cause that they should labor continually for their support; and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death (Ether 10:6).

Slave labor was a hallmark of the misery that his regime inflicted upon the people.

44 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Riplakish’s Debauchery and Government Plunder Why did he do all of those abominable things? It was for the purpose of supporting his “many wives and concubines” (Ether 10:5). It was also the means by which “he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his fine gold he did cause to be refined in prison; and all manner of fine workmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison” (Ether 10:7). Riplakish gained his wealth by extracting it through the slave labor of his people. The “desires” of “that great church,” according to the angel that spoke to Nephi, are gold, harlots, and other fine material goods. Riplakish characterized his reign and life by hoarding gold, fine goods, and his harlots. The great and abominable church also enslaves by bringing its victims down “into captivity,” tortures them, and slays them if need be. Riplakish did just that in order to support himself and his harlots through the labors of his victims.

Riplakish’s Kingdom and the Devil’s Church The resemblance between the church of the devil in Nephi’s vision and Riplakish’s kingdom is striking indeed. As the evidence demonstrates, Riplakish patterned his kingdom after the characteristics of the great and abominable church. Next, it will be shown how King Noah of the Nephites did the same. However, Noah’s government will be examined more extensively because the Book of Mormon provides more details about his abominable reign than it does concerning Riplakish’s corrupt government.

The Corrupt Government of King Noah

When Abinadi returned to the people of Noah, after having been rejected at first, he boldly prophesied that “it shall come to pass that except they repent [the Lord would] utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth” (Mosiah 12:8). “Yet,” he added, “they shall leave a record behind them, and [the Lord] will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea even this will [the Lord] do that [He] may discover the Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings 45 abominations of this people to other nations” (Mosiah 12:8— emphasis added). Apparently Noah and his people were committing certain kinds of evil that future generations would need to know about. So that other nations might not repeat those things Noah and his people did, the Lord said that a record of their deeds would be preserved so that He could “discover the abominations” of them “to other nations.” What was it that Noah and his people did which was so abominable? A careful examination of the record reveals that Noah’s government closely resembles the characteristics of the church of the devil, much like his Jaredite predecessor Riplakish.

King Noah’s Harlots The first thing the record states is that Noah “had many wives and concubines” (Mosiah 11:2), and “they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness” (Mosiah 11:2). Incidentally, plural marriage is not morally wrong, but the unauthorized practice of it is (see Jacob 2:27-30). When Abinadi was arrested and stood before the king and his wicked priests, he asked them why they committed “whoredoms” and spent their “strength with harlots” (Mosiah 12:29). Although they were Noah’s wives, he and his priests had no authority to practice it. Their orgiastic behavior was driven by their desire to have harlots, which was according to the lusts of their own flesh.

Noah Enslaves the People The next thing listed that Noah did reveals his contempt for the God-given rights of liberty and property, and his lust to have material goods at other people’s coerced expense. The record states that “he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed,” their “gold,” “silver,” “ziff,” “copper,” “brass,” “iron,” their “fatlings,” and “their grain” (Mosiah 11:3). Why did he do that? “All this did he take to support himself, and his wives and his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their concubines” (Mosiah 11:4). Like his Jaredite predecessor Riplakish, who taxed his people with “heavy taxes,” Noah caused “the people [to] labor exceedingly to support iniquity” (Mosiah 11:6). Mormon notes, “and thus they were supported in 46 The Hidden Things Of Darkness their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people” (Mosiah 11:6). Noah and his priests used their political power to extort property from their subjects and enriched themselves at the people’s expense. With his pelf Noah and his priests “built many elegant and spacious buildings, and…ornamented them with fine work of wood, and all manner of precious things,” such as “gold,” “silver,” “iron,” “brass,” “ziff,” and “copper” (Mosiah 11:8). Sadly, the people tolerated this gross abuse of power because their government leaders bribed them with wine subsidized by their own taxes. The record states “the eyes of the people were blinded” (Mosiah 11:29) to this evil because their leaders “made wine in abundance” (Mosiah 11:15). Thus was the government able to exert more and more control over the lives of its subjects without any meaningful resistance, by enticing them with government subsidized wine. But then along came Abinadi to condemn their evil practices. By contrasting King Benjamin’s reign with that of King Noah, it is easy to see what a good government does. Mormon notes that Benjamin “labored with [his] own hands” (Mosiah 2:14). He did not view his political office as a license to extort and expropriate the citizens’ property according to his own greedy and whimsical desires, like Noah did. His mindset was one of a servant, so he did not think it was right that the people “should…be laden with taxes” (Mosiah 2:14). He also felt “that there should nothing come upon [them] which was grievous to be borne” (Mosiah 2:14), exactly opposite to Riplakish (Ether 10:5). Benjamin understood the proper role of government, and that the best kind of government is the kind least felt.* Noah, in contrast to Benjamin, “placed his heart upon his

* Governments, according to the prophets, should have only limited powers. Therefore, “by deriving [its] just powers from the [consent of the] governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude [or, in other words, a protector of life, liberty, and property].” President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Constitution: A Glorious Standard,” Ensign, Sept 1987, p. 8. Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings 47 riches…and…spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his concubines” (Mosiah 11:14), continually taxing and confiscating wealth in order to support his immoral clique. Mormon notes that Noah had thus “changed the affairs of the kingdom,” altering the government from its protective form to one that was destructive of God-given rights (Mosiah 11:4).

Noah’s Government Murdered Abinadi As almost always happens, when the righteous point out the iniquities of their corrupt government officials, they immediately become the victims of intense persecution, often resulting in death. Abinadi came to warn Noah and his priests that their abominable behavior would lead the people down to destruction. They, however, refused to listen. After preaching a powerful sermon about Jesus Christ, chastising Noah and his priests for their iniquities, and refusing to “recall all the words which” he had spoken (Mosiah 17:8) against the king and his people, Abinadi was burned to death.

Noah’s Corrupt Government Turns on the Saints While listening to Abinadi, the young Alma (one of Noah’s priests) was converted, and wrote down all that Abinadi had said. Because of Alma’s attempt to defend the words of Abinadi, the murderous king sought Alma’s life as well, so he was forced to flee the court (Mosiah 17:2-4). Alma, after repenting of “his sins and iniquities” (Mosiah 18:1), “went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi” (Mosiah 18:1). In time, “many did believe his words” (Mosiah 18:3). On one occasion, all of the believers in Christ gathered together near “a fountain of pure water” near a place called Mormon (Mosiah 18:5). After preaching to the people, Alma invited them to be baptized, to which all 450 of them agreed (Mosiah 18:35). Giving the reader a sense of the police state environment at that time, the record states that “these things were done in the borders of the land, that they might not come to the knowledge of the king” (Mosiah 18:31). Eventually, the king “discovered a movement among the people” and sent “his servants to watch them” (Mosiah 18:32). 48 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The king, being the murderous tyrant that he was, accused Alma of sedition by saying, “Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him” (Mosiah 18:33). Noah then sent “his army to destroy them” (Mosiah 18:33). Noah and his government, who were responsible for protecting the God-given rights of their own citizens, had at that point completely altered their political roles from servants to that of murderous masters. Fortunately for Alma and his flock of new converts, they were “apprised of the coming of the king’s army,” by a warning from the Lord, so they “departed into the wilderness” (Mosiah 18:34).

The Blood Turned on their own Heads Nephi saw in the last days that “the blood” of the saints shed at the hands of that “great and abominable church…shall turn upon” the heads of those who comprise this “whore of all the earth” (1 Nephi 22:13). Concerning this abominable church made up of member nations (1 Nephi 14:16), Nephi wrote that they “shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own hands” (1 Nephi 22:13). This eternal principle of justice was applied to Noah’s government, too. After the army sought to destroy Alma and his people, “having searched in vain for the people of the Lord,” the record states that “there began to be a division among the remainder of the people” (Mosiah 19:1, 2). The blood of Abinadi was still on Noah’s hands and was crying from the ground for justice. “The lesser part began to breathe out threatenings against the king, and there began to be a great contention among them” (Mosiah 19:3). In the midst of such civil disorder, a man named Gideon became extremely angry with the king and chased Noah onto a tower to slay him. As he was about to execute him, the king “cast his eyes round about towards the land of Shemlon” and saw an army of the Lamanites approaching (Mosiah 19:6). The king pled for mercy, so that he might help his people, since the Lamanites were upon them. Of course, “the king was not so much concerned about his people as he was about his own life” (Mosiah 19:8). Since he saw his subjects as nothing more than cash cows, Noah could not have cared less about them because he was only concerned about losing his source of tax revenue, Corrupt Jaredite And Nephite Kings 49 which supported him in his abominable lifestyle. Gideon spared him, so the king “commanded the people that they should flee before the Lamanites” (Mosiah 19:9). At that point, Noah’s political control came unraveled very quickly, ultimately bringing about his own death by fire, as Abinadi had prophesied (Mosiah 17:18). Turning to Mormon’s account, the record shows how this tragic end to a wicked king’s life occurred: And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them, and did overtake them, and began to slay them. Now it came to pass that the king commanded them that all the men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before the Lamanites. Now there were many that would not leave them, but had rather stay and perish with them. And the rest left their wives and their children and fled. And it came to pass that those who tarried with their wives and their children caused that their fair daughters should stand forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them. And it came to pass that the Lamanites had compassion on them, for they were charmed with the beauty of their women. Therefore the Lamanites did spare their lives, and took them captives and carried them back to the land of Nephi, and granted unto them that they might possess the land, under the conditions that they would deliver up king Noah into the hands of the Lamanites, and deliver up their property, even one half of all they possessed, one half of their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and thus they should pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites from year to year…And it came to pass that Gideon sent men into the wilderness secretly, to search for the king and those that were with him. And it came to pass that they met the people in the wilderness, all save the king and his priests. Now they had sworn in their hearts that they would return to the land of Nephi, and if their wives and their children were slain, and also those that had tarried with them, that they would seek revenge, and also perish with them. And the king commanded them that they should not return; and they were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer, even unto death by fire. And they were about to take the priests also and put them to 50 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

death, and they fled before them (Mosiah 19:10-15, 18- 21).

Such was the prophetic fate of the corrupt and wicked king Noah (see Mosiah 12:8).

Riplakish’s and Noah’s Corrupt Governments in Review Moroni concluded, in writing about Riplakish, “that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and abominations” (Ether 10:7), an affliction that the future Nephite king Noah would smite his subjects with as well. In the abusive power of Riplakish, the same characteristics of the great and abominable church of the devil that Nephi outlined in his writings are seen. Riplakish used government power to enslave some of his people in order to live off of their labor, killed those who resisted, taxed the rest heavily to hoard wealth, and lived in gross immorality with his harlots. It has been shown detail by detail that Noah’s corrupt government resembled the characteristics of the great and abominable church of the devil in every single aspect. Noah “changed the affairs of the kingdom” (Mosiah 11:4). This means that he corrupted the government by making it a destroyer of life, liberty, and property, rather than a protector thereof. Noah enriched himself through heavy, unjustified taxation. He and his priests lived in revelry and immorality. They murdered the righteous Abinadi and persecuted Alma and his followers, seeking to destroy them as well with their army. Eventually, Noah’s own people turned on him and his wicked government collapsed. Having seen the similarities between Riplakish’s and Noah’s governments with the church of the devil, it will be shown in the next two chapters what the identities of those abominable churches are that Nephi saw in his apocalyptic vision, as recorded in 1 Nephi 13 and 14. Chapter 4

Rome In The Meridian Of Time “And…for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.” --1 Nephi 13:9

The First Church in 1 Nephi 13

Two scriptural examples of corrupt and prostituted government were offered in the previous chapter as evidence illustrating the characteristics of the church of the devil. Now, those same characteristics will be applied towards making an identification of the two churches that Nephi saw, one that rose up in the meridian of time (see 1 Nephi 13:1-5), and the other that will exist in the latter days (see 1 Nephi 14:11-17). In this chapter, the identity of the first will be established. The second one will be examined in the next chapter.

Rome Persecuted the Saints for the “Praise of the World” A near universally accepted fact of history is Rome’s intense persecution of the Christians, from Nero to just before Constantine. Elder James E. Talmage wrote, “among pagan persecutors of the church, the Roman [E]mpire [was] the principal aggressor.”1 Quoting Tacitus, the non-Christian historian, he described their horrible treatment under Nero, how they “died in torments, and their torments were embittered by insult and derision. Some were nailed on crosses; others sewn up in the skins of wild beasts and exposed to the fury of dogs; [and some were] smeared over with combustible materials, [and] were used as torches to illuminate the darkness of night.”2 Some were

1 James E. Talmage, The Great Apostasy, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Company, 1968), p. 65. 2 Ibid., p. 68-69 52 The Hidden Things Of Darkness forced to fight the gladiators while others were fed to ravenous lions. Nephi saw in vision such abusive and heinous treatment of the Meridian-day Saints. He wrote that, “for the praise of the world,” the whore of the earth did torture, slay, and “destroy the saints of God” (1 Nephi 13:5, 9). The Lord told Joseph Smith in a parable that the whore of the earth was the “great persecutor of the church” and that it drove “the church into the wilderness” (D&C 86:3). No other institution matches the characteristics of the whore of the earth’s treatment of the saints of God more closely than the corrupt Roman government. At this point, a pause is appropriate in order to address the question of whether or not the Catholic Church is the church of the devil that Nephi saw in vision. Since Nephi wrote about an apostate church that corrupted the scriptures, some Latter-day Saints have automatically assumed that the Catholic Church is the great and abominable organization that Nephi saw. If anything, the Latter-day Saints owe a debt of gratitude to the Catholic Church for preserving the Bible. For if it had not, where would have Joseph Smith turned to for guidance? In any event, as demonstrated below, that position (of equating the “great and abominable” with the Catholic Church) does not square with the scriptures, nor with the facts of history. That entire viewpoint is based upon a narrow application and contortion of the word “church.” The following evidence refutes the notion that the Catholic Church is “that great church.” Nephi saw that the great and abominable church did torture and slay the “saints of God” (1 Nephi 13:5). Since he was talking about the Meridian-day Saints of Christ’s true Church, this reign of terror he saw must have occurred prior to the completion of the Great Apostasy (which some scholars believe to have happened by 120 A. D.).* The Catholic Church was formed in

* The author is aware that other scholars disagree with this date. It is not within the scope of this book to explore such disputes. But the reader should consider that as the books of the New Testament were being written while the Apostles were still alive, the Church was already rapidly sliding into apostasy (see Acts 20:29; 1 Cor. 11:18; Gal. 1:6; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 1:6; and 2 Tim. 1:15). Therefore, suffice it to say that the Christian Church was in complete apostasy Rome In The Meridian Of Time 53

325 A. D., under the direction of Constantine. The Catholic Church did not even exist during the time that Nephi witnessed the mass murdering of the Meridian-day Saints. Therefore, the Catholic Church, as such, was not responsible for those heinous actions. But, there was an entity that was primarily responsible for those deeds, and that was the corrupt, decadent Roman Empire, as Elder Talmage illustrated so forcefully.

Rome’s Infamous Decadence As has been discussed already, two of the characteristics of the great and abominable church that Nephi saw were its desires for material goods and the lusts of the flesh. Any cursory review of Rome’s history during the meridian of time shows its crass materialism and gross immorality. Adultery was rampant among the populace at large, while certain political officials themselves engaged in some of the grossest of debauching conduct. Orgies became the immoral hallmark of Rome’s legacy. The Meridian-day Saint Church was not immune to these degenerate influences. Indeed, many of Paul’s letters were written to combat the evils of immorality that were creeping into the church (see 1 Corinthians 5:1-13). He admonished the saints to keep themselves unsullied and pure in the midst of what he called “a crooked and perverse nation” (Philippians 2:15). If any “nation” exemplified those evil traits, it was certainly Rome in the meridian of time. The government, in order to keep the masses happy, imposed ever-increasing levels of taxation in order to provide for one round of bread and circuses after another. Since Rome was becoming spiritually bankrupt, as well as economically, the craze for pleasure and entertainment accelerated at a dizzying pace. As the taxes increased, the middle class was decimated, while the politicians enriched themselves in the process. Rome’s political leaders, such as Nero, were some of the most degenerate people in the world. Nero blamed the Christians for burning Rome, so by the time Rome made it the official religion of its empire, because the Twelve Apostles were all killed, and ceased to exist as a governing priesthood body for the church. Furthermore, the organization of the church itself did not remain intact as Jesus Christ Himself had originally set it up. 54 The Hidden Things Of Darkness he had many of them executed or tortured to death. Tradition holds that both Peter and Paul lost their lives around that time period, probably in consequence of the Christians being blamed for burning Rome.

The Roman Government Destroyed Parts of the Bible A distinguishing and unique characteristic that points to the identity of the great and abominable church in 1 Nephi 13 is its deliberate destruction of parts of the “record of the Jews” (1 Nephi 13:23). As the writings came forth by the pen of the Jewish apostles, they were pure and undefiled. Or, as Nephi put it, “these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles” (1 Nephi 13:25). It was after they were taken to the Gentiles that they were corrupted, and had “many plain and precious things taken away from the book” (1 Nephi 13:28), which Nephi saw. The scriptures do not pinpoint a particular time when these things happened, but “[1] Nephi 13:24-28 suggests that the gospel was first influenced by the apostasy and then the corruption of the scriptures followed” (Emphasis in original).1 In other words, the Great Apostasy occurred first, then many of the scriptures of the Bible were altered later. This is not to say that nothing was tampered with in the centuries before. Nevertheless, given the context of Nephi’s vision, much of it did happen in the meridian of time (see 1 Nephi 13:24-28). Therefore, based on available historical sources, it may also be surmised that at least some of the corruption of the Bible’s text took place before apostate Christianity became Rome’s state religion. The following events of history itself seem to support this scenario. In his authoritative source, The Articles of Faith, Elder James E. Talmage pinpointed a time in which many books from the Bible were destroyed by the Roman government. He wrote, “at the beginning of the [fourth century], the oppressive measures of Diocletian, emperor of Rome, were directed not alone against the Christians as individuals and as a body, but

1 Church Educational System, Book of Mormon (Religion 121-122) Student Manual, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1979), p. 36. Rome In The Meridian Of Time 55 against their sacred writings, which the fanatical monarch sought to destroy.”1 “To this end,” commented Elder Talmage, “he ordered a general destruction of Christian books, and decreed the penalty of death against all who kept such works in their possession.”2 In describing the conditions of the time, Elder Talmage noted, at the end of the decade of terror the Church was in a scattered and seemingly in a hopeless condition. Sacred records had been burnt; places of worship had been razed to the ground; thousands of Christians had been put to death; and every possible effort had been made to destroy the Church and abolish Christianity from the earth (emphasis added).3

While many of those books were forcibly taken from their owners and burned, Elder Talmage noted that “some degree of leniency was extended to those persons who yielded up the holy books that had been committed to their care; and not a few embraced this opportunity of saving their lives.”4 In this manner, many other books were destroyed as well. But book burning was not the only method by which the Bible became altered and incomplete. Persecution did cause much of the damage at first, but the absorption of the apostate church by the Roman government brought the next wave of changes. While some would maintain that the Catholic Church is responsible for altering the Bible, it should be remembered that it only did so as an arm of the Roman government. Between 325 A. D. (with the Council of Nice), to 419 A. D. (to the fifth and sixth Councils of Carthage), nearly all questions of which scriptures were part of the canon, and which were not, were decided. During those councils in the fourth and fifth centuries, which were held by men who were political appointees of Constantine, the emperor of Rome, the scriptural authenticity of the records

1 James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1982), p. 246. 2 Talmage, The Great Apostasy, p. 73. 3 Talmage, The Articles of Faith, p. 246. 4 Ibid., p. 246. 56 The Hidden Things Of Darkness which the Church had in its possession was determined. Some were discarded, while others were retained. Given the apostate climate then in existence, with its accompanying lack of priesthood authority, who can doubt the very real possibility that true scriptures were discarded as fakes in those councils because the people making the decisions did not have the guidance of the Holy Ghost (see 1 Nephi 13:28)?* While it is impossible to determine just how many books were destroyed, lost, or altered during those dark times, Nephi offers the reader some idea. During his interview with the angel in his panoramic vision of the world’s history, Nephi saw that the book which would “[proceed] out of the mouth of a Jew,” would be a “record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many” (1 Nephi 13:23— emphasis added). He also saw that “many plain and precious things” were “taken away from the book”(1 Nephi 13:28). Since the brass plates at that time only contained the writings of the Old Testament down to the time of Jeremiah, and because Nephi saw that it was larger than the Gentiles’ Bible (which also contained the New Testament), then how much larger would the Bible at present be, if it were to contain all of those missing books? It is evident that at some point in time many of those books were lost or destroyed before the scriptures were compiled into the book the world now calls the Bible. Latter-day Saints will have to wait for a future day for such writings, and more corrections, to come forth by the Lord’s prophets. Notwithstanding all of this, it is truly amazing that the Bible is as intact as it is. Satan sought with great zeal to wipe out all of the records of God’s dealings with His children, yet the Lord, in ancient times, as well as in modern times, showed that His “wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil” (D&C 10:43). Even though Constantine’s motive for making Christianity the state religion of Rome was to unify his crumbling empire, as certain historians believe, that act alone is what brought about the preservation of the Bible itself. By putting together the

* Some were included that should not have been. Consider the footnoted commentary in the LDS Bible about the Song of Solomon, which notes, “the JST manuscript states that ‘The Songs of Solomon are not inspired writings.’” Rome In The Meridian Of Time 57 various scriptures then in existence into one tome, Rome ensured that the Bible would be preserved for generations to come, all in accordance with God’s grand design for gathering His elect in the last days. The Bible, incomplete as it was, served the Lord’s purposes in preparing the world for the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. During the Reformation, which was a necessary forerunner to the Restoration, those who read and adhered to the teachings of that altered record of the tribe of Judah exhibited a unique kind of spiritual behavior that was somewhat paradoxical. The Gentiles, who brought the Bible to the New World, were a God-fearing people who colonized America, because the Spirit of the Lord worked upon them (see 1 Nephi 13:12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19). Yet, they stumbled “exceedingly” (1 Nephi 13:29) because of the plain and precious things which had already been removed.

Rome—Babylon and the Apostate In the previously cited scripture from the Doctrine and Covenants, in which the Lord explained the meaning of the parable of “the wheat and of the tares” (D&C 86:3), He used the adjective “Babylon” to describe this organization. Babylon, of course, was not around in the meridian of times, yet the Lord said that it was Babylon who was the “great persecutor of the church” and who drove it “into the wilderness” (D&C 86:3). Nephi helps to clarify the identity of Babylon in this context. After seeing the “Messiah” rise from the dead and manifest Himself “unto his people,” Nephi saw Jerusalem destroyed “again” (2 Nephi 25:14) by “Babylon,” which, in this context, is another name for Rome. He prophesied that the Jews would be “scattered among all nations” by this meridian-day “Babylon,” and then that it would be “destroyed” (2 Nephi 25:15). The Roman government destroyed Jerusalem for the second time, and then it scattered the Jews. In time, as history attests, Rome was “destroyed” as well, ceasing to be the great power that it was. In the same parable, the Lord also identified Babylon as “the whore,” “the great persecutor of the church,” and “the apostate” 58 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

(D&C 86:3). It would seem reasonable to assume that “apostate” would refer to the Church that existed in a fragmented state after the apostles died, after the priesthood authority was taken from the earth. Yet, in accordance with the evidence presented, only the ancient Roman Empire fits Nephi’s and Joseph Smith’s description of the whore of the earth. Therefore, the fact that these labels can be applied to some other entity should be given consideration. It is submitted that the term “apostate” in D&C 86:3 does not apply to anything else other than the Roman government. But is it appropriate to do so? Can governments apostatize? Consider that according to the scriptures, governments are “instituted of God,” to protect “the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life” (D&C 134:1-2). Therefore, the sole and proper function of government is to protect the lives, liberties, and properties of its citizens, and to administer justice when any of those rights have been violated. Anything more or less than this is evil (D&C 98:7). Anything more is tyranny and anything less is anarchy. Since those are the principles by which God expects earthly governments to operate, if such deviate from those principles in any degree, is that not a form of political apostasy? Will not God punish, sooner or later, those who do? Was not Rome destroyed as Nephi prophesied? The Roman republic did decline and degenerate by abandoning sound principles of good government, until it became a despotic police state that extinguished its own lamp of liberty. Rome apostatized from protecting the rights of its citizens, and most notably, engaged in an unprecedented reign of terror, torture, persecution, and murder against thousands and thousands of its own people, just because they were Christians. The Founding Fathers believed and espoused the idea that governments can apostatize. As a matter of fact, that very premise is the foundation upon which the Declaration of Independence is based. American colonists declared independence from Britain because the king, in their eyes, had abdicated. He forbade the passage of good laws designed to protect the colonists’ rights while simultaneously enacting measures designed to strip them of their freedoms. He had Rome In The Meridian Of Time 59 apostatized, according to them, from fundamental governmental principles. Jefferson spelled out the fruits of that apostasy in great detail in the Declaration. Even after the Founding Fathers had long left this mortal state, they reaffirmed their solemn belief that governments can apostatize. Shortly before he died, President Wilford Woodruff related an experience in General Conference concerning his vision of the Founding Fathers. He said, Before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, “You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us. We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God” (emphasis added).1

Not only did the Founding Fathers believe that they could have apostatized from the government they set up, they also believed that by remaining “true to it,” they were being “faithful to God.” It should also be recalled that the Founding Fathers based their experiment in liberty in part upon the ancient Roman republic, using it as a model by which they created the Constitution of the United States of America. Since the Founding Fathers based their model of government on the Roman republic, and since the Lord endorses the form of government that they established (see D&C 98:5-7; 101:80), then it is reasonable to assume that the Lord would have also approved of the Roman republic in its pristine state. Furthermore, both the Roman and American republics were founded upon the same eternal principles of the rule of law (D&C 98:5-10, 134:1-2). Therefore, once Rome corrupted itself politically, it became an apostate form of government.

1 Ezra Taft Benson, The Constitution: A Heavenly Banner, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1987), p. 12. 60 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The First Church in 1 Nephi 13 in Review Nephi outlined three basic characteristics of the great and abominable church he saw in the meridian of time. First, it was the primary persecutor, enslaver, and murderer of the Meridian- day Saints. Second, it was obsessed with the lusts of the flesh and with amassing wealth, which brought it to enslave the people it had power over (1 Nephi 13:4-9). Last, it removed plain and precious things from the Bible (1 Nephi 13:28). Joseph Smith received a revelation that the whore of the earth in the meridian of time was the “great persecutor” of the Church, and that it was also called Babylon and the apostate (D&C 86:3). Rome was the primary persecutor of the Meridian- day Saints (1 Nephi 13:5). Nephi saw that Babylon would destroy Jerusalem and scatter the Jews after Jesus Christ’s resurrection (2 Nephi 25:14-15). Tying Joseph’s revelation in with Nephi’s, it is apparent that “Babylon,” in that context, which drove the Church into the wilderness, is also the same entity that destroyed Jerusalem and scattered the Jews. That was Rome. During the meridian of time, life throughout Rome was characterized by crass materialism, rampant adulterous conduct, accompanied with the mad craze for pleasure at the taxpayers’ expense. After the apostate Roman government drove “the church into the wilderness,” it destroyed Jerusalem, and scattered the Jews. Later, after the apostasy was complete, Rome altered the Bible, leaving an incomplete record for generations to come. Based on Nephi’s description found in 1 Nephi 13, only Rome adequately matches all of the characteristics set forth in that chapter. Chapter 5

The Whore Of The Latter Days “…I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church… [upon] the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations…” --1 Nephi 14:15-16

The Second Church in 1 Nephi 14

It was shown in the last chapter that the Roman government during the meridian of time matches in every aspect the great and abominable church, as recorded by Nephi in 1 Nephi 13. Now, using the same scriptural criteria, an identity of the second church, which Nephi saw in the last days as recorded in 1 Nephi 14, will be established. Since many of the things presented in this chapter are events that have yet to happen, and still lie in the future, a specific name of this latter day church of the devil will not be offered. However, the reader is left to decide for oneself if such an organization exists at present in an embryonic, and developing, form. By way of contrast, while the Roman Empire was limited to the Old World, this great and abominable church of the latter days will cover the entire earth prior to the Lord’s Second Coming (see 1 Nephi 14:11). Like its predecessors, as outlined herein (the governments of Riplakish, Noah, and Rome), this particular “whore of the earth” is obsessed with material gain, and is an enemy to life, liberty and property rights. The scriptures do not mention sexual immorality as being a particular characteristic of this organization, as it was with the Roman regime, and the governments of Riplakish and Noah. But its distinguishing characteristic that stands out above all the rest is its preoccupation with waging war and controlling the world’s economy.

62 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

A Multinational War Machine Under the heading of Daniel in the Latter-day Saint (LDS) Bible Dictionary, there is found the following: “the prophetic visions [which Daniel beheld] present a succession of world- monarchies, the last of which will severely persecute the saints.”1 Turning to the writings of Daniel himself, they reveal that “in the latter time” a “fierce” king will rise up (Daniel 8:24), whose power will be “mighty” (Daniel 8:24). The “policy” of this king’s government is to “cause craft to prosper” and to “destroy many” “by peace” (Daniel 8:25). The root word for craft also means “force.”2 So, in other words, the policy of this kingdom is to use force to make itself prosper, and in the name of peace, it destroys many. Daniel prophesied that eventually it will seek to “destroy the mighty and the holy people” (Daniel 8:24). Daniel’s writings, however, do not fill in the picture much more than that. It is to the prophet Ezekiel that one must turn to next to see what exactly will seek to “destroy” the Lord’s “holy people,” in the last days. By doing so, a clearer picture of the nature of the world organization that Daniel saw emerges. The Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy against “Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezekiel 38:2). The Lord also told Ezekiel that all of the army of the prince of Meshech and Tubal, “clothed with all sorts of armour…[and] all of them handling swords” (Ezekiel 38:4), would combine with the armies of the nations of “Persia, Ethiopia…Libya…Gomer…[and] Togarmah” (Ezekiel 38:5). Ezekiel saw that they would come from the “north parts” with “many people,” all “riding upon horses,” being “a great company, and a mighty army” (Ezekiel 38:15), and they will attack the Lord’s people Israel (Ezekiel 38:16). This great army will prevail momentarily, but the Lord will send forth “fire on Magog” (Ezekiel 39:6) and destroy those armies who attack His people in that conflict called Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). Essentially, Ezekiel saw a multinational force, or an army, made up of people from many different wicked nations and areas

1 “Daniel,” Bible Dictionary, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1981), p. 653. 2 Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, p. 528. The Whore Of The Latter Days 63 of the world, operating under the aegis of that world authority. But, is it justifiable to conclude that this multinational military force, serving under the aegis of a world government, is the same organization as the great and abominable church? The Prophet Joseph provides a scriptural link that is conclusive. Concerning this great latter-day conflict, the Lord told the Prophet Joseph that, the great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall be cast down by devouring fire, according as it is spoken by the mouth of Ezekiel the prophet, who spoke of these things, which have not come to pass but surely must, as I live, for abominations shall not reign (D&C 29:21—emphasis added).

Thus, by cross-referencing D&C 29:21 with Ezekiel 39, it is evident that the multinational “peace” “force” prophesied of by Ezekiel and Daniel, which will seek to destroy God’s people, is according to the Prophet Joseph “the great and abominable church.” Before that day shall come, however, that great and abominable latter-day church will wage war against the people of this world like no other time in its history. Undoubtedly, many people will die during those horrifying conflicts, but when the day comes that it seeks to destroy the Lord’s people, He will “rain upon” that abominable organization with “great hailstones, fire, and brimstone” (Ezekiel 38:22), and protect the sanctified remnants of His saints. When God’s wrath destroys the whore of the earth and leaves its supporters for the beasts of the fields to devour, the great and abominable church of the devil will no longer wage war for a thousand years (see D&C 29:17-22; compare with Ezekiel 39:17-22 and Revelation 19:17-18, 21).

Kings and Merchants Fornicate with the Whore While the whore of the earth, in the last days, wages war in order to gain world hegemony and to perpetuate its own power, it is also concerned with gaining and maintaining control over the goods of the earth. John the Beloved saw that “the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her 64 The Hidden Things Of Darkness delicacies,” or as the Greek says (as is listed in the LDS Bible’s footnotes), through the “power of her wantonness” (Revelation 18:3). “All nations” (Revelation 18:3) participate in this worldwide economy of the last days, which was founded upon, in part, by slave labor (Revelation 18:13). Indeed, John foresaw this slavery become universal, for people will not be able to participate in the modern world economy (“buy or sell”) unless they carry the mark of the beast (see Revelation 13:15-17). But crass materialism, with underpinnings of slave labor, is only one symptom of the wickedness of this latter day whore and its proponents. Its twin companion of evil is political apostasy. To illustrate, John recorded that he saw the “kings of the earth” commit “fornication” with the whore of the earth (Revelation 17:1-2). But what does John mean by “fornicate?” The whore of the earth is not an individual, but rather an organization. Therefore, the illicit union John describes cannot be sexual. And since “kings of the earth” are involved with her, the union must be political in nature. The fact that the kings are willing to “fornicate” with her implies that both parties stand to gain something from the corrupt, political relationship. The whore, who gains power over the nations, erodes the sovereignty of her willing participants. This is evidenced by the fact that the multilateral military “peace” “force” sent by her in the future to destroy Israel will be made up of individual countries. The kings, in exchange for giving over their nations’ sovereignty to the whore, in order to elevate her status as a world power, receive benefits at her hand in return. Undoubtedly, those benefits are material in nature, for John states the kings “lived deliciously with her” (Revelation 18:9). The whore, with her new found power, will distribute the world’s goods and money through her channels of control. The “great men of the earth” (Revelation 18:23), whom John calls the “merchants,” and the kings, are the few who benefit from this future, worldwide fiefdom. As such, they are the driving forces behind this unholy union of international slave labor trade, for they are the ones who “[wax] rich through the abundance” of goods that this New World Order brings about. Since they “live deliciously” under this new arrangement The Whore Of The Latter Days 65

(Revelation 18:9), the kings are seduced, because of the “power of her wantonness,” into selling out their own citizenry for their share of the loot. With the whore’s control over the world’s economy, it is no small wonder that all of the “king[s],” or leaders of the nations, line up for their chance to “fornicate” away their nations’ independence. By the time this organization gains sufficient control over the earth, “all nations” (because of the decisions of their leaders), will have partaken of her “wine of fornication” (Revelation 18:3). Because of the unprincipled actions of these leaders of the nations, they cause their own citizens, the “inhabitants of the earth,” “[to become] drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:1-2). In such a drunken stupor, the nations of the earth are “deceived” by her, and are put to sleep (Revelation 18:23; see also 2 Nephi 27:1-2). Consequently, most are unaware of what is being done to them. The spiritual drunkenness makes them blind to what is happening. The effects of the “wine” itself are described as being like wrath. Since the kings are selling out the citizens of their own countries by ceding their nations’ independence over to the whore, the people feel that loss as a “wrath” against their individual freedom, economic well-being, and political independence. Therefore, the trade produced by such an abominable system will enrich the few privileged merchants and kings who are in a position to benefit from it, while the rest of the inhabitants of the earth sink further and further into temporal and spiritual misery. Like her predecessors, this latter-day church of the devil is obsessed with obtaining the goods of this world by using the power of government. The whore of the last days, and the merchants and kings who seek to put and keep her into power, will do anything that is expedient for them to perpetuate this abominable system. So boundless is this Satanic greed for power and gain, John saw this church commit genocide on a worldwide scale. He wrote, “in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” (Revelation 18:24). These deeds however will not go unpunished. God will avenge Himself of her. Like her multinational army that is 66 The Hidden Things Of Darkness destroyed at Armageddon, this whole organization will one day be burned by the wrath of God (Revelation 18:18; 19:3) after she has “filled” her cup with iniquity (Revelation 17:4; 18:6).

Nephi Saw a Church made up of Nations Notwithstanding her future world hegemony, the whore of the earth will one day suffer a fall out amongst her own, and die from a form of political cannibalism (see Revelation 17:16; compare to 1 Nephi 22:13-14), much the way Noah’s kingdom did, but on a much larger scale. Nephi saw and described it as a war that would break out “among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations” (1 Nephi 14:16—emphasis added). This Book of Mormon prophet, who was meticulously accurate in his usage of words, saw that the whore of all the earth was made up of individual nations “which belonged to” this world power. This means that the whore of the earth is political in nature, made up of member nations who have “unite[d]” themselves to her (2 Nephi 6:12). The prophet Moroni prophetically promised the “Gentiles” (see D&C 109:60) that if they worship and follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the American nation will remain free “from bondage, from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). Nephi’s brother Jacob understood this principle as well. He taught his brethren that “this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles,” and if they but serve God, He will “fortify this land against all other nations” (2 Nephi 10:11-12). Hence, if the Gentiles allow their nation to be “unite[d]” to that great and abominable church, then they have no guarantee from God that America will remain free “from bondage, from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven,” nor will the Lord be bound to “fortify this land against all other nations.” Therefore, it is evident that membership in this world-wide organization is a threat to the independence of the United States of America (the Lord’s base of operations for his kingdom in the last days). Jacob’s warning is not only political, but also spiritual. He testified that the Gentiles must “not unite [them]selves to that great and abominable church,” for if they refrain from doing so, The Whore Of The Latter Days 67 then “they shall be saved” (2 Nephi 6:12—emphasis added). A corollary to his warning is most unsettling. If the Gentiles do unite themselves to that great and abominable church, and remain that way until the lifeblood of America’s freedom is completely drained out, then this nation will not be saved. Thus, according to Book of Mormon prophets, if the Gentiles throw away their freedom and independence, and unite themselves with other nations to that great and abominable church of the devil, then they will ensure that this nation will no longer “be a land of liberty” and that it shall be “brought down into captivity” (2 Nephi 1:7).

The Second Church Nephi Saw Will Cover the Entire Earth Unlike Rome, which controlled most of the Old World, the second “whore of the earth” which Nephi saw rise up in the latter days will cover the entire earth (1 Nephi 14:11). Since it is a political entity, made up of member nations, with a multinational “peace” “force” to execute its edicts, it will truly have “dominion over all the earth” (1 Nephi 14:11). This particular characteristic of the latter-day whore of the earth distinguishes it from every organization in the world. Only a worldwide, member-nation political organization can meet the requirement of this scriptural description.

The Whore of the Earth Will Murder the Righteous Just as the ancient kings Riplakish and Noah, and the Roman Empire, persecuted the righteous using government power, so will the whore of the earth do the same in the last days. By refusing to “drink” from the cup of “the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 18:3), the saints will incur the wrath of the great and abominable church as it seeks to sweep them from off the face of the earth. Foreseeing such a day, Nephi wrote, “the great mother of abominations [did] gather together multitudes upon all the face of the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God” and His saints (1 Nephi 14:13-14). The focal point of that future conflict will eventually settle and center in the Middle East, in a war called Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). 68 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

While Nephi omits what happens to some of the Lord’s people next, John the Beloved fills in some of the sobering details. He wrote that, “in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints” (Revelation 18:24). Even though specific numbers are not given of those who will die, John saw that it was enough for the whore to be “drunken” with the blood of the saints, and with the “blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6). John stated that her cup of iniquity would be full (Revelation 17:4), and being “drunken” implies mass murder, or genocide.

The Second Church in 1 Nephi 14 in Review Ezekiel, Nephi, Jacob, Daniel, John the Revelator, and Joseph Smith all prophesied about the great and abominable church of the devil that would exist in the latter days. Nephi saw that it would cover the whole world in the last days, having “dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (1 Nephi 14:11). Nephi prophesied that this great church would be comprised of nations which belonged to it (1 Nephi 14:16). Thus, this entity is an organization made up of member nations. John the Revelator saw that the leaders of nations would “fornicate” with the whore of the earth, transferring power over to her (Revelation 17:2, 18:3). The whore, in turn, would direct wealth towards them in exchange for her power over the nations of the earth. Because of this illicit union, the inhabitants of the earth would be made to drink from the wine of the wrath of the whore, which will cause many to become enslaved by that organization. John saw that merchants would become rich from this entity because of its controlling influence (Revelation 18:3). The rest of the people would be brought down into captivity. So encompassing will this world system be that no one will be able to participate in the economy of the last days unless they have the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16-18). Ezekiel and Nephi saw that this church would have a multi-national military that would wage murderous warfare (Ezekiel 38-39, 1 Nephi 14:15- 16). According to Daniel, in the name of “peace,” it destroys many people and uses “force” to further its policy, which is to help itself grow in strength and power (Daniel 8:24-25; compare The Whore Of The Latter Days 69 to 1 Nephi 14:11). Eventually, as John, Daniel, Joseph Smith, and Nephi saw, this modern day church of the devil will persecute and slay many of the Latter-day Saints, as well as other God-fearing, good people. Jacob, Nephi’s brother, promised the Gentiles that if they refused to “unite” themselves to the great and abominable church, they should be saved (2 Nephi 6:12). Moroni prophesied that, if the Gentiles will but serve and worship the God of this land, Jesus Christ, then America will remain “free from bondage, from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). Either America will remain free and independent, or American “Gentiles” will allow their leaders to toss liberty to the wind for economic gain, and in the process, allow this nation to be absorbed into an all-powerful political organization that will control the whole world. That this great and abominable church of the last days is a worldwide, corrupt government, made up of member nations is made plain by the scriptures. It is able to marshal large numbers of troops, and deploy them around the world, destroying in the name of “peace,” and using “force” as its policy. It will one day control the world’s goods and cause all that participate in the market to receive a mark. It receives its power from its member nations, whose sovereignty the whore takes away. Before the Second Coming of the Savior, it will attack and destroy many of God’s people, and bring about the “abomination of desolation,” also called Armageddon, as prophesied about by ancient prophets. As Ezekiel foresaw, eventually it will be burned by the wrath of God.

Chapter 6

Satanocracy “[The Nephites]…altered and trampled under their feet the laws;…and they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people.” --Helaman 5:2

The Devil’s Church Through Time

In the preceding two chapters, the identity of the church of the devil was presented in piecemeal fashion by an examination of the scriptures. Satan’s church was shown to have manifested itself in specific ways as identifiable historical entities, and examples illustrating that were given, namely in the regimes of Riplakish, Noah, the Roman Empire, and a latter-day, member- nation, world-wide government. While the examples themselves differed because of their unique historical and geographical places in time, their similar characteristics overlapped enough to demonstrate the universal nature of Satan’s church throughout the generations. As each regime was examined, they were all shown to be examples of corrupt government. Therefore, the general identity of the church of the devil is in fact corrupt, prostituted government. The purpose of this chapter is to look at how prostituted government is, in part, administrated. But before moving on to a discussion regarding corrupt government in general, as depicted in the scriptures, there is one matter regarding the church of the devil that requires some commentary.

Nephi’s Limited Usage of the Title “Church of the Devil” Even though Noah’s and Riplakish’s corrupt regimes were also shown to be forms of prostituted governments, each having the same characteristics as the prophets have attributed to the church of the devil, Book of Mormon prophets refrained from labeling those corrupt governments as such. Instead, the title 72 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“church of the devil” was reserved for those two entities in 1 Nephi 13 and 14. A question arises from this. Why? The answer has to do with the significant effect each would have upon the world, as well as the amount of destruction they would cause. So devastating would their destructive force be, both Daniel and Jesus Christ referred to those effects as the “abomination of desolation” (see Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; and JSMatthew 1:12, 32).

The Abomination of Desolation In the meridian of time, Rome, with its forces under the direction of Titus, was the organization that brought desolation upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Prior to bringing about the abomination of desolation against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Rome was already making itself to be the “great persecutor of the church” (D&C 86:3) that drove it into the wilderness (see Revelation 12). It then unleashed its fury upon all of Palestine and the whole of Jewry. (The ghastly details of that horrific episode that vindicated the Savior’s prophecy can be read in the writings of Josephus.) The forces of Rome did inflict a great slaughter upon the inhabitants of Palestine, and as prophesied by Nephi, “scattered [the Jews] among all nations” (2 Nephi 25:15). Thus Rome brought about the first “abomination of desolation.” Eventually, Rome, code-named “Babylon” by Nephi, was also destroyed (2 Nephi 25:15). In the last days, the “whore of the earth,” whom many nations will “[belong] to” (1 Nephi 14:16) will be the great and abominable church that “persecute[s] the saints” (D&C 88:94). This global scourge that will murder some, if not many, of God’s people will eventually converge upon the same area that Rome once destroyed. John the Revelator called it Armageddon (see Revelation 16:16). When the nations of the earth combine against the people in Jerusalem in the last days, as foreseen by Ezekiel (see Ezekiel chapters 38-39), then shall “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be fulfilled” (JS- M 1:32) once again. Only this time, the Lord Himself will intervene and destroy the whore of the earth in that part of the world by “devouring fire” (D&C 29:21; see also Ezekiel 38:22 Satanocracy 73 and Daniel 8:25). Thus God’s wrath will be poured out upon those who help bring about that second, latter-day “abomination of desolation.”

What is Satanocracy?

Having examined the issue of the “abomination of desolation,” and how it is specifically related to those two “churches,” now the subject of corrupt government in general will be developed. Since the church of the devil is in fact prostituted government, how, then, would one label the administration of its destructive policies and agenda? For the purposes of this chapter, Satanocracy* is the term that will be used to describe the process by which Satan’s plan is executed through the channels of corrupt government. In simplest terms, Satanocracy is a government based on, and executed by, Satanic principles. It is an earthly extension of the plan he sought to execute prior to mortality. The focus of this chapter is to look at Satan’s church in its various manifestations throughout the scriptures. Having cited applicable case studies from the scriptures in the previous chapters in attempting to identify the whore of the earth, the standard works will now be applied once again to demonstrate the nature of Satanocracy.

Satanocracy Destroys God-given Rights The scriptures teach that the proper and principled function of government is to “secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life” (D&C 134:2), the same principles which are enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. And neither individuals, nor governments for that matter, may violate those rights. The Ten Commandments expressly prohibit and condemn

* The author first came upon this term in a book review by Fr. James Thornton, in the July 20, 1998 issue of The New American. This one word encapsulates all that can be said about corrupt government. Since it describes so concisely the prostitution of government by Satan and his followers, it, along with other variations, namely Satanocratic and Satanocrat, will be used throughout this book to describe the church of the devil, and its promoters. 74 The Hidden Things Of Darkness the taking of innocent life (Exodus 20:13), as well as theft (Exodus 20:15). Governments are not exempt anymore from those divine decrees than are the individuals that comprise them. Since the essence of government is force, whose sole object is to protect those rights, it is plain to see why Satan would seek to prostitute those functions for evil. Because of Satan’s relentless effort to destroy mankind’s agency, government is by far the single most important organization he can influence and use for his evil purposes. But since his plan was rejected, and he was denied a body, he must find those who are in the flesh to do his bidding. Therefore, by working through earthly followers, the more he can entice people to corrupt government, the more diametrically opposite of those duties that government becomes, and the more destructive of agency it will be. Satan’s total desire is to destroy as many of God’s children as he can. Because government has such great potential for committing so much harm and evil, it is plain why God holds men “accountable in relation” to “making laws and administering them” (D&C 134:1). That is why Satan works so diligently in tempting men and women to choose that which is evil concerning government. By winning over earthly converts to his plan, he can more effectively bring about their spiritual and temporal destruction. Satanocracy is the Adversary’s primary weapon of choice in order to destroy the inalienable and inviolate rights of God’s children. The scriptures are replete with example, after example, of how that weapon has been used throughout time to destroy mankind’s agency. What follows below is a small scriptural sampling of the evil corrupt government has committed against people’s God-given rights of life, liberty, and property throughout divinely-recorded history (and this does not even compare to that which can be found in secular writings).

Government-Sanctioned Murder In the Old Testament, God’s prophets recorded numerous incidences of government-sanctioned murder against the innocent. While living in Egypt, as the children of Israel grew mightily in number, the Egyptians began to fear that the Satanocracy 75

Israelites would side with Egypt’s enemies if a war were to break out (Exodus 1:9-10). Therefore, the Egyptian rulers instituted a crude, but effective, form of population control, in order to eliminate the perceived threat, and commanded that Hebrew newborn males be “cast into the river” (Exodus 1:22). Saul, using his power as the king, persecuted David and sought to take his life (1 Samuel 19:1). When the priests helped David escape from the murderous designs of Saul, the king retaliated against them by ordering his servants to slay them (1 Samuel 22:17-18). During Elijah’s time, Jezebel “cut off the prophets of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:4), and “slew” them (1 Kings 18:13). Tradition holds that King Manasseh ordered the death of Isaiah, who was reportedly “sawn asunder.” Daniel, of course, was cast into the lions’ den, and were it not for the intervening power of God, he would have undoubtedly been devoured. His “crime” for deserving such a punishment was his refusal to cease praying as decreed by the king of Babylon, who was deceived by his high priests into making a law that forbade prayer (Daniel 6:4-17). Their sole reason for doing so was that they were jealous of Daniel and wanted to eliminate him. There were many others, for Paul wrote the prophets of old “had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea…they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, [and]…were slain with the sword” (Hebrews 11:36-37). As was amply documented in previous chapters, Rome was the primary persecutor of the Meridian-day Saint Church in New Testament times. The number of Christians persecuted and murdered by the Roman Empire is known only to God. Nephi saw how, “for the praise of the world,” it would “destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity” (1 Nephi 13:9). Commenting upon that tragic era, H. Verlan Andersen wrote, It is commonly accepted that the Jews crucified Christ. While theirs may be the primary responsibility for this awful deed, it was actually carried out by the Roman government. Until the Rabbis, Scribes, and Pharisees were able to bend the civil arm to their will, they were afraid to kill the Savior. The martydom of Christ’s apostles is also chargeable either directly or indirectly to 76 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

the state. History records that Roman rulers tortured, imprisoned, and murdered Christians by the thousands.1

John the Baptist was beheaded for merely denouncing a political leader for his adulterous conduct (Mark 6:17-28). While only a helpless babe, Jesus Christ was the target of a mass extermination order of all “children” “two years old and under” (Matthew 2:16), by the command of Herod. Later at the end of His life, Jesus was accused before Pilate of sedition (Luke 23:2). It is generally held that Peter and Paul were martyrs of the Roman extermination campaign of Christians conducted under the hands of Nero. After serving a few years of hard labor on the isle of Patmos, for his “testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9), but not for any crime he committed, John the Revelator would have undoubtedly been martyred as well, were it not for his being translated (John 21:21-23). The Book of Mormon is replete with examples of government-sanctioned murder, some of which were cited in prior chapters concerning Noah’s and Riplakish’s corrupt regimes. As was cited already, Abinadi denounced King Noah’s wickedness, and for that he was burned to death (Mosiah 17:13, 20). When Alma and Amulek taught the people at Ammonihah, the political prostitutes in authority cast the women and children converts into a fire (Alma 14:8). Alma and Amulek would have been murdered as well, were it not for God’s intervening power (Alma 14:24-29). Amalickiah and his brother Ammoron waged murderous warfare against the Nephites, slaying many (Alma 54:7). Just prior to Christ’s visit to the American continent, “men [who were] inspired from heaven” were “put to death” by “the judges” for their testimonies (3 Nephi 6:20, 23) against the people’s wickedness. As for the Jaredites, Alma testified to his son Helaman that the secret combinations in charge of the Jaredites’ kingdoms “murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them” (Alma 37:30). Riplakish had put to death all those who refused to submit to his slave labor practices (Ether 10:6).

1 Andersen, p. 78. Satanocracy 77

In the last days, Latter-day Saints were the targets of state- sanctioned murder early on. The governor of Missouri issued an extermination order against “the Mormons,” one of the cruelest acts of viciousness and brutality against American citizens in United States history. The prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered at the hands of a mob, whose vile act the state’s leaders could have prevented if they so chose. Instead, the government of Illinois looked the other way (D&C 135:7).

Government-Sanctioned Slavery The murdering of God’s righteous people is not the only thing corrupt governments of the past excelled at doing. They were also quite adept at enslaving those whom they sought to exploit. The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites when a “new king” “arose up” “over Egypt” “which knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8), and “made their lives bitter with hard bondage” (Exodus 1:14), by setting “over them taskmasters to afflict them” (Exodus 1:11). The Jaredite king Riplakish “did cause” that his people “should labor continually for” his regime’s “support; and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death” (Ether 10:6). After Alma and his people had “been delivered” (Mosiah 23:13) from being “oppressed by King Noah,” and “in bondage to him and his priests” (Mosiah 23:12), the new converts settled in the land of Helam (Mosiah 23:19). While there, the army of the Lamanites (Mosiah 23:19), who were in pursuit of the people of King Limhi “for many days” (Mosiah 23:30), eventually came across Alma’s people. Falsely promising to grant unto Alma and his people “their lives and their liberty,” “if they would show them the way which led to the land of Nephi” (Mosiah 23:36), the Lamanites put “guards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren” (Mosiah 23:37). To make matters worse, Amulon, one of Noah’s high priests, and an avowed enemy of Alma, was “granted” by “the king of the Lamanites” to be “a king and a ruler over” Alma’s people (Mosiah 23:39). Accordingly, “Amulon began to exercise authority over Alma and his brethren…and put tasks upon them, and put taskmasters over them” (Mosiah 24:8-9). As the “afflictions” of the people became “great,” “they began to cry 78 The Hidden Things Of Darkness mightily to God” (Mosiah 24:10). True to character, Amulon “commanded them that they should stop their cries,” and “put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death” (Mosiah 24:11). Praying mightily to God in their hearts, the Lord eventually promised to deliver them “out of bondage” (Mosiah 24:17). Fifty years later, Amalickiah was “desirous to be a king” (Alma 46:4). His supporters, “the greater part of them [being] the lower judges of the land” (Alma 46:4), also wanted him to be a king because “they were seeking for power” (Alma 46:4), so that “he would make them rulers over the people” (Alma 46:5). Their desire in doing so was to “destroy the foundation of liberty” of their Nephite brethren (Alma 46:10). While Amalickiah failed at becoming king over the Nephites, his ideological successors, who called themselves “king-men” (Alma 51:5), pursued the same agenda with renewed vigor. The record states that “they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land” (Alma 51:5). Being cut from the same political cloth as Amalickiah’s followers, “those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth, and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who sought power and authority over the people” (Alma 51:8). Naturally, seeking to exercise “power and authority over the people” would correspondingly mean that freedom would be diminished, and then abolished. Just a couple of years before the Savior visited the Nephites in the Americas, the anti-Christ Jacob and his band sought to wipe out the free government and “to establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings” (3 Nephi 6:30). Once “the regulations of the government were destroyed” (3 Nephi 7:6), Jacob’s secret combination went northward until they could “become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people” (3 Nephi 7:12), in order to bring them into bondage. The Lord foiled their evil plans by raining down fire and destroying them all.

Satanocracy 79

Government-Sanctioned Theft The first recorded case of legalized theft in the Book of Mormon was among the Nephites when Noah and his political prostitutes “changed the affairs of the kingdom” (Mosiah 11:4). They were thus able to be “supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king Noah had put upon his people” (Mosiah 11:6). In order to extract enough tax money from the people to pay for his wickedness, the king “laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed” (Mosiah 11:3). What is interesting, regarding that whole episode, is that even though the Nephites paid twenty percent in tax (an amount considered to be mild by modern standards), the Book of Mormon prophets considered that the “people labor[ed] exceedingly to support iniquity” (Mosiah 11:6). Noah’s kingdom fell apart, and his former Nephite subjects were brought into an even worse situation under the Lamanites. When Ammon and his three brethren (not the sons of Mosiah) found the people of Limhi, they were in “bondage” (Mosiah 7:20) to the Lamanites. The king of the Lamanites, through “cunning and craftiness” (Mosiah 7:21), deceived Zeniff’s people with a false “treaty” (Mosiah 7:21), which “he did” “for the sole purpose of bringing [the] people into subjection or bondage” (Mosiah 7:22). The people considered their bondage as “grievous to be borne” (Mosiah 7:23). The king forced them to pay “one half of all they possessed” (Mosiah 19:26). To ensure that they might be kept in hard bondage, the king ordered “guards” to be “set” “round about the land” (Mosiah 19:28). In commenting about those Lamanites who used government to enslave Zeniff’s people, Mormon remarked that “they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they were desirous to bring [the Nephites] into bondage, that they might glut themselves with the labors of [their] hands” (Mosiah 9:12). Riplakish, as was demonstrated in the previous chapter, “did lay that upon men’s shoulders which was grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes” (Ether 10:5). Using the power of his position to steal from the people, he supported himself and his many concubines. Riplakish was a Satanocrat to the core, for he “did cause” that his people “should labor 80 The Hidden Things Of Darkness continually for their support; and whoso refused to labor he did cause to be put to death” (Ether 10:6).

Three Inseparable Rights Because of the intertwining nature of the God-given rights of life, liberty, and property, usually when one right is attacked by a Satanocratic government, so are the other two. The Israelites in Egypt had their babies murdered, their freedom stripped away, and the fruits of their labors taken by those in power. Riplakish forced his subjects to labor “continually” for him, and extracted “heavy taxes” from them. If any of his state slaves refused, they were promptly executed. Amulon saw to it that Alma and his people labored for the Lamanites, giving them half of what they produced. Being in “bondage” to them, and desiring to be free, even if they were caught praying to God for deliverance, Amulon and his henchmen threatened to take away their lives. Regarding the inextricably connected nature of God-given rights, President David O. McKay remarked, in quoting United States Supreme Court Justice George Sutherland, It is not the right of property which is protected, but the right TO property. Property, per se, has no rights; but the individual—the man—has three great rights, equally sacred from arbitrary interference; the RIGHT TO HIS LIFE, the RIGHT TO HIS LIBERTY, and the RIGHT TO HIS PROPERTY. The three rights are so bound together as to be essentially ONE right. To give a man his life, but deny him his liberty, is to take from him all that makes life worth living. To give him liberty but take from him the property which is the fruit and badge of his liberty, is to still leave him a slave.1

That Satan understands the inseparable nature of those three rights, the scriptures leave no room for doubt. Since Satan desires to make all of mankind his slaves, it is easy to see why he would tempt his followers in the flesh to use corrupt government to destroy one, or all, of those God-given rights. For if Satan can

1 President David O. McKay, Conference Reports, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, October, 1962), p. 6. Satanocracy 81 succeed in getting earthly governments to attack at least one, or more, of those sacred rights, then he can “destroy the agency of man” (Moses 4:3), and lead God’s children into captivity (Moses 4:4). Satanocratic regimes throughout time have been very successful in doing so. Satan’s tremendous success in that respect caused President Ezra Taft Benson to remark that “freedom as we know it has been experienced by perhaps less than 1 percent of the human family.”1

Corrupt Laws

All governments must have some kind of laws to function. Without laws, or the enforcement of them, governments disintegrate into anarchy. At that point, the only law that exists is the law of the jungle. However, when the pendulum swings completely the other way, then government becomes an enslaver of people, rather than the protector of God-given rights. It is when the “laws are framed and held inviolate,” as to “secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life,” that people and governments can “exist in peace” (D&C 134:2). But how can one tell which laws protect those rights, and which ones destroy them? President David O. McKay provided a fundamental part of the answer to that question, when he observed that “free agency,” being “essential to man’s salvation” “may become a measuring rod by which the actions of men, of organizations, and of nations may be judged.”2 President Benson answered part of that question, as well, when he wrote, “By deriving its just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude.”3 One way governments, and the laws they enforce, become destructive of those rights is when they

1 President Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” p. 6. 2 President David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Improvement Era, 1953), p.299-300. 3 President Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” p. 8. 82 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“claim power to redistribute money or property,” or “to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will.”1 Hence, if laws are made to protect those rights, of life, liberty, and property, and to punish those who violate the rights of another, then such laws are just. But what exactly happens when the laws are not framed for that purpose? What happens to governments that pass and enforce laws which act contrary to the protection of life, liberty and property? The scriptures provide an answer to that question with clarity and preciseness.

The Nephites’ Experience with Corrupt Laws* Concerning the relationship between just laws and righteousness, H. Verlan Andersen remarked, “as long as the Israelites retained their status as self-governing nations, the Mosaic Code remained the basis for their legal system.”2 Since prohibitions against murder (Exodus 20:13) and theft (Exodus 20:15) were given by the Lord to Moses, and because He commanded the people to “keep” His “statutes, and [His] judgments” (Leviticus 18:5), then presumably Israelite governments that based their laws on the “Mosaic Code” could not murder, enslave, or steal with impunity. Just as individuals cannot do those things without committing a crime, neither can the state. The record does not say if the Nephites framed laws that allowed for the murdering or enslavement of others, but it does show how they eventually changed their laws in regards to private property. And for that injustice alone, as will be shown below, they were severely punished. As Lehi’s family first departed from Jerusalem, it quickly became apparent the importance the Lord placed on them not leaving the continent without a written record of His commandments. Nephi and his brethren were commanded to travel back to Jerusalem a few hundred miles in order to secure the plates. Once the Lehites arrived in the Americas, Nephi

1 Benson, p. 8. * Some of the following sequence of verses cited in this section are extracted in part from H. Verlan Andersen’s book The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, but they are modified slightly for the purposes of this chapter. 2 Andersen, p. 40. Satanocracy 83 wrote, “we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the law of Moses” (2 Nephi 5:10). As the centuries rolled by, other prophets wrote that the Nephites still “observed to keep the law of Moses” (Jarom 1:5). When the people listened to the Nephite king Mosiah propose a new form of self-government, he also warned them not to alter the laws that had “been given them by the hand of the Lord” (Mosiah 29:25). Otherwise, they would be destroyed (Mosiah 29:27). Less than two generations would pass by before the Nephites either forgot, or ignored, that divine counsel. For in 30 B.C., Mormon wrote that “they had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people” (Helaman 4:22). Furthermore, “they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were wicked even like unto the Lamanites” (Helaman 4:22). Because of their wicked condition, “they could not be governed by the law nor justice” (Helaman 5:3). Voting the Satanocratic Gadiantons into office, the “more wicked part” of the Nephites partook of the “spoils” (Helaman 6:38) that were offered to them by those who used their government authority to “steal” (Helaman 7:5). Nephi blasted those political prostitutes for the “corruptness of their law” (Helaman 8:3), and incurred the wrath of the whole Gadianton conspiracy. As the people waxed “stronger and stronger in their pride” (Helaman 11:37), they corrupted themselves further into “great wickedness,” even while the Lamanites had repented and “did observe to keep the commandments of God, according to the law of Moses” (Helaman 13:1). Even though the Nephites embarked on a roller-coaster ride of corrupting their laws, reforming them, corrupting, and then reforming them again, in time, they were destroyed for failing to frame and keep their laws according to justice and righteousness, as God had revealed to Moses.

84 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The Perversion of the Law As the scriptures demonstrate, when people abandon God’s laws, then by default, they adopt corrupt ones. The Nephites’ experience in corrupting their laws was not unique to their situation. Noah, Riplakish, and the Lamanites (with Amulon as their hatchetman), passed laws in order to tax and expropriate the property and fruits of the labors of the citizens (slaves, actually) over whom they ruled. Thus, the tendency to pervert the law and to use it for exercising unrighteous dominion over others is universal throughout history. This tragic tendency of turning government into Satanocracy has been amply exposed by the prophets, but others outside of Holy Writ, have written regarding this evil, as well. Towards the end of His life, the Savior scolded the Pharisees for rejecting the “prophets, and wise men” He sent to them (Matthew 23:34). Like the Founding Fathers of America, who were “wise men [the Lord] raised up” (D&C 101:80), the Lord sent a wise man to France, at a time when that revolution-racked nation needed one the most. In the 1840’s, the French economist and statesman, Frederic Bastiat, was a lone voice in the wilderness, crying to his fellow citizens to cease the corruption of their laws. Referring to it as “the perversion of the law,” Bastiat spelled out in unmistakably clear terms how the French were corrupting their laws, and why it was so evil. Some brief citations of Bastiat’s writings, found in his book The Law, will show how laws are corrupted, and will further illustrate the inherent evils of Satanocracy. In harmony with the scriptures, and with the inspired writings of the Founding Fathers, as echoed in the Declaration of Independence, Frederic Bastiat also affirmed that life, liberty, and property are gifts from God (see Alma 44:5; D&C 134:1-2). “And,” he noted, “in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation, and are superior to it.”1 Or, as the scriptures teach, we believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man…[and] that no government can exist in

1 Frederic Bastiat, The Law, (Irvington-on-Hudson, NY: The Foundation for Economic Education, 1990, 15th printing), p. 6. Satanocracy 85

peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience [liberty], the right and control of property, and the protection of life (D&C 134:1-2).

Concerning the responsibility of government in protecting those rights, Bastiat noted, “Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”1 Giving a precise definition what law is, what it is based on, and what its legitimate purpose is, Bastiat wrote, [Law] is the collective organization of the individual right to lawful defense. Each of us has a natural right— from God—to defend his person, his liberty, and his property. These are the three basic requirements of life, and the preservation of any one of them is completely dependent upon the preservation of the other two…. If every person has the right to defend—even by force—his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly.2

That “common force,” which is charged with protecting “these rights constantly,” is nothing else but government. Once Bastiat showed from what source government is derived, he showed how its powers cannot exceed the authority of the individuals who formed it in the first place. Continuing with his lucid prose, he wrote, Thus the principle of collective right—its reason for existing, its lawfulness—is based on individual right. And the common force that protects this collective right cannot logically have any other purpose or any other mission than that for which it acts as a substitute. Thus, since an individual cannot lawfully use force against the person, liberty, or property of another individual, then the

1 Bastiat, p. 6. 2 Ibid. 86 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

common force—for the same reason—cannot lawfully be used to destroy the person, liberty, or property of individuals or groups…. Force has been given to us to defend our own individual rights. Who will dare to say that force has been given to us to destroy the equal rights of our brothers? Since no individual acting separately can lawfully use force to destroy the rights of others, does it not logically follow that the same principle also applies to the common force [i.e. government] that is nothing more than the organized combination of the individual forces?1

In the numerous examples cited from the scriptures above, many individuals and groups from the past “dared” to use force against their brothers and sisters, through corrupting their laws, and for that crime, God destroyed them. Referring to the use of government force to destroy the rights of others, Bastiat called it “the complete perversion of the law.”2 Illustrating how and why the law is perverted, Bastiat noted, But unfortunately, law by no means confines itself to its proper function….[When] the law [is used] in direct opposition to its own purpose…[it is] used to destroy its own objective. It has been applied to annihilating the justice that it was supposed to maintain; to limiting and destroying rights which its real purpose [is] to respect. The law [places] the collective force [i.e. government] at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish, without risk, to exploit the person, liberty, and property of others. It [converts] plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder…. Thus it is easy to understand how law, instead of checking injustice, becomes the invincible weapon of injustice. It is easy to understand why the law is used by the legislator to destroy in varying degrees among the rest of the people, their personal independence by slavery, their liberty by oppression, and their property by plunder. [And in the case of the prophets and saints spoken of in

1 Bastiat, p. 6-7. 2 Ibid., p. 8. Satanocracy 87

the scriptures, their lives by murder]. This is done for the benefit of the person who makes the law, and in proportion to the power that he holds.1

Legal Plunder Unless Satanocrats have enough force at their disposal, and their victims are defenseless to a certain degree, it is difficult for them to use government in order to commit crimes against life and liberty. Such totalitarian tactics create resistance from the victims immediately. Therefore, most Satanocrats use government power in a more subtle approach. They seek to shackle their victims with slavery by using government to attack their rights of property. Even though Bastiat addressed the whole scope of the problem of perverting laws, he focused primarily on the use of the law to steal property, a practice he referred to as “legal plunder.”2 Asking his readers “how…this legal plunder [is] to be identified,”3 Bastiat provided his succinct answer. Said he, See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay, for it is not only an evil itself, but also it is a fertile source for further evils because it invites reprisals. If such a law—which may be an isolated case—is not abolished immediately, it will spread, multiply, and develop into a system…. Nothing can enter the public treasury for the benefit of one citizen or one class unless other citizens and other classes have been forced to send it in….The law can be an instrument of equalization only as it takes from some persons and gives to other persons. When the law does this, it is an instrument of plunder.4

1 Bastiat, p. 8-9, 11. 2 Ibid., p. 21. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 88 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Riplakish, Noah, the Egyptians, the Lamanites, through their front man Amulon, and the Nephites in the Book of Helaman, all engaged in legal plunder, by using the law to steal from their citizenry. They developed legal plunder into “a system.” Mormon referred to such a system of government-sanctioned theft as the “spoils” of the Gadiantons (Helaman 6:38). The only thing all of their practices resulted in was the impoverishment and misery of those who were forced to labor under their evil systems. Eventually, each and every group in the Book of Mormon that endorsed and practiced “legal plunder” was destroyed.

Statolatry

Since there is not a single historical exception as to what happens to those nations that corrupt their laws, a question naturally arises as to why succeeding generations commit the same evils. The roots for such suicidal behavior can only be described as idolatry. In the case of individuals using government to rob their victims of their rights, and of the victims who willfully submit to such slavery, the term statolatry is the best word to describe this symbiotic sin between both parties involved. At its most basic level, statolatry constitutes the worship of the power of government, or of the state. The scriptures refer to that form of worship as Satan’s agents exercising his rejected premortal plan in mortality, forcing their subjects to honor, even worship, their power and authority. As will be shown below, statolatry is the grossest sin of idolatry man can commit.

The Grossest Sin of Idolatry Statolatry is a sin that has a dual nature. In speaking of the first part of this sin, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “we have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion” (D&C 121:39) over “the souls Satanocracy 89 of the children of men” (D&C 121:37). Thus, those who are in authority are almost always prone to use force over those under their power. But if they who have little authority “immediately” “begin to exercise unrighteous dominion” “as soon as they get” some, then how much more prone are those who have great authority to do the same! And the single greatest organization individuals can use to exercise the most power and authority, and to use force to strip away the agency of others, is corrupt government. Riplakish, Noah, and others excelled at that behavior. But as always, Satan has no peer, and is the consummate example of that behavior. The second part of this sin constitutes what Jeremiah and Nephi referred to as the “arm of flesh.” Jeremiah wrote, “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:5). Isaiah counseled, “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils” (Isaiah 2:22). To the prophet Nephi, the Lord revealed, “Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:31). And to Joseph Smith, God said, “man should not…trust in the arm of flesh” (D&C 1:19). Thus, when people look to those in power and authority, and expect them to use force to take away their rights in order to “save” them, does that not qualify as trusting in “the arm of flesh,” and does it not constitute idolatry? Another modern prophet declared that it is. In a letter to the faculty at the Church-owned and operated BYU, President David O. McKay wrote, in reference to the social and cultural disintegration sweeping the nation during the 1960’s, I cannot help but think that there is a direct relationship between the present evil trends which I have indicated, and the very marked tendency of the people of our country to pass on to the state the responsibility for their moral and economic welfare. This trend to a welfare state in which people look to and worship government, more than their God, is certain to sap the individual…moral fiber of our youth unless they are warned and rewarned of the consequences. History, of course, is replete with the downfall of nations, who 90 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

instead of assuming their own responsibility for their religious and economic welfare, mistakenly attempted to shift their individual responsibility to the government.1

The Nephites during Nephi’s time (from the Book of Helaman) underwent similar social convulsions, and were guilty of the same sins of statolatry. As the Gadiantons filled “the judgment-seats,” they laid “aside the commandments of God” (Helaman 7:5). Using the existing laws which “had” been “corrupted” (Helaman 4:23), they “usurped the power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4). This they did so that they might “rule and do according to their [own] wills” (Helaman 7:5). Because the people were wicked, too, they did build “them up and support them” (Helaman 6:38). Believing in their “works,” the Nephites did “partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38). As the Nephites shifted their loyalty from God, and delegated their personal responsibility to the Satanocrats they put into power, they placed themselves in “an awful state” (Helaman 6:40) of wickedness.

Satanocrats and the Worship of the State Another aspect of the idolatrous nature of statolatry to consider is how power-hungry men use corrupt government to stand in as proxies for Satan in executing his plan, and force their subjects to embrace their leaders as human idols, and to submit to their wills. Both the Book of Mormon and the Bible provide ample evidence as to what can happen to a nation that allows statolatry to become the national religion. And as will be seen, the roots of this tendency can be traced directly back to the War in Heaven. In the Old World, the Israelites also apostatized politically from their divinely revealed system of representative government, based on the immutable rule of law. As they demanded to have a king, Samuel the prophet tried to convince them otherwise. He warned that the king would conscript their sons into aggressive empire-expanding military campaigns (1

1 Andersen, p. 98-99. Satanocracy 91

Samuel 8:11-12), and because of the lack of male workers, the women would be forced into the workplace as “confectionaries,” “cooks,” and “bakers” (1 Samuel 8:13). Heavy taxation of property would follow in order to fund the ever-expanding Satanocracy (1 Samuel 8:14-15, 17), followed by state-mandated slavery (1 Samuel 8:16-17). Once all of that happened, Samuel prophesied that the people would “cry out in that day” for deliverance but, “because of [their] king” which they had chosen, the Lord would not “hear” them (1 Samuel 8:18). Even though Samuel spelled out what would happen to them so plainly, the people persisted in their statolatry, and demanded to have a king so that they could “be like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:19-20). This they did in defiance of the divine commands given to them, generations before, through the prophet Moses (see Deuteronomy 17:14-20). As Samuel complained to the Lord about Israel’s apostasy, and their refusal to listen to him, the Lord said, “they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:7). In that divine statement, one is hard pressed to find fewer words that spell out the nature of statolatry. The Israelites’ rejection of the Lord in order to have a political leader as their “arm of flesh” is one of the plainest examples of statolatry available in the scriptures. King Mosiah, using much of the same logic and reasoning as Samuel, warned the Nephites what would happen to them if they continued to have kings for rulers. In trying to convince them to adopt a form of representative government, based on the rule of law, Mosiah spelled out all of the inherent risks and evils associated with having kings, namely the potential for the people to quickly succumb to statolatry, and then be yoked with the shackles of Satanocracy. Speaking to the Nephites, he said, Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over you. For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction! Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations, and also the wickedness and abominations of his people. Behold what great destruction did come upon them; and also because of their iniquities 92 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

they were brought into bondage….And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood. For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God; And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness. And now behold I say unto you, it is not expedient that such abominations should come upon you…. And he [King Mosiah] also unfolded unto them all the disadvantages they labored under, by having an unrighteous king to rule over them; Yea, all his iniquties and abominations, and all the wars, and contentions, and bloodshed, and the stealing, and the plundering, and the committing of whoredoms, and all manner of iniquities which cannot be enumerated—telling them that these things ought not to be, that they were expressly repugnant to the commandments of God (Mosiah 29:16-18, 21-24, 35-36).

It is difficult to find a more apt description of statolatry than Mosiah’s comments that an unrighteous king “enacteth laws” “after the manner of his own wickedness,” and “whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed” (Mosiah 29:23). Seeking to replace God Himself, an unrighteous king sets himself up as the standard, and destroys all that refuse to bow the knee in worshipping him. In light of Mosiah’s teachings, it is easy to see why the king- men were guilty of statolatry. When the king-men sought to alter the law, so that they could have a king (Alma 51:2-7), their desire was, of course, fueled by political idolatry. Seeking for “power and authority over the people,” they wanted to elect a king who could usurp power and give some to them (Alma 51:8). Satanocracy 93

Thus, once in power, they could force the people to worship their own image as they ruled and enacted laws after their “own” manner of “wickedness,” as well. It should be noted that Book of Mormon and Old Testament prophets were not opposed to the government of kings per se (Mosiah 23:8), they just knew that such governments are the quickest route to Satanocracy and statolatry, especially when the citizenry as a whole became unrighteous (Mosiah 23:7, 12-13). It is that same knowledge which caused the brother of Jared to groan to the Jaredites, as they demanded to have a king, “surely this thing leadeth into captivity” (Ether 6:23). So, how then does statolatry trace its roots directly to the War in Heaven? The similarities between Samuel’s and Mosiah’s descriptions of what wicked kings are capable of, and what they are likely to do, compared to Satan’s own plan, are clear in light of even the most casual observation. Satan sought to dethrone God, usurp His authority, scrap God’s laws, enact his own decrees in order to execute his own plan, and to destroy all who opposed him. In like fashion, a wicked king “teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him” (Mosiah 29:22), and “enacteth laws” “after the manner of his own wickedness” (Mosiah 29:23). Those who resist are “destroyed” (Mosiah 29:23). Just as Satan proposed to destroy the agency of mankind, Satanocratic statolatry is the manifestation of his power on earth, in seeking to carry out that evil design.

The Strongest Expression of One’s Moral Code Having shown that statolatry constitutes the execution of Satan’s plan on the earth as a means of forced worship of those in positions of corrupt government, now a brief discussion regarding the expression of one’s moral code through political mediums, as a reflection of a person’s character, is in order. Because the degree of a person’s “pride determines how” he treats “God and [his] brothers and sisters,”1 statolatrists are

1 President Benson, “Beware of Pride,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, May, 1989), p. 6. 94 The Hidden Things Of Darkness undoubtedly qualified to be some of the most prideful people on the planet. The more prideful a person is, the more Satanic his tendencies are prone to be. One of the best ways to determine the true character of an individual is to see how such a person behaves in the realm of government.* As H. Verlan Andersen phrased it, “suppose one were given unlimited power to use force on his fellow man without fear of retaliation, physical punishment, or condemnation by other members of society. Under such circumstances, the manner in which he treated others would be an accurate index of his moral character.”1 Such being the case, it is obvious what the characters of Noah, Riplakish, Amulon, the Jaredite kings, and some of the Nephite leaders were like. The prophets did not exaggerate in the slightest in describing those individuals as some of the most evil people in the world. Put another way, it may be stated that the degree to which a person supports corrupt laws is the standard by which his disdain for another person’s agency can be accurately measured. Nowhere is this pride, or contempt for another person’s life, liberty, or property, more brazen than in the perverted laws one favors. H. Verlan Andersen referred to this standard as the best way to measure a person’s moral code. He wrote, A person’s political philosophy is an expression of his moral beliefs because he cannot determine whether he favors or opposes a law without consulting his moral standards….A person’s political philosophy not only reflects his moral convictions, but it also represents his most intense feelings regarding good and evil….When a person is so firmly convinced of the correctness of his political code that he is willing to impose it on all other members of society with death, imprisonment, and fine, he has expressed those convictions in the strongest possible manner.2

* See Appendix 2 1 Andersen, p. 49. 2 Ibid., p. 48-49. Satanocracy 95

Statolatrists, who use Satanocracy to destroy the rights of others, are some of the most deficient people in the world when it comes to character. As long as Satanocrats seek to act as proxies implementing Satan’s rejected premortal plan, garnering enough supporters who are willing to yield over their agency to them as they put them into power, the destuctive shackles of statolatry shall never be broken. Bastiat aptly described those shackles of statolatry as a vicious “circle,” in which a “passive mankind” surrenders, or loses, its agency to “the power of the law being used by a great man to propel the people.”1 In looking towards the future with some hope of reform, Bastiat wrote, The strange phenomenon of our times—one which will probably astound our descendants—is the doctrine based on this triple hypothesis: the total inertness of mankind, the omnipotence of the law, and the infallibility of the legislator. These three ideas form the sacred symbol of those who [act in Satanocractic fashion].2

The “strange” “doctrine” Bastiat referred to should sound very familiar to Latter-day Saints, as it has its origins in the War in Heaven. Satan claimed to be the Redeemer, and was one who would allegedly use force (“to propel the people”) on a passive humanity, supposedly to make everyone return to heaven. His followers on earth seek to use the force of law as a means to compel the rest of mankind to conform to their own statolatrous agenda. While the labels used to describe this “strange doctrine” have varied throughout time, they all describe the same agency- destroying kinds of corrupt government that were founded by Satan himself.

Satanocracy in Review What is Satanocracy? It is the administration of corrupt government power that is abusive and destructive of the God- given rights of others. That is the nature of Satanocracy. Instead of protecting life, liberty and property, prostituted government,

1 Bastiat, p. 57. 2 Ibid., p. 58. 96 The Hidden Things Of Darkness or Satanocracy, exterminates life, destroys liberty, and steals property using the power of a corrupted state. Satanocratic governments, if left unchecked, eventually overturn every legitimate function they are supposed to execute, while embracing every evil which they are divinely prohibited from doing. By instituting corrupt laws, those in power are able to trample on the rights of others with impunity. Given the pervasiveness of Satanocracy throughout the earth’s history, it is easy to see why President Ezra Taft Benson remarked that “one of Lucifer’s primary strategies has been to restrict…agency through the power of earthly governments.”1 When a person, or group of people, seek to use the Satanocratic force of corrupt government to assume the accountability and responsibility of individuals in a society, and try to shape and mold them using perverted laws, they are committing the grossest form of idolatry known to man. They endeavor to replace an all-powerful God with their own strength, and attempt to achieve Satan’s blasphemous declaration to God, that by destroying mankind’s agency, they can use force to save people from themselves. In such fashion corrupt government arrogates to itself power and authority to become the master of people, and not its servant. Statolatry, which is idolatry in the political arena, is characterized by the abandonment of God’s laws as the standard of justice, and the adoption of corrupt, wicked laws in their place. It is the worship of government power itself, by those who administer it, as well as by those who are under its control. Self- anointed, high priests of the church of the devil, who view themselves as above the rest of mankind, seek to force everyone else to conform to their own image, and set themselves up as false gods on earth. For when those who are in authority pervert the law and power of government from their purpose of protecting agency, to that of destroying it, they are advocating Lucifer’s rejected premortal plan. In reference to that plan being carried over to the battlegrounds of earth, Bastiat observed that “it is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a

1 President Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” p. 6. Satanocracy 97 greater evil than this: the conversion of the law into an instrument of plunder.”1 Nephi called the corruption of government the church of the devil. Satanocracy is the greatest force for evil in the world. Given what Latter-day Saints know concerning the War in Heaven, the consequences for failing to reject statolatry and Satanocracy should be considered and weighed heavily in mind. First, Satan proposed to use force to destroy his brothers’ and sisters agency. Second, Satanocracy is the implementation of that plan on earth using corrupt government as its vehicle. Third, statolatry constitutes the “sacred symbol” of those who use government to compel others to look to and worship them and their power. If Latter-day Saints lend their support to such evil, how can such statolatrous conduct be considered anything less than blasphemy against God and His plan? Satan, in his on-going efforts to enslave mankind, tempts his followers to convert government into a destroyer of rights. As has been shown in this chapter, the only thing his plan accomplishes, in destroying the agency of mankind, is to drag the human race down into the gulf of misery (2 Nephi 1:13). This should come as no surprise since Satan desires to make all of mankind as miserable as he is (2 Nephi 2:18, 27). The scriptures show, without exception, that his weapon of choice for accomplishing this is corrupt government. History attests that his method has been most effective.

1 Bastiat, p. 12.

Chapter 7

Secret Combinations “They are had among all people.” --Ether 8:20

What is a Secret Combination?

The phrase “secret combination” is unique to Latter-day Saint (LDS) scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. Yet, notwithstanding the phrase’s uniqueness to Latter-day Saint theology, even within LDS ranks, it holds different meanings and has different modern day applications to members throughout the Church.∗ This variance in understanding of secret combinations is most likely due to the fact that no single verse of scripture gives an explicit definition of what a secret combination is. Fortunately, however, the authors of the Book of Mormon wrote substantially concerning the subject so that by extracting out, and piecing together those verses, a complete scriptural definition may be developed from them. In this chapter, and in the three to follow, the scriptures will be searched in an effort to do just that. The reader will note that much of the material overlaps in these four chapters. However, there is a purpose for doing so. It will be so that the reader may view the subject from several different angles, with each angle comprising an essential part of this whole study.

Lucifer is the Author of Secret Combinations The first known conspiracy has its origins before the world began. Isaiah saw in vision Lucifer’s plot to “exalt [his] throne

∗ The applications of this term are as varied as they are numerous. Examples often heard given are groups such as drug cartels, street gangs, the mafia, terrorists, etc. 100 The Hidden Things Of Darkness above the stars of God” and to be “like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Isaiah also stated that these things were “said in [Lucifer’s] heart” (Isaiah 14:12). From these verses it is plainly manifest that Lucifer had it in his heart to take God’s place before the War in Heaven. President Benson added his testimony to Isaiah’s and stated that Lucifer’s “prideful desire was to dethrone God.”1 Based on these statements, that expose Satan’s murderous desires, it is evident why Christ told the Pharisees that Satan “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). Satan’s thoughts to replace God soon became actions, and those who conspired or sided with him started a War in Heaven. They made war with those who stood with Jesus Christ and Michael. John the Revelator saw a “third part” of the hosts of heaven, “cast” to “earth,” along with Satan (Revelation 12:4). The war they instigated in heaven did not cease. It began with Satan’s desire to dethrone God, destroy mankind’s agency, and make himself ruler over the universe. As has been shown in the previous four chapters concerning prostituted government, or Satanocracy, the war Satan and his hosts started there now manifests itself in part as a war on mankind’s three great God- given rights; namely life, liberty, and property. In the chapters to follow, it will be shown that secret combinations wage that same war. This fact must be kept in mind in order to understand the nature and identity of secret combinations throughout the world’s history.

The First Secret Combination and its Successors

Were it not for the Restoration, very little would be known about the extent to which secret combinations have affected the course of history, especially on the American continents, ever since the days of Adam. Secular history tends to ignore, or even downplay, the role of conspiring men in shaping human events.

1 President Benson, “Beware of Pride,” p. 5. Secret Combinations 101

Very few events, such as the murder of Caesar on the Ides of March, by his enemies, are viewed as the actions of conspiracies. But the scriptures of the Restoration abound with evidence of secret combinations having had a hand in bringing down entire nations to their destruction. The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price together show unequivocally that secret combinations destroyed three entire ancient and great American civilizations. The following scriptural accounts are presented to show the historical importance of these abominable groups of dedicated enemies of Christ.

“Had from Cain” The origin of the first secret combination on this world has its beginnings with the first murder as well. While the Bible record is scanty, the tragic story of Cain and Abel is much more detailed in the Book of Moses. The record bluntly states that “Cain loved Satan more than God” (Moses 5:18). The proof of that love was evident after Cain made a half-hearted sacrifice unto God, and was following Satan’s commandment to do so. The Lord then spoke to Cain and chastised him for his willingness to listen to Satan (Moses 5:26). Soon thereafter, Cain made a “plot” with Satan in order to kill Abel (see Helaman 6:27). Cain waited for the opportunity, and then took Abel by surprise and slew him, just as he covenanted with Satan to do. The Lord then punished Cain for the evil deed by causing him to be a “fugitive and a vagabond in the earth” (Moses 5:39). The Lord also prophesied that it would “be said in time to come—that these abominations were had from Cain” (Moses 5:25). The Book of Mormon comments that Satan “did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth” (Helaman 6:27). Thus did Cain work with Satan in forming the first secret combination in mortality.

Antediluvian Secret Combinations Cain moved, with his wife, to “the land of Nod” (Moses 5:41), and there began to have children. While from “the days of Cain, there was a secret combination” (Moses 5:51), the next prominent individual to be mentioned in connection with it was 102 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Cain’s fifth generation descendant Lamech (see Moses 5:42-43). Moses records that Lamech “entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49). Then, the Lord “cursed Lamech, and his house, and all them that had covenanted with Satan” because “their works were abominations” (Moses 5:52). When Lamech embraced the oaths of his forefather, the record shows that secret combinations began to accelerate in influence and in number. Moses notes that they “began to spread among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:52). Once they had spread everywhere, in time, their power grew tremendously, for the record states that “works of darkness began to prevail among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:55). About this time the Bible records that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth” (Genesis 6:5), and that it was “corrupt” and “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11-13). Because of that, the Lord called Enoch to gather out the righteous from the world unto Zion, the holy city. Enoch preached to the people with great power, and was promised from the Lord that “no man” could “pierce” him (Moses 6:32). Undoubtedly, this was a concern of Enoch’s, for “in those days Satan had great dominion among men and raged in their hearts…and a man’s hand was against his own brother, in administering death, because of secret works, seeking for power” (Moses 6:15). An outspoken prophet was a prime target of such wickedness. But God protected Enoch and his people from destruction because of their unyielding determination to keep the commandments (Moses 7:13-14). Soon, God took Zion from the face of the earth unto Himself (Moses 7:69). As the city left the earth, Enoch had a vision. In it, “he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced” (Moses 7:26; see also Ether 8:9). Because of the dedication of Cain’s followers to keep the Satanic oaths which they had made, these secret combinations were the prevailing influence “among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:55). Therefore, for the first time in 1,600 years of the earth’s history, Satan was able to enslave the entire human race. Secret Combinations 103

The Lord told the prophet Noah to warn the people one last time to repent. They rejected his words and sought to kill him (see Moses 8:18, 20). Noah finished the ark as commanded which provided for the temporal salvation of his family. Since the people covered the earth with a flood of wickedness, the Lord sent a flood of baptizing water to wipe the slate clean (Genesis 6:13, 7:11-12, 23-24). Thus, the first generation of secret combinations brought the entire human race, except for Noah and his family, to complete destruction.

The Jaredites’ Secret Societies After Noah’s ark landed on dry ground, his three sons, along with their wives, began to spread out and repopulate the earth (Genesis 8:4; 9:1). Not too many generations passed and the people were turning to wickedness again. The Bible records that they began to build a tower (Genesis 11:4, 9), known as Babel. Being indignant with the people, the Lord did “confound the language” (Genesis 11:9) so they could not understand each other. Turning to the Book of Mormon to continue the narrative, it states that Jared, and his brother, did not have their language confounded (Ether 1:35). Also, because of the brother of Jared’s mighty prayer, their families were spared as well (Ether 1:37). The Lord commanded them to pack up their belongings and prepare for a long journey (Ether 1:40-43). After travelling for a while, they arrived at the seashore, and commenced building barges (Ether 2:16). After a lengthy trip by sea, in their barges, they arrived in the Americas, and began spreading out, much like Noah’s family (Ether 6:11, 18). Notwithstanding the tremendous blessings that the Lord poured out upon them for the next several generations, Satan managed to set into motion another secret combination in America. A future Jaredite’s greed to rule over the people would be his motivation to search out “the oaths which were given by them of old,” that were “handed down even from Cain” (Ether 8:15). As Jared (not the same as the one in the beginning of the Book of Ether) sat sorrowing about not ruling anymore, his 104 The Hidden Things Of Darkness daughter “thought to devise a plan” so that Jared could reconquer the kingdom (Ether 8:8). She then came to him and posed two questions upon which the rest of Jaredite history hinged. She said to him, have you “not read the record which our fathers brought across the great deep? Behold, is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?”(Ether 8:9). Jared then listened to her proposal and agreed to her plan. In accordance with that plan, she danced for Akish and he demanded to marry her (Ether 8:11). Jared consented as long as Akish obtained the head of Jared’s own father, Omer (Ether 8:11-12). So they “gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk,” and made an oath to plot the murder of Omer in order to take the kingdom (Ether 8:13-15). Although Omer survived by escaping, the conspiracy of Jared and Akish obtained the goal of overthrowing the kingdom (Ether 9:1). Jared then became king, only to be murdered by his co-conspirator Akish, who took his place (Ether 9:4-5). As previously noted, the Book of Moses states that secret combinations prevailed among “all the people” (Moses 5:55), prior to the Flood. In like manner, “so great had been the spreading of [Akish’s] secret society” that it “corrupted the hearts of the all the people” (Ether 9:6). This wicked state of affairs did not last long, for the Jaredites suffered immensely because of a war and were nearly wiped out (Ether 9:12). Within five generations, however, the Jaredites became a large and populous civilization again, being blessed of the Lord. Unfortunately, this was short-lived for Heth “began to embrace the secret plans again of old, to destroy his father” (Ether 9:26). The Lord sent poisonous serpents to afflict the people and soon they repented of their iniquities (Ether 9:31-34). The conspiracy of Heth “perished by famine,” so Shez “began to build up again a broken people” (Ether 10:1). A dozen, or more, generations passed this time (see Ether 10:2-32). Com’s enemies became greedy enough to adopt “the old plans” after having failed initially to take over the kingdom (Ether 10:33). His enemies “administered oaths after the manner of the ancients, and sought again to destroy the kingdom” in Secret Combinations 105 order to rule it themselves (Ether 10:33). They prevailed not (Ether 10:34), so Shiblom renewed the effort where his father’s conspiracy had failed, which lead to “wars and contentions in all the land,” because of his wicked combination (Ether 11:7). Shiblom was eventually slain (Ether 11:9), and he failed as well. Many others stepped forward to do what Shiblom failed to accomplish. Generations passed by as one conspirator after another grappled with the existing competition to control the kingdom. Moron was finally successful, because he overthrew his own father Ethem, and “did obtain the kingdom” (Ether 11:15). Next, “another mighty man” “arose” and overthrew Moron (pronounced mor’ un) and became king (Ether 11:17-18). Moron, who was put into captivity, begat a son named Coriantumr (Ether 11:18). Coriantumr became a formidable foe in his manhood, for “many men rose up” and sought to destroy him “by their secret plans of wickedness” (Ether 13:15). Another contender named Shared rose up and gave battle to Coriantumr (Ether 13:29). Shared was beaten (Ether 13:30), so his brother stepped in and temporarily overcame Coriantumr in a later battle (Ether 14:3). He then placed himself on Coriantumr’s throne (Ether 14:7). Coriantumr retreated for two years, to recover from wounds, and to rebuild his army (Ether 13:31). During that time, Shared’s brother, “whose name was Gilead, also received great strength to his army, because of secret combinations” (Ether 14:8). Gilead was stabbed by his own high priest, who replaced him (Ether 14:9). Then the high priest was murdered “in a secret pass” by the secret combination of Lib (Ether 14:9-10). After having recovered from their previous battles, Coriantumr’s side was ready to resume fighting (Ether 14:11). The two sides of Lib and Coriantumr clashed with their armies near the seashore (Ether 14:12), and several rounds of melee ensued. Lib was killed in one of them (Ether 14:16), so his brother Shiz took Lib’s place as the leader of the secret society and its followers (Ether 14:17). Shiz intensified the war to the degree that he swept away everyone in his path (Ether 14:17-18). The armies of Coriantumr and Shiz fought battle after battle, until eventually two million people lay slain (Ether 14:21-15:2). 106 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Not content with the amount of blood that had been shed, they continued to fight and destroy each other to the last man (Ether 15:6-29). Shiz lost, according to the prophecy of Ether, and Coriantumr was the last man standing (Ether 15:30; 14:24). Just as the wicked Antediluvians were swept off in the days of Noah with a world-destroying flood, so were the Jaredites destroyed in a flood of violence and warfare. The Book of Mormon leaves no doubt as to the reason why the Jaredites were destroyed. As he abridged the record of Ether, Moroni commented, “and they [secret combinations] have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking” (Ether 8:21). At one time, the Jaredites were one of the most blessed people of all time (see Ether 10:28). Tragically, they built up the same conspiracies that destroyed their Antediluvian ancestors, and allowed their blessed civilization to be destroyed, serving as another example of what happens to those who support those wicked secret societies.

The Band of Gadianton until Christ’s Coming About the time the Jaredite nation was annihilated by conspiratorially driven warfare, the Lord was preparing to “bring forth another people to possess the land” as foretold by the Jaredite prophets (Ether 11:21). The Lord commanded Lehi and his family to depart out of Jerusalem (1 Nephi 2:2). They built a ship and sailed to America (1 Nephi 17:8; 18:2-23). After Lehi’s death, his family split into two groups, which were called the Nephites and the Lamanites (2 Nephi 4:12; 5:1-24). The two sides lived separately, for the most part, and only came in contact when they were involved in wars (see 2 Nephi 5:34; Jacob 1:10; 7:24; Enos 1:24; Jarom 1:7, 13; Omni 1:3, 5, 10; Words of Mormon 1:14; Alma 3:20-24; 16:1-2; 28:1-5; and Alma chapters 43-62). Some missionary work by Ammon and his brethren brought many thousands of Lamanites to join the Nephites, and through the generations many Nephite dissenters joined ranks with the Lamanites (see Alma 17-29, 46-47). Yet, on the whole, they stayed apart. Despite all of his efforts to foment as much evil and wickedness as possible, Satan remained unable to establish a Secret Combinations 107 secret combination among the Nephites and Lamanites for the first 550 years of their history. However, around 51 B. C., Satan found two individuals, named Kishkumen and Gadianton, who would change the course of Nephite history (Helaman 2:5). It is interesting to note that the people as a whole did not have any access to the ancient records that detailed the oaths and covenants of the secret combinations that brought down two major civilizations (Alma 37:27). Mormon records, “now behold, it is these secret oaths and covenants which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they should be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction” (Helaman 6:25). He added that “those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by” Satan (Helaman 6:26). Even though a divine commandment forbade the publishing of those specific oaths (Alma 37:27, 29), the Nephites still knew of the Jaredites’ “wickedness and abominations and their murders” (Alma 37:29; see also Alma 37:21, 23, 25, 26). That alone should have been enough to deter them from repeating the same disaster. But alas, such was not the case. Just like the Jaredites, who had three different periods of secret combinations rising to power (see Ether 8:8-9:12; 9:26-34; 10:33-15:33), the Nephite secret combinations that rose to power, before Christ visited America, never enjoyed one long unbroken rule. There were also three different occasions in which they flourished (Helaman 1:9-11:10; Helaman 11:24-3 Nephi 4:28; 3 Nephi 6:21-7:13). The first one began because of a very heated election, in which the loser, Paanchi, would not accept defeat (Helaman 1:2-8). Encouraging his supporters to revolt and start a rebellion (Helaman 1:8), Paanchi committed an act of sedition, and was found guilty of the same (Helaman 1:7- 8). Before he was to be executed though, his people “sent forth one Kishkumen,” who murdered the chief judge Pahoran (Helaman 1:9). After the assassination, they made it official and formed a secret combination (Helaman 1:11). Mingling “among the people” (Helaman 1:12), they waited for the opportunity to strike again. 108 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Soon, Kishkumen attempted to assassinate Helaman, but he was intercepted by one of Helaman’s servants, and lost his own life (Helaman 2:3-9). Helaman’s servant, who acted in behalf of Helaman’s defense, warned Helaman of Kishkumen and his band’s designs (Helaman 2:9). Gadianton, who was actually in control of the secret combination, became suspicious when Kishkumen did not return, so he and his band fled “out of the land” (Helaman 2:11). Seeking to strengthen their numbers, they “established” themselves “in the more settled parts of the land,” but their presence was unknown to those in charge of the government (Helaman 3:23). Patiently waiting for seventeen years, they seized the opportunity and murdered another chief judge, whose name was Cezoram (Helaman 6:15). His son, who replaced Cezoram as the new chief judge, was also murdered the same year (Helaman 6:15). During that time, the Gadiantons managed to seduce most of the people into supporting them (because of the people’s own wickedness) and then took over the whole government (Helaman 6:39). Like their Antediluvian and Jaredite predecessors, the Gadiantons did “overspread all the land of the Nephites” (Helaman 6:38; compare with Moses 5:55; Ether 9:6). At that point, their rule met little, if any, opposition until a prophet named Nephi began to expose their agenda (Helaman 7). Publicly challenging them, Nephi denounced their “secret works of darkness” (Helaman 8:4). In typical fashion, like their predecessors’ responses before them to the words of prophetic warning, they sought to destroy Nephi (Helaman 8:10). This Satanic response brought swift judgment from the Lord in return for the people rejecting His message (see Helaman 8-10). Wars commenced (Helaman 11:1), followed by a long famine (Helaman 11:4-8). The Gadiantons were destroyed and the people repented (Helaman 11:9-11). For only five years the people refrained from committing this kind of evil (compare Helaman 11:6, 10 with Helaman 11:24-26). Then, once again, some of the Nephites “did search out all the secret plans of Gadianton” (Helaman 11:26). They stayed in their secret places and away from mainstream Nephite society, adding dissenters to their numbers daily (see Helaman Secret Combinations 109

11:24-25; 3 Nephi 1:27-30). Once they had a sufficiently large enough army, Giddianhi, their new leader, wrote a letter to Lachoneus, the chief judge, and demanded that control of the Nephite government be handed over to his band (3 Nephi 3:1- 10). He threatened that if they did not hand it over, his “secret society” would come and take it by force anyway (3 Nephi 3:8- 9). The Nephites had righteous leaders at the time, so they prepared to defend themselves by repenting of their sins (3 Nephi 3:12, 15-21). Giddianhi brought his army, and a battle ensued (3 Nephi 4:7-11). Giddianhi was slain, so the Gadiantons retreated (3 Nephi 4:12-14). Two years later, after regrouping, their new leader Zemnarihah led them to battle again (3 Nephi 4:17-26). The Nephites prevailed and the Gadiantons were taken prisoner, or were slain, and Zemnarihah was hung in a tree (3 Nephi 4:27-28). The third group of Gadiantons came to power some ten years after Giddianhi’s secret society and only three years before Christ visited the Nephites in person (3 Nephi 6:21-30). This group of people met in secret in order to plan the overthrow of the government and the destruction of God’s people (3 Nephi 6:28-30). Obtaining their objective by murdering the chief judge (3 Nephi 7:1), they overthrew the Nephites’ free government, and placed at their head a man named Jacob, whom they called “their king” (3 Nephi 7:9-10). Even the wicked, non- conspiratorial Nephites and Lamanites were angry at this perfidious deed, so Jacob and his clan, finding themselves with few friends, decided to head northward (3 Nephi 7:11-13). As with the Antediluvians and the Jaredites, the cup of the Nephites’ and Lamanites’ wickedness was running over, so the Lord punished them with earthquakes, fire and tidal waves (3 Nephi 8).

Reviving the Old Plans after Christ’s Visit After an unprecendented time of prosperity, peace and righteousness (4 Nephi 1:1-23) brought on by Christ’s personal visit to the people in America (3 Nephi 11-27), amazingly the Nephites turned to wickedness again (4 Nephi 1:24-40). Mormon records that it was the “more wicked part of the people” who 110 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton” (4 Nephi 1:42). Just like their three groups of Gadianton predecessors (as well as the Antediluvians and Jaredites), “the robbers of Gadianton [at that time] did spread over all the face of the land” (4 Nephi 1:46). Mormon noted later that they did “infest” (Mormon 1:18) the land and that it was “filled” with robbers (Mormon 2:8). Becoming the leader of the Nephite armies, Mormon tried his best to preserve his people, even making a “treaty” with the Gadiantons (Mormon 2:27). This was a temporary salve though, for both sides continued in battle, until Mormon gathered all the remaining Nephites at the hill Cumorah (Mormon 6:2-5). In Jaredite fashion, the Nephites were destroyed almost to a man, except for twenty-four who escaped, along with a “few” others, two of them being Mormon and Moroni (Mormon 6:15). However, all those who escaped were eventually hunted down and slain, including Mormon (Mormon 8:3). Thus was Moroni left alone to finish the record his father started (Mormon 8:1). Earlier in his abridgment, Mormon wrote (concerning the rise of the Gadiantons among the Nephites), “and behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi” (Helaman 2:13). Lest it be confused when this occurred, Mormon clarified by stating, “behold I do not mean the end of the Book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written” (Helaman 2:14). In the end of the book of 4 Nephi, Mormon showed that the Nephites’ act of building up the Gadiantons was the spiritual catalyst for their own downfall. Mormon documented this process throughout his own book, The Book of Mormon (chapters 1-6). Moroni added his own witness as well, when he paused to remark in his abridgment of the Book of Ether that the Gadianton band did “cause the entire destruction of [the] people” of Nephi (Ether 8:21).

The Bible’s Silence Concerning Secret Combinations Thus far, it has been shown that secret combinations were not a rarity in ancient times, but were rather common, especially Secret Combinations 111 in America. Starting with Cain (Moses 5:25, 29-31, 51; Helaman 6:27), they spread slowly until they dominated life prior to the Flood (Moses 5:51-55, 6:28-29), flourished during half of the Jaredite civilization in America (Ether 8:7-15:31), and were prominent parts of Nephite history, both before (Helaman 1:5- 11:10; Helaman 11:24-3 Nephi 4:28; 3 Nephi 6:21-7:13) and after Christ’s visit (4 Nephi 1:4-Mormon 2:8). They were the cause of destruction for all three civilizations, which were the Antediluvians (Moses 6:28-29), the Jaredites (Ether 8:21), and the Nephites (Helaman 2:13-14). While one would expect not to find mention of the Jaredite and Nephite secret combinations in the Bible (because they lived separate from the Old World on the American continent), there should be plenty of text in the Old Testament regarding them prior to the Flood. So, because they were a primary cause for the downfall of Antediluvian society, should they not make up a large part of the Bible prior to Noah’s day? Evidently, the writings of the ancient Antediluvian prophets dealt with the matter quite extensively. For when the daughter of Jared approached her father with a plan to seize the kingdom, she suggested that they seek out the “record which [their] fathers brought across the great deep” (Ether 8:9). She reminded him that there was “an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory” (Ether 8:9). Apparently, the writings of the prophets that once contained a detailed account of these things were somehow taken out before the Bible was compiled in its entirety. This should be no surprise to the readers of the Book of Mormon because Nephi prophesied that the record of the Jews would be corrupted by the great and abominable church, and lose many of its plain and precious parts (see 1 Nephi 13:26). The great and abominable church of the devil that had a part in corrupting the record of Judah was the prostituted government of Rome. How these records were lost (or destroyed), whether by Rome, or someone else, makes no difference. The effects of either possibility have had the same result. Because it was removed, future generations have had no guidance from the 112 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Bible concerning this subject, and its devastating effects on ancient civilizations. Notwithstanding Satan’s success in keeping his plan hidden from most of the world throughout history, the Lord promised that He would “bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land” (Alma 37:25). As an additional witness, Nephi prophesied, “For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of the ground…and their speech shall whisper out of the dust” (2 Nephi 26:16). The Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price are partial fulfillments of those prophecies and promise of the Lord.

Secret Combinations in Review Secret combinations are truly “had among all people” (Ether 8:20). They piloted the destructive course of three major ancient American civilizations. Cain introduced them by plotting with Satan to murder his own brother (Moses 5:29-31). The scriptures testify that from that time forth they were “had from Cain” (Moses 5:25). His successors used them to obtain “kingdoms and great glory” (Ether 8:9). They were the engine that helped to drive the earth into total evil in Noah’s time (Moses 6:28; 7:26; 8:22), and through them, Satan was able to chain the entire earth with his wickedness (Moses 7:26). The wickedness on the earth became so great because of them that the Lord was obligated to wipe the slate of the human race clean with a baptizing flood of water. Only Noah and his family were spared because they kept the commandments, and in relation to the impending Flood, they followed the Lord’s counsel in preparing for that global calamity. After the earth was divided (1 Chronicles 5:19), and the waters of the Great Flood had “receded from off the face” of this land (Ether 13:2), the Jaredites were brought by sea to ancient America by the hand of the Lord (Ether 6:12). They were blessed like no other people in the history of the world up to that time (Ether 10:28), but they too sought after that which was evil (Ether 8:18). Building up the secret societies during three periods of their history, the Jaredites were finally destroyed to the last Secret Combinations 113 man in conspiracy-driven, fratricidal warfare (Ether 13:15- 15:31). The Nephites came to America just as the Jaredites were being swept off the land (Ether 15:33; Omni 1:21-22). Like their predecessors, they too had three major periods where secret combinations nearly brought upon them an entire destruction, prior to Christ’s visit after His resurrection in Palestine. After experiencing some 180 years of peace and prosperity, the Nephites, once again, turned to building up secret combinations for a fourth time. That last time brought upon them an entire destruction (Ether 8:21). Only the Lamanites remained in their scattered and spiritually darkened condition, to be discovered later on by Gentile explorers (see 1 Nephi 12:23; Mormon 5:15).

Chapter 8

Secret Works Of Darkness “And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine against all righteousness.” --3 Nephi 6:28

The Oaths and Covenants of Secret Combinations

Extensive scriptural evidence, that details the rise of the first secret combination with Cain, as well as its successors among the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites, was recounted in the previous chapter. A logical question that arises from this is why would a certain number of Heavenly Father’s children, after having rejected Satan and his plans prior to coming to earth, so willfully embrace his evil designs while here? What motivates people to foster so much evil and wickedness? The answer to this will be sought for by thoroughly examining the nature of their religion, which the prophets call their “secret works of darkness” (see 2 Nephi 9:9; Alma 37:21-32).

Disclosing the Exact Nature of the Oaths was Forbidden Before proceeding forth with that effort, a brief comment of whether or not it is proper to do so is in order. The scriptures show that the Lord forbade the Nephites from writing down and disclosing the exact details of those “secret plans,” “oaths,” and “covenants” (Alma 37:29). The reason that they are withheld from “the world,” as was cited in the previous chapter, was so that they would not “be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction” (Helaman 6:25). The easiness in obtaining them was demonstrated when the Jaredites, at the suggestion of the daughter of Jared, wanted to “devise” “secret plans” in order 116 The Hidden Things Of Darkness to “obtain kingdoms and great glory” (Ether 8:9). To do so, she suggested that they “read the record” which their “fathers brought” with them “across the great deep” (Ether 8:9). By simply reading the scriptures, they were able to duplicate what Cain and his followers had done. So that the Nephites would not have written access to those abominable plans, the Lord commanded his Nephite prophets to “retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations” “lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also [like the Jaredites] and be destroyed” (Alma 37:27). Thus, the Book of Mormon does not contain, in detailed fashion, a description of those secret oaths, covenants, plots, and plans. Nevertheless, it does mention what they were in general. Commenting about those oaths, Mormon wrote that they did have “secret signs,” and “secret words” (Helaman 6:22). They entered into covenants and oaths so that they might “protect and preserve one another in whatsoever difficult circumstances they should be placed” (Helaman 6:21). By doing so, they could escape justice for their murders, plundering, stealing, and whoredoms they committed (Helaman 6:21-22). But if they revealed those oaths, they would be killed, just as Lamech murdered those who divulged the oaths in ancient times (Helaman 6:24; Moses 5:50). After commenting regarding all of the above, Mormon wrote that “it is these secret oaths and covenants which Alma commanded his son should not go forth unto the world” (Helaman 6:25—emphasis added). In light of this verse in Helaman, it is evident what those oaths were. Only the actual wording itself is withheld from the world. They made oaths so that they could protect one another in their evil actions. They made them so they could murder, plunder, steal, and commit adultery. They also made them to keep the group’s identity secret, so much so that they would execute anyone who revealed them from within. What follows is a scriptural demonstration of what those oaths entailed, and what was demanded of the members of secret combinations who made them.

Secret Works Of Darkness 117

Some Satanic Counterfeits of the Temple

Based on a casual reading of the scripture that Cain “loved Satan more than God” (Moses 5:18), it is easy to assume that Cain was always a spiritual novice who just got lost early on in life, and went down the wrong path. However, such is not the case. President Brigham Young said that Cain “conversed with his God every day, and knew all about the plan of creating this earth, for his father told him.”1 Cain did not just pray to God, he “conversed” with Him. He was undoubtedly an active member of God’s Church who held the priesthood. Based on the evidence to follow, it may also be deduced that he was endowed. This assumption, though admittedly somewhat speculative, seems to prove to be true in light of all the evidence that follows. Cain openly rejected God’s plan of salvation after having it revealed unto him and chose to follow Satan. Since Satan is the consummate Great Counterfeiter of spiritual truths, it is reasonable to suppose that he and Cain would pervert sacred temple ordinances, something with which Cain was presumably already familiar, and twist them for his own perverted purposes. But does such a supposition have any scriptural support? It is difficult to ascertain what those oaths were word for word, because the prophets did not write them down for public viewing. That they are not recorded in the scriptures should be of no surprise, since the Lord commanded Alma to tell Helaman to “keep” the “secret plans of [the conspiracies’] oaths and their covenants from [the] people” (Alma 37:29). Yet, he was allowed, even commanded, to “make known” “their wickedness and their murders and their abominations” (Alma 37:29). Mormon and Moroni followed this divine mandate meticulously, detailing the deeds of the secret combinations, but not the specific wording of those oaths. However, by looking at those deeds, it is possible to be able to determine in general the nature of those oaths. In the sections to follow, it will be shown that the nature of the oaths and covenants made by members of

1 John A. Widtsoe, ed., Discourses of Brigham Young, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Company, 1977), p. 104. 118 The Hidden Things Of Darkness secret combinations are diabolically opposite in every way to those sacred teachings and ordinances made in the Lord’s temples.

An Anointing of Wickedness One characteristic of Satan’s counterfeit oaths has to do with anointings. While God commands His Saints to perform sacred “washings” and “anointings” (D&C 124:37, 39) in holy temples for sacred purposes, to make His people “kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:5-6), Satan’s counterfeit ordinances are exposed in the writings of Ether, which were abridged by Moroni. When the conspiracy of Jared overthrew his father’s kingdom, he “was anointed king over the people, by the hand of wickedness” (Ether 9:4).

Secret Combinations Mock God Paul the apostle warned the Saints of Galatia, “be not deceived; God is not mocked” (Galatians 6:7). In Satanic defiance of this eternal, and sacred principle, secret combinations swear oaths that deliberately mock God. In each instance (cited in previous sections), as Cain and his Antediluvian followers, the Jaredites, and the Nephites made an oath or covenant with Satan, they all blasphemously used God’s name to do so. When Cain made his oath, he was commanded to “swear unto [Satan]…by the living God” (Moses 5:29). Moses records that Lamech “entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49). Since Lamech and the other Antediluvian conspirators received their oaths “after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49), then they undoubtedly repeated the same, if not very similar, words. As Akish, Jared, and their “kinsfolk” formed the first secret combination among the Jaredites, they swore their oaths “by the God of heaven” (Ether 8:14), thus imitating Cain’s blasphemous act. In parallel wording, when Kishkumen started the first oath-bound Nephite conspiracy in 51 B.C., all those who participated “entered into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker” not to divulge their secrets (Helaman 1:11).

Secret Works Of Darkness 119

Oath-Bound to Lucifer Just as the prophets and the saints throughout time have sought to anchor their souls to God (see Omni 1:26; Ether 12:4), in contrast to that, those who diligently seek to build up Satan and his kingdom through secret combinations likewise bind themselves in terrible, Satanic blood oaths. The fact that Lucifer involves himself personally with the making of those oaths, as most of the secret combinations were first founded, is aptly demonstrated in the scriptures. When Jacob, the brother of Nephi, was teaching the people concerning the Atonement of Christ, he also spoke of the plan of the Evil One. He testified that Lucifer can transform “himself nigh unto an angel of light” and stir “up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness” (2 Nephi 9:9). The Lord appears unto His children the prophets (and others) from time to time, all for the purpose of bringing about the salvation of mankind. Since He does that, it is reasonable to deduce that Satan, the Great Counterfeiter, would do the same with those whom he intends to work with in bringing down and enslaving entire nations and civilizations. The following account from the Book of Moses verifies that such is the case. When Cain plotted with Satan to slay Abel, Moses recorded the following words that Satan commanded Cain to say in his oath of secrecy. Said he to Cain, Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by the living God, that they tell it not; for if they tell it, they shall surely die; and this that thy father may not know it; and this day I will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands (Moses 5:29).

The next verse records that “Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his commands” and that “all these things were done in secret” (Moses 5:30). These two verses show that this oath-bound ceremony occurred as a two-way conversation between Satan and Cain. Cain then became “Master Mahan, 120 The Hidden Things Of Darkness master of that great secret which was administered unto” him “by Satan” (Moses 5:49). The scriptures infer that the “followers” of Cain (Helaman 6:27) had the same experience. Moses wrote that Lamech “entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49—emphasis added). Even though Akish took it upon himself to “administer unto [his co-conspirators] the oaths which were given by them of old” (Ether 8:15), it is not unrealistic to assume that Satan oversaw the process. Moroni wrote, “they [the Jaredites] formed a secret combination, even as they of old,” (Ether 8:18) and that “they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people” (Ether 8:16— emphasis added). In Heth’s day, the “old plans” and “oaths” were “administered…after the manner of the ancients” (Ether 10:33). As cited above, just as Cain had the oaths “administered unto” him by Satan, so did some of the Nephites “enter into a covenant one with another…which covenant was given and administered by the devil” (3 Nephi 6:28). That the oaths received by the Gadiantons were the same as the Jaredites and Antediluvians, the scriptures verify that such was the case. Giddianhi, in his epistle to Lachoneus, boasted that the “works” of his society were “of ancient date and they have been handed down unto us” (3 Nephi 3:9). In every case, the scriptures testify or imply that these secret combinations, as they were first founded in each major civilization, received their oaths from Satan personally. Or, they received them through one of his evil agents, who “administered” them to the other conspirators, “after the manner of Cain,” or “even as they of old” (Moses 5:49; Ether 8:18).

The Penalty for Disclosing the Oaths One characteristic of these Satanic oaths has to do with the terrible consequences of divulging them. When Cain made his oath to Satan, he was warned by the Adversary that if he revealed it, he would die (Moses 5:29). He was also commanded to tell his “brethren” to swear “by their heads,” and if they told it, they would die as well (Moses 5:29). When Irad begain to Secret Works Of Darkness 121 reveal Lamech’s secret oaths to the “sons of Adam” (Moses 5:49), Lamech “slew him for the oath’s sake” (Moses 5:50). Akish and his clan swore their oaths “by their heads” (Ether 8:14), like unto Cain. The Nephite Gadianton secret society had a penalty for divulging their oaths as well. Mormon wrote the following concerning that price: And whosoever of those who belonged to their band should reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations, should be tried, not according to the laws of their country, but according to the laws of their wickedness, which had been given by Gadianton and Kishkumen (Helaman 6:24).

Thus the penalty for violating those oaths, as a member of a secret combination, is death.

Secret Signs and Words Latter-day Saints are very familiar with the concept of key words, signs, and tokens as they pertain to the sacred endowment. President Brigham Young explained to Latter-day Saints the importance of their endowment. He said that knowledge of the endowment would be necessary to enable them to “walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain…eternal exaltation.”1 Secret combinations, through the efforts of Satan and Cain, have their own set of perverse secret words and signs. Even though those signs and secret words are not mentioned in the Book of Moses, it does say that from “the days of Cain, there was a secret combination…and they knew every man his brother” (Moses 5:51). Cross-referencing this passage to a similar one in the Book of Mormon sheds more light on its meaning. While commenting about the Gadianton robbers, Mormon recorded that “they did have their signs, yea, their secret signs, and their secret words,” so “that they might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant”

1 Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 416. 122 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

(Helaman 6:22). Since the Nephite Gadiantons practiced the same Satanic religion as members of past secret combinations, it is apparent that the Antediluvians and the Jaredites had their own secret signs and secret words, even though no mention is explicitly made of them.

A Law unto Themselves Instead of coming unto Christ through the principle of sacrifice, including one’s own sins, for the furtherance of God’s work, secret combinations, being puffed up with enormous pride, view any act of theirs as justifiable. Speaking to Enoch, the Lord lamented that his sons and daughters had “gone astray,” seeking “their own counsels in the dark” (Moses 6:28). As another example, when Akish “begat other sons,” and brought them up in the ways of evil, he made them a part of his secret society (Ether 9:10). Moroni records that they swore unto their father “to do all manner of iniquity according to that which he desired” (Ether 9:10). When Giddianhi, the governor of the Gadianton band, wrote his epistle to Lachoneus, the Nephite chief judge, he stated that the “works” of his “secret society” he knew “to be good” (3 Nephi 3:9). The Nephites joined the Gadianton Robbers for the same reasons. By doing so, they were able to set “aside the commandments of God” (Helaman 7:5). Thus, they might commit “all manner of wickedness, contrary to the laws of their country and also the laws of their God” (Helaman 6:23), so that they might “rule” and “do according to their own wills” (Helaman 7:5).

Murder—Turning the Law of the Gospel on its Head Members of secret combinations have no regard for life whatsoever, except of course, for themselves. Anybody who gets in the way of their plan is eliminated. Indeed, murder is the founding act of nearly every conspiracy documented herein, starting with Cain’s secret combination, on down through the conspiracies of the Jaredites, and then the Gadianton robbers. Secret Works Of Darkness 123

The following scriptural portions attest to the fact that murder is central in the plans of secret combinations to gain power and to perpetuate it: • “their murders” (Alma 37:21)

• “secret murders and abominations…” (Alma 37:22)

• “their murders…” (Alma 37:29)

• “they murdered all of the prophets…” (Alma 37:30)

• “Kishkumen…murdered Pahoran…” (Helaman 1:9)

• “Kishkumen sought…[to] murder Helaman…” (Helaman 2:5, 7)

• “it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to murder…” (Helaman 2:8)

• “secret murderers…” (Helaman 2:10)

• “secret murders…” (Helaman 6:17)

• “they…did murder the chief judge Cezoram…” (Helaman 6:19)

• “secret murder…” (Helaman 6:29)

• “works of darkness and secret murder…” (Helaman 6:30)

• “secret murders and combinations…” (Helaman 6:38) 124 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

• “murdered by his brother, who…belong[s] to your secret band…” (Helaman 8:28)

• “the judge had been murdered…” (Helaman 9:6)

• “secret works of darkness, and…murderings…” (Helaman 10:3)

• “they did commit many murders…” (3 Nephi 1:27)

• “those who testified of…Christ…were…put to death secretly…” (3 Nephi 6:23)

• “they did…murder the chief judge of the land…” (3 Nephi 7:1)

• “the secret combination…murdered the prophets…” (3 Nephi 7:6)

• “his high priest murdered him as he sat upon his throne…” (Ether 14:9)

• “one of the secret combinations murdered him in a secret pass” (Ether 14:10)

Murder is truly the ultimate expression of a Satanic disdain for life. It turns the Golden Rule, which is the “law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12), on its head. Since it is diabolically opposite of the second great commandment to love one’s neighbor as one’s self, and because it is the “object” (Helaman 2:8) of those who belong to secret combinations to commit Secret Works Of Darkness 125 murder, it is submitted that it is part of the Satanic oaths secret combinations make. The following three examples are given as evidence. First, Cain’s oath with Satan was specifically made to help him kill Abel. Second, when Jared and Akish formed their secret society, it was so they could murder Omer and put Jared in his place. Akish soon assassinated his own father-in-law. Moroni wrote, “he [Akish] applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients” (Ether 9:5—emphasis added). Third, in Kishkumen’s case, the Nephite Gadianton robbers made their oath retroactive, that they “tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran” (Helaman 1:11). Even though the deed was already done prior to them making the oath, they had little reason to change their tactics for future purposes. They murdered one chief judge after another until eventually they took over the whole government.

Whoredoms and Perversions Members of secret combinations blatantly and brazenly trample upon the law of chastity. Mormon records that the Gadianton robbers filled the judgment-seats in 23 B. C., so that they might, for one thing, “more easily commit adultery” (Helaman 7:5). Nephi condemned the same group of Gadiantons for their fornications (Helaman 8:26). The secret society of Akish was obsessed with the lusts of the flesh as well, for they received the “oaths” in order to be able to “commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms” (Ether 8:16).

Limitless Greed Consecration and true acts of charity are completely contrary to secret combinations, which are built up to “get power and gain” (Ether 8:23). Moses reminds his readers that Cain slew his brother Abel “for the sake of getting gain” (Moses 5:50). During Jaredite times, the daughter of Jared asked her father, “is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?” (Ether 8:9). Much information can be extracted from this one single verse in the scriptures. By referring to “them,” it is evident that 126 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Cain was not the only conspirator obsessed with “getting gain,” but the daughter of Jared must have meant the other Antediluvian secret combinations as well. In her reference to following their “secret plans” to “obtain kingdoms,” it is apparent that the Jaredite secret societies sought for the same thing as their Antediluvian predecessors. Another example in the Book of Ether illustrates that such was the case. For in the days of Com, the “robbers in the land” “adopted the old plans, and administered oaths after the manner of the ancients” (Ether 10:33). Their object in doing so was to “destroy the kingdom” (Ether 10:33) so that they might possess it for themselves. The Nephites showed themselves to be no different than those two major civilizations that preceded them on this continent. The prophet Nephi publicly rebuked the Gadiantons of his day for looking to “get gain” by “plunder[ing]” and “stealing” (Helaman 7:21). For at the time, the Gadiantons “had overspread all the land,” and by obtaining “the sole management of the government,” they were able to seduce “the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38—emphasis added). Not only did the Nephite Gadiantons use the power of government to steal, they who put them into office made sure they got their share. With the power of government at their disposal, all of these secret combinations (of the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites) had an instrument by which they could channel their limitless greed in their desire to obtain wealth and get gain. The oaths and secret plans, which they made, were the Satanic tools used to help them in their efforts in obtaining those spoils.

Secret Combinations as Destroyers of the Family One aspect of their oaths is not very apparent with a casual reading of the scriptures, but in looking at the larger picture of the behavior of secret combinations, it becomes painstakingly clear. Secret combinations make a mockery of and attack the family as a social unit like no other organization. In many instances in the scriptures that deal with the formation of secret Secret Works Of Darkness 127 combinations, it was often one family member, combining with other people, to slay another member. Cain slew his brother Abel after making a pact with Satan (Moses 5:29, 32). One of Lamech’s relatives, named Irad, revealed the secrets of Lamech’s conspiracy (Moses 5:49). Lamech “slew him” “for the oath’s sake” (Moses 5:50). During the Antediluvian days of Enoch, secret combinations spread everywhere, and “a man’s hand was against his own brother” (Moses 6:15). The first secret society among the Jaredites resulted from Jared’s desire to have the throne of Omer, who was his father. Heth formed a secret combination to “destroy his father” (Ether 9:26). During Nephite times, Seantum, a member of Gadianton’s band, murdered his own brother Seezoram, who was the chief judge and a Gadianton, so that he, Seantum, might have the seat of power (Helaman 8:27-28; 9:6, 23-35). Secret combinations view the family strictly from a utilitarian standpoint. Even though Akish groomed his own sons for service in his conspiracy (Ether 9:10), his jealous feelings towards one of his sons, led him to starve him to death in a prison (Ether 9:7). Shiz swore vengeance upon Coriantumr for killing his brother, Lib (Ether 14:24). It is doubtful that Shiz’s motive was out of any love for his brother since Satan had “full power over the hearts of the” Jaredites at that time (Ether 15:19). Based on the scriptural record, it seems that the loyalty of the secret combination stands above everything else, including the family. Family members who stand in the way of the secret combination’s goals are quickly eliminated. If they will help further the aims of the conspiracy, then they can be recruited. Instead of binding themselves to God, under a priesthood seal, in a bond of eternal love, secret combinations bind themselves to Satan at no matter what the cost, even to the destruction of their own families, and everyone else’s, if need be. While families that seek to do the Lord’s will are sealed together in a circle or bond of eternal love, secret combinations bind themselves in terrible blood oaths, so that if they reveal their secrets, they will “lose [their] heads” (Ether 8:14). The gospel provides a pathway for families to travel on towards 128 The Hidden Things Of Darkness eternal life. Secret combinations, on the other hand, are the epitome of anti-family, leading all who belong to them, or who support and build them up, down the path of “everlasting destruction” (Helaman 6:40).

Not All Actually Received the Oaths from Satan Himself Nephi’s brother Jacob, a Book of Mormon prophet, taught his people that Satan can transform “himself nigh unto an angel of light,” and stir “up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder and all manner of secret works of darkness” (2 Nephi 9:9). That he appeared unto Cain, and most likely his immediate successors (Lamech’s group), has been amply documented thus far. However, it is not known that Satan personally administered the oaths to all those who joined secret combinations, in each generation in which they flourished. The scriptures only detail his appearing at the founding of each conspiracy beginning with Cain, Lamech, and certain other Antediluvians, and then infer such an appearance with the Jaredites, and finally the Nephites. Satan’s disciples in turn would administer the oaths to those inner circle members that they brought in. It seems reasonable that the lower levels of their membership, along with the vast numbers of their unwitting supporters on the outside, were never initiated into the oaths by Satan himself. For example, when Akish brought together his secret combination, it was he which did “administer” the oaths unto the members (Ether 8:15). It seems that he received them from Satan first, and then in turn administered them to his immediate supporters. But whether or not it happened exactly that way, the record does not state. What is important in regards to all of this is that they are Satan’s plans. Mormon wrote that Satan “doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men” (Helaman 6:30). And when men who seek “power” are able to “gain power” (Ether 8:16) by making pacts with the devil himself, it is no wonder that those oaths become “a means of bringing down the people unto destruction” (Helaman 6:25). Secret Works Of Darkness 129

Whether or not Satan administers them personally to his power-hungry servants, the effect is the same. In the case of the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites, those oaths were how Satan “spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell” (Helaman 6:28).

What Is the Relevance?

Since most, if not all, Latter-day Saints will never witness the administration of such blasphemous, Satanic oaths, let alone participate in them, a natural question that comes to mind would be, what is the point in recounting all of this material here? For that matter, what is the relevance of knowing any of this since it is so distasteful and so evil? Mormon thought it was relevant, for he and his son Moroni documented these things in detail. Mormon also included in his abridgment the small plates of Nephi, which contain one of Nephi’s prophecies that warns the Gentiles living in the latter days, that there will be “secret combinations, even as in times of old” (2 Nephi 26:22). Mormon would have expected the Gentiles to understand that modern day secret combinations would exist in the last days that are the same as they “of old.” As was shown, such were oath-bound worshippers of Satan. Based on Nephi’s prophecy, as well as Moroni’s (see Ether 8:22-25), and in light of all the details regarding the nature of those oaths, it is evident that Book of Mormon prophets wanted their readership in modern times to learn something about this material. What is it that may be learned from these “secret works of darkness?” For one thing, as simple as it might sound, it is to show that these people are as cunning and calculating as they are evil. They cannot be bought out, swayed from their agenda, or placated. They are absolutely devoted to the cause of enslaving the human race. That is their whole desire and purpose in life. From their victims’ point of view, what they actually accomplish in that endeavor is the destruction and misery of all of mankind. The fact that such secret combinations are willing to make pacts 130 The Hidden Things Of Darkness with Satan himself shows how determined they are in that effort. Three major ancient American civilizations were destroyed because their victims failed to understand this simple fact. This is the main reason for having examined this particular aspect of secret combinations. Another idea to consider in addressing that question is that based on the sheer numbers of scriptures that address this subject, it is obvious that it was very important to the prophets of the Book of Mormon.* The number of instances the prophets used the words “oath,” “covenant,” “plan,” “plot,” “design,” and “agreement” demonstrate without a doubt the deliberate and calculating nature of the members of secret combinations. Knowing that they were instrumental in bringing down three major American civilizations, Gentiles** (D&C 109:60) should consider what that means for them if they sit idly by, and watch as secret combinations are “built up.” If they allow them to “overspread the land” like their predecessors, until they “obtain the sole management of [their] government” (Helaman 6:39), eventually those same people will be shorn of their freedom and shackled with the chains of slavery. But before showing in the next two chapters how those secret combinations accomplish such an evil agenda, the subject of pride, how it relates to their oaths and covenants, and how Gentiles have been warned against it, will be addressed.

Another Look at Pride After having delved into secret combinations’ manner of worship and actions stemming from their faith, a brief look at the subject of pride is necessary in order to understand the madness to their method, as well as the application for latter-day Gentiles

* See Appendix 3 ** It is a long-standing tradition for Latter-day Saints (LDS) to look upon all non-members as “Gentiles,” but the prophets of the Book of Mormon saw the matter differently. It is true that the Gentiles referred to in 1 Nephi 13 (who were Columbus and other European explorers, as well as the pilgrims), were not Latter-day Saints. However, references to Gentiles in a latter day context, after the Church was restored, also includes Latter-day Saints (D&C 109:60). For the purposes of this study, from this chapter on, unless specifically stated otherwise, the term Gentiles refers to both LDS and non-LDS. Secret Works Of Darkness 131

(D&C 109:60). There is a paradox in human nature that would be difficult, if not impossible, to understand without the inspiration and truth which the scriptures provide, and the teachings of prophets in the latter days. It is a fact that the children of God are beings of agency (D&C 93:23, 29-30). Yet ironically, the Lord has stated that it is the “disposition of almost all men” “to exercise unrighteous dominion” (D&C 121:39) “or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men” (D&C 121:37) in an attempt to curb, or altogether destroy, the free agency of their fellow brothers and sisters. Nowhere is this behavior more pronounced than among oath-bound secret combinations who covenant with Satan, and to each other, to exterminate life and liberty, and expropriate property, in order to get power, authority, and gain. For example, when the daughter of Jared appealed to her father’s pride and “put it into his heart to search up” the secret plans “of old,” and Jared in turn, “put it into the heart of Akish,” Moroni notes that Akish then “administered” the oaths “unto his kindred and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired” (Ether 8:17). When Nephi returned from the land northward to Zarahemla, the Gadiantons were “held in office” so that they might “rule and do according to their wills” (Helaman 7:5). Lest the reader miss Mormon’s point, he reiterated again in the same verse that the Gadiantons did this so that they could “do according to their own wills” (Helaman 7:5). The term for this spiritual malady is called pride. Left unrepented of, in any degree, it is most certainly individually terminal, spiritually speaking. But for nations that succumb to letting secret combinations get above them, the effects, if left unchecked, are calamitous. President Ezra Taft Benson defined pride as “enmity toward God and enmity toward” one’s “fellowmen.”1 If one’s enmity is directed towards God, then the resulting behavior is to reject His laws, by degrees, or in totality, and to set up one’s own code of behavior. Cain, the Antediluvian conpiracies, the Jaredite secret

1 President Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), May 1989, p. 4. 132 The Hidden Things Of Darkness societies, and the Nephite Gadiantons made it an official tenet of their religion. If one’s enmity is directed towards his fellow brothers and sisters, then the resulting behavior is to “exercise unrighteous dominion,” and “compulsion” over others, with its severity being directly related to the degree of that mistreatment. When these two tendencies combine, it is plain to see that a person who rejects God’s laws in totality, sets up his own rules (which are really Lucifer’s by default), becomes a law unto himself, and then compels all others to conform to his own will, is an idolator of the worst kind. Indeed, compulsory worship of human idols, which in turn worship Lucifer himself, has to be the grossest and most blasphemous form of idolatry known to man, being a step beyond statolatry. In his talk on pride, President Benson said that one’s “degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters.”1 Since secret combinations are the “most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God” (Ether 8:18), it should be no surprise that they attract, and fill their ranks with, people who have the highest degree of pride that is humanly possible. And in light of the War in Heaven, it is easy to see why these people seek to enslave everyone else. Since they are devoted followers of Lucifer, they are merely mirroring their master, who it is remembered, sought to dethrone God and make himself the ruler of all. That the Book of Mormon prophets showed concern with how the fruits of Gentile pride would bear themselves is evident in their prophetic warnings and commentaries. Moroni wrote that secret combinations had “caused the destruction of [the Jaredites], and also the destruction of the people of Nephi” (Ether 8:21). Moroni’s statement is an echoing link to his father’s words, who wrote to him, “the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction” (Moroni 8:27). The Book of Mormon’s prophets warned the Gentiles emphatically against a great, worldwide, latter-day secret combination (see Ether 8:22-25). In light of that warning,

1 Pres. Benson, “Beware of Pride,” p. 6 Secret Works Of Darkness 133 coupled with Mormon’s comment on how pride and secret combinations led their nation to destruction, the following warning from the Lord Himself should be both of concern to Latter-day Saints, as well as instructive. He said, “beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old” (D&C 38:39).*

The Oaths and Covenants in Review While the scriptures forbid the disclosure of the exact nature of those oaths, word for word, they do show what the general nature of those oaths is. Receiving their “anointing[s]” under the hand of evil, members of secret combinations make blasphemous oaths in mockery of God, while simultaneously pledging their souls to Satan, to be used in pursuit of his agenda and plan. That Cain, Lamech, and others made those oaths to Satan in person the scriptural record plainly shows. Whether or not their ideological descendants did the same, it is not known, but they did “[hand them] down” (3 Nephi 3:9), “from generation to generation” (Helaman 6:30). Since secret combinations do not want their blasphemous oaths and covenants divulged to the world, they have two means of protecting themselves and their plans. First, so that they “might” be able to “distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant,” they had their “secret signs” and their “secret words” which they could give to one another (Helaman 6:22). This kept outsiders from figuring out who the members of secret combinations were among them. Second, they were under strict prohibition from revealing those oaths to outsiders. But if a conspirator did reveal them, the penalty for doing so was that person’s life (see Moses 5:49-51; Ether 8:14; Helaman 6:24). As stated, the scriptures show the general nature of those oaths and covenants. Members of secret combinations made oaths so that they could become a law unto themselves, commit murder and all manner of whoredoms, and get gain without limit. Endowed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

* Evidently, many professing Latter-day Saints would succumb to pride, because of the “precepts of men,” and be prone to mock these warnings, for Nephi devoted a whole chapter of his second book to expose the vanity of the Gentiles (D&C 109:60), as is recorded in 2 Nephi 28:9-32. 134 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Saints cannot fail to see the diametrically opposite nature of these oaths and covenants to God’s true teachings to His people. While members of secret combinations often recruit within their own family ranks, the scriptures show that they would not hesitate to kill a fellow family member if it would further the goals of the combination itself. This whole subject is repulsive and distasteful to the extreme. Nevertheless, the prophets evidently felt it was important enough to write about, given the large volume of scriptures that testify of these things. The whole reason this material has been explored in any detail is to show with unmistakable clarity that evil people in the past made pacts with the devil in order to aid them in their efforts to enslave mankind. The blindness of the Antediluvians, the Jaredites and the Nephites to this fact cost them their freedom and civilizations. People living in the last days would do well to consider what will happen to their freedom and civilization should they fail to repent of the same mental blindness that afflicted so many of the past generations. Finally, like all sins, the oaths and covenants of secret combinations have their roots in pride. But, this particular aspect of pride has no peer, for the prophets called it “most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God” (Ether 8:18).

Chapter 9

Kingdoms And Glory “… is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?” --Ether 8:9

What is the Purpose of Secret Combinations?

Throughout this tragic historical tapestry, as is portrayed in the scriptures, there is a black thread of evil purpose that runs from beginning to end. The prophets have summed up the purpose of secret combinations with three simple words. They exist for the sole reason of getting “power and gain” (see Mormon 8:40; Ether 8:16, 22-23; 11:15). Mormon wrote that it “was the object of all those who [belong] to” secret combinations to “gain power” (Helaman 2:8). He added that the achievement of that objective is “their secret plan, and their combination” (Helaman 2:8). But what do secret combinations use in order to get gain and accumulate power? The answer lies in identifying their favorite vehicle used in obtaining both. It is corrupt, prostituted government, or Satanocracy.

Secret Combinations Seek to Control Government In each of the sections that follow, it will be shown that, without fail, secret combinations always seek to take over and control government, and then use it in order to enslave the rest of mankind. While there will be much overlap between this chapter, and the previous two, the purpose for looking at the same material once again (but from another angle) is to demonstrate the fact that secret combinations, in the scriptures, sought after government in every single instance. If the government they seek to control is not corrupt from the start, then secret combinations try to devise ways to weaken it, 136 The Hidden Things Of Darkness so that they might overthrow it. In the resulting chaos, they fill the vacuum with their evil power. If outright revolution is not feasible with one fatal blow, then secret combinations try to worm their way into the government, so that they might seize control over it and prostitute it for their own purposes. It is by using corrupt, prostituted government that secret combinations are able to perpetuate their rule over humanity, until God Himself inevitably destroys both they who make up the secret combination, as well as those who built it up (see Ether 8:22-24). Indeed, secret combinations always gravitate toward centers of political power, and stop at nothing until they have achieved their purposes. Since they seek to execute the Adversary’s plan, which is to deprive mankind of freedom and liberty, their best vehicle of choice for doing so is to pervert and corrupt the one organization designed to protect and preserve those freedoms, namely government.

Cain’s Failed Coup D’etat There is no direct indication in the scriptures that Cain gained control of any government. Nevertheless, there is ample testimony given by modern prophets, coupled with scriptural references, that he had the desire and intention to do so. In order to see the evidence in its proper context, a little background information is necessary. In 1872, Elder Orson Pratt gave a discourse in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, in which he said, Governments began to be established in the days of our first parents….Among these governments, however, was maintained also the government of God—a patriarchal government, that continued with the righteous from the days of Adam down till the days of Enoch, and for a short period after his days.1

President Brigham Young referred frequently to this form of government as a theocracy. Continuing with Elder Pratt, he added to the above statement, “this government was patriarchal

1 Elder Orson Pratt, “The Setting Up of God’s Kingdom in These Latter Days,” Journal of Discourses, (Salt Lake City, UT: Stationer’s Hall), February 4 1872, Vol. 15, p. 67. Kingdoms And Glory 137 in its nature, or, in other words, directed and dictated by the Creator of man—the Great Lawgiver…. In other words, a divine government existed on the earth in those ancient times.”1 Adam was the head of that government at the time because it was theocratic in nature and he held the keys of his dispensation. However, many of Adam’s children refused to accept him as their divinely appointed leader. The Book of Moses states that Satan came among the children of Adam and told them to not believe the gospel, “and they believed it not” (Moses 5:13). In time, Adam’s apostate children broke off from the patriarchal government, to which they belonged, and started their own forms of government. In his address at the Tabernacle, Elder Pratt referred to these institutions as “human governments,”2 and remarked that they began to mushroom in number with the passage of time. According to the Prophet Joseph Smith, Abel held “the keys of his dispensation.”3 Since Abel was part of a divine theocracy, he was next in line to stand in Adam’s place as the leader of the theocratic, patriarchal government, because he held the “keys.” Is it not reasonable to suspect, based on these statements from the prophets, that Cain was jealous of Abel’s position, and wanted to rule in his place? Another question worthy of attention is that after Cain became “wroth” (Moses 5:26) with God and refused to listen to Him “anymore,” why did he not just move on and start another human government like his apostate siblings, or join with them in their apostasy? The answer is that Cain, with the help of his new master Lucifer, was determined to overthrow and replace God’s revealed theocratic government, in one fell swoop, with a Satanic counterfeit. In the pact Cain made with Satan, it is evident that Satan’s design was to destroy God’s priesthood authority from the earth with the help of someone who was in a position to do it. As corroborating testimony, it should be considered what President Brigham Young said:

1 Pratt, p. 67. 2 Ibid., p. 68. 3 Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 169. 138 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

[Cain] conversed with his God every day, and knew all about the plan of creating this earth, for his father told him. But for the want of humility, and through jealousy, and an anxiety to possess the kingdom, and to have the whole of it under his control, and not allow anybody else the right to say one word, what did he do? He killed his brother.1

Cain wanted to take over and run God’s kingdom as a police state using Satan as his spiritual guide. Emulating his evil master’s premortal plan (see D&C 76:28), Cain wanted to place everything and everyone “under his control, and not allow anybody else the right to say one word” in opposition to it. It is difficult to find a more apt description of totalitarian Satanocracy, than Brigham Young’s statement. The Lord would not allow this follower of the “enemy of all righteousness” to control and rule over His righteous children, so He cursed Cain for his wicked and vile deed (Moses 5:37). Cain then became a wanderer and a vagabond throughout the earth (Moses 5:39). God replaced the righteous Abel with his brother Seth. This is confirmed by Adam’s declaration that “God hath appointed me another seed, instead of Abel, whom Cain slew” (Moses 6:2). Even though Satan’s initial efforts to take control of an earthly government to implement his premortal plan did not come to fruition through Cain’s efforts, the course was set, leaving it for others to pursue. That they were successful in doing so is substantiated in the scriptural record.

Antediluvians in Cain’s Footsteps Cain did fail in his attempt to take over the kingdom, but those who followed him had marked success. The Antediluvian conspirators endeavored to overthrow existing governments and then to propel themselves into power. While the accounts currently available are sketchy regarding these conspiracies in their efforts to control government, the question posed by the daughter of Jared to her father shows that their scriptures used to contain many details of those events.

1 Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 104. Kingdoms And Glory 139

Jared’s daughter reminded him that in the record, which their fathers brought across the ocean, it contained “an account concerning them of old,” “that…by their secret plans [they] did obtain kingdoms and great glory” (Ether 8:9). While the scriptures do not currently contain a detailed account of that history, the Book of Moses does give some fragmentary generalizations of what happened. After Cain moved “to the land of Nod,” he and his wife, and “many of his brethren” (Moses 5:41), built a city. Cain’s third great-grandson Lamech “entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49). Even though “from the days of Cain…there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark,” it seems that in Lamech’s day these secret societies catapulted themselves into power because at that time “they began to spread among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:51- 52). As generations passed, and the “children of men” became “numerous upon all the face of the land” (Moses 6:15), these evil conspiracies assumed near total control over the earth’s inhabitants. In a brief statement describing those times, Moses records that “the works of darkness began to prevail among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:55—emphasis added). Since these secret combinations prevailed on the earth, “Satan had great dominion among men” (Moses 6:15). Because of the evil leavening effect of these conspiracies, at that point in Antediluvian history, Moses records that “from thenceforth came wars and bloodshed” (Moses 6:15). Moses’ political commentary of the time was that “a man’s hand was against his own brother, in administering death, because of secret works, seeking for power” (Moses 6:15). Thus were the characteristics of those times; namely secret oaths and plans, murder, assassinations, wars, bloodshed and men seeking for power. All of these sins reared their ugly heads as evil men grappled in a deadly contest to gain control over the governments of the earth. Their Satanic ambition for obtaining “kingdoms” and “great glory” (Ether 8:9) eventually caused the “whole face of the earth” to be “veiled” “with darkness” (Moses 7:26) and by their “oaths,” they had “brought upon themselves death” (Moses 6:29). Enoch’s vision shows the big picture. He 140 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“beheld Satan” looking up and laughing as he held “a great chain in his hand” (Moses 7:26). So sweeping was Lucifer’s success that when God looked upon His children on the earth, He saw that “every man was lifted up in the imagination of the thoughts of his heart, being only evil continually” (Moses 8:22). So complete was Satan’s spreading of wickedness through secret combinations, that when “God looked upon the earth,” He remarked that “all flesh had [become] corrupted” (Moses 8:29). At that point, God vowed to “destroy all flesh from off the earth” (Moses 8:30). With Satan’s dedicated agents enveloping the earth in so much evil, and with a population at large who was willing enough to let it happen, the devil was able to drag the world’s first major civilization to complete destruction.

The Jaredites’ Penchant for Kingdoms and Glory The Book of Ether recounts three periods in which Jaredite secret combinations sought to gain control of government and enslave the people. What follows is a brief recap of the evidence showing that such is the case. Some of it is repetitive of information presented in prior chapters, but its emphasis is on their efforts to control government. Even though Jared, his daughter, Akish, and their Jaredite kin had a scriptural record of what eventually happened (i.e. The Great Flood) to those who embraced the oaths and covenants of the Evil One in Antediluvian times, they still went ahead and formed a secret combination. They were willing to trade their souls to the devil himself in exchange for obtaining “kingdoms” and “great glory” (Ether 8:9) here in mortality, a temporary and fleeting arrangement with severe eternal consequences. They were blinded with pride, being completely spiritually nearsighted and recklessly indifferent of history, as is evidenced in their behavior. Lest it be forgotten why these Jaredite secret societies wanted to obtain “kingdoms” (Ether 8:9), Moroni reminds the reader that these oaths were for people who “sought power;” raw, unbridled, political power (Ether 8:15). After forming their infamous secret combination, “they did overthrow the kingdom Kingdoms And Glory 141 of Omer” (Ether 9:1). But Akish was “desirous for power,” too (Ether 9:11), so he dethroned his father-in-law “as he sat upon his throne,” thus obtaining the kingdom for himself (Ether 9:5), and reigning in Jared’s “stead” (Ether 9:6). This first group of conspirators was wiped out in a war between themselves in a grapple for power, thus bringing to a temporary halt Satan’s efforts to duplicate his Antediluvian successes. The second secret society began when Satan recruited Heth to fully embrace his cause for the destruction of the Jaredite race. Heth “began” “again” to implement “the secret plans…of old” (Ether 9:26) so that he could “destroy his father” (Ether 9:26), who was the king. By slaying his father with his own sword, he dethroned him and reigned “in his stead” (Ether 9:27). Using the power of government to silence his opposition, Heth ordered his subjects to murder the prophets (Ether 9:29). Because of these abominable deeds, the Lord humbled the people with a plague of serpents, and the second group of Jaredite conspirators was destroyed (Ether 9:30-35). The third group of Jaredite secret combinations was the last one, and this time they brought the people down to “an entire destruction” (Helaman 6:28). It started again when a group of robbers “adopted the old plans…after the manner of the ancients,” so that they might overthrow Com’s kingdom (Ether 10:33), but they did “not prevail” (Ether 10:34). The generations that followed each produced power hungry men who sought to overthrow the kingdom in order to rule it (Ether 11:4-14). Some were conspirators, while others were just plain power hungry. In Moron’s day (he being a wicked king), the secret combination then in existence, led by “a mighty man” (Ether 11:15), sought to overthrow Moron (Ether 11:15), which they succeeded in doing. However, Moron gained his kingdom back, but he was overthrown again by “another mighty man” (Ether 11:17). The prophets warned the people of the utter destruction they faced, but the people refused to listen “because of their secret society and wicked abominations” (Ether 11:22). At the end of Jaredite history, a mighty man rose up, whose name was Coriantumr (Ether 13:15), who was a contender for the kingdom. At the time, there were multiple groups who were 142 The Hidden Things Of Darkness trying to put themselves in complete control of the whole kingdom. Although he was not a righteous man, Coriantumr did not belong to any secret combination. But because he was a threat to the Jaredite secret society then in existence, they “sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness” (Ether 13:15). Not surprisingly, their motive for doing so was so that they “might obtain the kingdom” (Ether 13:18). The first major leader of this group was named Shared. He attacked Coriantumr and “did beat him,” and brought “him into captivity” (Ether 13:23). Coriantumr’s four sons came to his rescue and “beat Shared” (Ether 13:24). After regrouping from his loss, Shared and his forces met Coriantumr’s forces again “in the valley of Gilgal” (Ether 13:27). Winning the first battle (Ether 13:28), Coriantumr’s armies were temporarily defeated (Ether 13:29). Undaunted by his losses, Coriantumr “gave Shared battle again in the valley of Gilgal, in which he beat Shared and slew him” (Ether 13:30). Being wounded himself in the thigh, Coriantumr and his troops retreated for two years while the rest of the Jaredite factions throughout the land engaged in massive warfare with “none to restrain them” (Ether 13:31). The brother of Shared, whose name was Gilead, took control of the army, and “gave battle unto Coriantumr” (Ether 14:3). Coriantumr’s armies suffered heavy losses (Ether 14:5), so Gilead “placed himself upon the throne of Coriantumr” (Ether 14:6). Gilead’s army became stronger “because of secret combinations” (Ether 14:8). However, Gilead did not hold on to his power for long. For his own “high priest murdered him as he sat upon his throne” (Ether 14:9). Another conspirator, Lib, wanted to replace his boss, so he murdered the high priest “in a secret pass,” “using one of the secret combinations” (Ether 14:10). Thus he “obtained unto himself the kingdom” (Ether 14:10). Lib was not about to allow Coriantumr to emerge on top of everyone, so when “Coriantumr [went] up into the land of Moron,” Lib met him in battle (Ether 14:11). Both sides volleyed between fighting and retreating, until Kingdoms And Glory 143 eventually, Coriantumr slew Lib in the plains of Agosh (Ether 14:16), thus eliminating another conspiratorial competitor. Nevertheless, Lib had a brother named Shiz (Ether 14:17), whose ambition and ruthlessness to control the kingdom knew no bounds. He did not hesitate to kill everyone in his path as he sought to get his hands on Coriantumr (Ether 14:17-18). Heading the secret combination which controlled the army he commanded, Shiz and his forces pursued Coriantumr relentlessly (Ether 14:24). The two sides met and fought until only Shiz and Coriantumr themselves remained (see Ether 15:4-29). Coriantumr eventually smote off the head of Shiz (Ether 15:30), fulfilling Ether’s prophecy that Coriantumr would not be beaten and that he would be left alone after the entire destruction of his people (see Ether 13:20-22; 14:24). Thus Satan “led on the people who came from that tower into this land” (Helaman 6:28). With the help of some earthly dupes, Satan once again was able to “spread the works of darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an everlasting hell” (Helaman 6:28). Just like in the days of the Antediluvians, he was able to spread his “wicked and secret society” to such a degree that “it…corrupted the hearts of all the people” (Ether 9:6). Like their Antediluvian predecessors, the Jaredites embarked on that suicidal course for the sole reason of gaining “power” (Ether 8:16; compare with Moses 6:15).

The Nephite Gadiantons Sought to Control Government One would think that the Nephites would have learned an historical object lesson, considering that they were able to witness with their own eyes the remnants of the great Jaredite civilization, which had destroyed itself in suicidal fashion (Mosiah 8:8, 12). Also, they had access to the scriptures that let them know what had happened to the Antediluvians, as well as the Jaredites. Yet, notwithstanding the incessant warnings from inspired prophets to not repeat that tragedy, as well as the physical evidence around them that bore mute testimony of what would happen to them if they did, the Nephites still pursued the 144 The Hidden Things Of Darkness path of spiritual and temporal destruction (see Helaman 2:12- 14). Prior to Christ’s visit to America, like their Jaredite predecessors, three Nephite secret combinations rose to power. In each instance, their sole object was to gain complete control of the government. The following scriptures, most of which were cited in previous chapters, are repeated again, but with emphasis on the Gadiantons seeking after the control of government. As will be shown, like the Jaredites, the Nephite secret combinations sought to take over and control government, in every single case, without exception. The rise of the Gadianton robbers among the Nephites came about because a certain political candidate and his followers were very unhappy with the turnout in the Nephites’ national elections. Pahoran “was appointed by the voice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the people of Nephi” (Helaman 1:5). “But behold…that part of the people that were desirous that [Paanchi] should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth” (Helaman 1:7). Inciting the people “to rise up in rebellion against” the Nephites’ government, Paanchi “sought to destroy the liberty of the people” (Helaman 1:8). Paanchi was arrested, tried, and “condemned unto death” (Helaman 1:8). Before he could be executed, his band of followers “sent forth one Kishkumen” to murder “Pahoran as he sat upon his judgment-seat” (Helaman 1:9), which he did. Escaping the grasp of justice, Kishkumen went “unto those that sent him” and they formed the first secret combination so that no one would “tell” “that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran” (Helaman 1:11). This newly formed conspiracy then mingled “themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not be found” (Helaman 1:12). Pacumeni, one of the candidates who lost, “was appointed, according to the voice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the people” (Helaman 1:13) to replace Pahoran. The Gadiantons, in the meantime, waited patiently for another opportunity to strike. The band of Gadianton robbers prepared to take over the Nephite nation when the time was right. Kingdoms And Glory 145

After the Nephites repelled the attack of the Lamanites in another war, in which the newly elected chief judge Pacumeni was killed, Helaman was “appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the voice of the people” (Helaman 2:2). The next target of the band’s designs was Helaman. Gadianton promised his secret combination that if they would assassinate Helaman and place him [Gadianton] “in the judgment-seat,” “he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people” (Helaman 2:5). Kishkumen failed to accomplish his murderous design. Being stabbed to death by a servant of Helaman, who was trying to protect the chief judge, the band of Gadianton failed once again to take over the Nephite government. (Helaman 2:8-9). Sensing something had happened to Kishkumen, Gadianton and his band fled so that they could regroup and try again in the future (Helaman 2:11). Slipping back into the Nephite capitol unnoticed, the conspiracy returned secretly and added Cezoram, the new chief judge, to their hit list when he was “murdered by an unknown hand” (Helaman 6:15, 19). His son met the same fate, but the Gadiantons still failed to take the government by force (Helaman 6:15). However, because the Nephites became “exceedingly wicked,” not long thereafter, the majority of them exercised their vote and did “support” the band of Gadianton (Helaman 6:38) right into government office. Thus in less than two years, and without bloodshed, the Gadiantons obtained “the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:39). Returning from the “land northward” (Helaman 7:2), where the people “did reject all his words” (Helaman 7:3), the prophet Nephi agonized in his soul (Helaman 7:6) when he saw “the people in a state of such awful wickedness” (Helaman 7:5) in his own land of residence. The “Gadianton robbers” filled “the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4), so that they could be “held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills” (Helaman 7:5). In just a short space of time, the Gadianton robbers became the political leaders of the Nephite nation. However, their rule was brief, for within seven years, they were 146 The Hidden Things Of Darkness wiped out by a war, and then by a famine (Helaman 11:1, 2, 6- 8). The next group of Gadianton robbers was formed by a man named Giddianhi (Helaman 11:26; see also 3 Nephi 3:1). Like the first group of Gadianton robbers, his sole object was to gain control of the Nephite government. While the first group of Gadiantons demonstrated an amazing amount of patience in order to wait for the right moment to take over the government, Giddianhi had none. Laying all of his plans out in the open, he demanded outright, in an epistle written to the chief governor Lachoneus, that he be given the “rights of government” (3 Nephi 3:10), or his men would utterly destroy them (3 Nephi 3:3). In this particular instance, there were enough righteous Nephites that Giddianhi and his band failed in their efforts to defeat them in battle and the Lord protected them (3 Nephi 3:20, 21). Hence, the second group of Nephite Gadiantons was destroyed, short of their goal of total government control (3 Nephi 4:12-14). By way of observation, it is interesting to note that the first group of Gadiantons sought to take over government by being voted into power, which they achieved. The second group went about their plan differently. Instead of seeking to take over the government using the ballot box, they threatened to use overwhelming force to achieve what they wanted. Nevertheless, though the two methods differed, their intended result was the same. Both groups wanted to be in control of the government. The only difference is that one group used patient gradualism, while the other sought to take it over with one swift, fatal blow. Less than twelve years after the second group was destroyed, a third band formed for the sake of “more easily” (Helaman 7:5) committing murder (3 Nephi 6:23). The record states that the people did “wilfully rebel against God” and that “there began to be men inspired from heaven” who testified “boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people” (3 Nephi 6:18, 20). Mormon listed two sins that stood out above the rest. The chief judges, lawyers, and apostate high priests (3 Nephi 6:21) were seeking for “power” and “authority” (3 Nephi 6:15). As usual, “many of the people…were exceedingly angry because of” the righteous men “who testified [against those] things” (3 Nephi 6:21). Kingdoms And Glory 147

The plain speech of those inspired men was intolerable for the new group of conspirators, so those servants of God were “taken and put to death secretly by the judges” (3 Nephi 6:23). Those who committed these abominable deeds were arrested and were about to be tried for murder (3 Nephi 6:25-26). Seeking to nullify justice, “almost all the lawyers and high priests…did gather themselves together, and unite with the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to the law” (3 Nephi 6:27). Forming a secret combination, they did “set at defiance the law and the rights of their country,” and they did “covenant one with another to destroy the governor” (3 Nephi 6:28). They wanted to “establish a king over the land, that the land should no more be at liberty” (3 Nephi 6:30). Although they were not successful in establishing a king (3 Nephi 7:1), the “regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets” (3 Nephi 7:6). Even though they only obtained half of their objective, Mormon records that in an attempt to follow through with their efforts to take over the government, they “did place at their head a man whom they did call...their king” (3 Nephi 7:9-10), whose name was Jacob (3 Nephi 7:9). Because of such wickedness, this third group of Gadianton robbers was destroyed by fire from heaven (3 Nephi 9:9), sent down by the Lord to wipe out the abominable kingdom they had built up (3 Nephi 7:12).

The Last Nephite Secret Combination After Christ had visited His “other sheep” in America (John 10:16, 3 Nephi 15:21), and they had enjoyed nearly 200 years of peace and righteousness, apostasy crept in and they turned to evil again. Mormon records that “the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton” (4 Nephi 1:42). This band, like all the rest, “did spread over all the face of the land” (4 Nephi 1:46). Although the record does not specifically state that they sought after government, two verses clue the reader in that such was the case. 148 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

As Mormon watched Nephite and Lamanite society reach the near bottom in degeneracy, he remarked that the “land was filled with robbers” (Mormon 2:8). Also, there was so much bloodshed and “carnage,” that everything became “one complete revolution throughout all the face of the land” (Mormon 2:8). Murderous warfare and violent revolutions, such as the ones Mormon mentions, are waged by those who seek to take over and control government. Apparently, at one point in time, the robbers did take over the government, for when Mormon was leading the Nephites, he tried to buy some time for his people to stem the unceasing onslaught of Lamanite and Gadianton robber aggression. In his efforts to do so, he “made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton” (Mormon 2:28), thus showing that by then, the Gadiantons were a recognizable government. Of course, like every society that had preceded them, who had built up the secret combinations of their day and allowed them to take over the government, these particular Nephites were wiped out as well, to the last man. Only Moroni remained to relate “the sad tale of the destruction of [his] people” (Mormon 8:3), and included it in his father’s work.

Secret Combinations Seeking after Corrupt Government in Review Since the beginning of the earth’s temporal history, from Cain, Lamech and their Antediluvian followers, to the Jaredites, and to the Nephites, both before and after Christ’s visit to America, secret combinations seeking after power have always sought to prostitute and control government. The reason they did so is amply evidenced by the scriptures. Because government’s sole function is to protect the rights of its citizenry, then it is the one organization secret combinations must corrupt and control in order to use it to execute their Satanic agenda, and to enslave their victims. The agenda of secret combinations, the “object” of which is to “murder, and to rob, and to gain power” (Helaman 2:8), strikes at the heart of mankind’s three great God-given rights, namely life, liberty and property, and is diametrically opposite of Kingdoms And Glory 149

God’s plan for His children. Using Satanocracy to destroy the lives and liberties of their victims, and to steal their properties, is the essence of what they practice. Scriptural history documents that they were tragically successful at doing so.

Chapter 10

Political Beliefs, Methods, And Tactics Of Secret Combinations “And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government… [by] filling the judgment-seats… [and usurping] the power and authority of the land…to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills.” --Helaman 6:39; 7:4-5

Political Characteristics of Secret Combinations

In the previous chapter, the scriptures showed in every single case, that when a secret combination formed, it was for the express purpose of taking over the existing government. Since government is always the organization of choice that secret combinations seek to control, so that they might get “power and gain,” there are logical questions that naturally arise. What are the political beliefs and practices of secret combinations? How do they execute their political agenda so that they might gain control over those they seek to enslave? What are their methods and tactics? In the sections to follow, several political characteristics of secret combinations, based on the scriptures, will be identified.

Enemies of Freedom If there is a single political characteristic that defines what secret combinations are, it is that they are the enemies of freedom. This evil is at the core of the foundation of these groups of oath-bound Satanocrats. As was cited earlier, Cain wanted to establish the kind of government where nobody could 152 The Hidden Things Of Darkness have “the right to say one word” against it. In modern times, people refer to that kind of government as a police state. It is, in essence, pure totalitarianism. Cain’s Antediluvian followers sought for the same things as he did since they received the same oaths and made the same plans. In light of that, coupled with the fact that Satan is the great enemy of freedom, it is easy to see why Moses wrote prior to the Flood that “the power of Satan was upon all the face of the earth” (Moses 7:24). He also wrote that Enoch saw Satan holding a “great chain in his hand” (Moses 7:26), undoubtedly meaning that he, through the efforts of his conspiring followers, had brought the entire human race into captivity. The Jaredite secret societies patterned their governments after Cain’s desire, as well. When the prophets came among them “to declare unto them concerning their iniquities,” these secret combinations would not allow them the freedom to speak “one word” against their wicked government, so they “murdered” them “all” (Alma 37:30), in Cainite fashion. Giddianhi displayed his utter contempt for freedom when he mocked Lachoneus and his people in their efforts to defend their rights (3 Nephi 3:2). In his epistle, he praised them for their “firmness” “in maintaining that which ye suppose to be your right and liberty,” in the defence of “your property, and your country, or that which ye do call so” (3 Nephi 3:2). Giddianhi’s semi-sarcastic tone reveals his extreme contempt for human freedom in his use of the words “suppose” and “that which ye do call so.” Because the Gadianton robbers sought to enslave them, the Nephites were “compelled” to “take up arms against [them]” in order to “maintain…their freedom and their liberty” (3 Nephi 2:12). Just before Christ’s visit to the American continent, the third band of Gadianton robbers sought to put a ruthless king into power so “that the land should no more be at liberty” (3 Nephi 6:30).

Always Seeking for Power Since secret combinations are always seeking to destroy freedom, it follows that in order to do so they always seek to gain power. As already stated in prior sections, Cain’s efforts to Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 153 kill Abel were so that he could take over the theocratic government, and exercise his newly acquired power, with Satan’s complete guidance. Cain’s Antediluvian followers also sought “for power” (Moses 6:15). The Jaredite secret combinations were formed, notes Moroni, “to help such as sought for power to gain power” (Ether 8:16). Furthermore, he notes, Akish did “administer unto them the oaths which were given by them of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even from Cain” (Ether 8:15), thus showing unequivocally that Cain, his Antediluvian followers, and the Jaredites all wanted the same thing. They all sought for raw, absolute, total power. At the founding of the first Gadianton conspiracy, Kishkumen promised that if his followers would put him into the judgment-seat, “he would grant unto those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in power and authority among the people” (Helaman 2:5). After being voted into office by a wicked majority, and upon filling the “judgment-seats,” they simply “usurped” that power (Helaman 7:4). The third group of Gadiantons put the prophets to death who spoke out against them. Since they lacked the “power” of government to do so (3 Nephi 6:22), and in order to legitimize their murderous actions, they sought to take over that power so they could murder their opponents with impunity (3 Nephi 6:29), and slaughter the Lord’s righteous.

Supporting and Enforcing Corrupt Laws In the quest for secret combinations to gain power, an integral part of their pursuit is to change and corrupt (or further corrupt them, if they are already as such) the laws so that they might create and “usurp” more of their manufactured authority. The scriptures reveal over and over again that secret combinations support and enforce corrupt laws. In the case of the first band of Gadianton robbers, the wicked Nephites helped pave the way for Satan’s high priests to take over the government by “[altering] and [trampling] under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people” (Helaman 4:22). Sadly, they were even 154 The Hidden Things Of Darkness conscious of their condition, for Mormon wrote, “they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people” (Helaman 4:22). When Nephi yielded up the judgment-seat to Cezoram, the laws became even more “corrupted,” so therefore they “were ripening for destruction” (Helaman 5:1). Nephi, being “weary” of their iniquity, “took it upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days” (Helaman 5:4). In his mission to call the people to repentance, in some areas of the nation, Nephi experienced great success. After having some success, Nephi “went into the land northward, to preach unto the people” (Helaman 6:6). While on his mission, the Nephite capital of Zarahemla served as the Gadiantons’ launching point, by which they “overspread all the land of the Nephites,” until they “did obtain the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:38). At that point, the country was in “an awful state” (Helaman 6:40). Returning “to the land of Zarahemla from the land northward” (Helaman 7:1), where the people there “did reject all his words,” Nephi saw “the people in a state of such awful wickedness” (Helaman 7:4). He saw how the “Gadianton robbers fill[ed] the judgment-seats;” that they had “usurped the power and authority of the land;” corrupted the laws so badly that they did “no justice unto the children of men;” and that they were “held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills” (Helaman 7:4-5). Boiling with righteous indignation, Nephi began to denounce all of their wickedness (Helaman 7:6-29). Striking at the heart of their political wickedness, he condemned the people for uniting themselves to “that secret band” of Gadianton (Helaman 7:25). While the Book of Mormon does not record what he said concerning their corrupt laws, it is evident that he said much. Mormon commented, “for behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law,” and “many things” he spake “which” could not “be written” (Helaman 8:3). Because of Nephi’s boldness, the “judges” in the crowd, who “also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton,” did “cry out “against him” (Helaman 8:1). Riled with anger, they demanded that he be “condemned” for reviling “against this people and against [their] law” (Helaman 8:2). In Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 155 reaction to his righteous denunciation, “those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness” (Helaman 8:4). While the Jaredite record does not specifically mention corrupt laws, it is evident that they too engaged in that abominable practice. While forming the first secret combination (in wording very similar to that found in Helaman 7:4-5), Akish administered the oaths to his band “to help such as sought power to gain power” (Ether 8:16), “leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired” (Ether 8:17). Doing “whatsoever thing he desired” would correspondingly mean that Akish would have had to alter the laws in order to run his kingdom in such a fashion. Overthrowing the government of Omer (Ether 9:1), he and his co-conspirators took over the kingdom. And just as the Gadiantions had “overspread all the land of the Nephites” (Helaman 6:38), this “wicked” Jaredite “secret society” spread so much that “it…corrupted the hearts of all the people” (Ether 9:6). When Heth became the leader of the next generation of Jaredite secret societies, his people persecuted and murdered the prophets who spoke out against his corrupt regime. Moroni noted that the people did “all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth” (Ether 9:29). It is hard to fathom how much farther one can corrupt the laws, than by mandating the murder of one’s political enemies. Eventually, the last group of Jaredite conspiracies, like their Nephite successors, “did reject all the words of the prophets” (Ether 11:22), just as the Nephites had altered all of the laws which Mosiah the prophet had given them. In the absence of any moral foundation, Satan was able to write his laws upon the hearts of the Jaredites, insomuch that he “had full power over the hearts of the people” (Ether 15:19).

Using the Power of Government to Steal and Get Gain As was demonstrated in previous chapters, government itself can become an instrument of theft and plunder if the power delegated to it to protect property is perverted into a license to steal. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that legalized theft is a 156 The Hidden Things Of Darkness primary political agenda of secret combinations when they are in control of government. As the Nephite Gadianton robbers obtained “the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:38), it was for the purpose of being “held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their own wills,” so that they “might the more easily…steal” (Helaman 7:5). Publicly confronting the Gadianton band for the “corruptness of their law” (Helaman 8:3), Nephi scolded them for setting their “hearts upon the riches and the vain things of the world, for the which ye do…plunder, and steal” (Helaman 7:21).

False Philanthropists Professing Communal Ownership1 Another political characteristic of secret combinations is one that has its roots in the War in Heaven. Secret combinations, like their master Lucifer, are the consummate false philanthropists. As was shown in the first chapter regarding the War in Heaven, Satan did not really care about his brothers and sisters. He simply wanted to dethrone God and rule in His place. His ranting about the welfare of his brothers and sisters was the bait to attract many of his followers towards accepting his plan. Secret combinations have honed this tactic to a fine art in mortality. The most brazen and crass example of this tactic is found in the words of Giddianhi, the kingpin of the Gadianton band. In his classic letter to Lachoneus, Giddianhi said that he wrote his “epistle” to the Nephites “feeling for [their] welfare” (3 Nephi 3:5). So what did he propose to do? He simply demanded that the Nephites “yield” over their cities, lands and possessions so that Giddianhi could properly distribute them the way he saw fit because of the many “wrongs” (3 Nephi 3:10) which his people had allegedly suffered at their hands. Presenting himself as being fairly reasonable, he made a proposal to the Nephites. Said he, “yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our brethren that ye may be like unto us—not our slaves, but our brethren and partners of all our substance” (3 Nephi 3:7).

1 H. Verlan Andersen, Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen, (Orem, UT: H. Verlan Andersen, 1967), p. 60. Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 157

Notwithstanding his rhetoric, would it be cynical to doubt his sincerity, regarding his proposed communal ownership of everything? Do people who are obsessed with power and material gain really want to share their wealth with everyone? Did Satan want to share his glory with everyone had his plan prevailed and been executed? The Nephites, some 40 years earlier, unlike Lachoneus, were duped by this tactic of feigning concern for the people’s “welfare.” Mormon wrote that they were “seduced” by the Gadiantons, starting with the “more wicked part of them” until they brought down “the more part of the righteous” to “believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38). Despite all of their feigned charity, they still did “trample under and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor” (Helaman 6:39), “doing no justice unto the children of men” (Helaman 7:4). Such behavior is not unique to these two scriptural incidents. As a matter of fact, the First Presidency issued a statement in 1942, stating that it was “a technique that is as old as the human race.” It is a “fervid but false solicitude for the unfortunate over whom [Satanocrats] thus gain mastery, and then enslave them.”1 In describing the same tactic, John Birch Society founder Robert Welch wrote, “the most cruel exploiters in human history have made their greatest progress largely under the guise of condemning exploitation.”2 Before moving on, it is worth comparing and contrasting the Lord’s program for caring for the poor, with Satan’s plan of “compulsory charity.” Compulsory charity by government decree is legalized theft. To Moses, the Lord said, “thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil” (Exodus 23:2), and that includes voting for unjust laws, which compel citizens to perform charitable acts, against their will. No matter how many people condone it, even if it is declared legal by government decree, since when does a majority make that which is wrong, right?

1 Newquist, Prophets, Principles, And National Survival, p. 213. 2 Robert Welch, “The Truth In Time,” American Opinion, (Belmont, MA: Robert Welch, Inc.), November, 1966, p. 13. 158 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

To Joseph Smith the Lord said, “thou shalt not take thy brother’s garment; thou shalt pay for that which thou shalt receive of thy brother” (D&C 42:54). Not even under the law of consecration is taking something without permission acceptable. In order to properly care for the less fortunate, the Lord said, “thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of they properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them” (D&C 42:30). The Lord added, “and if thou obtainest more than that which would be for thy support, thou shalt give it into my storehouse” (D&C 42:55). Only by abiding by those principles will a Zion society be achievable. Satan’s deceptive counterfeit of government plunder only results in misery and want for all, excepting of course for the false philanthropists who are in charge of administering the goods!

Corrupt and Open Political Platform, But Hidden Agenda Human beings in general usually do not take it very well if it is found out that a group of secretive individuals are plotting to destroy their lives, abolish their liberties, or steal all of their property. Therefore, members of secret combinations must always maintain the strictest secrecy concerning their hidden agenda, or “works of darkness,” notwithstanding the fact that their political practices are an open book. This fact is well attested by the prophet Nephi’s experience in the Book of Mormon. As the Gadiantons campaigned for their particular political agenda to the Nephites, the record states that they “did build them up and support them” (Helaman 6:38). Gaining more and more influence, and with that support, they did “overspread all the land of the Nephites and…seduced the more righteous part until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38). Thus did the majority of the public approve of their political platform and embrace it completely. However, that it was important for the Gadiantons to keep their real agenda hidden is demonstrated by the prophet Nephi’s confrontation with some of them. When Nephi returned from preaching in the land northward, he saw “the people in a state Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 159 of…awful wickedness, [with] those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats,” having “usurped the power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4). Constrained by the Spirit, he climbed on a garden tower (Helaman 7:10) and began to expose Gadianton’s band and its hidden agenda to the people. With thunderous prophetic denunciation, he lashed out, stating, “wo be unto you because of that great abomination which has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea, to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!” (Helaman 7:25). That the Gadiantons were very uncomfortable with Nephi’s exposure of their band and hidden agenda is evidenced by their efforts to initiate damage control by accusing him of sedition, thus shifting the focus from them to him (Helaman 8:1-3).

Smearing the Voices of Exposure Another characteristic of secret combinations is their method of handling those who, in a principled manner, criticize their political agenda, as well as expose their hidden plan. Because Nephi exposed, with such devastating accuracy, so much of their hidden plans and agenda, the Gadiantons responded predictably, launching into a tirade of smears aimed at discrediting him, while removing the attention that had been focused on their band. Some of those present, “who were judges,” and who were part of the crowd he was scolding, “also belonged to the secret band of Gadianton” (Helaman 8:1). Nephi’s public exposure of their hidden plans hit the target dead center, for Nephi had spoken “plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness” (Helaman 8:4), and “many things did [he] speak which” Mormon did not write (Helaman 8:4). Reacting in predictable fashion, “they were angry and…cried out against him” that he should be “condemned according to the crime” of which they accused him (Helaman 8:2), and also against the government. Thus did the Gadiantons shift the public’s attention from their evil deeds to the alleged crimes that they trumped up in order to discredit Nephi. And with their smear tactics, Mormon noted “that…they did stir up the people to anger against Nephi and raised contentions among them” (Helaman 8:7). From that moment forward, as the wicked 160 The Hidden Things Of Darkness majority squabbled over the spoils provided by their plundering political leaders, and because of the Gadiantons’ effectiveness at smearing the voice of exposure, the public was kept confused as to what was really happening to their nation. A destructive war helped to clear their vision in brutal fashion, followed by a famine that helped drive the wicked to their repentant knees.

Stirring up the Masses Closely related to the tactic of smearing the voices of exposure is how secret combinations stir up the masses in order to keep the confused public off balance and distracted from the real issues. In Nephi’s experience of confronting the Gadianton band is this political characteristic and tactic shown forth with clarity. As Nephi exposed the Gadianton conspiracy in public, Lucifer’s high priests of corrupt government accused him of having committed a “crime” (Helaman 8:1) for reviling against “this people and against” their “law” (Helaman 8:2). Hence, the Gadiantons did “stir up the people to anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them” (Helaman 8:7). Their tactic of shifting the spotlight from their own evil deeds toward Nephi paid off, for the people became bitterly divided and were distracted from Nephi’s exposé of the criminals running the Nephite government. As such, because the people failed to address the real issues ailing their nation, calamities were at their doorstep. Mormon noted that the people did “still harden their hearts and would not hearken unto [Nephi’s] words” (Helaman 10:15). “Therefore,” the record states, “they did revile against him” (Helaman 10:15). Even as Nephi’s warnings became irrefutable, in correctly naming the murderer of the chief judge, unbelievably the people “would not hearken unto his words” (Helaman 10:18). As such, “there began to be” more “contentions,” “insomuch that” the people “were divided against themselves” (Helaman 10:18). Because of the refusal of the nation to listen to Nephi’s timely warnings, the “contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among the people of Nephi” (Helaman 11:1). And of course, after helping to create and foment that contention in the first place, it was the same Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 161

Gadiantion “secret band” “who did carry on this work of destruction and darkness” (Helaman 11:2). Thus do secret combinations stir up contentions, and seek to cause divisions among the people. With that, they can escalate those divisions, which cause more contention, and then fan those flames into freedom-destroying wars. Stated another way, they manufacture the problem, and then enact freedom-destroying “solutions” to solve the problems they created in the first place. Stirring up the masses also helps those conspirators in turning the public’s attention towards those who expose them, in a storm of false accusations, which keeps the public divided, confused, and at variance one with another. With the public’s attention diverted from the criminals in government among them, the Nephites failed to stop the Gadiantons from nearly overturning and destroying their whole society. Only divine intervention saved them in that instance. By way of observation, it is informative to see how secret combinations feign concern for the “people,” when prophets such as Nephi denounce their wickedness. This is a stark hypocrisy, since it is the people’s freedom that secret combinations seek to overthrow in the first place. But, once they are able to take control of the government, and enforce corrupt laws already in place, or add more if necessary, then all of a sudden they become very concerned about the will of “the people” if someone challenges the corruptness of the system. This pretended authority of being able to speak in behalf of “the people” by the Nephite Gadiantons was nothing but a pernicious form of Satanic ventriloquism, whereby the public was treated as if it were the dummy on the Satanocratic conspirators’ lap, as they put words into its mouth. Secret combinations could not care less about the will of the people, unless it is in support of their agenda. Otherwise, they work relentlessly towards changing public opinion until the majority gives its support for their political agenda.

Engaging in Assassination and Fomenting Violent Revolution Numerous examples have been given thus far of how secret combinations commit murder in order to further their interests. 162 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

This section looks at those murders from a political aspect, as well as the revolution that secret societies promote in order to overthrow governments, and then take them over. When a murder is committed for political purposes, it is usually referred to as an assassination. Nearly every major era in which a secret combination was formed began with the planned assassination of a particular individual. Cain plotted to kill Abel so that he might take possession of the kingdom, which was a political plot. His Antediluvian followers became dealers in “administering death” and “seeking for power” (Moses 6:15), so that they might gain control of the existing kingdoms of the earth. Jared, Akish, and their “kinsfolk” (Ether 8:13) plotted the assassination of Omer so that Jared might reign in his stead. Heth, who started the second era of Jaredite secret combinations, likewise assassinated his own father so that he might assume the throne (Ether 9:26-27). Com, who revived the Jaredite secret societies for the third time in Jaredite history, also sought to assassinate those in power so that he might “destroy the kingdom” (Ether 10:33), and then take it over. Kishkumen assassinated Pacumeni so that Paanchi could be placed into power, as the chief judge (Helaman 1:7-12). Failing to put their man into the seat of power, the Gadianton robbers tried again. Kishkumen attempted to assassinate Helaman, but he did not survive in the attempt, and the Gadiantons fled into the wilderness (Helaman 2:3-11). Returning later to the “more settled parts of the land” (Helaman 3:23), they assassinated Cezoram, as well as his son (Helaman 6:15), both of whom were chief judges. The secret combination that formed just before Christ’s visit to the American continent made a covenant with one another to assassinate the governor (3 Nephi 6:30), which they did (3 Nephi 7:1). Not only was Cain’s assassination of Abel an attempt to take over the kingdom, it was also Satan’s first major attempt at promoting a violent revolution in order to overthrow God’s kingdom, which was a theocracy. Satan’s goal in fomenting that rebellion was to destroy God’s true church with one fatal blow. In the days of Cain’s followers, Satan “raged in [the] hearts” of Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 163 men and they started “wars” and caused “bloodshed” (Moses 6:15). Such violent revolutionary activities were undoubtedly political in nature, as these secret combinations sought to destroy governments and make themselves the leaders over the human race. As the Nephites after Christ’s visit slid into political and spiritual apostasy, their nation fractured into revolutionary factions. And under the control of the secret combinations in their day, their nation was torn apart by “one complete revolution throughout all the face of the land” (Mormon 2:8).

Waging Murderous Warfare Since those who have come to earth and obtained a body once rejected Satan’s proposed plan in premortality, it is natural that many, if not most of them, have a natural revulsion towards being enslaved and having their freedom stripped away. Such a spiritually embedded, widespread mindset to resist tyranny is difficult to overcome, unless some means are employed to overwhelm such resistance. Time and time again, as the scriptures show, secret combinations found that the most effective means of restructuring society was to create murderous and draining warfare. Nothing can stampede freedom-loving people into surrendering their liberties faster than warfare, since people usually are willing to sacrifice a little freedom in order to save their country, homes, and their whole way of life. Past secret combinations excelled at that tactic. The Book of Moses records that the Antediluvian secret combinations helped to foment “wars and bloodshed” (Moses 6:15), and “devised murder” (Moses 6:28), because of “secret works, seeking for power” (Moses 6:15). The Jaredite secret societies also honed warfare into a powerful weapon to aid them in the destruction of freedom. After the conspiracy of Akish succeeded in gaining the throne, they sought for more power and gain (Ether 9:11). Since Akish’s sons wanted to be in charge of things themselves, a family fallout lead to “a war” between them, “which lasted for the space of many years, yea, unto the destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom” (Ether 9:12). Other generations of Jaredites who built up secret societies “hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their 164 The Hidden Things Of Darkness wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land” (Ether 11:7). Just prior to being wiped off the face of this land, the last secret combination started “a great war among the people” because they “sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness” (Ether 13:15). So widespread became the carnage, Moroni noted that “all the people upon the face of the land were shedding blood, and there was none to restrain them” (Ether 13:31). Shiz, the final leader of the last Jaredite secret society, and his army killed and burned everything and everybody that stood in their path. So boundless was his ruthlessness, “a cry went forth throughout the land” that “he sweepeth the earth before him” (Ether 14:18). Shiz’s genocidal campaign of Satanic rage eventually exhausted itself when every last Jaredite, including himself, lay dead, excepting Coriantumr, who lived in fulfillment of Ether’s prophecy that he would not die (Ether 14:24). The Nephite Gadianton robbers also caught the vision of the power of warfare. With the loss of an important election, the future members of the first Nephite conspiracy encouraged the losing party’s members “to rise up in rebellion against their brethren” (Helaman 1:7). Their short-lived effort having failed, they formed a secret combination. Then, the Gadianton band began to systematically assassinate Nephite leaders in order to destabilize the government. At the time, warfare was not necessary for them since the wicked majority of Nephites simply voted the Gadiantons into office. But, when Nephi publicly exposed, denounced, and challenged the secret combination that ran the government, they and the people refused to repent. This brought about cataclysmic repercussions. Rejecting Nephi and his message, the record notes that “the contentions did increase, insomuch that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people of Nephi” (Helaman 11:1). And like many of their Antediluvian and Jaredite predecessors, “it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this work of destruction and wickedness” (Helaman 11:2). The Lord honored His prophet’s prayerful petition to put a quick end to the war. He then withheld the rain, which resulted in a famine throughout the land. Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 165

Having perished in the famine, it was not until 30 years later that another Nephite secret combination rose up under the leadership of Giddianhi. Feeling robbed of their “right” to run the “government” (3 Nephi 3:10), Giddianhi grew impatient and threatened to use the sword in order to take over Nephite society. Making good on his promise, Giddianhi and his forces launched an offensive war of murder and pillaging against the Nephites in order to enslave them. Losing to the righteous Nephites, the second Nephite secret society was destroyed. However, in the space of a very short time, still another conspiracy rose up. Overthrowing the government, Jacob the anti-Christ king led his band northward until they could increase their numbers to “become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the people” (3 Nephi 7:12), in an effort to enslave them, too. But the Lord cut their plans short by raining down fire on them and destroying every member of their evil band. After living nearly 200 years in peace, the Nephites allowed yet another secret combination to rise above them. But by then, both sides (the Nephites and Lamanites) had become so wicked, they all merited the judgments of God. Spreading “blood and carnage…throughout all the face of the land” (Mormon 2:8), the whole collapsing civilization became engaged in “one complete revolution” (Mormon 2:8). The Nephites, like the Jaredites, were destroyed down to the last man. Thus, warfare served as the means by which secret combinations among the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites could swiftly and brutally impose their will over the rest of their fellow citizens in order to enslave them. The death toll that resulted from their murderous campaigns to institute Satan’s plan ran into the millions.

Persecuting and Murdering God’s Prophets and Saints Eventually, and inevitably, as the voices of warning become too numerous and accurate to silence them all, secret combinations resort to the tactic they use best. They persecute and murder God’s prophets and other “men inspired from heaven” (3 Nephi 6:20). In speaking of the Jaredites to his son Helaman, Alma remarked that “they murdered all the prophets of 166 The Hidden Things Of Darkness the Lord who came among them to declare unto them conerning their iniquities” (Alma 37:30). For example, when Heth embraced the “secret plans…of old, to destroy his father” (Ether 9:26), in order to “reign in his stead” (Ether 9:27), “there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them” (Ether 9:28). Following the commands of the king, “the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out,” and left some “to perish” in “pits” (Ether 9:29). When the last secret combination formed among the Jaredites, before it led the entire nation “down to an entire destruction” (Helaman 6:28), “there came also in the days of Com many prophets, and prophesied of the destruction of that great people except they should repent” (Ether 11:1). In typical fashion, “the brother of Shiblom caused that all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people should be put to death” (Ether 11:5). As the people ripened further in iniquity, “in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets, and prophesied [that]…except they should repent the Lord God would execute judgment against them to their utter destruction” (Ether 11:20). Following their predecessors, “they did reject all the words of the prophets, because of their secret society and wicked abominations” (Ether 11:22). As the people neared destruction, “they sought to kill Ether” (Ether 13:22). Because the people rejected the last prophet among them, and tried to silence him for good, “the Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their everlasting destruction” (Ether 14:25). Just before the Lord appeared to the Nephites, the secret combination of chief judges, lawyers, and “they who had been high priests” (3 Nephi 6:21) “did enter into a covenant one with another” “to destroy” “the people of the Lord” (3 Nephi 6:28- 29). They also sought to destroy the government and to “establish a king over the land” (3 Nephi 6:30). Accomplishing their wicked design, “the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets” (3 Nephi 7:6). After the Lord rained fire upon that secret combination, He said He did so “to destroy them from before my face, that the blood Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 167 of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them” (3 Nephi 9:9). Thus did the secret combinations among the Nephites murder their prophets, just as many of the Jaredites murdered the prophets among them, as well.

Recruiting to Perpetuate Power and Control As is plain to see by now, being a member of a ruthless secret combination carries with it a certain risk and occupational hazard. This can be due to internal conflict within the group, such as Gilead, the Jaredite, being murdered by “his high priest,” who wanted to be in command (Ether 14:9). In other cases, members of secret combinations are killed by their own intended victims, whether in botched assassinations, or in warfare. For example, a servant of Helaman, “having been out by night,” was able to obtain “through disguise” “a knowledge of those plans which had been laid by” Kishkumen, Gadianton, and their band “to destroy Helaman” (Helaman 2:6). The servant of Helaman was also able to uncover what some of their guarded secret signs were. Therefore, when he “met Kishkumen,” “he gave unto him a sign” (Helaman 2:7), thus leading Kishkumen to believe that the servant was going to help him murder Helaman. He then stabbed Kishkumen and prevented what was in all probability going to be the assassination of Helaman (Helaman 2:9). Regardless of how members of secret combinations expire from mortality, they still have the problem with just plain old age. For those reasons alone, secret combinations must carefully screen and recruit new members to replace their missing ranks, and also to expand their influence. In order to perpetuate their power, Mormon testified that these oaths are handed down “from generation to generation according as he [Satan] can get hold upon the hearts of the children of men” (Helaman 6:30). After Cain murdered Abel, Satan “did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth” (Helaman 6:27). Moses stated that “from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination” (Moses 5:50), thus verifying that secret societies can endure for several generations. Once Cain started the first one, there was a 168 The Hidden Things Of Darkness self-perpetuating conspiracy that endured all the way to the days of the Great Flood. Having established that the first secret combination endured for many generations, one’s curiosity can easily be piqued in wanting to know how they could last for so long. Paul, the apostle, provides part of the answer in his famous Biblical maxim that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). That “love of money” is the major enticement of secret combinations for those they seek to recruit. Moroni recorded that the “people of Akish were desirous for gain even as Akish was desirous for power” (Ether 9:11). Power and gain go hand in hand, for power gets gain, and gain creates more power. “Wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the people after them” (Ether 9:11). In that manner, Akish recruited his sons, and they brought in others. Thus do secret combinations perpetuate their existence, swell their ranks, and increase their influence. But, even though money is the driving force for recruiting, it still does not entirely account for why secret combinations are, in certain instances, able to endure for generations. The other factor, and to Akish it was more important than money, is power. This is the other part of the fuel that keeps them going from generation to generation. The inebriating effects of usurping government power and authority, combined with the boundless desire to rule over humanity, using prostituted government, is the glue which binds them together in their common cause as they travel down the road towards totalitarianism and police state control over those whom they enslave.

How the Few Control the Many After detailing so many political characteristics of secret combinations, and the amount of control that they exerted over the nations they overtook, a skeptic would sarcastically mutter that surely there must have been a Gadianton robber under every Nephite bed! Yet, even though it is easy to lampoon the serious nature of the subject of secret combinations, the critic must contend with one simple fact. In every instance in which they were successful, secret combinations “did obtain the sole Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 169 management of the government” (Helaman 6:39) they sought to take over, and then exerted control and influence over the whole society they had enslaved. In the days of the Antediluvians, Moses recorded that Lamech’s combination “began to spread among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:52). In time, his secret society “began to prevail among all the sons of men” (Moses 5:55—emphasis added). With the Jaredites, Moroni commented that “so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people” (Ether 9:6). And for “the Nephites,” they “did build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites” (Helaman 6:38). These verses, and others, provide several key details that help the reader understand how so few could exercise so much control over their subjects. First, the Nephites who were wicked built “them up” and supported them. This they did by allowing the Nephite Gadiantons to usurp “the power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4). Second, it was not the amount of conspirators actually involved so much as it was the positions they occupied. Mormon wrote that the Gadiantons were “held in office at the head of government,” and “thus they did obtain the sole management” of the levers of power (Helaman 7:5, 6:39). So, even though the prophets wrote that those secret combinations “overspread” the land, it is not necessary to think that the real conspirators were many in number. It was because of their positions “at the head of government” that their influence reached everywhere. And the reason they were able to corrupt all the people was because they used their positions of power and authority to seduce the people into accepting “their spoils” (Helaman 6:38). Once the law was corrupted, individuals and communities would do whatever it took to see to it that they were the recipients of the pelf offered to them by their political prostitute rulers who had expropriated it from others, and to throw the lever of government power in their behalf. John F. McManus, president of the John Birch Society, offered the following explanation and analogy (with some interjections made in brackets by the author) as to how 170 The Hidden Things Of Darkness conspiracies can rule from the top, with so few people. Even though his words were written in reference to the great latter-day secret combination (Ether 8:24-25), his observation can be equally applied to ancient times as well, and dovetails perfectly with what Book of Mormon prophets outlined. He said, [We are not] saying that the Conspiracy is a gigantic computer-sized brain that, like a master puppeteer, has strings out to thousands and hundreds of thousands of people…That is not precisely how it works. No one brain can accomplish all of that. The way the Conspiracy works is to seize influence- molding positions. [And how much more influential can one get than government]. It can then have these people (and I like to call them tone-setters) let it be known which acts to perform, what attitudes to convey, and which individuals to promote. And then, thousands and even millions of self-promoters go to work to do the will of the Conspiracy. There are definite strings out from the Conspiracy to some disciplined minions [the oath-bound ones, in the scriptures], but not that many. Most of the Conspiracy’s works is done by non-conspirators [the Nephites who did “build them up”] who are simply promoting themselves. And so, the connection between all of these people and the Conspiracy is not like a puppet to his puppeteer—not like a string let down to each individual. The connection instead is like a ladder, put up from the bottom. And then, all kinds of amoral individuals scramble all over each other as they promote themselves by doing the work of the Conspiracy.1

Sometimes in the scramble to promote themselves, members of secret combinations will not hesitate to throw each other off of that ladder. Hence, that is why so many murders were committed among their own ranks as the more ambitious ones sought to climb above their superiors.

1 John F. McManus, “How the Conspiracy Operates,” The New American, (Appleton, WI: American Opinion Publishng Incorporated, July 10, 1995), p. 29. Political Beliefs, Methods And Practices 171

Political Beliefs, Methods, and Practices in Review In carrying out their Satanocratic agenda, secret combinations utilize every cunning and evil tactic known to man. Obsessed with power, they are relentless in their efforts to destroy freedom. As they expand their influence and power in using corrupt government, they also corrupt the laws in order to steal. As false philanthropists, they defend their actions to the public as being for the “welfare” and benefit of everyone. While their political platform is an open book to the public, their hidden Satanic agenda is kept from view at all costs. When inspired men come along to expose their evil plans, members of secret combinations immediately resort to smear campaigns aimed at discrediting the individual, while simultaneously stirring up the masses against them with a barrage of false accusations. In order to bring about the change they seek in a more rapid fashion, they assassinate when it is expedient to do so, and they foment violent revolution. If necessary, they embroil their nation in war, which always gives them the convenient excuse to expand the power and scope of the government they already run. In time, their efforts turn towards those who succeed in striking at the heart of their plans, and in exposing their secret works of darkness. Because of that, they persecute and murder the prophets of God and the saints. To maintain and perpetuate success, they actively recruit among their family members, as well as among the wealthy and power seekers. By positioning themselves at the fulcrums of power and authority, they are able to control entire nations with just a relatively small number of conspirators. It is mostly the unwitting masses, who seek the “spoils,” who build them up and support them. While some do so out of pure greed, laziness, or ambition, others do so just to throw the lever of government power in their favor, in a pathetic effort to shield themselves from the plundering hands of their Satanocratic political leadership.

Chapter 11

Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness “Cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations… except they repent before they are fully ripe.” --Alma 37:31

A Unique Meaning

The words “ripe,” “ripened,” “ripening,” or “fulness,” when used in the scriptures to describe wickedness or iniquity, are almost completely unique to Holy Writ. In the Bible, for example, there are only a handful of verses that employ this kind of wording, but in the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, there are a score. The words themselves evoke differing mental images to different people. Perhaps some visualize a fruit changing day by day, until it falls, to be crushed under its own weight. Such an analogy, of “ripening,” used by the prophets, serves well to show what happens to nations who fall from their iniquity, because they fostered and nurtured the poisonous fruit of a particular sin. Just like the subjects of the whore of the earth, and of secret combinations, without the clarifying light which the Restoration scriptures shine on this subject, those few passages in the Bible provide only a fragmented, distorted understanding. It is in the Book of Mormon language where the doctrine is made plain, that a people, nation, or nations, who become “fully ripe” in iniquity, do so in a unique and specific way.

Tracing the Steps Students of the scriptures, who encounter these phrases, may feel inclined to query several things. How ripe is “ripe?” Or, how far down the path of evil must a people go to reach such a dreadful condition? What are the steps, if any? And, where is the 174 The Hidden Things Of Darkness point of no return? Even though the process of becoming “fully ripe” in evil leads to a final, terminal condition, as will be shown from the scriptures, there are certain steps that must be taken to reach that state. As always, the root cause of this particular spiritual malady is pride. Even though pride manifests itself in many “divers ways” (Mosiah 4:29), almost more than can be numbered, the direction in which it took the Jaredites and the Nephites, who willingly followed, was one of the Book of Mormon authors’ main concerns. It is also the focus of this particular chapter. In the sections that follow, four different examples will be extracted from the scriptures that illustrate this process.

The Ammonihahites

When Alma preached to the hard-hearted people of Ammonihah, they “withstood all his words…reviled him…spit upon him, and…cast [him] out of their city” (Alma 8:13). Understandably, he became discouraged and left. While en route to the city of Aaron, where he intended to preach next, an angel of the Lord appeared and commanded him to return (Alma 8:16). The angel told Alma to command the Ammonihahites to “repent,” or God would “destroy them” (Alma 8:16). The reason for such an urgent warning was shown in the subsequent verse.

Studying to Prostitute Government The angel stated further, “for behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy the liberty of thy people” (Alma 8:17). These lawyers and judges were working together in order to undermine and destroy the laws, which the righteous King Mosiah had given to the Nephites, by the mouth of the Lord (Helaman 4:22). It should be noted that this group was not an oath-bound secret combination per se, but rather a group of self- anointed elitists whose aim was to subvert legislatively the existing order of things and impose prostituted government upon the rest of their fellow Nephite citizens. Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 175

While returning to the city, Alma was met and befriended by a local named Amulek (see Alma 8:18-26). After inviting Alma to stay with him at his place of residence (Alma 8:27) for a while, and as the two prepared themselves to go forth to preach, the people “did wax more gross in their iniquities” (Alma 8:28). About that time, the Spirit commanded Alma and Amulek to go forth and “to preach and prophesy” (Alma 8:32).

Corrupt Government Officers and Prostituted Laws When Alma, and his newfound companion Amulek, publicly confronted the lawyers and judges of the city of Ammonihah, he excoriated them for the sin that the angel had forewarned him about. He said, yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom,…that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity,…they would be ripe for destruction (Alma 10:19).

Apparently the corrupting influence of the lawyers and judges worked like leaven and brought the majority of the people into their fold. Alma further testified, “I say unto you, that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges” (Alma 10:27). The way in which the lawyers and judges performed the functions of their public offices is interesting to behold. Mormon editorialized, now it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might get money according to the suits which were brought before them (Alma 11:20).

Instead of working to ensure justice and that public safety prevailed, and because they “got gain according to their employ” (Alma 10:32), these corrupt politicians encouraged civil 176 The Hidden Things Of Darkness disorder, riots, and iniquity, so that they might use the force of government to enrich themselves at the expense of greedy, useful dupes. Undoubtedly, the innocent civilians were unjustly squeezed in the middle of a vice grip of legal plunder, between the corrupt judges from above, and the rabble-rousing troublemakers from below. Since Mormon remarked that they “were of the profession of Nehor” (Alma 16:11), it is obvious why they employed the force of government to get what they wanted. As it should be remembered, Nehor sought to impose his beliefs upon others with the force of the sword (see Alma 1:12). It should also be noted here that the laws were not corrupted yet, but it was the judges’ and lawyers’ perverted administration of them that was stripping away the people’s liberty. When Alma was accused by them of reviling against their “laws,” and their “wise lawyers” whom the people elected, he denied the former, but affirmed the latter. He clarified saying, “Ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your condemnation” (Alma 10:26).

Murdering Many Righteous and Casting out the Rest The crooked judges would not listen, for “Satan had gotten great hold upon [their] hearts” (Alma 8:9). The politicians who stood before them were “angry with Alma” and Amulek, persisting in their false accusation that they were lied to, and that these prophets “had reviled against their law and also against their lawyers and judges” (Alma 10:29). Like the priests of Noah accusing Abinadi of engaging in seditious speech against the king, embedded in the lawyers’ and judges’ accusations was an implication of sedition (see Alma 14:2, 5). They wanted to put them to death right there on the spot, but instead they opted to process them quickly through their prostituted judicial system so as to give the appearance of administering proper justice (see Alma 14:3-4). Soon thereafter, these evil men dropped all their false pretenses in pretending to provide for some kind of fair trial. Gathering together all of the believers of the Gospel, along with “their wives and children,” yea, “whosoever believed or had Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 177 been taught to believe in the word of God,” and threw them, along with their holy scriptures, into a fire (Alma 14:8-10). Seeking to intimidate Alma and Amulek by forcing them to witness the ghastly “martyrdom” (Alma 14:9), the Ammonihahite clan of political prostitutes sealed their fates by shedding “the blood of the innocent” and by casting out the rest of the righteous (see Alma 14:7; 15:1).

Destroyed in one Day The Ammonihahite judges then put Alma and Amulek into prison and beat them many days, threatening them with death as well (see Alma 14:19, 20, 22, 23). Were it not for the intervening power of God, Alma and Amulek most certainly would have been the next victims of those who were “of the profession of Nehor” (Alma 14:18). In a miraculous manner, the Lord shook the prison walls, killing the chief judge and all those present, except for Alma and Amulek, who then quickly departed from Ammonihah. Sometime later, in the “eleventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi” (Alma 16:1), the Lamanite armies came in the borders of the land, “even into the city of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city” (Alma 16:2). Mormon commented in closing concerning them: “And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges,…and the people of Ammonihah were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could not destroy, because of its greatness. But, behold, in one day it was left desolate” (Alma 16:9-10).

The Ammonihahites’ Ripening in Summary The Ammonihahites were the first people recorded in the Book of Mormon who ripened in iniquity and were destroyed. The path they followed in doing so was made plain by Book of Mormon prophets.

1) They corrupted the laws and twisted them for evil. 2) They studied to “destroy” the freedom of the people. 178 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

3) Where they were unable to alter the laws, they created a legal environment that eroded liberty. 4) They persecuted and murdered the righteous. 5) For such heinous acts, they were destroyed in one day.

The Nephites Ripened Prior to Christ’s Visit

The disease that afflicted the Ammonihahites, that of ripening in iniquity, took some time before it infected the Nephite nation as a whole. For whatever reason, the Nephites failed to learn from recent history of what happens to civilizations that corrupt their laws, wipe out freedom, and murder the righteous. The following illustrates how they trod the same path as their local predecessors, who were “after the order and faith of Nehor” (Alma 14:16).

Corrupting the Laws Although the Book of Mormon is unclear when the Nephites as an entire nation, began to corrupt their laws, the first mention of it is found in the Book of Helaman. After Mormon described how Kishkumen, Gadianton and the rest of their conspiracy (Helaman 1-2), united with one another into an oath-bound secret combination, he then noted that the people “had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people” (Helaman 4:22). That they were not ignorant of the results of what they did is made plain by the scriptures. Mormon noted, “they saw that their laws had become corrupted, and that they had become a wicked people” (Helaman 4:22). Whether the secret combination or the corrupt laws came first, it is not certain, but by that time the laws were “trampled” upon, a good indication that they had been changed dramatically. Mormon remarked that because the laws and the “governments were established by the voice of the Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 179 people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted” (Helaman 5:2). Thus, Mormon once again linked the corruption of government with ripening in iniquity.

Secret Combinations Further Ripen the Nephites Even though the Ammonihahites sought to implement Satan’s plan and agenda for destroying freedom, they never went to the depths of depravity that the Nephites engaged in. While the Ammonihahites loved the power associated with using government to abuse the freedom of other people, some Nephites got together to make it their own official Satanic religion. As usual, since secret combinations are interested in exercising unrestrained power over people, they naturally gravitate towards government so that they might use it as a weapon by which to enslave others. Because of the decadent climate that prevailed at that time in Nephite history, the Nephites were actually foolish enough to give those evil men what they wanted. Mormon wrote “that the Nephites did build them up and support them” (Helaman 6:38). Eventually, they “overspread all the land of the Nephites” until “they did obtain the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:38-39). By apostatizing politically, and allowing Satan’s own agents to take over the government, the record states that the Nephites were “ripening for an everlasting destruction” (Helaman 6:40). Not long after, the prophet Nephi returned from “the land northward,” where the people had rejected “all his words” (Helaman 7:1, 3) and found that the Gadianton conspiracy filled “the judgment-seats” in Zarahemla (Helaman 7:4). They were “held in office at the head of government” (Helaman 7:5), “having usurped the power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4), so that they might “rule and do according to their wills” (Helaman 7:5). By amassing power not legitimately theirs (usurping it), the Gadiantons slowly strangled the liberties of the Nephites.

180 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Nephi Confronts the Power Mongers As Nephi confronted the ensconced Gadianton regime, he publicly denounced their “secret band” (Helaman 7:25) and chastised the rest of the people present for uniting themselves “unto it” (Helaman 7:25). Like the Ammonihahites, and the priests of Noah before them, those political prostitutes and their supporters responded as expected. They clamored, “why do ye not seize upon this man and bring him forth” for reviling “against this people and against our law” (Helaman 8:1-2)? Mormon put the confrontation in context by explaining that “Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the corruptness of their law” and that the “judges were angry with him because he spake plainly unto them concerning their secret works of darkness” (Helaman 8:3-4). He also spoke “many things” which Mormon could not write (Helaman 8:25), and warned the people that they were “ripening…for an everlasting destruction” (Helaman 8:26). Riled at such boldness in exposing their evil deeds, the Gadiantons did everything in their power to try and destroy Nephi. Tragically, the people, who were deceived by their own political leaders, rejected Nephi’s words. Because of that, the Lord began to afflict them with war and famine. Through God’s judgments, Gadianton and his band became “extinct” (Helaman 11:10). Notwithstanding such a national calamity as that, just a couple of years later some “dissenters” (Helaman 11:24) “did search out all the secret plans of Gadianton once again (Helaman 11:26). As the Gadiantons increased in number rapidly, the record noted once more that the people were “ripening again for destruction” (Helaman 11:37).

Casting Out the Righteous and Destroying the People of God Not long after, the Lord sent Samuel, a Lamanite prophet, to go among the Nephites and warn them that they were on the very brink of destruction. Thus far, when the Nephites corrupted the laws and allowed the Gadiantons to take over the government, the record states that they were “ripening” for destruction. However, Samuel pointed out that they were on the verge of becoming “ripe.” He said, “when ye shall cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for destruction” (Helaman Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 181

13:14). He denounced them for their “wickedness and abominations” (Helaman 13:14-17). Though some of the people repented of their sins, the majority refused to listen. Mormon concluded that “there was but little alteration in the affairs of the people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in iniquity” (Helaman 16:12). Less than three years before Christ made His appearance to the Nephites, they committed the very evil act that Samuel had forewarned them against. Setting the scene for what happened, Mormon recorded that “there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth…preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people” (3 Nephi 6:20). Those who were “chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests [apostates] and lawyers” (3 Nephi 6:21) were angry with the inspired servants of the Lord. Since the prophets’ plain speech was intolerable, the politicians, the lawyers, and the apostate high priests got together in order to put a stop to their preaching. In Ammonihahite fashion, they simply dispensed with any justice and “put to death secretly” those “who testified pertaining to Christ” (3 Nephi 6:23). Those evil individuals “did enter into a covenant one with another…to combine against all righteousness” and “against the people of the Lord” (3 Nephi 6:28-29). They also sought to destroy the governor and to “subject” the people to kings, “that the land should no more be at liberty” (3 Nephi 6:30). Their evil designs were accomplished, “and the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets”(3 Nephi 7:6). But the slaughter did not stop there, for the people “did stone the [remaining] prophets and did cast them out from among them” (3 Nephi 7:14). The Lord had given them fair warning. Samuel said that “were [it] not for the righteous” who were among them, God “would cause…fire [to] come down out of heaven and destroy [them]” (Helaman 13:13). Ignoring this final warning sign on their way toward destruction, the Nephites went ahead and cast out the righteous anyway, thus deserving the full wrath of God. Justice was about to be swiftly executed. 182 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The Nephite Anti-Christ After the secret combination of lawyers, judges, and apostate high priests had destroyed the government of the land, and “had brought so great iniquity upon the people,” they “did gather themselves together, and did place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob” (3 Nephi 7:9). “They did call him their king,” and “he became a king over this wicked band” of conspirators (3 Nephi 10:10). Most significant is the fact that Jacob “was one of the chiefest who had given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus” (3 Nephi 7:10). Being “one of the chiefest” who spoke “against” the prophets and Jesus would most certainly qualify him as being an anti-Christ. Furthermore, he was also the leader of the Nephite conspiracy when they persecuted and murdered the saints, so their blood was primarily on his hands.

The Wicked Nephites Destroyed At that point in Nephite history, their cup of iniquity was running over, so the Lord executed a swift punishment on them. Mormon recorded that “there arose a great storm, such as one as never had been known in all the land” (3 Nephi 8:5). Numerous cities were burned, covered by rocks, or swallowed by the sea. “The face of the whole earth became deformed” (3 Nephi 8:17) in just “the space of three hours” (3 Nephi 8:19). As the Lord listed the cities He destroyed, they all had one thing in common: the blood of the saints and the prophets had cried from the ground for vengeance against them (see 3 Nephi 9:5-11).

Jacob’s Conspiracy Received More of God’s Wrath In light of what has been presented herein regarding the church of the devil, Satanocracy, secret combinations, and the subject at hand (that of ripening in iniquity), the scriptures offer a very direct object lesson on what the Lord thinks of evil conspiring men who unite to destroy freedom and enslave humanity. Consider what happened to Jacobugath, the city where Jacob the anti-Christ and his people dwelt. After the Nephite secret combination had destroyed the free government (3 Nephi 7:1, 2, 6), had regrouped under the Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 183 leadership of Jacob, and “seeing that their enemies were more numerous than they” (3 Nephi 7:12), they decided that it would be best if they left. The reason was that even though the remainder of the people, who had gathered into tribes, “were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government” (3 Nephi 7:11). Jacob, therefore, “commanded his people that they should take their flight into the northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves a kingdom” (3 Nephi 7:12), naming it Jacobugath, after the anti-Christ king. There they planned to become “sufficiently strong” so that they could “contend with the tribes of the people” (3 Nephi 7:12), and impose their plan of slavery over them. In writing about the wicked whom the Lord annihilated, Mormon commented that “there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward” (3 Nephi 8:12). So that the reader not underestimate the significance of the punishment meted out by the Lord, to those in that “land northward,” Mormon quotes Him as follows: And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up unto me any more against them (3 Nephi 9:9—emphasis added).

It is interesting to note that this one verse encapsulates nearly all that has been said in the last several chapters. Secret combinations, along with the corrupt government they use to enslave others, are the highest earthly wickedness that is possible. Their goal is to destroy peace and freedom, and offer in their place a police state environment, with its accompanying misery of slavery. Those who expressed any disapproval were murdered. 184 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The Nephites’ Ripening in Iniquity in Summary Once again, the process of becoming ripe in iniquity is vividly demonstrated by the wicked Nephites who lived just prior to Christ’s visit to the American continent.

1) They corrupted the laws that God had given them. 2) They built up secret combinations, which only worsened their condition by taking over government, and destroying freedom. 3) Even more, some of the people placed at their head an anti-Christ king. 4) They murdered the prophets and the saints. 5) God poured out His wrath, destroying them in three hours.

The Nephites’ Total Destruction After Christ’s Visit

After the Savior appeared to the remnant of Nephite survivors, had reorganized His church, and had taught, blessed and healed them, the Nephite nation experienced an unprecedented time of peace and prosperity for over 180 years. Tragically, this Zion society succumbed to the sin of “pride” (4 Nephi 1:24), and never turned back from their path towards destruction. Perhaps more tragic than this was the fact that they had been forewarned in the plainest manner possible of their fall, yet they still refused to repent. While among the Nephites in 33 A.D., Jesus Christ Himself prophesied, “but behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation from this generation, for they are led away captive by him [Satan] even as was the son of perdition” (3 Nephi 27:32). Samuel the Lamanite had issued a similar prophecy and warning around 6 B.C., saying, “four hundred years [shall not] Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 185 pass…away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people” (Helaman 13:5). Perhaps this prophecy was the reason the Lord had His people include Samuel’s writings in their records, to stand as still another witness (3 Nephi 23:6-13). Nearly 1,000 years before it happened, Nephi witnessed in vision his people’s destruction and recorded it in the small plates (1 Nephi 12:12- 23).

Alma’s Prophecy of the Nephites Ripening in Iniquity Another Book of Mormon prophet, namely Alma, who foretold of the Nephites’ fall, said that they would “ripen in iniquity.” When Alma the younger delivered the sacred plates over to his son Helaman, he first asked if he believed “the words which [he] spake” to him “concerning those records which have been kept” (Alma 45:2). Helaman, a prophet in his own right, replied “yea, I believe” (Alma 45:3). Then Alma prophesied concerning the Nephites (Alma 45:9-10), that in “four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ” should make His appearance to the Nephite remnants, they would dwindle” in unbelief” (Alma 45:10). He closed his prophecy by uttering what might be called the everlasting decree concerning the Americas. He said, “cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe” (Alma 46:16). Lest his son (and future readers, for that matter) fail to understand what Alma meant by “fully ripe,” he illustrated it in unmistakable terms. He said, “for behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe” (Alma 37:28). As an example, he noted how the Jaredite secret combinations “murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them” (Alma 37:30). Hence, “the judgments of God did come upon [those] workers of darkness and secret combinations (Alma 37:30). He then reiterated God’s everlasting decree once again: “Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe” (Alma 37:31). 186 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Ripening a Second Time with Secret Combinations After the Nephites’ nearly perfect society came unraveled due to pride, the record states that “the more wicked part of the people did wax strong, and became exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God” (4 Nephi 1:40). Apparently forgetting all lessons of the past, Mormon wrote that “the wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton” (4 Nephi 1:42). Based on past scriptural experience, it may be easily assumed that whatever righteous laws the Savior had given to the people were either altered, or ignored altogether, by the secret combinations then in ascension. As wickedness and apostasy spread, even the people of Nephi, who professed to belong to God’s church, became “vain like unto their brethren, the Lamanites” (4 Nephi 1:45). Less than 40 years after that (compare 4 Nephi 1:41 with 1:45), “both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become exceedingly wicked one like unto another” (4 Nephi 1:45). Mormon commented “that the robbers of Gadianton did spread over all the face of the land; and there were none that were righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus” (4 Nephi 1:46). Nephi’s prophetic echoes from 1,000 years before (2 Nephi 26:10) were spurned, and these once highly favored people of God ignored all past examples of societal failure and rushed madly toward their destruction.

Freedom Obliterated Again Thirty years after both sides had become completely wicked, Mormon lamented that “notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over [his] people, they did not repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution throughout all the face of the land” (Mormon 2:8). Since both sides were rotten to the core, and since they were certainly not fighting for freedom, the prophet’s comment that the “carnage” resulted from “one complete revolution” throughout the land Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 187 indicates with clarity that the lamp of liberty had been extinguished many years before.

A Graphic Description of Their Ripeness—Going Beyond the Brink It seems almost unimaginable that things could have gotten worse, but they did. Another thirty years went by (compare Mormon 2:9 and Mormon 4:12), and Mormon recorded that “there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people” (Mormon 4:12). In an epistle to his son Moroni, Mormon described the Nephites under his command as having “no fear of death,” and, having “lost their love, one towards another,” “they did thirst after blood and revenge continually” (Moroni 9:5). Just a couple of a hundred years before, the Nephites had “no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God” (4 Nephi 1:16). But only three generations later, the Nephites had “become strong in their perversion” and “alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young,” “without order and without mercy,” delighting “in everything save that which is good” (Moroni 9:18, 19), having become “past feeling” (Moroni 9:20). The Lamanites were not much different, for they fed the women they took prisoners with the “flesh of their husbands, and the children upon the flesh of their fathers” (Moroni 9:8). Yet, “notwithstanding” such a “great abomination” among “the Lamanites,” it did not “exceed” that of “the Nephites” (Moroni 9:9). Having taken some of the “daughters of the Lamanites” prisoner, they proceeded to gang rape them. “And after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and after [doing that, they did] devour their flesh like unto wild beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts,” doing it “for a token of bravery” (Moroni 9:9-10). No wonder Mormon, in his anguish, wrote to Moroni, “O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is 188 The Hidden Things Of Darkness in so much abomination—How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment against us?” (Moroni 9:13-14).

The Entire Nephite Nation Destroyed in a Final Battle Mormon’s anguished question was about to be answered in a dreadful manner, for not long after, the Nephites began to lose one battle after another, until they had “no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as the dew before the sun” (Mormon 4:18). Around 385 A.D., Mormon wrote an epistle to the king of the Lamanites, suggesting that his people be gathered together in one place at Cumorah, so that they “could give [the Lamanites] battle” (Mormon 6:2). The king agreed, so Mormon gathered in “all the remainder of [his] people unto the land of Cumorah” (Mormon 6:5). Soon the Lamanites brought their massive army and the two sides clashed. It was a slaughter, for in just one day all of Mormon’s people were “hewn down,” “save it were twenty and four” (Mormon 6:11). “[O]n the morrow” (Mormon 6:11), the wounded Mormon beheld the tens of thousands of bodies surrounding the hill and cried in the anguish of his soul, “O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you” (Mormon 6:22). The Nephites were gone, leaving only the Lamanites to splinter into factions, warring “one with another,” there being “one continual round of murder and bloodshed” (Mormon 8:8). The Lamanites slid further and further into degeneracy for generations, only to “become a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond…description” (Mormon 5:15). For the most part, they remained in that state until the first Gentile explorers arrived in America from the European continent.

The Nephites’ Becoming Fully Ripe in Summary Like their predecessors, the Nephite nation that existed after Christ visited the American continent also ripened in iniquity. Only this time, their wickedness exceeded “all of the children of Lehi,” and even all “the house of Israel” (Mormon 4:12). The steps taken by them as they marched down the path of destruction were the same as those who went before them.

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1) They built up secret combinations. 2) Their “one complete revolution” trampled the divine laws the Savior had given them. 3) They collapsed into warring factions, wiping out freedom in the midst of blood and carnage. 4) They murdered the innocent, cast out the disciples of Jesus, and fought the equally wicked Lamanites. 5) They were ultimately destroyed in one final battle.

The Jaredites’ Experience with Ripening in Iniquity

In order to appreciate the significance of the message of that brief record known as the Book of Ether, it is necessary to briefly review some of the conclusions reached in the last several chapters. It was shown in three different eras of the Jaredites’ civilization that secret combinations were key in leading the people down to destruction, the last of which was complete and total. In every single instance, secret combinations seized control of the existing government, corrupted it into an instrument of totalitarianism, and slaughtered all those who opposed their “church of the devil.” In this particular section, some of the same material will be examined, only in this case from a different angle. How the term “ripened in iniquity” applied towards the Jaredites will be demonstrated.

Rejection of an Opportunity When the Jaredites arrived at the promised land, one of the first decisions they had to make was to choose a form of government. Since they were from the Old World, it was natural for them to want a king. Nevertheless, given the fact that they were in a pristine land that had been virtually uninhabited since 190 The Hidden Things Of Darkness the Flood during Noah’s time (see Ether 13:2), they had an opportunity to try something different. And given the fact that the brother of Jared was a man of tremendous faith, who received revelations revealing to him the history of the world (Ether 3:21-26), it is reasonable to speculate that the Lord could have revealed to him a more superior form of government than what they were accustomed to. Regrettably, when the brother of Jared saw that the people still wanted a king, he commented, “surely this thing leadeth into captivity” (Ether 6:23). The people insisted, and after all other potential candidates declined the offer, eventually “Orihah was anointed to be king over the people” (Ether 6:27).

Corruption of the Laws There is no mention of a corruption of the laws in the account of the Jaredites. However, Mosiah confirmed that they did so. As the Nephites changed their form of government, he warned them not to choose iniquity concerning their laws, otherwise the Lord would “visit” them “with great destruction even as he [had] hitherto visited [the] land” (Mosiah 29:27). Thus, according to Mosiah’s warning, the Jaredites corrupted their laws and received God’s punishments for doing so. Incidentally, implicit in Akish’s act of leading “away” his friends and kindreds “by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired” using the power of government, is the understanding that they had no intentions of restricting their actions by the rule of law (Ether 8:17). As a matter of fact, they intended to use government power in order to “gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms” (Ether 8:16). President J. Reuben Clark, a member of the First Presidency, in a talk given to LDS youth in June 1940, also confirmed that the Jaredites corrupted their laws. He said, We are not given the step-by-step backsliding of this Jareditic civilization till it reached the social and governmental chaos the record sets out, but those steps seem wholly clear from the results. Put into modern terms, we can understand them. First, there was a Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 191

forsaking of the righteous life, and the working of wickedness; then must have come the extortion and oppression of the poor by the rich; then retaliation and reprisal by the poor against the rich; then would come a cry to share the wealth which should belong to all; then the easy belief that society owed every man a living whether he worked or not; then the keeping of a great body of idlers…1

Thus, the Jaredites perverted their laws and accelerated down the path towards destruction.

The Conspiracy of Akish and Jared Start the Process Once again, the record does not say whether the laws were corrupted first, or if the secret combinations initiated that corruption, and then utilized their influence and power to subvert the good laws and replace them with bad ones. Regardless of which took place first, the fact remains that the laws became corrupt and the Jaredite secret societies took over the kingdom of Omer (Ether 9:1-3). There evil political influence was so pervasive, Moroni wrote, “it had corrupted the hearts of all the people” (Ether 9:6).

Murdering the Righteous with Prostituted Government When the Lord sent His prophets to warn the people of their slide toward disaster, Heth was in charge of things. He embraced “the secret plans…of old” in order to be put into power (Ether 9:26), thus accomplishing his ambitious desires by murdering his own father and then reigning “in his stead” (Ether 9:27). The prophets came “in the land again” warning the people to repent or be destroyed (Ether 9:28). But, in typical response, “the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish” (Ether 9:29). As usual, it was the power of a prostituted government that “did all these things,” for the record states that it

1 J. Reuben Clark, jr., Stand Fast By Our Constitution, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Company, 1962), p. 177. 192 The Hidden Things Of Darkness was “according to the commandment of the king, Heth” (Ether 9:29).

Destroyed to the Last Man Continuing with the above-cited quote by President Clark, he described what happened next as follows. [W]hen community revenues failed to do this [i.e. keep a great body of idlers], as they always have failed and always will fail, a self-helping by one to the goods of his neighbor; and finally when the neighbor resisted, as resist he must, or starve with his family, then death to the neighbor and all that belonged to him. This was the decreed “fulness of iniquity.”1

President Clark concluded, “then came the end; the Jaredites were wiped out in accordance with ‘the everlasting decree of God.’”2 The Lord had warned that His Spirit would not “always strive with man” (Ether 2:15). Rejecting God outright, “Satan had full power over the hearts of the people” (Ether 15:19). Hence, they were “drunken with anger” (Ether 15:22). “[S]eeking for blood and revenge” (Moroni 9:22), the Jaredites would only stop fighting long enough to rest at night, and then the slaughter would resume the next day. As detailed in previous chapters, the two Jaredite factions, led by Shiz on one side, and Coriantumr on the other, slaughtered one another down to the last man.

The Jaredites’ Ripening in Iniquity in Summary Remarking editorially concerning this entire episode, Moroni stated, “and thus we see that the Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their everlasting destruction” (Ether 14:25). Such divine punishment was in complete accordance with God’s prophetic decree that “they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity: for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath” (Ether 9:20). Like the Ammonihahites,

1 Clark, p. 177. 2 Ibid. Ripening In Iniquity Unto A Fulness 193 and both groups of Nephites, the Jaredites also destroyed themselves in suicidal fashion. The steps they took were the same, as well. 1) After rejecting divine prophetic counsel to institute a different form of government, the Jaredite kings corrupted their laws. 2) Making conditions worse, secret combinations flourished, wiping out the vestiges of freedom. 3) As the prophets condemned these wicked acts, the Jaredite government murdered them with impunity. 4) Running their cup of iniquity to overflow, the Jaredites were wiped out to the last man.

The Everlasting Decree in the Book of Mormon

Reflecting upon the historical lessons those four destroyed civilizations provided, Moroni penned what can be termed “the everlasting decree” concerning the promised land: [A]nd now, we can behold the decrees of God, concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity (Ether 2:9; compare with Ether 9:20).

Furthermore, Moroni added, “this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off” (Ether 2:10).

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The Decree is Still in Force The prophet Moroni’s warning to modern day Gentiles makes it plain that no modern nation is exempt from this decree, or that the laws of history have been suspended. Warned he, “[a]nd this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done” (Ether 2:11). The Gentiles (D&C 109:60) must not let their laws become corrupted, by secret combinations, through their building up of the church of the devil, until the lamp of liberty is extinguished. For if so, the consequences of failing to heed Moroni’s warning (Ether 2:11) will result in the righteous being persecuted and murdered, or cast out. And if that day ever comes, the “fulness” of God’s wrath awaits the Gentiles, too.

Ripening in Iniquity in Review In each and every case presented above, all four groups passed by three distinct warning signs on their road to annihilation. Each one corrupted its laws, wiped out freedom, and then murdered the righteous. Though the Ammonihahites did not engage in the building up of secret combinations, the Nephites both before and after Christ’s visit, along with the Jaredites, did so. The secret combinations amplified the wickedness caused by corrupt government, and bloodied their hands with the deaths of millions of souls. In short, once the groups studied above became “ripe” in iniquity, and allowed secret combinations to build up the church of the devil to its fullest extent, they were swiftly and severely punished by God’s wrath.

Chapter 12

The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles “And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles… that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.” --Ether 2:11

Failing to Learn from History

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”1 While many have heard of this famous quote, few know the name of the historian who said it, and even fewer seem to grasp the timelessness of those words. By any scriptural standard, the world has failed miserably to learn from history. According to the scriptures, three ancient American civilizations refused to repent and learn from the lessons of history, and for that, they were destroyed. Many other civilizations, according to secular sources, also met similar fates.

A Major History Lesson from the Scriptures There are numerous lessons that this modern generation can learn from the Book of Mormon. But given the amount of attention and the importance the prophets attached to the overlapping subjects of secret combinations and the church of the devil, and how those two things led the people to ripen in iniquity (which brought about their utter annihilation), it is not a stretch to state that this multifaceted lesson is one of the major messages of the Book of Mormon. Its importance is underscored by the Lord Himself, who prophesied through His prophet Alma,

1 George Santayana as quoted in America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of Quotations, William J. Federer, ed., (Coppell, TX: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994), p. 547. 196 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land (Alma 37:25).

The Book of Mormon was brought forth, and as was promised, it has brought “to light” in great detail all of those “secret works” and “abominations.” Correspondingly, if the Nephites and Jaredites were destroyed “from off the face of the earth,” for allowing such evil to flourish among them, then “every nation” that would thereafter “possess the land” must be subject to the same divine decree. Such would be the purpose for the Lord in having brought these things “to light” in the first place. Hence, in relation to that ancient prophecy of Alma is a modern commandment, issued from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith. In similar wording, he admonished that “we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them” (D&C 123:13). Illustrating the importance of this seemingly insignificant commandment, with its attending related duties, the Prophet further stated, “Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things” (D&C 123:15). There was much that relied upon the Jaredites and the Nephites to not let those murderous combinations to get above them, too. Yet, the people as a whole failed to heed the warnings that were sounded among them. In time, the secret combinations among them rose to power. Once the secret combinations among those people had spread over their nation, or civilization, the Lord had no choice but to sweep them off the face of the earth (see Ether 2:8-10), Antediluvians, Jaredites, Nephites, and all. In light of what is happening in the world today, it seems that those who live in this smug, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and high-tech generation naively believe that the laws of God, and of history, have somehow been suspended, or even revoked, in their behalf. Those who believe so are in for a rude The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 197 awakening. These priceless lessons of history, preserved in the scriptures, were recorded to warn people in the latter days of what will happen to them, if they fail to remember the past, and act accordingly. Since the past is often prologue, the scriptures offer concrete examples of what will happen to modern civilizations if they refuse to learn from history. As such, unless the inhabitants of the earth speedily repent of their iniquities, they will soon “bring down” upon themselves “the fulness of the wrath of God…as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done” (Ether 2:11). Like the Nephites of old, who reviled against Nephi when he warned them that they stood on the brink of destruction, there are some today that exhibit similar behavior. Those Nephites mocked the idea that their nation could be destroyed, and their “great cities…taken from” them (Helaman 8:5). With blinding pride, they boasted, “And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no power over us” (Helaman 8:6). Many Americans, and Latter-day Saints included, also skirt such prophetic warnings, claiming that “these things can’t happen here.” Blinded by their pride and foolish adherence to the “precepts of men,” they are either unaware of, or do not believe, what the words of the scriptures and the modern day prophets have said, and how they warn about these things. Because all revealed truths from God to the people on the earth, as a whole, are given from the “mouth of two or three witnesses” (D&C 6:28), it is through that method that “every word” “shall” “be established” (D&C 6:28; see also Deuteronomy 4:26, Matthew 18:16, John 5:31-47, 2 Corinthians 13:1, Ether 5:4, D&C 128:3). The divine warning to latter-day Gentiles (D&C 109:60) against secret combinations has been sounded by at least three witnesses: do not follow in the footsteps of those who were destroyed that preceded you.* Three

* Latter-day Saints should consider the fact that non-members do not read the Book of Mormon, nor do they attend General Conference. As such, these prophetic warnings are directed at those who are expected to receive them, namely members of the Church. Therefore, who has the most responsibility regarding this topic, LDS or non-LDS? 198 The Hidden Things Of Darkness individual witnesses of those warnings are examined in detail in the sections that follow.

A Book of Mormon Prophet Warns the Gentiles

While abridging the Book of Ether, the prophet Moroni, on several occasions, felt impressed to specifically direct his remarks to the Gentiles concerning this subject. Pointing out one of the main purposes of the Book of Mormon, Moroni wrote, And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done (Ether 2:11).

The Nature of the Warning So that no misunderstanding arise in any way, as to why the “inhabitants of the land” brought down God’s wrath upon themselves, Moroni spelled it out in very plain terms a few chapters later. He wrote that secret combinations had “caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking [the Jaredites], and also the destruction of the people of Nephi” (Ether 8:21). And lest his modern reading audience fail to grasp the universal historical application and warning of his writings, Moroni stated emphatically, “and whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed” (Ether 8:22). Then specifically directing his warning towards those living in the latter days, he said, Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be (Ether 8:23). The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 199

In light of the historical object lesson those ancient destroyed civilizations provide, Moroni’s warning to the Gentiles is unmistakeable. There are some that scoff at the idea that the same kinds of secret combinations, which existed during the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites, would exist in modern times. The scriptures leave no room for doubt that they will be among the Gentiles in the latter days. Prophesying concerning the Gentiles, Nephi wrote, “and there are also secret combinations [in the latter days], even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness” (2 Nephi 26:22). Adding to Nephi’s witness, Moroni warned, “wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you” (Ether 8:24). Faithful Latter-day Saints should consider what the consequences will be to their civilization if those warnings from prophets of old are ignored. Those who take Moroni’s warning seriously concerning this modern day secret combination, and follow the Lord’s “[commandment]” to “awake to a sense” of their “awful situation” (Ether 8:24) will do all they can to stop this nation from losing its freedom. They will work to keep it “from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:11). But if “these things” are allowed “to be” (Ether 8:24), then this secret combination will “overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations and countries” and bring to pass “the destruction of all people” (Ether 8:25). Those who think that the United States of America is immune from that evil force that threatens global destruction are living in a bubble of “carnal security” (2 Nephi 28:21). It is hoped that their bubble is not so catastrophically burst in the same way that it was for the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites. But these things need not bring down this nation. The Lord in His mercy has already provided a way out of this 200 The Hidden Things Of Darkness temporal deathtrap if His people will do what He requires of them, which will be discussed in the conclusion of this treatise.

Evidence of the Book’s Warning

Besides the fact that Book of Mormon prophets issued direct warnings to the Gentiles regarding “these things” (Ether 8:23), there is ample evidence that the book’s literary organization is itself a warning.* As early in the text as the Words of Mormon, the prophet-historian Mormon began to lay the organizational foundation for that structure. Most assuredly, the Book of Mormon’s primary purpose is to bring men and women to Christ. But as will be shown, there is ample evidence that indicates how the book’s literary structure builds towards a message of warning.

Mormon’s “Intent” After the narrative taken from the small plates of Nephi ends, around the time of King Benjamin, Mormon, the book’s primary author, interrupts the chronological flow of the text. He did so in order to make some editorial explanations regarding which plates he used, and from which ones he drew upon to compile his sacred history of his people (Words of Mormon 1:3- 6). He also stated that he was about to “deliver up the record [he had] been making into the hands of [his] son Moroni” (Words of Mormon 1:1). But before doing that, he explained to the reader that he was going “to finish out [his] record, which [he took] from the plates of Nephi; and [that he made] it according to the knowledge and the understanding which God [had] given [him]” (Words of Mormon 1:9). Sadly, because he was slain (Mormon 8:5), Mormon did not “finish” his book, though he did complete most of it. Mormon had recounted the history of the Nephites, from the days of Nephi, all the way to the day in which he had “witnessed almost all the destruction of [his] people” (Words of Mormon 1:1) at the hill Cumorah. His supposition that he would

* See Figure 1, with the accompanying commentary and analysis. The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 201 die before his son, and that Moroni would “witness the entire destruction of [their] people” (Words of Mormon 1:2), was correct. Mormon’s last words he wrote in his book were an invitation to the Lamanites to believe in Christ, and to accept His gospel (Mormon 7:1-10). After engraving those final words, the next thing the text records is his son’s statement, “Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon” (Mormon 8:1). Moroni, of course, was not going to write on the plates with some filler material, until there was no more room left. He was under a commandment as to what he would write. “Behold,” he stated, “I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father” (Mormon 8:1). Apparently, there was something very important that was left out. After discussing how the Nephites “were all destroyed” (Mormon 8:2), he repeated again that he was going to “fulfil the commandment of my father” (Mormon 8:3). Stating his intentions to “hide up the records in the earth” after he fulfilled that commandment, he remarked that his father had “written the intent thereof” (Mormon 8:5). There are two good questions that arise from these verses to consider. First, what was the “commandment” he received from his father concerning the record? And second, what was his father’s “intent thereof” (Mormon 8:5)? In tracing the pieces of evidence that follow, cited from the scriptures, what the “intent” was, as well as that “commandment,” will become clear. Moreover, the evidence will also show that the answers to those two questions are in fact evidence that the Book of Mormon’s literary structure itself is a warning to the latter-day Gentiles (D&C 109:60) against secret combinations, the great enemies of Christ.

Limhi’s Desire to Know Concerning the Jaredites’ Destruction The first piece of evidence regarding his “intent” was when Mormon recounted how Ammon discovered the people of King Limhi, who were in bondage to the Lamanites, and how Ammon had learned of a record of a destroyed people. Limhi recounted 202 The Hidden Things Of Darkness to him the story of how an expedition was chosen out from his people and sent forth to find Zarahemla, so that they might be delivered from their slavery to the Lamanites (Mosiah 8:7). During their journey, they became lost and actually stumbled upon another civilization in ruins (Mosiah 8:8-12; 28:12, 17-19). Because the expedition became “lost in the wilderness for the space of many days” (Mosiah 8:8), they never made their original destination. Instead, they discovered a land “which was covered with the bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind” (Mosiah 8:8). Limhi was quoted as saying that “for a testimony” to prove that what the members of the expedition said was true, they “brought twenty-four plates…filled with engravings,” being made “of pure gold” (Mosiah 8:9). As Ammon listened to Limhi tell his people’s story, Limhi asked him if he knew of anybody who could translate the plates, because he thought that “they [would] give [him] a knowledge of [the]…people who [had] been destroyed,” meaning the Jaredites. Limhi, perhaps unaware of the tremendous significance of his own words, said that he was “desirous to know the cause of their destruction” (Mosiah 8:12). Ammon assured him that the prophet and seer Mosiah could translate the mysterious record. After Limhi’s people escaped from the Lamanites and were united with the people of King Mosiah, his curiosity was satisfied. Mosiah translated the record as Limhi requested. Mormon noted that the people’s curiosity at that time was very piqued. He wrote that Mosiah translated the Jaredite plates “because of the great anxiety of [the] people; for they were desirous beyond measure to know concerning those people who had been destroyed” (Mosiah 28:12). Commenting upon that segment of Nephite history, Mormon made a significant statement regarding the Jaredite record and the people of Limhi’s desire “beyond measure” to know what happened to those who had “been destroyed.” He wrote, “and this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it is expedient that all people should know the things which are written in this account” (Mosiah 28:19—emphasis added). Mormon’s statement that The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 203

“this accout shall be written hereafter” will be addressed in more detail momentarily.

Alma’s Prophecy of the Destruction of the Nephites The next major piece of evidence came when Mormon included in his abridgment an interview between Alma the prophet, and his prophet-son Helaman. In that interview, Alma explained to his son in no uncertain terms why the Jaredites were destroyed, and how they had become “fully ripe” in iniquity (Alma 37:28), because of secret combinations (Alma 37:21-32). Then, after that comment, Alma prophesied to his son Helaman that the Nephites would be destroyed “four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself unto them” (Alma 45:10), because they would become “fully ripe” in iniquity like the Jaredites who preceded them. Thus did Alma verify that secret combinations not only destroyed the Jaredites, but that they would also be the cause for the downfall of his own people, the Nephites. That Mormon felt impressed to include Alma’s prophetic statement is more structural evidence of his “intent.”

Mormon’s Comment Concerning the Nephite’s Destruction The third piece of evidence was placed when Mormon began to recount how the first secret combination rose up among the Nephites. After briefly detailing the rise of Gadianton’s secret combination, he paused to remark, “And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter….And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire destruction of the people of Nephi” (Helaman 2:12-13). Mormon then clarified which book he was referring to when he wrote, “Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all the account which I have written” (Helaman 2:14). Mormon’s reference to the “end of the book of Nephi” was not the people during Helaman’s time, but rather to the end of 4 Nephi. For when the reader comes to the end of that book, it shows how the “wicked part of the people began again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton” (4 Nephi 204 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

1:42), until they did “spread over all the face of the land” (4 Nephi 1:46). At that point, the Nephites never turned back. And as Mormon documented in Mormon 6:1-22, they were completely destroyed by the Lamanites.

The Cause of the Jaredites’ and the Nephites’ Destruction Because Mormon was not able to abridge the record of the Jaredites, as he said he would in Mosiah 28:19, he was forced to leave his unfinished abridgment of the Nephites’ history over to his son Moroni, who was then tasked with the responsibility of completing it. As Moroni abridged the Jaredite record, and as he wrote concerning the rise of secret combinations among them, he paused in his narrative to comment that “they [secret combinations] have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi” (Ether 8:21). Thus in one verse, Moroni answered Limhi’s centuries-old question concerning how the Jaredites were destroyed (Mosiah 8:12), as well as verifying his father’s comment that Gadianton’s band was the cause of the Nephite’s destruction (Helaman 2:12-14).

The Nephite Abridgment and the Jaredite Record When Moroni received the record from his father, and after all his people had been destroyed, he stated that he had “but a few things to write, which things [he had] been commanded by [his] father” (Mormon 8:1). His melancholy, which is very understandable, overshadowed most everything he wrote. For he was “alone,” and “whether” or not the Lamanites would “slay” him, he knew not, and “whither” he would go, “it [mattered] not” (Mormon 8:3, 4), as long as he finished the “commandment” given to him by his “father” (Mormon 8:3). He then stated that he was going to write the “sad tale of the destruction of [his] people” (Mormon 8:3). Yet, there was not much left to write, for when Moroni finished the “tale,” it only consisted of a few lines, and was just three verses away. He simply remarked that the Lamanites had “hunted his people” “down” “from city to city,” “even until they are no more” (Mormon 8:7). In closing his remarks concerning The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 205 that generation, he said that it was one “continual round of murder and bloodshed,” and that “no one knoweth the end of the war” (Mormon 8:8). He then concluded his “sad tale” by stating, “and now, behold, I say no more concerning them” (Mormon 8:9). Since the task of finishing the Nephite abridgment was so insignificant, what then was the “commandment” (Mormon 8:3) that Moroni received from his father, and what was the “intent” of “this record” (Mormon 8:5), meaning the Nephite abridgment? The gaping hole in Mormon’s work was that he died before he could abridge the Jaredite record. But is it accurate to say that to finish the Jaredite record was the commandment Moroni received from his father? And was that the intent of what Mormon had already written?

Moroni’s Supposition Moroni himself supplies the answer to the first question concerning the commandment he received from his father. After abridging the record of the Jaredites, and recounting their destruction, Moroni’s opening line in his own book was, “Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more” (Moroni 1:1). Repeating this assertion, but recognizing his option to write more if he so chose, he stated, “Wherefore, I write a few things more, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more” (Moroni 1:4). Thus, it seems that the preponderence of evidence shows that Moroni’s commandment, which he received from his father, had to do with writing the Book of Ether. Since Moroni’s task of writing about the Nephites was so insignificantly small, and because he had “supposed not to have written any more” (Moroni 1:4) when he started the Book of Moroni (named after himself), by process of elimination that leaves the Jaredite record, which Mormon did not complete. Because Mormon had promised to recount the history of the Jaredites all the way back in the Book of Mosiah, the lack of fulfilling such a promise would have left a gaping hole in the Book of Mormon, had Moroni not completed the task. It was that 206 The Hidden Things Of Darkness task that Moroni was under commandment by his father to complete.

Tying Together the Evidence The answer to the second proposed question, namely what Mormon’s “intent” was, is shown by tying together all of these pieces of evidence into one whole. First, Mormon set a pattern by demonstrating in the Book of Mormon that secret combinations were the cause for the downfall of the Nephites. He also started to lay the groundwork to show that the same thing happened to the Jaredites, but was unable to build upon that. Second, Moroni followed that pattern of evidence by showing what happened to the Jaredites, and how they were similarly destroyed, like the Nephites, by the same causes. It is significant to note that while the Jaredites had a history that was twice as long as the Nephites, Moroni narrowly focused almost half of his abridgment on how the Jaredites were destroyed by secret combinations. Both civilizations, the Nephites and the Jaredites, allowed secret combinations to corrupt their governments, take them over, lead the people to ripen in iniquity, and then use that power to murder the righteous. Moroni stated plainly that those forces were the cause of the destruction of both civilizations (Ether 8:21). Third, while it might be a surprise to members of the Church, that Moroni never intended to write past the Book of Ether, he himself verified that such was the case (Moroni 1:1, 4). In light of that, members should ponder how their view of the Book of Mormon would differ if the book had actually ended with the Book of Ether. If he had not written any further, would not the overwhelming message of the text be that two civilizations were destroyed in the exact same fashion, with a warning to the Gentiles (Ether 2:8-10, 8:22-25) to not repeat the same disaster? Is that not the “intent thereof?” Based on the evidence at hand, one would be hard pressed to find another one.

Moroni’s Promise to Members Rather than end on such a negative note, Moroni did find some other things to write about, and some small loose ends to The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 207 tie up (see Moroni 2; compare to 3 Nephi 18:37). By having the record in his possession for so long (from 385 A.D. to 421 A.D.), with so little left to write, it is apparent that Moroni thought for a long time how he might end that transcendentally important work that he and his father made. The crown gem of that effort is the promise he left to his readers in the last chapter of Moroni, which is his invitation to the reader to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. To those who first come in contact with the Book of Mormon, this is the one sure way to get a burning testimony, by the power of the Holy Ghost, of the truthfulness of what is written in that book. One will know that Jesus is the Christ, that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that the Church he restored is true, and that God guides that Church through His prophet today. But is that the only application of Moroni’s promise? Are there not other things members can pray about to know if they are true? Consider the following. Since the Book of Mormon’s textual organization is such a strong witness and warning against secret combinations, and because the Gentiles are warned emphatically against “these things” (Ether 8:23), does not Moroni’s promise have an application to members who already have a testimony of the book’s truthfulness, but who may have ignored its warning? Would not that promise include everything in the Book of Mormon that Moroni and his father wrote about? And since they spent so much time and effort in detailing what secret combinations did to their people, as well as the Jaredites’ civilization, would not that particular message of the Book of Mormon be important, too? Could not a member pray about that warning, to see if it is “true” (Moroni 10:4), and it if has present relevance? Would not the answer to such a heartfelt prayer help such a person to “awake to a sense” of this nation’s and world’s “awful situation” (Ether 8:24), “because of this secret combination” (Ether 8:24) that shall seek to “overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25)? With such a knowledge, would not members be inclined to “repent and not continue in [their] iniquities until the fulness come” (Ether 2:11), by not building 208 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“these things” (Ether 8:23) up, so that they might “not bring down upon the fulness of the wrath of God upon [themselves] as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done” (Ether 2:11)?

A Modern Prophet’s Warning

When certain members of the Church are uncomfortable with, or disagree with, some of the teachings of past prophets, a frequent tactic employed against those who cite them is to bludgeon them into silence by accusing them of quoting from a “dead prophet.” Yet, almost every time those same members read from their scriptures, or listen to someone else discuss them in Sunday school class, they are reading or listening to the words of “dead prophets.” This tactical double standard of selectively accepting divine teachings conveniently allows those who use it to pick and choose which truths from the scriptures and the prophets they wish to obey. And when the teachings are perceived to be “controversial,” then the “dead prophet” tactic is used with a fanatical zeal that rivals the Pharisees of old. But, the Lord does not give His prophets suggestions to recommend to His people. Speaking to His “church,” concerning the teachings of His prophets, He stated, “thou shalt give heed unto all his words and commandments which he shall give unto you as he receiveth them, walking in all holiness before me” (D&C 21:4). “For,” He added, “his word ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith” (D&C 21:5). Especially applicable to the subject matter addressed in this book is the succeeding verse of that section. “For by doing these things the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good, and his name’s glory” (D&C 21:6). As one of the Lord’s prophets of the last dispensation, President Ezra Taft Benson spoke frequently to the Saints and other Church leaders regarding the importance of the Book of Mormon, and how it has been neglected for too long. In a talk delivered over 26 times to various segments of the Church, he said, “now, we have not been using the Book of Mormon as we The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 209 should.”1 He then offered some ways as to how the Book of Mormon might be properly utilized the way God intended it to be.

The Two-fold Purpose of the Book of Mormon Before offering some of those ways, President Benson testified that the Book of Mormon has a two-fold purpose, and that it “brings men to Christ through two basic means.”2 “First,” he stated, “it tells in a plain manner of Christ and His gospel.”3 The vast majority of Latter-day Saints who have seriously read the Book of Mormon would wholeheartedly concur that it has helped them draw closer to Christ, and that it has been a catalyst for change in their lives. But President Benson spoke of another seldom thought of way that the Book of Mormon “brings men to Christ.” Secondly, he said, “the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ.”4 Indeed, perhaps second only to the Book of Mormon being a witness for the Savior, it stands as a warning to future generations, as it exposes Christ’s enemies so effectively. While some might find it a little odd that one can draw closer to Christ in that manner, the statement makes perfect sense. In order to be able to more fully emulate Christ, a person must know how to be, as well as how not to be. The Book of Mormon is a tremendous teacher in that respect (see Ether 2:11). As President Benson noted, the Book of Mormon, fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day…. God with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.5

1 President Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness And A Warning, (Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Company, 1988), p. 6. 2 Ibid., p. 3. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. 210 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

As President Benson’s talk developed, he not only named some of those enemies of Christ, but he also pointed out how members of the Church have failed to properly use the Book of Mormon. He warned, “our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the falsehoods”1 propogated so widely by Christ’s enemies in the world today. Going further than that, he even chastised the members for supporting Christ’s Mahanic enemies, saying, “…and our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.2

In a later address to the members of the Church during General Conference, President Benson sounded a major warning, testifying that “a secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world.”3 Since most Latter-day Saints are presumably not members of the mafia, drug cartels, or other supposed secret combinations, perhaps these warnings and chastisements seemed undeserved, even off target, applicable only to non-members. Yet, how many members continue to cast votes every election, without a second thought, in favor of representatives and presidents who enact measures designed to rob American Gentiles of their freedoms, and the nation of its independence? Do they consider that such actions are viewed by the scriptures as contrary to the divine decree that this nation remain “free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven…” (Ether 2:12)? Being “free from…all other nations under heaven” means just that. It is freedom from

1 Benson, p. 6. 2 Ibid. 3 President Benson, “I Testify,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, November, 1988), p. 87. The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 211 politically entangling alliances that destroy America’s sovereign Republic, its independence, and its citizens’ God-given rights. How, then, can members vote for political leaders who trash national sovereignty in pursuit of their agenda of “global interdependence,” and world government, and not act contrary to this divine counsel from the Book of Mormon? Furthermore, how can Gentiles (D&C 109:60) allow their country to be united “to that great and abominable church” (2 Nephi 6:12) along with all of the other “nations which [belong] to” it (1 Nephi 14:16), and not expect to “bring down the fulness of the wrath of God” “as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done” (Ether 2:11)? How is it, that in less than 200 years, members of the Church have gone from being told to warn the earth’s inhabitants about “secret combinations” (D&C 42:64), to being chastised for “building up and upholding the [very] secret combinations” that the Book of Mormon itself warns against (see Ether 8:23-25)? Given the fact that such a spiritual slide has taken place, is it any wonder that the Lord has placed the entire Church under condemnation, and that He has not yet seen fit to have it lifted? Also, since a modern prophet chastised the members for “building up” secret combinations, and coupling that with Moroni’s warning that the Lord’s “vengeance” will be poured out upon “those who buil[d]…up” this great, world-wide secret combination of the last days, should this not give Latter-day Saints much to think about? Yet, many fail to even see the connection. But, the warning stands, unretracted, as a third witness.

“If” the Gentiles “Suffer These Things to Be”

There are some who take these warnings very seriously, even to the point of having awakened to a “sense of [their] awful situation” (Ether 8:24). But, they feel that there is no way to stop the momentum of this latter-day secret combination that seeks to overthrow the “freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25) and have given up hope. Yet, as dire as the warning is, those same Book of Mormon prophets still hold out hope to the Gentiles. Moroni prophesied that “the sword of the justice of 212 The Hidden Things Of Darkness the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be” (Ether 8:23— emphasis added). Moroni never foretold the outcome. He only placed the Gentiles’ fate in the balance, with the outcome being contingent upon what they choose to do. The great danger for the Gentiles lies in defeatist thinking. For those who think it is too late to stop what is happening just might watch their beliefs become a self- fulfilling prophecy, and will one day wish that it had not come to pass.

A Possible Future Scenario The book of 3 Nephi provides a priceless historical lesson1 that illustrates what could happen if modern day Gentiles allow “these things to be.” This history lesson should be viewed in light of the fact that much of the Book of Mormon itself (from Mosiah 29 through 4 Nephi) has many similarities to the last days. Indeed, President Benson testified in General Conference that “in the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Second Coming. A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just prior to Christ’s coming to America.”2 In the next General Conference, he repeated this idea, witnessing that “the record of the Nephite history just prior to the Savior’s visit reveals many parallels to our own day as we anticipate the Savior’s second coming.”3 Indeed, the Book of Mormon was “so molded”4 so as to be a parallel for the latter days. With that in mind, the following latter-day application of such a historical lesson is most instructive. Appropriately, this part of Nephite history deals with the short time period just before the Savior visited the American

1 President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Savior’s Visit To America,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, May, 1987), p. 6. 2 President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Book Of Mormon—Keystone Of Our Religion,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, November, 1986), p. 6-7. 3 President Benson, “The Savior’s Visit To America,” p. 4. 4 President Benson, A Witness And A Warning, p. 2-3. The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 213 continent, which is a type and shadow of His future return to the earth. Mormon recorded that just prior to Christ’s visit to the Nephites, …there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings (3 Nephi 6:20).

The Nephites’ reaction to such bold teaching was predictable. Mormon commented, Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests [apostates] and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things (3 Nephi 6:21).

Special emphasis is placed on the fact that “they who had been high priests” were “exceedingly angry” with those inspired men. Why were they angry? Were they once members of the true church? Or, were they members of the church in name only, even members of some prominence, and resented their brethren of less notoriety calling them to repentance? Severing all ties with the church, those “high priests” “did gather themselves together,” along with their lawyer and chief judge friends, and did “enter into a covenant one with another” to “combine against the people of the Lord,” and to “destroy them” (3 Nephi 6:27-30). Moreover, they sought to “destroy the governor and to establish a king over the land, that the land should be no more at liberty but should be subject unto kings” (3 Nephi 6:30). Not only did they abandon their religion, they actually united with Christ’s enemies in order to destroy the freedom of those who were once their brethren, in defiance of the things those brethren had testified and warned against so boldly. 214 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

After accomplishing their nefarious goal, and destroying “the regulations of the government” (3 Nephi 7:6), things grew worse as even the “more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked” (3 Nephi 7:7). Those who had lost their freedom, but who were not righteous, “united together” into different tribes (3 Nephi 7:11). But, even though those tribes were “united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government” (3 Nephi 7:11), ironically “their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them” (3 Nephi 7:14). The prophets and the saints, who remained faithful to God, found themselves caught in the crossfire of two evil groups, both seeking to annihilate them (3 Nephi 7:11, 14). The Lord’s prophet Nephi, in the midst of all that wickedness, began to perform great miracles, but the people rejected him, too (3 Nephi 7:15-20). At that point, God would no longer tolerate any more of the treatment of His people in such a fashion, so He poured out His wrath on the wicked without measure (3 Nephi 8). Mormon then detailed to his reading audience the tremendous destruction that resulted from God pouring out His wrath (3 Nephi 8:5-9:12). After recounting to the reader all of those events that led up to the destruction which had taken place, Mormon then penned an editorial comment that his reading audience should find cause to deeply ponder and consider. Such pondering and consideration is especially appropriate in light of the fact that what Mormon had just written is a future pattern for events of the last days. He wrote,

“and now, whoso readeth, let him understand” (3 Nephi 10:14).

What, it may be queried, is he asking the reader to understand? Since the Nephites of that time period are a potential prophetic parallel for what might happen to America one day, the answer seems evident. Mormon was pleading for Gentiles in America to not follow in those Nephites’ footsteps, and that to avoid such, The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 215

Latter-day Saints only need stop the secret combination among them from destroying their government and freedom. With an understanding of his father’s message, Moroni added his testimony by prophetically promising that if the Gentiles would “repent of [their] sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above [them] (Ether 8:23), then they would remain free “from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). He added an additional clause that such will occur “if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). But, if they failed to repent, “and continue[d] in [their] iniquities until the fulness come” (Ether 2:11), he warned that “the sword of justice of the Eternal God” would fall upon them to their “overthrow and destruction if [they] suffer these things to be” (Ether 8:23), just like the Nephites at the time of Christ’s visit suffered for allowing their freedom to be destroyed. Sensing that there is still time, he commanded the members to “awake to a sense of [their] awful situation, because” of the “secret combination” that would be among them, and that would seek “to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25). Latter-day Saints should ask themselves the following. Do they want to be caught in a similar crossfire of persecution and bloodshed that faithful Nephites had to endure at the hands of their enemies because their government that protected their freedom was destroyed? Mormon’s careful recording of what happened to the Nephites provides a painful historical object lesson of what can happen to the Gentiles if they “suffer these things to be” (Ether 8:23). The verdict is still out. Moroni’s use of the word “if” shows that the Gentiles can still change the outcome, but their time is running out. Before concluding, it is expedient to pause and consider how the Nephite “high priests” treated their priesthood brethren who actively worked towards preserving their freedom. That treatment should cause Latter-day Saints to cautiously consider where their loyalties really lie. For if they, like their ancient counterparts, turn against their fellow brethren who earnestly strive to protect their freedom and country, will they not place themselves in the same position that those “who had been high 216 The Hidden Things Of Darkness priests” did of old (see Mormon 8:34-35, 38-41)? Apostatizing from not only their church, but also their inspired form of government, they united with Christ’s enemies in order to murder God’s people, the same people they once called “brother,” or “sister.” They raised the sword against them and shed their blood. For that, God destroyed them. If Latter-day Saints turn against and persecute those who seek to protect their country’s freedom, and hinder them from doing so, can they also not expect a divine punishment to be meted out towards them? And if they expect to survive the judgments that God will pour out upon the wicked in the last days, after raising their voices against those who seek to save their freedom, they would do well to remember Mormon’s poignant words. In speaking of the Nephites who survived the Lord’s wrath in their day, Mormon remarked that it “was the more righteous part of the people who were saved.” “And it was they who received the prophets and stoned them not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints, who were spared” (3 Nephi 10:12). They “who received the prophets” believed the warning when it was sounded. The Book of Mormon’s warning regarding secret combinations is plain. Latter-day Saint Gentiles need only work at saving their country in order to avoid the same fate that three civilizations met on the American continent. But if they do not, then a dreadful and dark night of slavery will descend upon them and their children. And if that dark day ever comes, what will Latter-day Saints living in America tell their children, if they fail to heed the Book of Mormon’s warning, and let themselves and their posterity to be shackled with the chains of slavery? Furthermore, what will they tell God if they refused to believe the warning He has given them in a book they so boldly profess to be His word? Would not the hypocrisy of such a testimonial double standard offend the Holy Spirit, that of professing to believe the Book of Mormon to be true, while simultaneously thumbing a collective nose at one of its most solemn warnings, which is specifically directed at Latter-day Saints living in America?

The Book Of Mormon Warns The Latter-day Gentiles 217

The Book of Mormon’s Warning to the Gentiles in Review Book of Mormon prophets, namely Mormon and Moroni, testified that secret combinations brought down at least two ancient American civilizations. In particular, Moroni wrote, “And they [meaning secret combinations]…caused the destruction of [the Jaredites], and also the destruction of the people of Nephi” (Ether 8:21). Moroni poignantly added to such an observation, that “whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold they shall be destroyed” (Ether 8:22). After making those instructive statements, he then remarked that “it is wisdom in God” that the Gentiles (D&C 109:60) be shown “these things,” so that they might “repent” and not let “these murderous combinations” get above them (Ether 8:23). He testified that the Lord commands the Gentiles to “awake to a sense of [their] awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among [them]” (Ether 8:24). For “whosoever buildeth…up [this evil group] seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” and to bring “to pass the destruction of all people” (Ether 8:25). Failure to heed this warning will cause that “the sword of the justice of the Eternal God” to “fall upon” this nation, if the Gentiles “shall suffer these things to be” (Ether 8:23). The Book of Mormon was “so molded” by God that the structural organization of the text is a warning, in and of itself, about the total destruction caused by secret combinations to past American civilizations. Concerning those secret combinations, the Lord prophesied, as was recorded by Alma, that He would “bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations…unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land” (Alma 37:25). The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is a fulfillment of that promise. The Book of Mormon stands as a solemn warning, “unto every nation that shall hereafter possess” this land, as to what will happen to modern civilizations that allow their nations to be taken over by they who follow those “secret works” of Satan, Cain, and all of their followers throughout the generations. 218 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

While numerous prophets have spoken out against freedom- destroying evils in the world, President Benson directed his warnings against the great latter-day secret combination that is the force working behind the scenes, which seeks to enslave all of humanity. Accordingly, in modern times, the Lord has commanded His people to “waste and wear out [their] lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness” (D&C 123:13). “For,” said the Prophet Joseph Smith, “there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things” (D&C 123:15). The importance of following such a commandment, in light of what is at stake, is plainly manifest. Three ancient American civilizations were destroyed by the same cause, and for failing to adhere to the warnings sounded by prophets in their day and age. Yet, the United States of America is not predestined to meet the same fate, and for that matter, nor is any particular one of the many other nations. The scriptures leave everything open-ended, but with the stipulation that time is running out for the Gentiles in America to put their country back on its Constitutional tracks. Mormon included in his writings, as found in 3 Nephi 6-8 (which is a parallel and pattern for the last days), a priceless historical object lesson of what might happen to members of the Church if they allow “these things to be.” They who survived the calamities of those times paid attention when the prophetic warning was sounded. If modern day Gentiles (D&C 109:60) wish to save their civilization, and their freedom, they would do well to listen to those warnings.

Conclusion

Getting Out From Under Condemnation “And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.” --3 Nephi 26:10

The Neglect of Weighty Commandments

At the beginning of this work, several issues and questions were raised regarding the importance of certain weighty commandments. Some of those questions regarding those commandments were: 1) why it is important to warn against secret combinations, what exactly are they, and how may they be identified, 2) why the elders are to set forth “clearly and understandingly the abomination of desolation,” and what that phrase means in the last days, 3) why members of the church shall not contend with any church “save it be the church of the devil,” 4) what “ripening in iniquity” specifically means, and 5) why it is important to “waste and wear out” one’s life in exposing and “bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness.”

In the preceding chapters, each one of these questions was answered in a building-block fashion, with one chapter laying the foundation for the next. The answers to those questions are by no means fully and completely developed, but they were answered in the best possible manner, and within the intended 220 The Hidden Things Of Darkness scope of this work. Also, an effort was made to show what will happen if those weighty matters are neglected for very much longer. Each chapter, or group of chapters, examined a particular facet of Satan’s total plan. Now, in offering some summarizing remarks below, those details that have been examined in separate chapters will be linked together in order to show how they are really all part of one big picture.

The War in Heaven Contrary to certain notions regarding the War in Heaven, it did not end with Satan being cast out of God’s presence. Just as he sought to dethrone God and destroy his brothers’ and sisters’ agency, Satan now uses his earthly followers to accomplish the same designs. It is still his primary objective. The War in Heaven has merely been transplanted to another battlefield, known as Earth. And until he has stamped out every vestige of freedom on this planet, Satan will not yield for one moment in the pursuit of his consummately evil agenda, in establishing a great, worldwide, totalitarian, Satanocratic government.

Satanocracy Most governments in history, if not all of them, arrogated and assumed powers unto themselves that they were never entitled to, and that were not within the scope of their legitimately delegated authority. With those powers, they were almost always universally abusive of their subjects’ rights from one degree to another. While they varied by degree and severity in that abuse, ranging from the least felt oppression, all the way to full-blown totalitarianism, all Satanocracies violated the God- given rights of the subjects they were supposed to protect. Satanocracy through time shows that one of the Adversary’s greatest successes has been to harness the power of the state using power-hungry and evil men in order to destroy the agency of the rest of their brothers and sisters in mortality. But when Satanocracy was combined with secret combinations, that deadly mixture brought about the entire destruction of three ancient civilizations. It is through that medium that Satan has had the greatest success in executing his plan on the earth. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 221

Secret Combinations Drawing together into one whole all the aspects and characteristics of secret combinations, as examined in the previous chapters, and as cited from the scriptures, a formal (though not entirely complete) definition is given as follows: secret combination (n.)—any group of Satanocrats, who seeking for power and gain, covenant with one another, and to Satan, to use murder, robbery, deceit, or any other means or tactic necessary, in order to infiltrate, subvert, and/or overthrow governments, so that once in control of such, and through the use of corrupt laws, they are able to maintain power and authority over those whom they have enslaved with their statolatrous plan.

In the cases of Cain, the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites, this definition held true in every single example. In relation to how Satan conducted himself prior to, and during the War in Heaven, and what his real motives were, it is easy to see how secret combinations have carried on that battle for, and in behalf of, their master. Making their Satanic blood-oaths the sealing power of their religion, they adhere to those oaths regardless of how many lives are destroyed, even if it means their own. Secret combinations are the consummate Satanocrats, and they are the greatest promoters of statolatry. With the force of prostituted government as their tool, they have carried on that premortal war with a ferocity that has brought about the death and destruction of millions and millions of people, beginning with the people living before the Flood, to the entire Jaredite civilization, to the Nephites.

Secret Combinations and the Church of the Devil Since secret combinations always gravitate towards government, and because they usurp power and corrupt the laws, the relationship between them and the church of the devil is evident. H. Verlan Andersen addressed the issue to some degree, writing, “the question naturally arises as to whether they are one 222 The Hidden Things Of Darkness and the same organization.”1 He then offered some comparisons between the two. Both, he noted, are founded “by Satan” and are the “ultimate in wickedness.”2 Moreover, “they are both the source of abominations.”3 H. Verlan Andersen summed up the “evidence” by writing, it would seem safe to conclude that since secret combinations are always seeking to obtain control of government, and since the devil’s church is completely- corrupted government, [then]…secret combinations are the devil’s church in embryo until they achieve their purpose. Thereafter, there is no distinction between them.4

As has been shown in prior chapters, prostituted government can and does exist without being controlled and administered by secret combinations. In the cases of the Nephite king Noah, the Jaredite king Riplakish, and the decadent Roman Empire, none of those regimes were the product of secret combinations. However, once secret combinations are factored into the picture, by capturing control of, and prostituting government, the evil they foment is only magnified many-fold. Prostituted governments constitute the greatest wickedness in the world possible, when directed by secret combinations, as is shown by the scriptures. Moroni commented that secret combinations are the “most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God” (Ether 8:18). Nephi wrote that the church of the devil “is most abominable above all other churches” (1 Nephi 13:5).* Moroni’s father, Mormon, showed how much evil secret combinations and the church of the devil can cause when they are one in the same organization. Quoting the Lord in reference to the Nephites’ destruction, he wrote that the city inhabited by the secret combination of Jacob was “above all the wickedness

1 Andersen, The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, p. 90. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid., 91. * These references are taken from H. Verlan Andersen’s book The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil, but they are reworded and expanded upon for the purposes of this work. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 223 of the whole earth…for it was they that did destroy…the [free] government of the land” (3 Nephi 9:9), in their efforts to enslave the entire Nephite nation. In the last days, the evil fostered by a worldwide corrupt government and a secret combination will dwarf any event of the past, if the Gentiles “suffer these things to be” (Ether 8:24). Nephi saw that the whore of the earth, made up of “nations which” belong to it, will eventually have “dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (1 Nephi 14:11). Moroni showed that such an entity would be run by a secret combination. Warning the Gentiles about “this secret combination which shall be among you” (Ether 8:24), he prophesied that “it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25). And being “built up by the devil” through his oath-bound servants, they seek to bring to pass “the destruction of all people” (Ether 8:25).

The Abomination of Desolation In ancient times, it was a corrupt Roman regime that brought about the abomination of desolation upon the wicked in Jerusalem and surrounding areas. In modern times, however, it will not just be a corrupt and prostituted government, like the Roman Empire, that will seek to destroy Jerusalem once again. This time, a member-nation, worldwide, prostituted government, headed by a great, latter-day secret combination, will seek to destroy God’s people on every continent and to drive the Lord’s Church from off the face of the earth. That Satanic occult force, at the helm of its member-nation, would-be world government, will seek to bring about the abomination of desolation in latter days, as it drags much of the earth into that cauldron of violence and mass bloodshed. The prophets called that future event Armageddon (Revelation 16:14, 16). Since the elders are to set “forth clearly and understandingly the desolation of abomination in the last days” (D&C 84:117), then it is only with this understanding that they can help those they warn to rescue their individual nations, in which they reside, from the destruction planned for them by Satan “and his 224 The Hidden Things Of Darkness children” (1 Nephi 14:3; Ether 8:25). And the only way those elders can rescue the individual nations in which they reside is to keep their countries from uniting with (or staying united with) that “great and abominable church” (2 Nephi 6:12). The only kingdom those elders from various nations should allow their countries to be united with, or absorbed by, is the one in which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will rule and reign over as the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15). Allowing Satan and his high priests of statolatry to set up a worldwide government designed to enslave the entire earth’s inhabitants is a nightmarish prescription for global genocide. For if it happens, the murder and destruction caused by such an organization will be without historical parallel. God’s wrath would undoubtedly rain down from above in a magnitude not seen on this planet to date. Does any freedom-loving Elder in Israel really want that to happen?

Ripening in Iniquity unto a Fulness As secret combinations use prostituted government in seeking to accomplish their purpose of enslaving mankind, the end result in their doing so is named in the scriptures (see Alma 37:28, 31). The prophets called it the fulness of iniquity, or being “ripe” in iniquity. As was demonstrated in the examples of the Nephites and the Jaredites, the fulness of iniquity is the consummation of Satan’s plan on earth, which consists of corrupt laws, slavery and tyranny, and the eventual murder and extermination of the righteous by a totalitarian regime. When secret combinations corrupt government, and lead the people to become “ripe in iniquity,” by casting out and murdering the righteous, God’s wrath is poured out (Ether 2:8- 11). It is the point at which secret combinations, because of their exceeding iniquity (and the unwillingness of people to stop them), succeed in temporarily replacing God’s plan for His children, with Satan’s rejected premortal plan. As was shown in graphic detail, the only thing Satan’s plan accomplishes is to drag as many of his victims as possible down into the gaping jaws of hell. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 225

Alma once prophesied to his son that “in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ” would “manifest himself unto” the Nephites, they would see “wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed, even until [they became] extinct” (Alma 45:10- 11). That destruction would come upon them when they had become “ripe in iniquity,” by allowing Satan to fully set up his church among them. Then instructively, Alma prophesied, “Cursed shall be the land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully ripe” (Alma 45:16). Modern day Gentiles are no more exempt from that curse than were the Nephites and the Jaredites. In witnessing in behalf of Alma’s prophetic statement, the Lord gave another unalterable decree, wherein “he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity” (Ether 9:20). And “upon such,” the Lord added, “I will pour out upon the fulness of my wrath” (Ether 9:20, see also and compare Ether 2:8-10; 14:25). Latter-day Saints, or anyone else for that matter, who might think modern America is exempt from such a prophetic decree are sorely mistaken (Ether 2:11).

Contending with the Church of the Devil The commandment given to Latter-day Saints to contend with the church of the devil has not been revoked. Therefore, given the fact that in the last days the devil’s church will seek to become an all-powerful, world government, made up of member nations, under the control of a great, latter-day secret combination, the importance of obedience to such a divine mandate can hardly be overstated. As such, how can members of the Church properly, and wisely, fulfill this responsibility, in opposing such an organization? Or, stated another way, how can Latter-day Saints put a stop to this worldwide onslaught of evil and tyranny, sponsored by Satan’s statolatrous high priests, who are the consummate enemies of freedom and righteousness? There is only one answer, and as simple as it might sound, it is the only solution. It is to save the Constitution. 226 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

It is the Lord’s will that the United States of America remain “free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). Therefore, it is necessary that Latter-day Saints, living within it, do all within their power to maintain the sovereignty and independence of their country. And the Lord’s counsel for doing so is that His people befriend and defend the Constitution of the United States of America (D&C 98:6). Yet, even though Latter-day Saints are under divine mandate to befriend the Constitution, the Church as an organization has no program for doing so.* This undoubtedly stems from its long- standing position of remaining “politically neutral.” Nevertheless, notwithstanding the fact that the Church has no specific program to save the Constitution, some of the prophets have spoken at length on how its members can do so (see for example, “Our Divine Constitution” by President Ezra Taft Benson, given in the October 1987 General Conference of the Church). The scriptures also offer much counsel concerning this matter. The way to befriend the Constitution is for Latter-day Saints, as well as other freedom-loving non-members, to use their influence to get Congress to slow down, and eventually halt, the passing of all unconstitutional laws (D&C 98:5, 7). Then, they must work to see that all unconstitutional laws are repealed, or rescinded, especially the ones that are destroying this nation’s independence. While working for these goals, they must hold their political leaders accountable, so that eventually only “honest,” “wise,” and “good” men (D&C 98:10), who will uphold true principles, will get elected. The process of corrupting the country’s laws, while it simultaneously loses its independence, must be slowed, halted, and then reversed. That is how Latter-day Saints can best contend with the great and abominable church of the devil in the latter days, not through armed revolution, but by ensuring that the Constitution remain intact and held to be inviolate. And if it

*See Author’s Note. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 227 is not done soon, there will not be any Constitution left with which to put the nation back on the track of limited government. Satanocracy cannot be compromised with. To the degree one abandons the eternal principles of freedom and limited government, then by default one adopts, by that same degree, corrupt government. History shows that corrupt government, if left unchecked, will run its course until it becomes omnipotent government. Paraphrasing Thomas Jefferson, the way to stop these evil men is to “bind them down” from destroying freedom “with the chains of the Constitution.”1 Because of this latter-day secret combination, that seeks to build world tyranny under a presently forming member-nation, nascent world government (if it is left unchecked in its evil quest), then the fate of humanity is sealed. Should Satan’s devoted followers gain control over the earth in this modern day and age, this generation will witness bloodshed and horror that will be unrivalled by anything in the past. But things need not be so. As long as Satan’s church cannot destroy the United States, and its base of freedom, Christ’s Church will be able to carry out its divine mission to take the gospel to the whole earth. Otherwise, if those wicked conspirators ever gain full control over the land of the free, Latter-day Saints will truly have cause to mourn (D&C 98:9). In the mean time, should freedom ever be wiped out, and Latter-day Saints in America find themselves to be the targets of persecution and murder by that world government (1 Nephi 14:13), after working with all their might to save their country, Nephi’s vision of the future offers some hope. He saw a time when the “saints of the church of the Lamb” would be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). When they become “clean before the Lord” (Ether 4:6), some will remain unscathed by the “scourge” (D&C 84:58) of wickedness and destruction that will spread over the earth (D&C 5:19). They who endure will also live to see the day when God pours out His wrath without measure, and witness His

1 Thomas Jefferson, The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 9, p. 470-471, as quoted in Newquist, Prophets, Prinicples, And National Survival, p. 341. 228 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“revelations which [He] caused to be written by…John…[to] be unfolded in the eyes of all the people” (Ether 8:16). Then, at that point, if need be, God Himself will “destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations” (2 Nephi 10:15). With persecution (and living under world tyranny) not being very desirable, Latter-day Saints living in America must do all that they can to save their freedom and country. But if they fail in the meantime, this nation must be held together for as long as possible. Otherwise, should tyranny ever fully rear its ugly head on American soil, how will Latter-day Saints explain to their children why more was not done to protect their precious freedoms? Moreover, what will they say to their fellow brothers and sisters across the globe who are counting on them to carry this work forward until the Saints living outside the United States can organizationally stand on their own feet? Furthermore, what will American Latter-day Saints say to the Lord (D&C 101:52-54)? Latter-day Saints around the world will be shackled with Satanocratic state slavery if America is destroyed, and will be forced to live under a worldwide tyrannical government.

Exposing the Hidden Things of Darkness It is attributed to Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone that he once said, “just as this is the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times, so it is also the dispensation of the fulness of evil.” Regardless of the authenticity of that statement, the truthfulness of such an observation has been in the process of being vindicated in chilling detail, in recent years. At present, a great latter-day secret combination, who uses a group of hard-core Satanocrats throughout the world to stamp out freedom in each nation in which they reside, is building up a worldwide, member-nation government that seeks to enslave mankind. By encouraging the earth’s inhabitants to yield over their freedoms through the acceptance of the passage of corrupt laws on a global level, this latter-day whore of the earth is leading the whole world’s population down the path of destruction as it ripens in iniquity. Should a fulness of iniquity ever be reached, that was perhaps only rivalled in the days of Noah, then for the Getting Out From Under Condemnation 229 second time in the earth’s history will Satan stand poised to make a final, fatal blow at the freedom of all humanity. With an understanding of this nature, perhaps Latter-day Saints in general, and the Elders of Israel in particular, will look at the following commandment in a much different, and much more important, light. Said the Prophet Joseph Smith, after receiving instruction from the Lord, Therefore it is an imperative duty that we owe, not only to our own wives and children, but to the widows and fatherless…. And also it is an imperative duty that we owe to all the rising generation, and to all the pure in heart…that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven.… These should then be attended to with great earnestness. Let no man count them as small things; for there is much which lieth in futurity, pertaining to the saints, which depends upon these things…. Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed (D&C 123:9, 11, 13-15, 17).

Indeed, there is “much which lieth in futurity” that “depends upon these things.” Doing first “all things that lie in our power,” and then if necessary, standing “still” “to see the salvation of God,” requires that the Elders of Israel do everything they can to save their freedom, and to pray to God to make up the difference. Only with that kind of faith and effort can freedom and the Constitution be preserved.

Different Views of the Same Picture Having summarized those details that were examined in the foregoing chapters, the following general observations are offered for consideration, and to tie everything together into one whole. As was discussed at the beginning of this work, Satan sought to dethrone God, abolish the agency of all his spirit brothers and sisters, and made war with any that opposed him. They who have been converted over to his cause, and follow him 230 The Hidden Things Of Darkness in mortality, still use that same discernible pattern. It is through the medium of his church, which he first established with Cain, that they seek to accomplish those evil designs. The church of the devil, or Satanocracy, is merely an extension of the War in Heaven. It is Satan’s plan being carried out on the earth. It is corrupt and prostituted government. While many in mortality are blind to the fact that they are executing Satan’s plan, and are doing his bidding, some of his disciples know exactly what they do. They are the oath-bound secret combinations. They fight as much in behalf of Satan’s cause as did the hosts of evil who sided with him in the War in Heaven. They seek to destroy all that is holy and good in the world. They corrupt the laws and government in order to accomplish such a diabolical task. As the scriptures so tragically demonstrate, the people who allowed that transformation to take place became ripened in iniquity, until they reached a point where God had no choice but to allow them to be destroyed. In conclusion, secret combinations, Satanocracy, or prostituted government, and ripening in iniquity are merely three different overlapping components of Satan’s plan for enslaving the human race. In the latter days, as Satan seeks to shackle the entire earth with a worldwide, totalitarian police state, which is his church, the secret combination that seeks to build up such an organization will not yield in its diabolical efforts until it has accomplished such a nefarious goal (Ether 8:24-25). For freedom to be saved, its hidden works of darkness must be brought to light, and exposed for what they are. If freedom-loving people do not stand together and restore limited Constitutional government, based on God’s laws, then the enemies of Christ will yet be the means of bringing down another civilization.

The Whole Church Still Under Condemnation

The Book of Mormon has been referred to as the “keystone of our religion.”1 Not too long ago, one modern prophet, namely Ezra Taft Benson, stated that the Lord has placed the entire

1 President Benson, “The Book Of Mormon—Keystone Of Our Religion,” p. 5. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 231

Church under condemnation for failing to “repent and remember…the Book of Mormon” (D&C 84:57). Mormon himself foresaw, and prophesied of such a condition, concerning the Gentiles’ unbelief. Said he, concerning “these things” (3 Nephi 26:8), “if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation” (3 Nephi 26:10). How members treat the subject of secret combinations surely constitutes a part of not believing, or “treat[ing] lightly,” “these things” (D&C 84:54; Ether 8:23). The condemnation the Lord has placed on His Church will not be lifted until enough members not only “say, but…do according to that which [the Lord has] written” (D&C 84:57). And certainly, that would include a real effort to not let “these murderous combinations…get above” (Ether 8:23) this nation. Soberingly enough, as of yet, the condemnation has not been lifted.

Some Recent Marvelous Developments The Lord’s current prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has helped to usher in an era of temple building that is unprecedented. This most-welcome development will undoubtedly play a major part in helping the Saints to sanctify their lives, and consecrate themselves more fully to Christ and His cause. The Church is, at present, also established in over 165 nations and territories of the earth, which certainly constitutes the vast majority of them. As such, the prophecies of old, regarding the gospel being preached to every nation on the earth, are rapidly being fulfilled before the Latter-day Saints’ eyes. All of these trends are exciting and truly miraculous. But, while missionary work, temples, and other vital soul- saving programs of the Church continue to move forward, Latter-day Saints must stop and ask themselves this one question. What will happen to all of these miraculous developments should the weighty matter of freedom and the Constitution be neglected for very much longer, which makes all of the rest of these things possible?

Which Way? 232 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Ancient American civilizations existed for a cumulative of nearly 4,500 years, and yet in every instance they were completely destroyed by the same cause. The Book of Mormon warns the “Gentiles” in no uncertain terms (see Ether 8:18-26) that “these things” (Ether 8:23) will be among them in the latter days. If the Gentiles (D&C 109:60) refuse to build them up, then this nation will be “free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). However, if the Gentiles let these secret combinations get “above” them (see Ether 8:23), and even go so far as to build them up (Mormon 8:40), this nation shall also suffer the same fate as did its predecessors, and be swept off the land (Ether 2:9-11). Author and columnist Tom Anderson, who was one of twenty journalists that accompanied Ezra Taft Benson (in his capacity as a Cabinet member) to Moscow, once wrote, “my friends, the whole world is watching us. We are what stands between the world and slavery. If the lamp of freedom is blown out in America, the whole world will be thrown into darkness.”1 If non-members have such wise insights regarding this issue, what kind of understanding should Latter-day Saints have regarding the same?

Lifting the Condemnation Truly, the Book of Mormon was written so that the totality of Satan’s plan and his “evil may be done away” with (Ether 8:26). But before that day comes, the Lord’s army must “become very great,” “sanctified before” Him, “fair as the sun, and clear as the moon” (D&C 105:31). Then, at that day, Satan will no longer have “power upon the hearts of the children of men,” because men will have been “persuaded” by their unwavering adherence to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, “to do good continually” (Ether 8:26). But, such sanctification will only come when enough Latter-day Saints “forsake all evil, and cleave unto all good” (D&C 98:11—emphasis added). At that

1 Tom Anderson, “It’s Time To Stop The Trashing Of America,” American Opinion, (Belmont, MA: Robert Welch, Inc.), February, 1982, p. 36. Getting Out From Under Condemnation 233 time, they will “have power” “to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion” (D&C 105:37). Finally, as the condemnation is lifted, “the kingdoms of this world [will be] constrained to acknowledge that the kingdom of Zion is in very deed the kingdom of our God and his Christ” (D&C 105:32). Accordingly, those nations will proclaim, “let us become subject unto her laws” (D&C 105:32). Certainly, those laws will be based on freedom (D&C 38:22), as enshrined in the Constitution (D&C 98:5; 101:77; 109:54), and not on the corrupt ones that Satan has used so effectively to rob mankind of that agency which is so necessary to attain salvation (D&C 121:39). But in the mean time, the fate of America will determine the fate of the rest of the world. As such, there is only one question left to ask. Will you stand back and watch as everything you hold dear in life is needlessly destroyed, or will you be counted as one who will stand up for freedom and befriend the Constitution? The consequences of doing nothing are unthinkable.

Appendix 1

The idea that the church of the devil is merely a term for “all the evil in the world” comes from an erroneous interpretation of three key passages of scripture. Those passages are found in 1 Nephi 14:10, 2 Nephi 6:12, and 2 Nephi 10:16, where one was written by Nephi, and the other two by his brother Jacob. A careful look, at those verses, shows that they must be read in their proper context, otherwise they serve only to confuse and sidetrack the reader from gaining a correct understanding of the nature and identity of the great and abominable church of the devil. In the paragraphs below, a careful, but brief, analysis of these scriptures will be undertaken in order to show their meaning in their context. Confusion from the first passage of scripture (1 Nephi 14:10), which Nephi wrote, results from the reader focusing on the part where the angel tells him that “there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb, and the other is the church of the devil.” If read strictly in that context, the LDS reader is logically forced to conclude that if one is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then by default one must be a member of the church of the devil. But to understand what the angel meant exactly by “two churches,” the reader must consider that statement in light of its surrounding verses (see 1 Nephi 14:7-17). In reference to the last days, the angel starts by telling Nephi, “For the time cometh” (1 Nephi 14:7). He then asked Nephi if he remembered the “covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel” (1 Nephi 14:8). (This key question will come back into consideration in a moment.) Switching from that question, the angel directed Nephi’s attention to the great and abominable church of the devil (1 Nephi 14:9), and then made his “two churches” statement (1 Nephi 14:10). Showing Nephi that the whore of the earth would cover the earth in the last days, and have “dominion,” or control, over the whole world (1 Nephi 14:11), he then showed him that it would “gather together multitudes” (1 Nephi 14:13) to fight against the 236 The Hidden Things Of Darkness saints. Nephi saw that as the Lord poured out His spirit upon the saints (1 Nephi 14:14), He would also pour out His wrath upon that “great and abominable church” (1 Nephi 14:15). As that happens, “all the nations which [belong] to the mother of abominations” (1 Nephi 14:16) will dissolve their political ties to that world organization and will go to war one with another, with the sword falling upon “their own heads” (1 Nephi 22:13). Returning to the “covenants of the Father” theme, the angel then told Nephi that when the Lord pours out His wrath upon the mother of harlots, then will “the work of the Father…commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants” (1 Nephi 14:17). Thus, the covenants of the Father made to the house of Israel (see 1 Nephi 14:8) will not be completely fulfilled until the Lord pours out His wrath upon the devil’s church, an event that is yet future. Therefore, taken in its context, there will be in the world, “at that day,” only two churches. But is this view correct, and in harmony with the revealed word? A modern day prophet’s witness offers corroborating testimony that it is. That testimony also helps to place Nephi’s prophecy into sharper focus. Speaking in his last personally delivered General Conference address, President Ezra Taft Benson said, I testify that as the forces of evil increase under Lucifer’s leadership and as the forces of good increase under the leadership of Jesus Christ, there will be growing battles between the two until the final confrontation. As the issues become clearer and more obvious, all mankind will eventually be required to align themselves either for the kingdom of God or for the kingdom of the devil. As these conflicts rage, either secretly or openly, the righteous will be tested. God’s wrath will soon shake the nations of the earth and will be poured out on the wicked without measure.1

By comparing President Benson’s testimony with Nephi’s vision, it is evident that both of them spoke of the same things. Both foresaw the dividing of mankind into two groups in the last days. Both saw that there will be battles between the two.

1 President Benson, “I Testify,” p. 87. Appendix 1 - The Meaning Of "Two Churches Only" 237

Eventually, as everyone takes sides, the division will be complete. But when Lucifer’s forces, which are more numerous, begin to destroy God’s people, His wrath will be poured out upon the nations of the earth. John the Beloved saw a similar division occur in mankind, but in his view of the future, he fixated upon the fact that people will not be able to “buy or sell,” unless they have the “mark” of the “beast” (Revelation 13:16-18). Just as Nephi saw a political union of nations comprise the “whore of the earth,” John saw a world power control the earth’s goods and the economy associated therewith. Nephi’s and John’s descriptions dovetail perfectly in that both entities would have near total political and economic control over the inhabitants of the earth. There is still another witness that supports this view of Nephi’s vision. The story of Noah and the ark serves as a Biblical type and shadow for the last days concerning the idea that there will only be two churches. For in Noah’s day, the Antediluvian Mahanic secret combination, under Satan’s direct guidance, shackled the whole earth with one big chain of slavery using corrupt government (see Moses 7:26). As such, all those who did not repent and enter the ark, but rejected Noah’s warning, were destroyed by the Flood. Thus was the division of those days. The Savior said that prior to His return, the earth would become as it was in the days of Noah (Luke 17:26). Tying that into the Book of Moses, the writings of Nephi, and President Benson’s statement, will there not be a great division between mankind again as in the days of the Flood? Is there not a great latter-day secret combination that seeks “to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries” (Ether 8:25)? The difference between then and the present time is that instead of being drowned in a global flood, they who comprise the great and abominable church at that time will be consumed by the devouring fire (D&C 29:21) of God’s wrath. The next two scriptural statements that were made by Jacob, found in 2 Nephi, will now be examined. Jacob’s words, often used in connection with Nephi’s “two churches” statement, are misleading when taken out of their proper context as well. 238 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

However, using Nephi’s writings as a template to understand Jacob’s statements helps to clarify what he meant, and also adds another scriptural dimension to Nephi’s “two churches” statement. The first one states, “for behold, if it so be that they [the Gentiles] shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved…” (2 Nephi 6:12). Since it is commonly held that the “great and abominable” church of the devil is all of the evil in the world (and since salvation is only found in Christ’s true church), then that line of thinking naturally assumes that those who fight “against Zion” lie outside the ranks of the true Church, and therefore are members of Satan’s kingdom. However, like Nephi’s vision of the last days, Jacob’s statement when seen in its context does not support that view. In a sermon to the “people of Nephi” (2 Nephi 6:1), Jacob confirmed that the prophecy regarding Jerusalem being destroyed by Babylon had been fulfilled, and that some had been “carried away captive” (2 Nephi 6:8). He then predicted that the remnants would “return again” (2 Nephi 6:9). And after that, they would reject “the Holy One of Israel,” and “crucify him” while he was in “the flesh” (2 Nephi 6:9). Because of that, the Lord’s “judgments” would “come upon them,” and once again they would be “smitten and afflicted”(2 Nephi 6:10), but this time by Rome. After their long dispersion among the nations of the earth, being “scattered and smitten,” the Lord would cause that they be “gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance” (2 Nephi 6:11). After the branch of Judah is gathered together in the last days, it is in that context that the Gentiles will be blessed if they repent and do “not unite themselves to that great and abominable church” and “fight against Zion” (2 Nephi 6:12). And in words similar to that which the angel told Nephi (see 1 Nephi 14:8, 17), Jacob wrote, “the Lord God will fulfill his covenants which he has made unto his children” (2 Nephi 6:12). Therefore, in its proper context, the blessing to be poured out upon the Gentiles, that is a fulfillment of the Father’s covenants, will happen when they help build and establish Zion, and refuse to unite Appendix 1 - The Meaning Of "Two Churches Only" 239 themselves with the other “nations which [belong]” to that “great and abominable church.” The second of Jacob’s verses, which is the last one to be examined, states: “wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God” (2 Nephi 10:16). Because of the wording “they who are not for me are against me,” with its seemingly universal application to all people at any given time, it is easy to get locked into the “two churches only” mindset when reading this verse. But just like the two that precede this one, if one does not have membership in the Lord’s true church, such does not necessarily mean that by default one is a member of Satan’s kingdom. In its context of surrounding scriptures, this verse opens up the floodgates of understanding regarding the things that will happen in the last days, and how there will come to be only “two churches.” In speaking concerning this nation, which the Lord said would “be set up as a free people by the power of the Father” (3 Nephi 21:4), He declared, “Behold, this land,” “shall be a land of thine inheritance and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land” (2 Nephi 10:10). Who can dispute that America has afforded more material blessings, and more freedom, than any other nation on the face of the earth? Concerning what the political system of this nation was to be, the Lord said, “And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles” (2 Nephi 10:11). So that the Church might be shielded from the scorching rays of persecution directed at it by Satan and his hosts, the Lord said concerning America, “And I will fortify this land against all other nations” (2 Nephi 10:12). But, lest it be forgotten, that blessing is contingent upon the Gentiles’ fidelity to the Lord’s covenant of freedom, that America remains a “land of liberty.” It is sobering to consider that in light of America’s current abandoning of its Judeo-Christian heritage and Constitutional foundation, that particular promise could be revoked, so that this nation may not 240 The Hidden Things Of Darkness remain “free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven” (Ether 2:12). Foreknowing that the enemies of liberty, both within the borders, and without, shall seek to destroy the Lord’s base of freedom in these last days, the Lord warned, “And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God. For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words” (2 Nephi 10:13-14). At that point in the revelation to Jacob, the Lord made a statement which sets up all of the preceding (and the rest) of the verses in their context. “Wherefore,” He said, “for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations” (2 Nephi 10:15). These verses taken together show several things. America was foreordained to be a land of liberty. The Lord decreed that America was not to have any kings (or dictators, for that matter). The Lord also said that He would fortify America, and any that fought against “Zion” would perish, for He will be this nation’s king, and none other. But, like the anti-Christ king Jacob, and his band of old, who sought to destroy the Nephite free government and to establish a king over all (3 Nephi 6:21-7:10), there exists a modern day secret combination (Ether 8:24), that fights “against Zion,” and also seeks to destroy liberty by establishing a king (or a dictator), not just over America, but over the entire world. And in order to fulfill His covenants He has made, the Lord has declared that such a conspiracy must be destroyed. It is in the context of all these divine utterances that the statement, which Jacob made, becomes all the more plain. He said, Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God. For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the flesh… (2 Nephi 10:16-17). Appendix 1 - The Meaning Of "Two Churches Only" 241

In other words, both the conspiracy, as well as the supporters of corrupt government, are they who fight against Zion, and who constitute a part of the “whore of all the earth.” Special note is also made here regarding that repetitive phrase appearing once again, concerning the covenants of God, that they “may be fulfilled” (2 Nephi 10:15). It is true that the Lord will fulfill His covenants that He has made with His faithful, regardless of Lucifer’s efforts to thwart Him. But, that does not absolve Latter-day Saints from their responsibility of doing everything within their power to protect America’s freedom. Piecing together all of these prophetic statements into one whole, several things immediately become evident. First, when the prophets spoke of the day in which there will be only “two churches,” it was in the context that a worldwide division will occur in the last days. This will happen with the fulfillment of the Father’s covenants with the house of Israel (which is the establishment of Zion), and immediately prior to the Lord’s Second Coming. Second, the freedom of the United States of America (with the rest of the world’s freedom being contingent upon the outcome) is at the center of this whole conflict. Third, there is a secret combination that will use prostituted government to “[raise] up a king,” and endeavor to enslave the entire earth’s inhabitants, by seeking to have “dominion” over the whole world. Fourth, the Lord’s covenants will not be completely fulfilled, until this band of evil men, with its accompanying corrupt government of worldwide proportions, is destroyed. Fifth, all of those who are in support of this secret combination’s evil agenda, which is to destroy the Lord’s base of freedom in America (Zion), and to enslave the human race through prostituted world government, “are the whore of all the earth.” Sixth, the way the Gentiles can save themselves from that global scourge, in part, is to extricate their nation from the clutches of that world-wide evil, by not “[uniting] themselves to that great and abominable church.” And last, by not letting their freedom slip away from them through negligence and indifference (by “hear[ing the Lord’s] words”), the Gentiles will have the Savior to be “their king,” and to be a “light unto them forever.” 242 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

It is only in this context, after examining these verses’ interrelated meaning with each other, that Nephi’s and Jacob’s statements make sense to the reader. Without taking all of those details into account, their writings can be easily misconstrued, which in turn produces a distorted understanding concerning the identity of the church of the devil. In conclusion, and by way of clarification, it is by no means advocated, in any way at all, that membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a prerequisite for obtaining salvation and returning to live with Heavenly Father. On the contrary, it is wholeheartedly affirmed, and testified to, that membership in the Lord’s true Church is absolutely necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. And as such, the author invites all those who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who might read these words, to take upon themselves the covenant of baptism by one who is duly ordained and authorized with the holy priesthood to perform such. One final thought is offered to the skeptic. To those members who, after having read this, are still adamant about the “two churches only” position (that all who are not Latter-day Saints are members of the church of the devil), please consider that the Lord Himself recognizes that there are “doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils” (D&C 46:7).

Appendix 2

As a general rule, an accurate way to measure someone’s moral character is to look at such a person’s views concerning government. But even though many good people sometimes support corrupt laws and prostituted government, just because they are deceived into doing so, that does not necessarily mean that they are bad or evil. Nephi remarked that even “the humble followers of Christ” are “led, that in many instances they do err because they are taught by the precepts of men” (2 Nephi 28:14). Therefore, since so many of the earth’s inhabitants accept and support various (and sometimes most) tenets of Satanocracy, it is easy for the reader to assume that the author is passing a blanket judgment on, and condemning, almost the entire human race. That is not the case. Some comments follow below in order to look at the various parties involved, and to differentiate between them, so that no such misunderstanding arises. There is a difference between criticizing the system (and the philosophy upon which it is based) as being evil, versus all of the people living within, and under, the same. The most critical comments are directed towards the system itself, as well as those who are the administrators of prostituted government. Next, some more comments will be given about its supporters, with some remarks about the statolatrous symbiotic relationship that exists between the two groups. Then, a few remarks will be made regarding those who, for whatever reason, are completely dependent on the spoils of state-sanctioned theft. Finally, a couple of conclusive, big-picture statements will be offered for consideration. First, the main reason for examining Satanocracy in this book is to expose it for what it is. Namely, it is Satan’s proposed plan in the Grand Council being carried out on earth. Since it was rejected in premortality by all those who followed the Savior, and because the scriptures condemn it in the clearest of terms, what self-professing Latter-day Saint dares to say that Satanocracy, in any of its forms, or in any degree, can be a just system of government? An earthly government based on the 244 The Hidden Things Of Darkness principles that Lucifer advocated in premortality, whether in the smallest degree, or in totality, is evil by that same degree regardless of its label. Second, while it is true that many throughout time “[knew] not what they [did]” (Luke 23:34) in carrying out and exercising corrupt government power, that does not change the fact that their actions were evil. And regardless of the fact that the state sanctioned their wicked conduct, it must not be forgotten that God holds “men accountable for their acts in relation to [governments] both in making laws and administering them” (D&C 134:1). They who use the power of government to abuse and destroy the rights of their fellow brothers and sisters will have to answer to God one day, notwithstanding all of their lame excuses. Others, however, know exactly what they do. They deserve the harshest of God’s punishments. For if Satan was cast out as a son of perdition for seeking to overthrow mankind’s agency, how should the actions of tyrants and their supporters be viewed who seek to do the same in mortality? Some Latter-day Saints are uncomfortable with criticism aimed at those who advocate and execute Satanocratic principles, particularly when such individuals occupy the office of government. The Twelfth Article of Faith, when cited at the exclusion of all other scripture that speaks about government, proves to be a stumbling block for them. Those members fail to remember that the prophets of the Book of Mormon did not hesitate to point out the evils of corrupt government, and that many of them criticized their political leaders (and those leaders’ supporters) for their iniquities. Furthermore, the prophets of the Book of Mormon recognized this abuse of power as being common among mankind. Indeed, the tendency among human beings to use government power in order to abuse the rights of others has been the norm, not the exception, in the earth’s history. As one example, of many, Mormon commented how just “one very wicked man” (Alma 46:8), together with a few of his supporters “seeking for power” (Alma 46:5), “can cause” “great wickedness” “to take place among the children of men” (Alma 46:8). Amalickiah, along with his supporters, the king-men, were Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 245 only interested in having “power and authority over the people” (Alma 51:8; 60:7). As such, the king-men, in order to have that power, sought to destroy the “foundation of liberty” that God had granted unto the Nephites (Alma 46:10). The Nephites’ situation became so dire that Captain Moroni and his followers felt compelled to take up arms against their enemies in order to protect their freedom, their families, their property, and their religion (Alma 48:10, 13). Geography and time may differ, and political labels may vary, but all political prostitutes seek for the same thing: “power and authority over the people” (Alma 51:8). They seek to enslave their fellow citizens by destroying their freedom. Political prostitutes such as the king-men, and all others like them, who seek for “power and authority” (Helaman 7:4) are the same kinds of tyrants that Bastiat described as making “plans for the people in order to save them from themselves.”1 They are false philanthropists, who advocate and execute Satanocratic principles and ideas. They make themselves to be, whether they realize it or not, Satan’s earthly proxies in seeking to do his will, and in carrying out his plan (see Moses 4:1). And regardless of what many might think, God will, at one time or another, have all of His children give an accounting of all their actions in mortality, including their actions in relation to government (1 Nephi 10:20; compare with D&C 134:1). In their blinding pride, as was seen in the numerous examples cited from the scriptures, Satanocrats rage against those who point out the evils of corrupt government. The mental and spiritual blindness that stems from such pride inhibits them from seeing the inherent wickedness of their actions. For that reason, Satanocrats cannot answer, in a principled manner, some basic questions as to how the force of government can be used to “save people from themselves.” Bastiat raised some of those questions. He queried, If the natural tendencies of mankind are so bad that it is not safe to permit people to be free, how is it that the tendencies of these organizers are always good? Do not the legislators and their appointed agents also belong to

1 Bastiat, The Law, p. 62. 246 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

the human race? Or do they believe that they themselves are made of a finer clay than the rest of mankind?1

The pride that is so evident in such Satanocratic thinking is an echo of the same premortal conflict that Satan started. Those who think themselves better than the rest of mankind, as Bastiat observed, are only emulating the same Satanic arrogance that the Adversary did in premortality. Bastiat then wittingly added, The organizers maintain that society, when left undirected, rushes headlong to its inevitable destruction because the instincts of the people are so perverse. The legislators claim to stop this suicidal course and to give it a saner direction. Apparently, then, the legislators and the organizers have received from Heaven an intelligence and virtue that place them beyond and above mankind; if so, let them show their titles to this superiority.2

Bastiat’s dissection of the Satanocratic thinking of those self-anointed saviors of the human race should sound familiar to Latter-day Saints. Those “legislators” are of the same mindset as Satan was, who in the Grand Council boasted, “I will save them all,” “not one shall be lost,” and “give me thine honor” (Moses 4:1). Bastiat sternly rebuked his fellow Frenchman, the Satanocratic politicians in particular, for thinking themselves as greater than their fellow brothers and sisters, by virtue of their using force to compel the rest of France to conform to their dictatorial whims. Trumpeting a clarion call to repentance, he roared, “Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don’t you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough.”3 Similar resonating calls have echoed throughout time, by both prophets and wise men (Matthew 23:34).

1 Ibid., p. 62. 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid., p. 55. Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 247

Third, just as the scriptures speak forcefully against the specific sins of people who use government power to take innocent life, enslave, and redistribute property, by the same token, they are equally critical of those who support them in those deeds with their voting approval. The following observations are directed towards they who support Satanocracy, as well as that destructive, symbiotic relationship of government- sanctioned theft, cloaked in sanctimonious statolatry, that exists between Satanocrats and their supporters. As was already recounted numerous times in the main text, Noah and his priests were “supported in their laziness” “by the taxes which [they] had put upon [the] people” (Mosiah 11:6). With those same taxes, they “planted vineyards round about in the land” and “made wine in abundance” (Mosiah 11:15), so that Noah “became a wine-bibber, and also his people” (Mosiah 11:15). “Thus,” remarked Mormon, Noah, his priests, and their concubines “were supported in their laziness, and in their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which Noah had put upon his people” (Mosiah 11:6). In other words, Noah and his priests used the power of government to tax the people in order to subsidize their own drunkenness and debauchery. Also, he forced his subjects to subsidize the production and consumption of wine with their own money. While the forced subsidization of such an enterprise was an abuse and usurpation of government power itself, ironically most of the people did not mind for they became “wine-bibber[s]” like their leaders. Around 24 B.C., the majority of the Nephites voted for the Gadianton robbers, who did use their office to “usurp power and authority of the land” (Helaman 7:4). With that power they did “steal” (Helaman 7:5), and then offered “their spoils” (Helaman 6:38) to the masses. Through that process of vote buying, “they did obtain the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:39). President John Taylor offered some remarks about these kinds of corrupt deeds committed by they who hold government office, as well as their supporters. Even though his comments were directed towards some trends during his generation, the 248 The Hidden Things Of Darkness substance of his remarks is timeless in its application, wherein he said, There is also another political party, who desire, through the influence of legislation and coercion, to level the world. To say the least, it is a species of robbery; to some it may appear an honorable one, but nevertheless, it is robbery. What right has any private man to take by force the property of another? The laws of all nations would punish such a man as a thief. Would thousands of men engaged in the same business make it more honorable? Certainly not. And if a nation were to do it, would a nation's act sanctify a wrong deed? No; the Algerine pirates, or Arabian hordes, were never considered honorable, on account of their numbers; and a nation, or nations, engaging in this would only augment the banditti, but could never sanctify the deed.1

Thus did President Taylor, like Bastiat, affirm that “legal plunder” is just as wrong when committed by “a nation, or nations,” as it is for an individual, or a band of robbers, who steal, whether it was the ancient Nephites, or people living in modern times. What is it that binds together, both the administrators of Satanocracy, and their supporters, in that unholy, statolatrous union of government-sanctioned plunder? Bastiat’s observations help to answer that question. He attributed the rise of the power of Satanocratic government (or the “perversion of the law,”2 as he phrased it), as being “influence[d] [by] two…causes: stupid greed and false philanthropy.”3 All tyrants who feign concern for the welfare of their subjects, while simultaneously enacting measures designed to strip them of their freedom, are false philanthropists. And it must be remembered that Satan was a master at using false philanthropy to gather around him his supporters. The War in Heaven was started because some of God’s children bought into his false philanthropy act.

1 John Taylor, Government of God, 1852, p. 23, as quoted in Newquist, Prophets, Principles, And National Survival, p. 313-314. 2 Bastiat, p. 11. 3 Ibid., p. 9. Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 249

“Stupid greed” plays right into the hands of those who are false philanthropists. Promising to right every wrong, and solve all of society’s ills (with other people’s money, of course), the false philanthropists lure the masses into accepting freedom- destroying measures all in the name of eliminating social and economic injustices. In the end, stupid greed bears its ugly fruits by transferring everything from “the haves,” to “the have-nots,” wiping out the productive sectors of their societies. The false philanthropists remove their masks and reveal their true intentions, which are to rule with absolute authority, and they wipe out whatever remaining freedoms their subjects may have had. Then like all societies which fail to correct themselves of their economic and political sins, they end up destroyed like Noah’s people, like the Nephites around 24 B.C., and like the Jaredites. President Taylor also commented about those who are blinded by “stupid greed,” who are capable of taking care of themselves, but would rather let their leaders use the power of the law in order to steal for them. Said he, I shall not, here, enter into the various manners of obtaining wealth; but would merely state, that any unjust acquisition of it ought to be punished by law…. I cannot conceive upon what principles of justice, the children of the idle and profligate have a right to put their hands into the pockets of those who are diligent and careful, and rob them of their purse. Let this principle exist, and all energy and enterprise would be crushed.1

Offering similar counsel and warning, President David O. McKay stated, “…it is not the government's duty to support you.”2 And, he added, I shall raise my voice as long as God gives me sound or ability, against the communistic idea that the government will take care of us all, and that everything belongs to the government….

1 Taylor, p. 23, Newquist, p. 314. 2 President David O. McKay, Church News, 3/14/53, as quoted in Newquist, p. 346-347. 250 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

It is wrong! No wonder, in trying to perpetuate that idea, that men become anti-Christ, because those teachings strike directly at the doctrines of the Savior. No government owes you a living. You get it yourself by your own acts—never by trespassing upon the rights of your neighbor, never by cheating him. You put a blemish upon your character the moment you do.1

President Ezra Taft Benson added his witness as to why governments cannot redistribute wealth without violating someone else’s rights in the process. In a First Presidency message given to the Church, he laid the foundation for addressing that issue by first explaining that “governments should have only limited powers.”2 Then, expounding upon that principle, he wrote, “The important thing to keep in mind is that the people who have created their government can give to that government only such powers as they, themselves, have in the first place. Obviously, they cannot give that which they do not possess.”3 What powers, or power, do people, “themselves, have in the first place?” Referring to Bastiat’s writings for a moment helps to clearly explain that concept. He referred to that power, or powers, as “the collective organization of the individual right to lawful defense.”4 “Each of us,” noted Bastiat, “has a natural right— from God—to defend his person, his liberty, and his property,” “by force.”5 And since every person has that right, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly. Thus the principle of collective right— its reason for existing, its lawfulness—is based on individual right. And the common force that protects this collective right cannot logically have any other purpose or any other mission than that for which it acts as a

1 Newquist, p. 347. 2 President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Constitution—A Glorious Standard,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), p. 8. 3 Ibid. 4 Bastiat, p. 6. 5 Ibid. Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 251

substitute. Thus, since an individual cannot lawfully use force against the person, liberty, or property of another individual, then the common force—for the same reason—cannot lawfully be used to destroy the person, liberty, or property of individuals or groups.1

In societies with representative governments, the only way wealth redistribution programs can operate is if the citizenry has forgotten (or if it ignores) what the divine origin of mankind’s rights is. Societies, which have forgotten this fundamental principle, make the erroneous assumption that if the majority votes for those programs, then they must be right. Forgotten is the fact that these God-given rights, as President Benson taught, are “not” “subject to majority vote.”2 Among many Latter-day Saints, it seems, the following fundamental statement of belief is all but unspoken of: We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life (D&C 134:2).

How can a person’s property rights be held “inviolate,” if such a right is subject to a majority vote? Is it not clear governments cannot “exist in peace” which allow those rights to be subject to the whims of the majority? That is why President Benson, in explaining what the limited powers of government should be, stated, By deriving its just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft, and involuntary servitude. It cannot claim the power to redistribute money or property nor to force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will.3

1 Bastiat, p. 6-7. 2 Benson, p. 10. 3 Ibid., p. 8. 252 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Hence, the proper role of government is to protect its own citizens’ God-given rights to life, liberty, and property. Since the sole function of government is for the protection of individual rights, who can dare say that those who have been elected can use government to destroy life, liberty, and property, even if the majority wills it? If one accepts that premise, then one must accept the idea that governments somehow have more power and authority than the individual citizens themselves who have delegated that authority in the first place. Once again, forgotten is the fundamental principle that “[g]overnment is created by the people. The creature cannot exceed its creator.”1 Since individuals cannot take away another person’s life, liberty or property, without committing a crime, how can a government do the same thing? Governments that do so will not “exist in peace” (D&C 134:2) for very long. In light of the above statements by Presidents McKay, Taylor, and Benson, the following rebuke of the early saints by the Lord takes on a more significant meaning. The Lord said, “Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!” (D&C 56:17). The only remedy for such state-sanctioned thievery is repentance. Fourth, what, then, is to be done about the truly needy, such as the very elderly, the mentally handicapped, the infirm, and the unwed mothers, whose only means of survival (as it is perceived) is to be taken care of by government administered “charity,” which is obtained through state-sanctioned theft? Is it right that they go without help? Certainly, no one with a love of God in his (or her) heart would advocate that such individuals be neglected, cast aside, and left to perish. But, what can be done for them that does not violate the rights of other people, so that those citizens are not forced to “perform acts of charity against their own will”?2 Like all other problems that confront and beset

1 Benson, p. 8. 2 Ibid. Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 253 the human race, the scriptures provide answers to this most delicate and controversial subject. The Lord’s program for providing for the poor is based on individual, voluntary consecration. Said He, “thou wilt remember the poor, and consecrate of thy properties for their support that which thou hast to impart unto them” (D&C 42:30). Furthermore, “if thou obtainest more than that which would be for thy support, thou shalt give it into my storehouse, that all things may be done according to that which I have said” (D&C 42:54). Some might think that these commandments only apply to members of the Church. However, Latter-day Saints do not have a monopoly on these principles. Many individuals and organizations outside of the Church contribute voluntarily to the helping of the poor, the sick, the needy, and the afflicted, with food banks, shelters for the homeless and abused, and voluntary medical care. More such consecration and selflessness, not less, are needed to help with these ills of society. But with the ever-increasing growth of wealth redistribution programs, taxes are taking away bigger and bigger portions of the property from they who consecrate their wealth in order to help those who are in need. If such programs are left unchecked, and continue to grow and expand, then the time will ultimately come when consecration will no longer be possible in order to sustain those voluntary charities because the wealth redistribution programs themselves will be taking everything that is produced. The state would own everything. Such a condition by those who are forced to live under it is aptly called bondage. The Lord has stated unequivocally, and without exception, that “it is not right that any man should be in bondage to another” (D&C 101:79). Yet, in modern times, many people can no longer survive without the help of wealth redistribution programs. Should they be cut off immediately, those individuals would end up without shelter, without necessary medical attention, without heat or electricity, or starving to death. So not only are those individuals in bondage to government, because they are dependent upon its generosity with other people’s money, but so are they in bondage who are forced to contribute their own property against their own will. 254 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Isaiah foresaw such a time, when he wrote, “And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another” (2 Nephi 13:5), and “Therefore, my people are gone into captivity [bondage], because they have no knowledge” (2 Nephi 5:13). The only way to end the bondage is to halt the expansion of wealth redistribution programs, and then to phase them out over time as people are able to take care of themselves, or to have their families and local charities to help them. This requires sacrifice, selflessness, and self-abnegation, not only by those who are in need, but also by those who would be helping them to be liberated from state bondage. Such a turn around would require the regeneration of frayed family ties, the redevelopment of good neighborhoods, with the growth of stronger communities. But are such developments on the prophetic horizon? What then of those who cannot take care of themselves now, whose dependency upon redistribution programs will only grow? And what about those who are forced to contribute against their own will, until the day may come that they are forced into poverty as well? What will happen should all, but they who are in power, be placed in bondage to the state, by the very people they once hired as their political servants, whose job it was to protect those inalienable rights in the first place? Ancient Israelites found themselves in just such circumstances. After being reduced to a state of complete bondage to the Egyptians, they had little to no hope of ever being freed. But God was mindful of them, for “the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of their bondage. And God heard their groaning…” (Exodus 2:23-24). The Lord brought forth His servant, the prophet Moses, to liberate Israel from bondage to the Egyptians. Thus by divine intervention, the Lord delivered His people from slavery to freedom. What if Latter-day Saints, living in modern times, are brought into similar circumstances? Should such a day ever come (heaven forbid), then perhaps Nephi’s words will provide some comfort. He prophesied that the Lord would “bring” His people forth “again out of captivity” (1 Nephi 22:12). Not surprisingly, it is the “whore of all the earth” that digs this “pit” Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 255 of “captivity,” or bondage, to “ensnare the people of the Lord” (1 Nephi 22:13-14). But, prophesied Nephi, the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood. And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it…. For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire (1 Nephi 22:13- 14, 16-17).

To the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord revealed something about that “power” (1 Nephi 22:17), that would be used to save His people. Said He, Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power; Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel. For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm. And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be (D&C 103:15-18).

Quoting from those preceding verses is not to say that modern Israelites are predestined to go into bondage to the same 256 The Hidden Things Of Darkness degree that their ancient brethren once did in Egypt. “Bondage” is a broad term, and is largely dependent upon one’s own point of view. Interestingly, according to scriptural criteria, Latter-day Saints already live in bondage. When Limhi and his people were in bondage to the Lamanites, the record notes that they did “pay tribute” to them, “even one half of all they possessed” (Mosiah 19:26). In many countries today, including the United States, the citizens that live in them (if they have any economic freedom at all) pay up to, and even over in some cases, one half of all their income in taxes. And it should be kept in mind that very few of those taxes are not used for government wealth redistribution programs, which according to the Lord’s prophets, are nothing more than legal plunder. Nor were those prophecies quoted from in order to produce defeatist attitudes amongst those who read them. Rather, they are to show that the circumstances surrounding the fulfillment of such prophecies are technically already in place. Whether or not Latter-day Saints, and other freedom loving people, allow the process to go all the way until total bondage is brought upon everyone remains to be seen. Such a condition need not happen if they who love and cherish freedom will simply halt the process where it currently is. Should that happen, the Lord could still send His servant (whether it be the prophet, or someone called by the prophet, it really does not matter), when the time is right, in order to liberate His people without the present circumstances changing hardly any more than they are now. When the time does come that the Lord’s servant leads His people out of bondage, Latter-day Saints would do well to learn from their ancient Israelite forbears’ mistakes. As slaves in Egypt, the Israelites were fed, clothed, and sheltered by their oppressors. But once they were abruptly removed from their state as slaves, they found their new life of freedom to be challenging for them while travelling in the wilderness with so little. The Lord provided for them, though, with manna from heaven. After a while, the Israelites bemoaned their condition and wailed that it would be better for them had they returned “into Egypt” (Numbers 14:2). Said they, “we remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 257 melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes” (Numbers 11:5-6). In their deprivation, but not utter lack of the vital necessities, they murmured against God and began to prefer their conditions of slavery, with its so-called security and seeming variety it provided. Rather than to breathe the air of freedom, with its accompanying opportunities that lay ahead of them, even though they would have to temporarily do without the many things they were once accustomed to, they murmured their desires to return to the flesh pots of Egypt. Latter-day Saints, as well as others, liberated from their bondage, might one day, due to mitigating circumstances, be forced to temporarily go without the normal amenities this modern generation takes for granted. As such, those future liberated Israelites would do well not to murmur at their momentary difficulties, but rather rely on the Lord and have faith in His ability to succor them in their times of need and deprivation. This is especially applicable to those who are currently in bondage by being totally dependent upon government for their support. But God will adequately provide to those who trust in Him and recognize that He is able to do all things for their benefit and welfare. In His tender mercies, God will provide for those who cannot provide for themselves, whether it be through His children who are able to care for the less fortunate, or whether He will rain down manna from heaven once again. Finally, what does the topic of corrupt government have to do with anyone’s salvation in the first place? Does it really matter in the great, big, eternal scheme of things what a person does in the realm of government? The scriptures provide a resounding, affirmative answer to those questions (D&C 134:1), as was demonstrated in the main text over and over again. Actions in the political realm do have an immediate (and long- term) bearing on individuals,’ as well as nations,’ spirituality, and greatly determine their final destination in this earthly sojourn called mortality. The experiences of the Nephites and the Jaredites bear solemn witness to that fact. 258 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Consider that King Mosiah, in his efforts to convince the people to adopt a representative form of government, warned his subjects, if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land (Mosiah 29:27).

He warned the Nephites that should they choose evil in their political activities, they would be punished, and destroyed. For their sin of adopting and supporting corrupt government and freedom-destroying laws, they were destroyed. Because they enthroned Satanocratic government at the expense of their freedom, the Lord’s Spirit ceased to strive with the Nephites (Mormon 5:16) and with the Jaredites (Ether 15:19). Nephi, son of Lehi, wrote, “For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction” (2 Nephi 26:11). To the brother of Jared, the Lord revealed, “remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord” (Ether 2:15). Because “Satan had full power over the hearts of the [Jaredites],” “the Spirit of the Lord…ceased [to strive] with them” (Ether 15:19). Purged of all sense of justice and freedom, “they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the blindness of their minds [insomuch] that they [were] destroyed” (Ether 15:19). Bastiat identified the perversion of the law as a source from which this destructive process begins. He wrote, What are the consequences of such a perversion? It would require volumes to describe them all. Thus we must content ourselves with pointing out the most striking. In the first place, it erases from everyone’s conscience the distinction between justice and injustice. No society can exist unless the laws are respected to a certain degree. The safest way to make laws respected is to make them respectable. When law and morality Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 259

contradict each other, the citizen has the cruel alternative of either losing his moral sense or losing his respect for the law. These two evils are of equal consequence, and it would be difficult for a person to choose between them.1

In the case of the Nephites and the Jaredites, rather than restore the good laws they once had, which they had received from the Lord (Helaman 4:22), they both completely lost their sense of morality, insomuch that they had no sense of right or wrong. No longer listening to their consciences anymore, and having purged the light of Christ from their minds, it was impossible for them to feel any sense of remorse for wrongdoing. Mormon described his people as being “without civilization,” “without order and without mercy,” “strong in their perversion,” “brutal,” delighting in “everything save that which is good,” “without principle,” and “past feeling” (Moroni 9:11, 18-20). The Nephites in Mormon’s day had crossed over the point of no return, and for that, they were destroyed. As long as the Lord’s Spirit is able to strive with individuals, the consequences of sin compel the sinner to feel a sense of accountability for wrongdoing, and to punish such with a guilty conscience. If properly acted upon, such feelings help produce the faith-based fruits of repentance. Concerning that process, Alma taught his errant son Corianton, “Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man” (Alma 42:18). Tragically, those with whom the Spirit has ceased to strive are almost incapable of repenting. They are only able to suffer for their own wrongdoing. That is why they are destroyed and sent to the spirit world, where justice can be meted out. There is a gulf that separates corrupt laws from morality. The further down the path a nation travels in corrupting its laws, the wider that gulf becomes. There is a point at which a nation, or the individuals who comprise such, will not repent, because the gap is too wide, and they refuse to change. They either refuse, or are unwilling, to turn back down the path of repentance far enough in order to cross over to the side of

1 Bastiat, p. 12-13. 260 The Hidden Things Of Darkness morality and good laws. At that point, such people no longer follow the God-given light of Christ that will correctly guide them in life. Instead, they completely purge from their minds their own consciences, and choose to follow the man-made, Satanically inspired, corrupt laws that their leaders have instituted, all the way to the end of the road. The spiritual toll they pay for such foolish decisions is both temporal and spiritual destruction. Pahoran wrote, in his epistle to Captain Moroni, “the Spirit of God…is also the spirit of freedom” (Alma 61:15). The Lord’s Spirit cannot be kept in the lives of individuals, and in the nations in which they reside, if they allow themselves to be seduced into supporting the freedom-destroying principles of Satanocracy. The degree to which they support those corrupt principles and laws is the degree to which they drive the Lord’s Spirit away from themselves. As an example from history of this, Mormon remarked, that around 30 B.C., the Nephites “had altered and trampled under their feet the laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto the people” (Helaman 4:22). By adopting those Satanocratic laws, they became “a wicked people” and “they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy and in the spirit of revelation” (Helaman 4:23). Because of that, “the Spirit of the Lord did no more preserve them,” and “it had withdrawn from them,” for “the Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples” (Helaman 4:24). Thus did Mormon show that the Spirit will not always strive with they who became converts to Satanocratic principles. Latter-day Saints who throw their support in behalf of corrupt laws, that are destructive of God-given freedoms, will find themselves less and less capable of having the Holy Ghost to be their guide and companion. Lest it be forgotten, having the Lord’s Spirit in the last days will be vital to surviving both spiritually and temporally. This is no small, insignificant matter. Furthermore, Latter-day Saints, probably more than any other people of the past, cannot allow the enthronement of Satanocratic laws to force them down that path their forbears once traveled. For in the last days, as the whore of the earth Appendix 2 - Further Commentary On Satanocracy 261 seeks to gain global dominance over the lives of the entire planet’s inhabitants, by wiping out their freedom in the process, as a matter of survival, Latter-day Saints must extricate their nations in which they reside, from having “unite[d]” (2 Nephi 6:12) to that member-nation, nascent world government. If they do not, then Latter-day Saints will be given the cruel alternative of choosing between what they know to be right, versus the statolatrous demands of their Satanocratic, world government promoting oppressors. They will be forced to choose between living the Gospel principles they have vowed to keep, or betraying what they know to be true in accepting the Satanocratic laws that the whore of the earth seeks to enthrone. This modern day “Babylon” (Revelation 17:5), as John the Beloved termed it, should it gain total dominion over the earth, will persecute and destroy any who refuse to bow the knee and give fealty to its Satanic authority. Regardless of whether such an ominous development comes to pass, or not, God will still require His people to leave Babylon (D&C 133:5) as His Son makes His second appearance among mankind (D&C 133:10-15). To those who think that their willful membership in such an evil kingdom is a light matter, consider that God has decreed, “I will not spare any that remain in Babylon” (D&C 64:24). The door of repentance is open to all, so that they might escape God’s wrath as He destroys the whore of the earth (D&C 29:21; compare 2 Nephi 28:16-19). But even though most administrators and supporters of Satanocracy throughout history failed to properly repent of this evil (that of exercising unrighteous dominion and compulsion over others, by seeking to destroy their agency using the power of corrupt government), that door of repentance is still open to them. Those who, from now until then, experience a mighty change of heart would do well to open it and enter therein.

Appendix 3

The following portions of scriptures, listed below, are to show how the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price prophets used certain words to describe the religious activities of secret combinations. Words such as “oaths,” “covenants,” “plans,” “secret works,” “secret murder,” “design,” “agreements,” “plot,” “swearing,” and “society” are frequently used to describe these enemies of Christ, and how their “founder,” and “author,” is the “devil.” Their works are truly the “works of darkness” (Alma 37:23). Because of them, and they who “build them up” (Helaman 6:38), freedoms are lost, and civilizations are destroyed. Through obtaining “the sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:39), and because of “the corruptness of their law” (Helaman 8:3), they seduce the righteous “to believe in their works and partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38). For the Antediluvians, the Jaredites, and the Nephites, their civilizations were destroyed because they allowed the secret societies’ plans to be carried out. Whether or not the Gentiles allow theirs to end up the same way remains to be seen (Ether 8:23). The word patterns below, grouped together by like subject, show that these secret combinations are completely conscious of the deliberate evil they are engaged in. A brief commentary follows after these citations.

“he [the devil] is the founder of all these things” (2 Nephi 26:22) “the power of the devil” (Ether 8:16) “who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light” (2 Nephi 9:9) “stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations” (2 Nephi 9:9) “it is built up by the devil” (Ether 8:25) “administered by the devil” (3 Nephi 6:28) “whose author is…the evil one” (Helaman 8:28)

264 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“secret combinations” (2 Nephi 9:9) “secret combinations, even as in times of old” (2 Nephi 26:22) “according to the combinations of the devil”(2 Nephi 26:22) “secret band” (Helaman 7:25) “secret band” (Helaman 8:1) “secret band” (Helaman 8:28) “secret band” (Helaman 11:2) “secret society” ( 3 Nephi 3:9) “society” (3 Nephi 3:9) “secret society” (Ether 9:6) “secret society” (Ether 11:22)

“secret works of darkness” (2 Nephi 9:9) “secret works of darkness” (2 Nephi 10:15) “works of darkness” (2 Nephi 26:22) “secret works” (Alma 37:21) “secret works” (Alma 37:21) “secret works” (Alma 37:23) “works of darkness” (Alma 37:23) “secret works” (Alma 37:25) “secrets and abominations” (Alma 37:25) “secret abominations” (Alma 37:26) “secret work” (Helaman 2:4) “works of darkness” (Helaman 6:28) “work of darkness” (Helaman 6:29) “secret works” (Helaman 8:4) “secret works” (Helaman 10:3) “secret works” (3 Nephi 3:7) “secret abominations” (3 Nephi 16:10) “secret abominations” (3 Nephi 30:2) “works of darkness” (Mormon 8:27) “secret abominations” (Mormon 8:40) “wicked abominations” (Ether 11:22) “their works were in the dark” (Moses 5:51) “works of darkness” (Moses 5:55) “secret works” (Moses 6:15) “sought their own counsels in the dark” (Moses 6:28)

Appendix 3 - Textual Evidence Of Secret Combinations 265

“oaths” (Alma 37:27) “covenants” (Alma 37:27) “oaths” (Alma 37:29) “covenants” (Alma 37:29) “entered into a covenant” (Helaman 1:11) “covenanted” (Helaman 1:12) “entered into a covenant” (Helaman 2:3) “a sign” (Helaman 2:7) “covenants” (Helaman 6:21) “oaths” (Helaman 6:21) “signs” (Helaman 6:22) “secret signs” (Helaman 6:22) “secret words” (Helaman 6:22) “the covenant” (Helaman 6:22) “this covenant” (Helaman 6:22) “secret oaths and covenants” (Helaman 6:25) “secret oaths and covenants” (Helaman 6:26) “oaths” (Helaman 6:30) “covenants” (Helaman 6:30) “garb of secrecy” (Helaman 9:6) “they are of ancient date” (3 Nephi 3:9) “enter into a covenant” (3 Nephi 6:28) “that covenant which was given by them of old” (3 Nephi 6:28) “covenant” (3 Nephi 6:28) “covenant to destroy” (3 Nephi 6:29) “they did covenant” (3 Nephi 6:30) “entered into a covenant” (3 Nephi 7:11) “secret oaths” (4 Nephi 1:42) “they all sware unto him” (Ether 8:14) “the oaths which were given by them of old” (Ether 8:15) “handed down even from Cain” (Ether 8:15) “these oaths” (Ether 8:16) “even as they of old” (Ether 8:18) “oaths” (Ether 8:20) “anointed…by the hand of wickedness” (Ether 9:4) “the oath of the ancients” (Ether 9:5) “sworn unto him to do all manner of iniquity” (Ether 9:10) “oaths after the manner of the ancients” (Ether 10:33) 266 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

“swear unto me” (Moses 5:29) “Satan sware unto Cain” (Moses 5:30) “these things were done in secret” (Moses 5:30) “this great secret, that I may murder and get gain” (Moses 5:31) “Lamech…entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain” (Moses 5:49) “master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan” (Moses 5:49) “slew him for the oath’s sake” (Moses 5:50) “all them had covenanted with Satan” (Moses 5:51) “they have foresworn themselves” (Moses 6:29) “by their oaths” (Moses 6:29)

“their agreements in their secret abominations” (Alma 37:27) “secret plans” (Alma 37:29) “secret plans” (Alma 37:32) “those plans” (Helaman 2:6) “secret plan” (Helaman 2:8) “his design” (Helaman 2:9) “plot with Cain” (Helaman 6:27) “plot with Cain” (Helaman 6:27) “plots” (Helaman 6:30) “plans” (Helaman 6:30) “secret plans” (Helaman 11:10) “secret plans” (Helaman 11:26) “devise a plan” (Ether 8:8) “secret plan” (Ether 8:9) “secret plans…of old” (Ether 9:26) “the old plans” (Ether 10:33) “secret plans of wickedness” (Ether 13:15)

“secret combinations of murder” (2 Nephi 9:9) “secret murders and abominations” (Alma 37:22) “their murders” (Alma 37:29) “secret murderers” (Helaman 2:10) “secret murders” (Helaman 6:17) “secret murder” (Helaman 6:29) “secret murder” (Helaman 6:30) Appendix 3 - Textual Evidence Of Secret Combinations 267

“secret murders” (Helaman 6:38) “secret works of…murderings” (Helaman 10:3) “secret murders” (3 Nephi 5:5) “put to death secretly” (3 Nephi 6:23) “the secret combination…murdered the prophets” (3 Nephi 7:6) “secret murders and combinations” (3 Nephi 9:9) “in their own abominations have they devised murder” (Moses 6:28)

“partake of their spoils” (Helaman 6:38) “sole management of the government” (Helaman 6:39) “corruptness of their law” (Helaman 8:3) “this secret band…did carry on…[the] wars” (Helaman 11:1-2) “did make great havoc” (Helaman 11:27) “great destruction” (Helaman 11:27) “partners of all our substance” (3 Nephi 3:7) “thenceforth came wars…because of secret works” (Moses 6:15)

“sought power” (Ether 8:15) “desirous for gain” (Ether 9:11) “desirous for power” (Ether 9:11) “built up to get power and gain” (Ether 11:15) “seeking for power” (Moses 6:15)

Undoubtedly, there are some, if not many, who disbelieve the idea that people would actually make pacts with Satan in order to be able to enslave the rest of mankind. Yet, some of those same people will concede that Satan will make pacts with certain individuals in order to lead people astray, as in the case with Korihor (see Alma 30:53). But, if one tries to show from the scriptures that Satan has made deals with those who seek to take over the whole world, those who disbelieve are prone to downplay, or even ridicule, that such things exist. They ignore the mountains of scriptural evidence that supports such a claim, as the above evidence so overwhelmingly and plainly shows. Also, they fail to consider, that Satan, as “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), appeared unto the Savior. And showing “him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of 268 The Hidden Things Of Darkness them,” Satan said, “all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:8-9). While the Savior flatly rejected such a blasphemous offer, Cain, Lamech, and others did fall down and worship him. For that, many of them were rewarded “the kingdoms of the world” (Matthew 4:4).

270 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

The subject of secret combinations in the Book of Mormon occurs every 1.2 pages of text. There are some 442 verses that, in their context, deal with this topic. They are depicted graphically in Figure 1, in the preceding page, and they are also listed below. Included with the Book of Mormon verses are the 39 verses cited from Moses, but they are not graphed. The graph itself is a visual witness of the Book of Mormon’s structure as a crescendoing message of warning. Some commentary regarding these verses follows after.

1 Nephi 14:3-4, 9-13, 15-17 Helaman 16:12 1 Nephi 22:13-14, 16, 22-23 3 Nephi 1:27-30 2 Nephi 6:12 3 Nephi 2:11-13, 17-19 2 Nephi 9:9 3 Nephi 3:1-12, 15, 17, 20-22, 25-26 2 Nephi 10:15-16 3 Nephi 4:1-29, 31, 33 2 Nephi 26:22-23 3 Nephi 5:4-6 2 Nephi 28:9, 16, 18-19 3 Nephi 6:3, 15-18, 21-30 2 Nephi 30:17 3 Nephi 7:1-2, 5-13, 15 Mosiah 8:12 3 Nephi 8:8, 12, 24 Mosiah 28:12, 19 3 Nephi 9:2-3, 9, 12 Alma 37:21-23, 25-32 3 Nephi 16:10 Alma 45:16 3 Nephi 20:20 Helaman 1:9-13 3 Nephi 27:32 Helaman 2:3-14 3 Nephi 30:2 Helaman 3:23 4 Nephi 1:42, 46-47 Helaman 4:11 Mormon 1:18 Helaman 5:2, 4 Mormon 2:8, 10, 27-28 Helaman 6:2, 15-35, 37-40 Mormon 4:12 Helaman 7:4-6, 9, 11, 13-15, Mormon 8:9, 27, 40, 41 21-22, 24-25, 27-29 Ether 1:1, 5 Helaman 8: 1-10, 12, 25-28 Ether 2: 9-11, 15 Helaman 9:3, 6, 10-38, 41 Ether 8:8-26 Helaman 10:2-3, 6, 11-15, 18 Ether 9:1, 4-12, 20, 26-31, 34 Helaman 11:1, 2, 5-6, 8, Ether 10:33-34 10-11, 24-34, 36-37 Ether 11:1-2, 4-18, 20, 22 Helaman 13:1, 5-6, 9-10, Ether 13:1-2, 13-16, 18, 22-31 14-17, 32, 38 Figure 1 - Scriptural Frequency Of Secret Combinations 271

Ether 14:1, 3-6, 8-22, 24-31 Moses 6:15, 28-29 Ether 15:4-10, 12-31, 33 Moses 7:24, 26 Moses 5:18-41, 47-56

The verses which speak directly of secret combinations, as listed above, are found in the following passages: 2 Nephi 9:9; 10:15; 26:22-23; 28:9; 30:17 (compare to 9:9); Alma 37: 21-23, 25-32; all verses cited from Helaman chapters 1 through 11; all verses cited from 3 Nephi chapters 1 through 9, and 30; all verses cited from 4 Nephi; all verses cited from Mormon; and all verses cited from Ether chapters 8 through 15. The following passages of scripture speak of “ripening in iniquity.” Yet, it is in their context that qualifies them as speaking about the subject of secret combinations, as was shown in the main text. They are: 2 Nephi 28:16; Alma 45:16; Helaman 13:14-17; Helaman 16:12; 3 Nephi 16:10; and Ether 2:9-11, 15. While the church of the devil is not the same as a secret combination per se, it was shown in the main text that they were the same during key parts of Nephite and Jaredite history, and that they will become one in the last days. Therefore, all verses cited from 1 Nephi chapters 14 and 22, and 2 Nephi 6, as well as 2 Nephi 10:16 and 2 Nephi 28:18-19, are in their context, related to secret combinations. Numerous passages dealt with the “destruction” of the Nephites and the Jaredites. Since Ether 8:21 says that secret combinations were the cause of the destruction of both civilizations, then the following verses of scripture also deal with the same subject matter, and are to be understood as such in their context: all verses cited from Mosiah; Helaman 13:5-6, 9-10, 32, 38; 3 Nephi 20:20 (compare to Ether 8:23 and Helaman 13:5); 3 Nephi 27:32; and Ether 1:1, 5. Also, since Mormon chapters 1 through 6 detail the destruction of the Nephites, then technically, those verses should be viewed in their context as such. Therefore, those verses would include the following: Mormon 1:1-19; 2:1-29; 3:1-16; 4:1-23; 5:1-9, 11, 12, 17-18; and 6:1-22. If they are included in the list of verses cited above, then the graph would change somewhat, as is depicted in Figure 1a on page 273. That modified picture offers 272 The Hidden Things Of Darkness even more testimony to the idea that the Book of Mormon’s structure itself is a crescendoing message of warning.

275

Author’s Note

The challenge that evil of this magnitude presents, such as that which I have examined in this book, cannot be ignored by Latter-day Saints, especially when we are under divine commandment to do something about it. Moroni wrote that when we “see these things come among” us, “the Lord” “command[s]” us to “awake to a sense” of our “awful situation” (Ether 8:24), and not let “these murderous combinations” “get above” us (Ether 8:23). Stated another way, we must not let them take control of and destroy our free nation. It is a commandment. But even though it is a general commandment, the Lord will not always spell things out and command us “in all things” (D&C 58:26). In other words, not all commandments come with a ready-made program for Church members to follow in order to fulfill Heavenly Father’s divine mandates. Therefore, even though it has been given as a general commandment to stop “these things” from enslaving us, and destroying our Constitution, the Church has no program to require this duty of its members. I feel that because of the divisive nature of this subject matter, to do so would only tend to sow discord and to stir up contention within the wards and stakes of the Church. I would detest such a development. And since the Lord has not seen fit to divide the wheat from the tares yet (see D&C 88:94), who are we to do so? Having said that, I want to make it perfectly clear that this book in no way, shape, or form, advocates that these evils be combated from the Church’s pulpits and classrooms. On the contrary, notwithstanding the fact that the scriptures expose this whole evil in great detail, it is my firm conviction that this battle will have to be fought outside the confines of the Church’s organizational channels. Members will have to seek out other effective, non-Church avenues, in which to become involved in trying to save the Constitution from destruction. This includes working within the walls of our own homes and within the confines of our own communities.

276 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

During the administration of President David O. McKay, some questions arose as to whether or not it was appropriate for members of the Church to affiliate with organizations whose mission is to put the nation back on its Constitutional tracks, and then to keep it there. The statement issued from President McKay’s office, which was read in the general priesthood session of the Church’s General Conference, not only approved of such affiliations, but actually encouraged and commended “every person and every group who is sincerely seeking to study Constitutional principles and awaken a sleeping and apathetic people to the alarming conditions that are rapidly advancing about us.”1 The statement added, “we wish all of our citizens throughout the land were participating in some type of organized self-education in order that they could better appreciate what is happening and know what they can do about it.”2 The Church has not, as far as I am aware, ever retracted that statement, and to the contrary, in recent years, it has actually encouraged more fully members’ involvement in their communities, in the political process, and in certain key issues in differing parts of the country. For example, the Church did not officially become involved in California’s fight over the legalization of same-sex marriages. However, under President Gordon B. Hinckley’s encouragement, individual members united together in an effort, outside of any official Church sponsorship, to promote and push through Proposition 22, an initiative presumably designed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. This illustrates the principle of members becoming “anxiously engaged in a good cause,” to “bring to pass much righteousness” “of their own free will” (D&C 58:27). It also shows the tremendous influence members can have in fighting for freedom and righteousness outside of the Church’s official channels by organizing with other members and non- members in a common cause.

1 President David O. McKay, “Communism: A Statement of the Position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 9, 1966), p. 2. 2 Ibid. Author's Note 277

President David O. McKay once said, “Next to being one in worshipping God, there is nothing in this world upon which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.”1 On another occasion he said, “No greater immediate responsibility rests upon members of the Church, upon all citizens of this Republic and of neighboring Republics than to protect the freedom vouchsafed by the Constitution of the United States.”2 If it was important for members in California to unite in an effort to support Proposition 22, then how important is it for us to unite together across the nation and across the world in order to protect the Constitution itself? Indeed, President Hinckley himself, in the dedicatory prayer of the Church’s temple in San Diego, has given an idea of how important such a matter is. He thanked the Lord “for this nation under whose inspired Constitution we enjoy freedom of worship and freedom to build these sacred houses.”3 He then asked the Lord to “bless this land…that…the precious liberties enunciated in the Bill of Rights may never be abridged nor taken from the people.”4 How will Latter-day Saints be able to build more temples and attend them if our freedoms are taken from us? Furthermore, how can we keep our “precious liberties” if the Constitution is destroyed? President Ezra Taft Benson testified, “It is time for us, as members of the Church, to walk in all the ways of the Lord, to use our influence to make popular that which is sound and to make unpopular that which is unsound.”5 As our tools for such a task, he stated, “We have the scriptures, the prophets, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now we need eyes that will see, ears that will hear, and hearts that will hearken to God’s direction.”6 This book is part of my own effort to “make unpopular” those things

1 President McKay, The Instructor, Vol. 91, p. 34. 2 President McKay as quoted in Ezra Taft Benson, An Enemy Hath Done This, (Salt Lake City, UT: Parliament Publishers, 1969), p. 322. 3 President Gordon B. Hinckley, “San Diego California Temple: ‘May We Bask In…Thy Divine Favor,’” Church News, 5/1/93, p. 4. 4 Ibid. 5 President Benson, “I Testify,” p. 87. 6 Ibid. 278 The Hidden Things Of Darkness that would destroy America and enslave humanity, all under the guise of “saving us from ourselves,” by that secret combination of devoted Satanocratic followers of the Evil One. To you who read these remarks, as well as this book, I ask you to consider what will happen to you personally, to your family, and to your country if the Constitution is scrapped in favor of another form of government, especially one that is a Satanocratic world government. If you would like a little hint, consider what President J. Reuben Clark had to say. Warning what would happen to us, were our constitutional Republic ever to be overthrown, he said, I say unto you with all the soberness I can, that we stand in danger of losing our liberties, and that once lost, only blood will bring them back; and once lost, we of this Church will, in order to keep the Church going forward, have more sacrifices to make and more persecutions to endure than we have yet known, heavy as our sacrifices and grievous as our persecutions of the past have been….If we do not vigorously fight for our liberties, we shall go clear through to the end of the road and become another Russia, or worse….[He added that if the Conspiracy ever completely takes over America, and destroys our freedom by instituting a police state], it will probably come in its full vigor and there will be a lot of vacant places among those who guide and direct, not only this government, but also this Church of ours….1

Furthermore, he added, Do not think that all these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertence or mistake; the whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our constitutional government; then to bring chaos, out of which the new Statism with its slavery, is to arise, with a cruel, relentless, selfish, ambitious crew in the saddle, riding hard with whip and spur, a red-shrouded band of night riders for despotism….2

1 President J. Reuben Clark as quoted in An Enemy Hath Done This, p. 310, 312. 2 Ibid., p. 312. Author's Note 279

If this last statement reminds you of what happened to the Nephites, as recorded in 3 Nephi 6-7, it is not coincidence. The anti-Christ Jacob, and his “cruel” and “relentless” band, devised a similar scheme, and carried out as much of it as they could before the Lord intervened, burning them with fire (3 Nephi 8). While we do not know exactly what will happen to us if freedom is destroyed in the United States, no matter what the outcome is, it will certainly not be beneficial. For starters, Christians in general, and specifically Latter-day Saints, will not fare well, especially in light of the attitude of the “whore of the earth” towards Judeo-Christian faiths. And even if you who read this are not particularly religious, but you cherish freedom itself, the future will not be very bright for you either, if this evil group succeeds in enslaving the rest of the human race. As such, domestically speaking, homeschoolers, gun rights advocates, protectors of traditional marriage, pro-life organizers, and all other single-issue groups, with worthy motives, would all lose their fights, by default, in one fell swoop. And incidentally, let me state here that while I admire those who fight for these important issues, their single-issue approach will not save their overall freedom. To me, their efforts are akin to the proverbial man painting his barn while his whole house is burning down, having been set ablaze by arsonists. Barns do need painting to protect them from the rotting effects of adverse weather. However, saving freedom, as protected by our Constitution, is the more important and pressing priority. In trying to stop all of those other evils and encroachments upon our God-given rights, we cannot through our negligence let the Constitution be destroyed. For if we do, how will we put a stop to those other evils? Upon what foundation will our freedoms rest then? The destruction that would take place in America, should we lose our freedom, would be bad enough by itself. But consider what would happen internationally, if the Constitution were torn up. Undoubtedly, the Lord’s work would be seriously crippled abroad, because the base of operations from which the Church is now directing the Lord’s worldwide work would have been 280 The Hidden Things Of Darkness destroyed. Does any faithful member of the Church really want to see what will happen to them and their fellow members, at home and abroad, if freedom is wiped out in America? It is my experience that the best organizations to join, in the fight for freedom, and to befriend the Constitution, are not only those which educate and inform, but that also provide members an effective means for responsible action in promoting good government, based on sound constitutional principles. That befriending of constitutional principles must happen on a variety of different levels. Some efforts need to be made locally, particularly when it comes to the protection of rights to private property—a right that is all too often trampled upon. Because the Constitution guarantees that “every state in this Union” shall be “a republican form of government,” issues which would either weaken or strengthen that guarantee certainly command our attention. And, of course, issues which affect our constitutional republic must be addressed. As Americans, we must broaden narrow one-issue efforts and work together in an organized effort to save the Constitution from its planned destruction. Also, we must thwart, expose and rout the secret combination that is seeking to destroy America and enslave the whole human race under the umbrella of Satanocratic world government. In whatever responsible fashion you expend your efforts in defending freedom and the Constitution, I implore you to ponder and weigh it heavily, and then to choose wisely how you do so. Just imagine what would happen if freedom-loving people of all causes would get together and work in unison in an effort to save their freedom. My concern at present is that so many like- minded people remain so divided and “at variance with one another” (D&C 101:50), that they have let numerous opportunities slip by them because their own egos have gotten in the way of unified teamwork. If Latter-day Saints and other freedom-loving non-members spread out their efforts, in too many channels, the net effect of their efforts will be fragmented and diluted, and overall ineffectual. And if this tragic waste of human effort continues to not be repented of, and continues to go uncorrected, then what will happen to our nation is spelled out in a parable given by the Author's Note 281

Lord regarding His will “concerning the redemption of Zion” (D&C 101:43; see verses 43-62). In closing with this note, I would like to quote some words of Robert Welch, who was the founder of the John Birch Society, and to use them as if they were my own. I believe I feel the exact same way he did when he first published what was to become a very controversial book of his own. His words, especially to me, are more applicable now, than they were over forty years ago when he wrote them. Said he, Finally let me say that the publication of this book is not for me a happy occasion. We live today in a world which none of us—except the conspirators who have made it this way—wanted. Our consciences, and our sense of responsibility to those who come after us, bring up duties and drive us to actions which we do not welcome, and which are beyond all of the normal expectations of our lives….[I]t takes a great deal to wake up even those perfectly good and patriotic citizens who have had so skillfully and patiently bestowed on them so large a vested interest in error. And I hope that this bit of history will ring and continue to ring like a disturbing alarm clock in the minds of many men.1

My hope and fervent prayer in writing this book is that it “will ring and continue to ring like a disturbing alarm clock in the minds of many men,” especially to those Elders of Israel who were foreordained, and sent to this earth, to step forward and save the Constitution from its planned destruction, when its destiny hangs by a thread. And I say without any hesitation whatsoever, that if those Elders of Israel do not wake up, get educated soon about what is happening around them, and become actively involved in saving our nation, they will witness their opportunity to save our country’s freedom slip through their slothful fingers, and watch in horror as this nation goes all the way “to the end of the road and become another Russia, or worse,”2 just as the Jaredites and Nephites did.

1 Robert Welch, The Politician, (Belmont, MA: Belmont Publishing Company, 1963), p. xxxvii. 2 Benson, An Enemy Hath Done This, p. 312. 282 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

This brief history and exposé of Satan’s and his followers’ plan, contained herein, is to show how he is seeking to unleash and consummate that plan once again on the whole earth, as he did so effectively prior to the Flood. A huge step in blunting, and eventually derailing, that plan is for the Elders to wake up to what is happening around them, to understand what the nature of that plan is, and how they can stop it, and then go to work in befriending the Constitution. And in gaining a clear understanding of that plan, my hope is that those Elders of Israel, along with many Latter-day Saints, and other freedom-loving people, will “awake to a sense” of their “awful situation” (Ether 8:24), and stop what is happening before it is too late. It is also my prayer that this book will help, in some small way, to stoke the sacred fires of the Spirit of freedom (Alma 61:15) in the hearts of the Elders of Israel in the same degree that our Founding Fathers felt them. Regardless of whether or not we wish to befriend the Constitution, we will still face “difficult days in America.”1 So, the Elders of Israel, and the Latter-day Saints, had better start now exhibiting “the faith and courage” the Founding Fathers did, “who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor,”2 in trying to secure those blessings of liberty for themselves and their posterity. For if something is not done soon, the price we will all have to pay, including our children and our grandchildren, is more than I dare to imagine.

1 President Ezra Taft Benson, “Our Divine Constitution,” The Ensign, (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, November, 1987), p. 7. 2 Ibid.

285

Index

Abel, 101, 119, 125, 127, Andersen, H. Verlan, 23, 24, 29, 137-8, 153, 162, 167 36, 37, 75, 82, 94, 221, 222 Abinadi, 44-50, 76, 176 Anderson, Tom, 232 abomination of desolation, 7, 8, angel of the Lord, 29, 32, 35, 39, 69, 72-3, 219, 223 44, 56, 174, 175, 235, 236, 238 accountable, -ility, 96, 226, 259 anointing, 118, 133 Adam, 16, 22, 100, 136-138 Antediluvians, 106, 109, 110, agency, 14-27, 34, 36, 38, 74, 81, 111, 115, 120, 122, 126, 128, 89, 93-7, 100, 131, 220, 229, 129, 134, 138, 143, 165, 169, 233, 244, 261 196, 199, 221, 263 Akish, 104, 118, 120-2, 125, apostasy, -tize, 2, 30, 91, 137, 127-8, 131, 140-1, 153, 155, 147, 163, 186 162, 163, 168, 190-1 apostasy, political, 58, 59, 64, 90, Alma, 47, 48, 50, 76, 77, 80 91, 137, 163 Alma the younger, 9, 76, 107, ark, 103, 237 116, 117, 165, 174, 175, 177, arm of flesh, 89, 91 185, 195-196, 203, 217, 224, Armageddon, 62, 66, 67, 69, 72, 259 223 Amalickiah, 76, 78, 244 assassinate, -ion, 107, 108, 125, America, -n, 29, 57, 58, 66, 67, 139, 145, 161, 162, 164, 167, 69, 76, 77, 78, 82, 84, 100, 101, 171 103, 106, 107, 109, 111, 112, Atonement, the, 19, 20, 119 113, 130, 144, 147, 148, 152, Babel, tower of, 103 162, 184, 185, 188, 195, 197, Babylon, 31, 32, 57, 60, 72, 75, 210, 211, 212, 214, 216, 217, 238, 261 218, 225, 226, 227, 228, 231, baptism, 5, 242 232, 233, 239, 240, 241, 278, Bastiat, Frederic, 84-87, 95, 96, 279, 280, 282 245, 246, 248, 250, 258 Ammon, 79, 201, 202 Benson, Ezra Taft, 3, 25, 46, 96, Ammon, missionary, 106 100, 131, 132, 208, 209, 210, Ammonihah, -ites, 76, 174, 175, 212, 218, 226, 230, 232, 236, 177-179, 180, 181, 192, 194 237, 250, 251, 252, 277 Ammoron, 76 Bible, 5, 56, 57, 90, 101, 102, Amulek, 76, 175, 176, 177 103, 110, 111, 112, 173, Amulon, 77, 78, 80, 84, 88, 94 Bible, parts removed, 14, 52, 54, anarchy, 58, 81 55, 56, 57, 60, 111 286 The Hidden Things Of Darkness bondage, 66, 69, 77, 78, 79, 80, chief judge(s), 107, 108, 109, 92, 199, 201, 210, 225, 232, 122, 123, 124, 125, 127, 144, 240, 253, 254, 255-257 145, 146, 160, 162, 166, 177, Book of Abraham, 15 181, 213 Book of Mormon, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, Church of Jesus Christ of 10, 11, 12, 34, 42, 44, 66, 67, Latter-day Saints, the, 133, 71, 76, 79, 88, 90, 93, 99, 101, 235, 242 103, 106, 110, 111, 112, 116, church of the devil, 8, 9, 11, 18, 121, 128, 129, 130, 132, 154, 30-38, 40, 43, 44, 45, 50, 51, 158, 170, 173, 174, 177, 178, 52, 61, 63, 65, 67, 68, 69, 71, 185, 193, 195, 196, 197, 198, 72, 73, 96, 97, 111, 182, 189, 200, 201, 205, 206, 207, 208, 194, 195, 219, 221, 222, 225, 209, 210, 211, 212, 216, 217, 226, 229, 235, 236, 238, 242, 230, 231, 232, 244, 263, 270, 271 272 church, definition of, 36-37 Book of Moses, 15, 101, 101, Civil War, 7 119, 121, 137, 139, 163, 237, Clark, J. Reuben, 190, 192, 278 270 collective right, 85, 250 Britain, 58 Columbus, 130 brother of Jared, 93, 103, 190, Com, 104, 126, 141, 162 258 commandments, 1-6, 8, 10-12, Caesar, 101 22, 23, 26, 82, 83, 90, 92, 102, Cain, 101, 102, 103, 111, 112, 112, 122, 208, 219, 242, 275 115, 116, 117-122, 125, 126, common force, 85, 86, 250, 251 127, 128, 131, 133, 136-139, communal ownership, 156, 157 148, 151, 152, 153, 162, 167, compulsion, 25, 131, 132, 261 217, 227, 229, 265, 266, 268 compulsory charity, 157 calamities, 7, 160, 218 concubines, 44, 45, 47, 79, 247 Captain Moroni, 245, 260 condemnation, 6, 7, 94, 176, 211, captivity, 40, 44, 51, 66-69, 75, 219, 230-232 81, 93, 105, 142, 152, 190, conflict, 16, 17, 21, 23, 24, 25, 199, 210, 225, 232, 240, 254, 26, 62, 63, 67, 236, 241, 246 255 Congress, 226 carnal security, 199, 257 conscience, 58, 73, 81, 85, 251, Cezoram, 108, 123, 145, 154, 258, 259, 260, 281 162 consecration, 125, 158, 253 Cezoram, son of, 108, 145, 162 conspiracy, 7, 83, 99, 104, 105, character, 22, 78, 93, 94, 95, 243, 113, 118, 122, 127, 128, 144, 250 145, 153, 160, 163, 164, 165, charity, 20, 82, 125, 157, 251, 168, 178, 179, 182, 191, 240, 252 241 chastity, law of, 125 Conspiracy, the, 170, 241, 278 Index 287

Constantine, 51, 53, 55, 56 26, 37, 57, 99, 173 Constitution, -al, 3, 59, 218, 225, double standard, 208, 216 226, 227, 229, 230, 231, 233, drug cartels, 99, 210 239, 275, 276, 277, 278, 279, drunk, -en, -eness, 39, 65, 68, 280, 281, 282 192, 247, 255 contend, -tion, 8, 16, 35, 38, 48, Egypt, 74, 75, 77, 80, 256, 257 78, 92, 105, 159, 160, 161, Egyptians, 74, 75, 77, 88, 254 164, 165, 168, 183, 225, 226, Elders of Israel, 6, 10, 228, 229, 275 281, 282 Coriantor, 166 Elijah, 75 Coriantumr, 105, 106, 127, 141, endowment, 59, 121 142, 143, 164, 192 enemies of Christ, 4, 7, 9, 101, corrupt laws, 81-82, 94, 96, 153- 201, 209, 210, 213, 216, 230, 155, 161, 178, 221, 224, 228, 263 243, 259, 260 enemies of freedom, 151, 225 corrupt government—see Enoch, 102, 122, 127, 136, 139, prostituted government 152 Council of Nice, 55 Ethem, 105 Council of Carthage, 55 Ether, 118, 143, 164 covenant(s), -ed, 101, 102, 107, European explorers, 130 115, 116-118, 120, 121, 128, Eve, 22 130, 131, 133, 134, 139, 140, everlasting decree, 185, 192, 193 147, 162, 166, 181, 183, 213, expose, -ing evil, 9, 10, 11, 15, 214, 221, 239, 242, 263, 265, 16, 19, 20, 84, 100, 108, 118, 266 133, 159, 160, 161, 164, 171, covenants of the Father, 235, 180, 209, 210, 219, 228, 230, 236, 238, 240, 241, 243, 275, 280, 282 craft, 62 Ezekiel, 62, 63, 68, 69, 72 crossfire, 214, 215 false, -hood, 19, 77, 79, 96, 161, Cumorah, 110, 188, 200 171, 176, 209, 210 Daniel, 62, 63, 68, 69, 72, 75 false philanthropy, -ists, 19, 156, daughter of Jared, 111, 115, 125, 158, 171, 245, 248, 249 126, 131, 138 famine, 104, 108, 146, 160, 164, David, 75 165, 180, 225 Declaration of Independence, 58, Featherstone, Vaughn J., 228 73, 84 “fervid but false solicitude,” 24, design, 23, 57, 75, 93, 108, 115, 157 130, 137, 145, 166, 181, 209, first estate, the, 13, 23, 24 220, 229, 263, 266 First Presidency, the, 24, 157, dethrone, 16, 17, 21, 23, 92, 93, 190, 250 100, 132, 156, 220, 229 force, 25, 62-64, 67, 68, 69, 72, Doctrine and Covenants, 6, 15, 74, 80, 82, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 288 The Hidden Things Of Darkness force cont’d, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 57, 66, 67, 69, 129, 130, 132, 96, 97, 109, 145, 146, 176, 188, 194, 195, 197, 198, 199, 221, 223, 245, 246, 247, 248, 200, 201, 206, 207, 210, 211, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 260, 212, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 261 223, 225, 230, 231, 232, 238, fornicate, -ion, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 239, 240, 241, 263 125 Giddianhi, 109, 120 122, 146, Founding Fathers, 58, 59, 84, 152, 156, 165 282 Gideon, 48, 49 freedom, 3, 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, Gilead, 105, 142, 167 24, 34, 38, 39, 58, 65, 67, 78, global interdependence, 211 80, 81, 130, 134, 136, 151, Golden Rule, the, 124 152, 161, 163, 171, 177, 178, government redistribution of 179, 182, 183, 184, 186, 189, property, 251, 253, 254, 256 193, 194, 199, 207, 210, 211, government, function of, 46, 58, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 73, 81, 82, 84, 85, 250-251, 220, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 252 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, government, (legalized) theft, 39, 237, 239, 240, 241, 245, 248, 74, 79-80, 88, 155, 157, 243, 249, 254, 256, 257, 258, 260, 247, 252 261, 263, 276, 277, 278, 279, Grand Council, 13, 14, 15, 16, 280, 281, 282 17, 243, 246 fulness of iniquity, 192, 193, Grant, Heber J., 2 224, 228 great and abominable church, 29, future scenario, 212 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, Gadianton, 107, 108, 110, 121, 40, 44, 48, 50, 52, 53, 54, 60, 127, 145, 147, 154, 159, 167, 61, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72, 111, 178, 180, 186, 203, 204 211, 224, 226, 235, 236, 237, Gadianton, robbers of, 83, 88, 238, 239, 241, 255 90, 106, 108, 109, 110, 120, Great Apostasy, the, 35, 51, 52, 121, 122, 125, 126, 131, 132, 54, 55, 60 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, Great Flood, the, 112, 140, 168 152, 153, 154, 156, 157, 158, happiness, 2, 13 159, 160, 161, 162, 164, 168, harlot(s), 30-31, 32, 33, 39, 44, 169, 179, 180, 186, 247 45, 50, 236 Galatia, saints of, 118 head of government, 145, 151, gang rape, 187 154, 156, 169, 179 General Conference, 59, 197, Heavenly Father, 1, 13, 15, 16, 210, 221, 226, 236, 276 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 115, 242, genocide, 65, 68, 224 275 Gentile explorers, 113 heavy taxes—see Gentiles, 10, 29, 35, 36, 54, 56, taxes, heavy Index 289

Hebrew(s), 75 Jacobugath, 182, 183 Helaman, (both), 9, 76, 107, 108, Jared (secret society founder), 117, 123, 145, 162, 165, 167, 103-104, 118, 125, 127, 131, 185, 203 134, 140, 141, 162, 191 Herod, 76 Jared, 103 Heth, 104, 120, 127, 141, 155, Jaredites, 9, 76, 104, 106, 107, 162, 166, 191, 192 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, hidden things of darkness, 9, 11, 115, 116, 118, 120, 122, 126, 196, 218, 219, 228, 229 127, 128, 129, 132, 134, 140, high priests, apostate, 146, 147, 141, 142, 143, 144, 148, 152, 166, 181, 182, 213, 215, 216 153, 155, 162, 163, 164, 165, high priests of devil’s church, 96, 166, 167, 169, 174, 185, 189, 153, 160, 224, 225 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 196, Hinckley, Gordon B., 231, 276, 198, 199, 201, 202, 203, 204, 277 205, 206, 207, 217, 221, 224, holy priesthood, 2, 26, 56, 57, 225, 249, 257, 258, 259, 263, 58, 117, 121, 127, 137, 215, 271, 281 242, 276 Jeremiah, 56, 89 human governments, 137 Jefferson, Thomas, 59, 227 idolatry, 46, 79, 88, 89, 92, 96, Jerusalem, 57, 60, 72, 82, 106, 132, 247 223, 238 Illinois, government of, 77 Jesus Christ, 2, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, immorality, 39, 41, 50, 53, 61 16, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 29, 47, independence, 3, 58, 65, 66, 67, 52, 53, 60, 66, 69, 72, 75, 76, 210, 211, 226 100, 101, 106, 107, 109, 111, individual right(s), 39, 45, 47, 113, 119, 122, 124, 133, 144, 48, 58, 61, 73-74, 80-81, 82, 147, 148, 152, 162, 163, 178, 85-88, 89, 95, 96, 97, 100, 148, 181, 184, 185, 188, 194, 200, 152, 211, 220, 244, 248, 250- 201, 203, 207, 209, 210, 212, 251, 252, 254, 277, 279 213, 215, 216, 224, 227, 230, “intent”—see 231, 232, 235, 236, 238, 242, Mormon’s “intent” 243, 259, 260, 263 Irad, 120, 127 Jew(s), -ry, 10, 54, 56, 57, 60, Isaiah, 15, 75, 89, 99, 100, 254 72, 75, 111, 239, 240 Israelites, 75, 77, 80, 82, 90, 91, Jezebel, 75 254, 255, 256, 257 John Birch Society, the, 157, Jacob, brother of Nephi, 66, 68, 169, 281 69, 128, 235, 237, 238, 239, John the Baptist, 76 240, 242 John the Beloved, or Revelator, Jacob, the anti-Christ king, 78, 20, 36, 38, 39, 63, 64, 65, 68, 109, 119, 147, 165, 182, 183, 69, 72, 76, 100, 227, 237, 261 222, 279 Josephus, 72 290 The Hidden Things Of Darkness judges, 76, 78, 146, 147, 154, land of liberty, 66, 67, 239, 240 155, 159, 162, 166, 174, 175, Latter-day Saints, 2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 176, 177, 180, 181, 182, 213 13, 23, 26, 35, 37, 52, 56, 69, judgment-seat(s), 90, 125, 144, 77, 95, 97, 121, 129, 130, 133, 145, 151, 153, 154, 159, 179 197, 199, 209, 210, 211, 215, keys, priesthood, 137 216, 225, 226, 227, 228, 231, Kimball, Spencer W., 3 232, 235, 241, 242, 244, 246, King Benjamin, 46, 200 251, 253, 254, 256, 257, 260, King Limhi, 77, 79, 201, 202, 261, 275, 277, 279, 280, 282 204, 256 lawful defense, 85, 250 King Manasseh, 75 law(s), 2, 5, 58, 59, 71, 74, 75, King Mosiah, 83, 91, 92, 93, 78, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 153, 155, 174, 175, 178, 190, 88, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 202, 204, 258, 260 97, 121, 122, 124, 125, 131, King Noah, 44-50, 61, 66, 67, 132, 133, 147, 153, 154, 155, 71, 76, 77, 79, 84, 88, 89, 91, 156, 157, 160, 161, 169, 171, 94, 176, 180, 222, 247, 249 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, King Riplakish, 38, 43-44, 47, 180, 184, 186, 189, 190, 191, 50, 62, 66, 76, 79, 84, 88, 89, 193, 194, 196, 221, 224, 226, 91, 94, 176, 180, 222, 247, 249 228, 230, 233, 243, 244, 248, kingdom(s), 16, 17, 21, 26, 29, 249, 251, 258, 259, 260, 261, 43, 44, 47, 50, 62, 66, 76, 79, 263, 267 104, 105, 111, 112, 116, 118, lawyers, 146, 147, 166, 174, 175, 119, 125, 126, 135, 138, 139, 176, 181, 182, 213 140, 141, 142, 143, 147, 155, law of consecration, 158 162, 163, 175, 183, 191, 224, legal plunder, 87, 88, 176, 248, 232, 236, 238, 239, 242, 261, 256 267, 238 Lehi, 29, 82, 106, 187, 188, 258 king-men, 78, 92, 244, 245 Lehites, 82 Kishkumen, 107, 108, 118, 121, Lib, 105, 127, 142, 143 123, 125, 144, 145, 153, 162, liberty, 23, 39, 40, 41, 45, 50, 58, 167, 178 59, 61, 66, 67, 69, 74, 77, 78, Korihor, 267 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 94, 95, Lachoneus, 109, 120, 122, 146, 96, 100, 131, 136, 144, 147, 152, 156, 157 148, 152, 174, 176, 178, 181, Lamanites, 48, 49, 77, 79, 80, 83, 187, 194, 213, 239, 240, 245, 84, 88, 106, 107, 109, 113, 250, 251, 252, 282 145, 148, 165, 186, 187, 188, life, 13, 14, 22, 23, 40, 46, 47, 189, 201, 202, 204, 256 48, 50, 58, 60, 61, 73, 74, 75, Lamech, 102, 116, 118, 120, 121, 76, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 87, 94, 127, 128, 133, 139, 148, 169, 95, 96, 100, 108, 111, 122, 266, 268 124, 128, 129, 131, 133, 148, Index 291 life cont’d, 163, 219, 233, 247, merchants of the earth, 63, 64, 251, 252, 256, 260 65, 68 life, liberty, property, God-given meridian of time, 29, 30, 35, 51, rights of, 40, 46, 61, 73, 74, 80, 53, 54, 57, 60, 61, 72 81, 82, 84, 85, 94, 95, 96, 100, Meridian-day Saints, 52, 53, 60, 131, 148, 247, 251, 252 75 limited government, 46, 226, Michael—see Adam 230, 250, 251 Middle East, 67 Lord, the, 1-11, 14, 15, 16, 17, Millennium, 11, 232-233 21, 22, 23, 24, 29, 33, 34, 35, missionary, -ies, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 43, 44, 45, 48, 52, 56, 57, 59, 106, 231 61, 62, 63, 66, 68, 72, 75, 76, missionary work, 5, 106, 231 78, 82, 83, 84, 88, 89, 91, 101, Missouri, governor of, 77 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, mock, -ery, 4, 19, 75, 118, 126, 112, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 133, 152, 197 122, 127, 131, 133 138, 141, moral character, 94, 243 146, 147, 153, 157, 158, 163, moral code, 93 164, 165, 166, 174, 177, 178, Mormon, 45, 46, 47, 49, 79, 83, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185, 187, 88, 107, 109, 110, 116, 117, 190, 191, 192, 195, 196, 199, 121, 125, 128, 129, 131, 133, 208, 211, 213, 214, 216, 217, 135, 146, 147, 148, 154, 157, 218, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 159, 160, 167, 169, 175, 176, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 236, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 183, 186, 187, 188, 200, 201, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 213, 258, 259, 260, 275, 277, 279, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 222, 281 230, 244, 247, 259, 260 love of money, 168 Mormon’s “intent,” 200, 201, Lucifer—see also Satan, 14, 15, 203, 205, 206 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 96, Moron, 105, 141, 142 99, 100, 119, 132, 137, 140, Moroni, 10, 43, 50, 66, 69, 106, 156, 160, 236, 237, 241, 244 110, 117, 118, 120, 122, 125, mafia, 99, 210 129, 131, 132, 140, 148, 153, Magog, 62 155, 164, 168, 169, 187, 191, manna, 256, 257 192, 193, 194, 198, 199, 200, mark of the beast, 64, 68 201, 204, 205, 206, 207, 211, Master Mahan, or Mahanic, 119, 212, 215, 217, 222, 223, 275 210, 237 Moroni’s promise, 206-207 materialism, 53, 60, 64 Mosaic code, 82 McKay, David O., 3, 80, 81, 89, Moscow, 232 249, 252, 276, 277 Moses, 14, 22, 82, 83, 91, 102, McManus, John F., 169 118, 119, 120, 125, 139, 152, 292 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

Moses cont’d, 157, 167, 169, 215, 216, 221, 224, 225, 245, 254, 255 247, 248, 249, 257, 258, 259, “most abominable,” 29, 34, 35, 260, 263, 271, 279, 281 38, 132, 134, 222 Nero, 51, 53, 76 mother of abominations, 31, 33, New Jerusalem, 5 61, 66, 67, 236 New Testament, 52, 56, 75 mother of harlots, 30, 32, 39 Noah, the prophet, 103, 106, 111, murder(s), 18, 58, 67, 68, 72, 74, 112, 190, 228, 237 76, 77, 82, 87, 101, 104, 107, oath(s), 102, 103, 104, 107, 110, 112, 116, 117, 119, 122-125, 115-116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 128, 133, 139, 141, 144, 146, 121, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 147, 148, 153, 155, 161, 162, 130, 131, 133, 134, 139, 140, 163, 165, 167, 170, 171, 178, 147, 151, 152, 153, 155, 167, 183, 187, 188, 190, 199, 205, 170, 174, 186, 203, 221, 223, 206, 216, 221, 224, 227, 240, 263, 265-266 263, 266-267 oaths, penalty for divulging, 116, Mystery Babylon, 31 119, 120-121, 127, 133 national sovereignty, 211 obedience, 1-2, 225 Nephi, 83, 90, 108, 125, 126, Orihah, 190 131, 145, 154, 156, 158, 159, Old Testament, 56, 74, 93, 111 160, 161, 164, 180, 197, 214 Old World, 61, 67, 90, 111, 189 Nephi, son of Lehi, 29, 30, 32, Omer, 104, 125, 127, 141, 155, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 162, 191 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, Paanchi, 107, 144, 162 58, 60, 61, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72, pact(s), 127, 128, 129, 134, 137, 75, 82, 89, 97, 111, 112, 119, 267 128, 129, 185, 186, 199, 200, Pacumeni, 144, 145, 162 222, 223, 227, 235, 236, 237, Pahoran, 107, 123, 125, 144, 260 238, 242, 243, 254, 255, 258 Palestine, 72, 113 Nephites, 9, 29, 44, 71, 76, 78, parallel(s) of the last days, 212, 79, 82, 83, 84, 88, 90, 91, 94, 214, 218 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, patient gradualism, 146 113, 115, 116, 118, 120, 121, patriarchal government, 136, 137 122, 125, 126, 128, 129, 132, Paul, 53, 54, 75, 76, 118, 168 133, 134, 143, 144, 145, 146, “peace” “force,” 62, 63, 64, 67, 148, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 68, 69, 81 157, 161, 163, 164, 165, 166, Pearl of Great Price, 99, 101, 167, 169, 170, 174, 178, 179, 112, 263 180, 181, 182, 184, 185, 186, persecution, 39, 47, 51, 55, 58, 187, 188, 190, 193, 194, 196, 215, 227, 228, 239, 278 197, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, perversion of the law, 84-87, 204, 205, 206, 212, 213, 214, 248, 258 Index 293

Peter, 54, 76 profession of Nehor, 176, 177 Pharisees, 75, 84, 100, 208 promised land, 189, 193 Pilate, 76 property, 40, 41, 45, 46, 49, 50, plan(s), 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 58, 61, 73, 74, 80, 81, 82, 84, plan(s) cont’d, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 85, 86, 87, 91, 94, 95, 96, 100, 26, 27, 33, 34, 36, 37, 41, 73, 131, 148, 152, 155, 158, 245, 74, 78, 88, 90, 93, 95, 96, 97, 247, 248, 250, 251, 252, 253 104, 105, 108, 109, 111, 112, prophecy, -ies, 72, 106, 112, 129, 115, 116, 117, 119, 120, 122, 143, 164, 184, 185, 196, 203, 123, 125, 126, 128, 130, 131, 212, 231, 236, 238, 256, 260 133, 135, 136, 138, 139, 141, prositute, 32, 74, 136, 148, 174 142, 146, 152, 156, 157, 159, prostituted government, 51, 71, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 171, 73, 95, 100, 111, 135, 136, 179, 180, 183, 191, 220, 221, 148, 168, 174, 176, 191, 221, 224, 230, 232, 243, 245, 263, 222, 223, 224, 230, 241, 243 266, 282 quoting “dead prophets,” 208 plot, 99, 101, 104, 112, 116, 119, recruit, -ing, 127, 134, 141, 167- 128, 130, 162, 167, 263, 266 168, 171 plunder, 44, 86, 116, 155, 156, relevance, 9, 33, 129-130, 207 158, 190 repent, -ance, 6, 8, 44, 47, 83, plunder, legal, 87-88, 97, 155, 103, 104, 108, 109, 131, 134, 158, 176, 248, 256 154, 160, 164, 166, 173, 174, police state, 47, 58, 138, 152, 181, 184, 185, 186, 188, 191, 168, 183, 230, 278 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 207, political philosophy, 94 213, 215, 217, 230, 237, 238, political prostitutes, 76, 79, 83, 246, 252, 259, 261, 280 169, 177, 180, 245 Restoration, the, 57, 100, 101, power and gain, 65, 125, 135, 173 151, 163, 168, 198, 217, 221, revolution, 84, 136, 148, 161 267 163, 165, 171, 186, 189, 226 power seekers, 171 Rigdon, Sidney, 16 Pratt, Orson, 136, 137 rights, God-given, 39, 45, 47, 48, premortal, -ity, 13, 16, 17, 18, 73-74, 80, 81, 82, 85, 95, 100, 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 36, 88, 95, 148, 211, 220, 251, 252, 279 96, 138, 163, 221, 224, 243, ripe in iniquity, 9, 173, 174, 175, 244, 246 180, 184, 185, 188, 194, 203, pride, 21, 83, 93, 94, 100, 122, 224, 225, 258 130-133, 134, 140, 174, 184, ripen in iniquity, 9, 179, 195, 186, 197, 245, 246 206, 225, 228 priesthood, 2, 26, 53, 56, 58, 117, ripened in iniquity, 9, 166, 173, 121, 127, 137, 215, 242 177, 178, 188, 189, 193, 219, priests of Noah, 176, 180 230 294 The Hidden Things Of Darkness ripening in iniquity, 8, 9, 18, 154, 151, 157, 221, 228, 245, 247 173, 177, 178, 179, 180, 182, Satanic ventriloquism, 161 184, 185, 186, 189, 192, 194, Satan’s plan, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 224, 230, 271 20, 22, 25, 34, 41, 73, 90, 93, Roman Catholic Church, the, 30, 95, 112, 115, 128, 157, 163, 37 165, 179, 220, 224, 230, 232, Roman Empire, 51-55, 57, 58, 243, 245, 282 60, 61, 67, 71, 75, 222, 223 Saul, 75 Roman republic, 58, 59 Savior, 14, 19, 20, 26, 69, 72, 75, Rome, 51-60, 61, 67, 72, 75, 111, 78, 84, 184, 186, 189, 209, 238 212, 237, 241, 243, 250, 267, rule of law, 59, 90, 91, 190 268 rumors of wars, 40 Seantum, 127 Russia, 278, 281 Second Coming, 61, 69, 212, 241 Samuel, 90, 91, 93 secret band, 124, 154, 159, 161, Samuel the Lamanite, 180, 181, 164, 180, 264, 267 184, 185 secret combination(s), 3, 5, 6, Santayana, George, 195 6-7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 76, 78, Satan, -ic—see also Lucifer, 10, 99-114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 56, 65, 73, 74, 80, 81, 88, 89, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 90, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 100, 145, 147, 148, 151, 152, 153, 101, 102, 103, 106, 107, 112, 156, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 122, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 169, 170, 171, 173, 174, 178, 129, 130, 131, 133, 137, 138, 179, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 139, 140, 141, 143, 148, 152, 186, 189, 191, 193, 194, 195, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158, 162, 196, 197, 198, 199, 201, 203, 164, 167, 171, 176, 179, 184, 204, 206, 207, 210, 211, 215, 192, 217, 220, 221, 222, 223, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 224, 225, 227, 228, 229, 230, 222, 223, 224, 225, 227, 228, 232, 233, 237, 238, 239, 244, 230, 231, 232, 237, 240, 241, 245, 246, 248, 260, 261, 266, 263, 264, 266, 267, 270, 271, 267, 268, 282 278, 280 Satanocracy, -tic, 18, 73-98, 100, secret combination(s), 135, 138, 149, 161, 171, 182, definition of, 99, 221 220, 226, 228, 229, 230, 243, secret combination(s), 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 258, object of, 123, 124, 126, 135, 260, 261, 278, 280 144, 146, 148 Satanocrat(s), 73, 79, 87, 90, 95, Index 295 secret combination(s), statolatrists, 93, 95 religion of, 115-134, 179, 221, statolatry, 88-89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 263-268 95, 96, 97, 132, 221, 224, 247 secret combination(s), stealing, 92, 116, 126 tactics of, 151-173 stirring up the masses, 160-161, “secret signs,” 116, 121-122, 171 133, 167, 265 strive, 192, 258, 259, 260 secret society, 104, 105, 109, stupid greed, 248, 249 121, 122, 125, 127, 141, 142, Sutherland, George, 80 143, 155, 164, 165, 166, 169, sword of justice, 185, 215 264 Tacitus, 51 “secret words,” 116, 121, 122, Talmage, James E., 51, 53, 54, 133, 265 55 “secret works of darkness,” 108, taxes, heavy, 39, 43, 45, 46, 53, 115-134, 155, 159, 171, 180, 79, 80, 247, 253, 256 227, 240, 264 Taylor, John, 247, 248, 249, 252 sedition, 48, 76, 107, 159, 176 temple(s), 7, 117, 118, 231, 260, Seezoram, 127 277 self-education, 276 Ten Commandments, 5, 73 self-government, 83 “that great church,” 29, 30 ,31, servant of Helaman, 145, 167 32, 33, 38, 39, 40, 44, 52 Seth, 138 theft, 39, 46, 74, 79, 81, 82, 88, Shared, 105, 142 155, 157, 243, 247, 251, 252 Shiblom, 105, 166 Titus, 72 Shiz, 105, 106, 127, 143, 164, tokens, 121 192 torture(s), -ed, -eth, 40, 44, 52, sign(s), 116, 121-122, 133, 167, 54, 58, 76 181, 194, 265 totalitarian, 87, 138, 152, 168, slavery, 39, 64, 77, 86, 87, 88, 189, 220, 224, 230 91, 130, 183, 202, 216, 224, treat(ed) lightly, 6, 7, 231 228, 232, 237, 254, 257, 278 “two churches only,” 235, 239, slave labor, 38, 41, 43, 44, 64, 76 242 smear(s), -ing, 159, 160, 171 two-fold purpose of the smear tactic, 159 Book of Mormon, 209 Smith, Joseph jr., 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, tyranny, 58, 163, 224, 225, 227, 14, 15, 23, 25, 34, 35, 52, 58, 228 60, 68, 69, 77, 88, 89, 137, United States of America, 3, 59, 158, 196, 207, 218, 229, 255 66, 199, 218, 225, 226 son of perdition, 184, 244 unrighteous dominion, 25, 26, spoils, 83, 88, 90, 126, 157, 158, 84, 88, 89, 131, 132, 261 160, 169, 171, 243, 247, 263, vanity and unbelief, 6 267 War in Heaven, 13-27, 90, 93, 296 The Hidden Things Of Darkness

War in Heaven cont’d, 95, 97, whoredoms, 45, 46, 50, 79, 92, 100, 132, 156, 220, 221, 229, 116, 125, 133, 190, 247 230, 248 wine of fornication, 65, 67, 68 war(s), 40, 48, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, witness, -es, 16, 35, 110, 112, 75, 92, 104, 105, 106, 108, 185, 197, 198, 199, 201, 207, 139, 141, 145, 146, 160, 161, 209, 211, 236, 237, 250, 270 163, 164, 165, 171, 180, 225, Woodruff, Wilford, 2, 59 236, 255, 267 workers of darkness, 173, 185 warfare, 41, 68, 76, 106, 113, “works of darkness,” 10, 11, 102, 142, 148, 163, 164, 165, 167 108, 115, 119, 123, 124, 128, warning, 7, 48, 66, 67, 108, 132, 129, 139, 143, 155, 158, 159, 133, 143, 160, 165, 174, 181, 171, 180, 199, 227, 230, 240, 184, 190, 191, 194, 195-211 263, 264 216, 217, 218, 223, 237, 249, world government, 3, 63, 211, 270, 272, 278 223, 225, 227, 241, 261, 278, waters of Mormon, 47 280 wealth redistribution wrath of God, 4, 61, 63, 66, 69, programs, 82, 247, 250, 251, 73, 166, 181, 182, 184, 192, 253, 254, 256 193, 194, 195, 197, 198, 208, weighty, -ier commandments, 211, 214, 216, 224, 225, 227, 219-220, 231 236, 237, 255, 261 Welch, Robert, 157, 281 Young, Brigham, 117, 121, 136, welfare state, 89-90 137, 138 whore, 32 Zarahemla, 131, 154, 179, 202 whore of the earth, 31, 32, 33, Zemnarihah, 109 38, 39, 40, 41, 48, 52, 57, 58, Zeniff, 79 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, Zion, city of Enoch, 102 69, 72, 73, 173, 223, 228, 235, Zion, modern-day, 6, 158, 232, 237, 239, 240, 241, 254, 255, 238, 239, 240, 241, 255, 281 260, 261, 279