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59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page v

Beginning
Web Programming with
HTML, XHTML, and CSS

Second Edition

Jon Duckett
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page iv
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page i

Beginning Web Programming with

HTML, XHTML, and CSS
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii
Chapter 1: Creating Structured Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter 2: Links and Navigation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter 3: Images and Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Chapter 4: Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Chapter 5: Forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Chapter 6: Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Chapter 7: Cascading Style Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Chapter 8: More Cascading Style Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Chapter 9: Page Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Chapter 10: Design Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Chapter 11: Learning JavaScript. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 403
Chapter 12: Working with JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Chapter 13: Putting Your Site on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
Appendix A: Answers to Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Appendix B: XHTML Element Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563
Appendix C: CSS Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607
Appendix D: Color Names and Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 637
Appendix E: Character Encodings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 645
Appendix F: Special Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 649
Appendix G: Language Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665
Appendix H: MIME Media Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 669
Appendix I: Deprecated and Browser-Specific Markup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 681
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 715
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page ii
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page iii

Beginning
Web Programming with
HTML, XHTML, and CSS

Second Edition
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page iv
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page v

Beginning
Web Programming with
HTML, XHTML, and CSS

Second Edition

Jon Duckett
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page vi

Beginning Web Programming

with HTML, XHTML, and CSS, Second Edition
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46256
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
ISBN: 978-0-470-25931-3
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted
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Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. Requests to the Publisher
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Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or war-
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59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page vii

About the Author

Jon Duckett published his first web site in 1996 while studying for a BSc (Hons) in Psychology at Brunel
University, London. Since then, he has helped create a wide variety of web sites for companies of all
sizes. He has also co-written more than ten programming-related books on topics from ASP to XML (via
many other letters of the alphabet), covering diverse aspects of web programming including design,
architecture, and coding.

About the Technical Editor

Ben Schupak holds a master’s degree in computer science and has more than nine years of professional
programming experience for large corporations and U.S. federal departments. He lives in the New York
metro area and enjoys traveling.
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page viii
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page ix

Credits
Acquisitions Editor Vice President and Executive Group Publisher
Jennifer Watson Richard Swadley

Development Editor Vice President and Executive Publisher

William Bridges Joseph B. Wikert

Technical Editor Project Coordinator, Cover

Benjamin Schupak Lynsey Stanford

Production Editor Compositor

Christine O’Connor Simmy Cover, Happenstance Type-O-Rama

Copy Editor Proofreader

Nancy Rapoport Christopher Jones

Editorial Manager Indexer

Mary Beth Wakefield Johnna VanHoose Dinse

Production Manager
Tim Tate
59313ffirs.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:30 PM Page x
59313ftoc.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:31 PM Page xi

Contents

Introduction xxiii

Chapter 1: Creating Structured Documents 1

A Web of Structured Documents 1
Introducing XHTML 2
Core Elements and Attributes 9
The <html> Element 9
The <head> Element 10
The <title> Element 11
The <body> Element 11
Attribute Groups 12
Core Attributes 12
Internationalization 14
UI Events 15
Basic Text Formatting 16
White Space and Flow 17
Creating Headings Using hn Elements 18
Creating Paragraphs Using the <p> Element 21
Creating Line Breaks Using the <br /> Element 21
Creating Preformatted Text Using the <pre> Element 22
Presentational Elements 26
The <b> Element 26
The <i> Element 26
The <u> Element (deprecated) 27
The <s> and <strike> Elements (deprecated) 27
The <tt> Element 27
The <sup> Element 28
The <sub> Element 28
The <big> Element 28
The <small> Element 28
The <hr /> Element 28
Phrase Elements 29
The <em> Element Adds Emphasis 30
The <strong> Element Adds Strong Emphasis 30
The <abbr> Element Is for Abbreviations 31
59313ftoc.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:31 PM Page xii

Contents
The <acronym> Element Is for Acronym Use 31
The <dfn> Element Is for Special Terms 32
The <blockquote> Element Is for Quoting Text 32
The <q> Element Is for Short Quotations 33
The <cite> Element Is for Citations 33
The <code> Element Is for Code 34
The <kbd> Element Is for Text Typed on a Keyboard 34
The <var> Element Is for Programming Variables 35
The <samp> Element Is for a Program Output 35
The <address> Element Is for Addresses 36
Lists 36
Using the <ul> Element to Create Unordered Lists 36
Ordered Lists 37
Definition Lists 39
Nesting Lists 40
How It Works 43
Editing Text 45
Using <ins> to Indicate New Additions to Text 46
Using <del> to Indicate Deleted Text 46
Using Character Entities for Special Characters 47
Comments 47
The <font> Element (deprecated) 48
Understanding Block and Inline Elements 48
Grouping Elements with <div> and <span> 49
Summary 50
Exercises 51

Chapter 2: Links and Navigation 53

Basic Links 54
Linking to Other Documents 54
Linking to E-mail Addresses 56
Understanding Directories and Directory Structures 57
What Are You Linking To? 58
What a URL Is Made Up Of 59
Absolute and Relative URLs 61
The <base> Element 64
Creating Links with the <a> Element 65
Creating a Source Anchor with the href Attribute 65
Creating a Destination Anchor Using the name and id Attributes
(linking to a specific part of a page) 66

xii
59313ftoc.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:31 PM Page xiii

Contents
Advanced E-mail Links 74
Summary 75
Exercises 76

Chapter 3: Images and Objects 77

Adding Images to Your Site 77
Types of Image Formats 78
Bitmap Images 78
Vector Images 85
Adding Images Using the <img> Element 86
Adding Other Objects with the <object> Element 93
The <object> Element’s Attributes 94
The <param> Element 97
Adding a Flash Movie To A Page 98
Using Images as Links 99
Image Maps 100
Server-Side Image Maps 101
Client-Side Image Maps 102
Summary 105
Exercises 106

Chapter 4: Tables 109

Introducing Tables 109
Basic Table Elements and Attributes 112
The <table> Element Creates a Table 113
The <tr> Element Contains Table Rows 117
The <td> and <th> Elements Represent Table Cells 119
Advanced Tables 125
Splitting Up Tables Using a Head, Body, and Foot 125
Adding a <caption> to a Table 128
Spanning Columns Using the colspan Attribute 128
Spanning Rows Using the rowspan Attribute 129
Grouping Columns Using the <colgroup> Element 130
Columns Sharing Styles Using the <col> Element 132
Accessibility Issues with Tables 132
How Tables Linearize 132
Linearization of Tables Used for Layout 133
Linearization of Tables Used for Data 135
Summary 136
Exercises 136

xiii
59313ftoc.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:31 PM Page xiv

Contents
Chapter 5: Forms 139
Introducing Forms 140
Creating a Form with the <form> Element 141
The action Attribute 142
The method Attribute 142
The id Attribute 142
The name Attribute (deprecated) 142
The onsubmit Attribute 143
The onreset Attribute 143
The enctype Attribute 144
The accept-charset Attribute 144
The accept Attribute 144
The target Attribute 145
White Space and the <form> Element 145
Form Controls 145
Text Inputs 145
Buttons 150
Checkboxes 154
Radio Buttons 156
Select Boxes 158
File Select Boxes 164
Hidden Controls 165
Object Controls 166
Creating Labels for Controls and the <label> Element 169
Structuring Your Forms with <fieldset> and <legend> Elements 171
Focus 173
Tabbing Order 173
Access Keys 175
Disabled and Read-Only Controls 176
Sending Form Data to the Server 178
HTTP get 178
HTTP post 179
Summary 183
Exercises 183

Chapter 6: Frames 185

Introducing the Frameset 185
When to Use Frames 188
The <frameset> Element 189
The cols Attribute 189
The rows Attribute 191

xiv
59313ftoc.qxd:WroxPro 3/22/08 2:31 PM Page xv

Contents
Browser-Specific Extensions to the <frameset> Element 192
The <frame> Element 194
The src Attribute 195
The name Attribute 195
The frameborder Attribute 195
The marginwidth and marginheight Attributes 196
The noresize Attribute 196
The scrolling Attribute 196
The longdesc Attribute 197
The <noframes> Element 197
Creating Links Between Frames 198
Setting a Default Target Frame Using the <base> Element 200
Nested Framesets 200
Floating or Inline Frames with <iframe> 204
The <iframe> Element 206
Summary 209
Exercises 209

Chapter 7: Cascading Style Sheets 211

Introducing CSS 212
A Basic Example 213
Inheritance 216
Where You Can Add CSS Rules 217
The <link> Element 218
The <style> Element 220
Advantages of External CSS Style Sheets 220
CSS Properties 221
Controlling Fonts 223
The font-family Property 224
The font-size Property 226
The font-weight Property 227
The font-style Property 228
The font-variant Property 229
The font-stretch Property 230
The font-size-adjust Property 230
Text Formatting 230
The color Property 231
The text-align Property 231
The vertical-align Property 232
The text-decoration Property 234
The text-indent Property 234
The text-shadow Property 235

xv
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Contents
The text-transform Property 235
The letter-spacing Property 236
The word-spacing Property 237
The white-space Property 237
The direction Property 238
The unicode-bidi Property 239
Text Pseudo-Classes 239
The first-letter Pseudo-Class 239
The first-line Pseudo-Class 240
Selectors 243
Universal Selector 243
The Type Selector 243
The Class Selector 244
The ID Selector 244
The Child Selector 244
The Descendent Selector 245
The Adjacent Sibling Selector 245
Using Child and Adjacent Sibling Selectors to Reduce Dependence
on Classes in Markup 245
Attribute Selectors 247
Lengths 249
Absolute Units 249
Relative Units 249
Percentages 251
Introducing the Box Model 251
An Example Illustrating the Box Model 252
The Border Properties 255
The padding Property 258
The margin Property 259
Dimensions 260
Summary 270
Exercises 270

Chapter 8: More Cascading Style Sheets 273

Links 274
Backgrounds 275
The background-color Property 276
The background-image Property 277
The background-repeat Property 278
The background-position Property (for fixing position of backgrounds) 281
The background-attachment Property (for watermarks) 282
The background Property (the well-supported shorthand) 283

xvi
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Contents
Lists 283
The list-style-type Property 284
The list-style-position Property 285
The list-style-image Property 286
The list-style Property (the shorthand) 286
The marker-offset Property 287
Tables 287
Table-Specific Properties 289
The border-collapse Property 289
The border-spacing Property 291
The caption-side Property 292
The empty-cells Property 292
The table-layout Property 294
Outlines 294
The outline-width Property 295
The outline-style Property 295
The outline-color Property 295
The outline Property (the shorthand) 296
The :focus and :active Pseudo-Classes 296
Generated Content 297
The :before and :after Pseudo-Elements 297
The content Property 298
Miscellaneous Properties 301
The cursor Property 301
The display Property 302
The visibility Property 302
Additional Rules 304
The @import Rule: Modularized Style Sheets 304
The @charset Rule 305
The !important Rule 305
Positioning with CSS 305
Normal Flow 306
The position Property 306
Box Offset Properties 307
Relative Positioning 307
Absolute Positioning 309
Fixed Positioning 310
The z-index Property 311
Floating Using the float Property 312
The clear Property 314
Summary 320
Exercises 321

xvii
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Contents
Chapter 9: Page Layout 323
Understanding the Site 323
Understanding a Site’s Aims 324
Whom You Expect to Visit 325
New Content 326
Defining Your Site’s Content 326
Grouping and Categorization 327
Creating a Site Map 328
Identifying Key Elements for Every Page 329
Page Size (and Screen Resolution) 330
Fixed-Width vs. Liquid Designs 331
Designing Pages 337
Sketching the Placement of Elements 337
Introducing the Style 339
Navigation 342
Home Pages 345
Content Pages 345
Structuring Pages 346
Single-Column Layouts 348
Two-Column Layouts 350
Three-Column Layouts 353
Sacrificial Columns 354
Advanced Layout Using CSS 356
Creating a Layout Using Nested Tables 356
Summary 359
Exercises 359

Chapter 10: Design Issues 361

Text 362
White Space Helps Make More Attractive Pages 362
Carefully Aligned Text Is More Readable 365
Adjusting Line Height Makes Text More Readable 365
Wide Columns of Text Are Harder to Read 366
Background Images Can Make Text Hard to Read 366
Choose Fonts Carefully 367
Fixed-Size Fonts Are Affected by Screen Resolution 369
Navigation 369
Menus 369
Links 374
Site Search Features 375

xviii
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 CHAPTER XXVI.

KORIHOR THE ANTI-CHRIST—HIS FALSE TEACHINGS AND

BLASPHEMY—HE IS TAKEN BEFORE ALMA—IS STRUCK DUMB—
HIS MISERABLE END—THE HERESY ROOTED OUT.
(ALMA CHAP. 30.)
THE NEXT notable event in the history of the Nephites was the
appearance of Korihor, the anti-Christ. (B. C. 75.)
he doctrines advocated by Korihor were of a kind that would
T gain ready adhesion from those who did not fervently love purity,
truth and righteousness, as they flattered their vanity and gave
them liberty to follow the lead of their passions without fear of the
judgment or condemnation of a Divine Being. Spiritually he was a
Nihilist. He denied the coming of the Messiah, he ridiculed prophecy
and revelation, and asserted that it was impossible for men to know
the future. He inveighed against the atonement of the Redeemer as
a foolish superstition, and taught, instead of the unchanging truths
of the everlasting gospel, the theory that every man fared in this life
according to the management of the creature, prospered according
to his genius, and conquered according to his strength. Further, he
announced that whatsoever a man did was no crime, for that when
a man was dead, there was an end thereof.
It is almost needless to say that those who accepted such dogmas
gave way to all manner of evil doing. They became overbearing to
others, exceedingly keen in business transactions, were full of
covetousness, duplicity, and lasciviousness, and indulged in various
wanton pleasures. Their motto might be said to have been, Let us
eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and what we do here
will not be brought against us hereafter.
Korihor also gained a strong hold among the discontented, for such
are ever found where universal perfection does not dwell. He railed
at the holy priesthood with fierce words of falsehood. He charged
that they sought to keep the people down, that they encouraged
ignorance in the masses, that they bound their minds with foolish
traditions; all this, and much more, that they might usurp power and
authority, and glut themselves with the results of their victims' daily
toil.
In Alma's answer to this charge we have a pleasing insight into his
private life. He said: Thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves
upon the labors of this people, for behold, I have labored even from
the commencement of the reign of the Judges until now, with mine
own hands, for my support, notwithstanding my many travels round
about the land to declare the word of God unto my people; and
notwithstanding the many labors I have performed in the church, I
have not so much as received even one senine for my labor; neither
has any of my brethren, save it were in the judgment seat, and then
we have received only according to law for our time.
As a propagandist, Korihor, for a short time, was a success. We first
hear of him preaching his satanic doctrines in the land of Zarahemla,
and as he claimed to fully believe all he taught, the law could not
touch him, as full religious liberty was guaranteed under the
constitution and laws of the Nephite commonwealth. From
Zarahemla he went to the land of Jershon to inoculate the
Ammonites with his soul- destroying vagaries. But they were a wiser
and more zealous people for the gospel than were many of the
Nephites. They took him, bound him, and carried him before Ammon
(son of king Mosiah), their high priest. He directed that Korihor
should be removed beyond the border of their land, which command
having been obeyed, we next find the unabashed impostor laboring
amongst the people of the land of Gideon. There he also met with
rebuffs. He was arrested by the people and taken before the chief
officers in that land. They found they could do nothing that would be
satisfactory with him, so they remanded him into the custody of the
proper officers, with instructions to carry him before Alma and
Nephihah, in Zarahemla.
When brought before these worthies—the highest dignitaries of the
church and state—Korihor continued in his course of loud-mouthed
blasphemy, defiant assumption, and wilful falsehood.
He argued against the existence of the Father and the coming of his
Only Begotten. Alma accused him of arguing against his convictions,
but this he stoutly denied, and clamored for a sign to be given, as he
pretended, that he might be convinced. Alma at length, wearied by
his impious importunities, told him that God, as a sign, would smite
him dumb. This terrible warning, though it caused the pretender
some uneasiness, only resulted in an attempt at prevarication on his
part. He said: I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not
believe there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that
there is a God; and except ye show me a sign I will not believe.
Then Alma answered: This will I give unto thee for a sign, that thou
shalt be struck dumb according to my words; and I say that, in the
name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall no more have
utterance.
Korihor received his sign; Alma's words were fulfilled; the sign-
seeker never more spoke on earth. When the hand of the Lord fell
upon him he recanted. By writing, as he could not speak, he
confessed the power of God, and acknowledged that he had been
led astray by Satan, who had come to him in the form of an angel of
light. He begged that the curse might be removed, but Alma, well
knowing the baseness of his heart, refused to intercede before
heaven in his behalf lest when restored to speech he would again
strive to deceive the people.
And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off Korihor; but he
was cast out and went about from house to house begging for his
food.
A proclamation was next sent throughout all the land. In it the chief
judge recited what had happened to Korihor, and called upon those
who had believed in his words to speedily repent, lest the same
judgments should come upon them.
This proclamation put an end to the iniquity of Korihor, for his
followers were all brought back again to the truth. But Korihor,
deserted by the devil, a vagabond and a beggar, still continued to
beg his way from town to town, from house to house; until, one day,
in a city of the Zoramites, he was run over and trodden down. The
injuries that he received at this time were so great that he soon after
died.
 CHAPTER XXVII.

ZORAM AND THE ZORAMITES—THEIR PECULIAR HERESY—THE

LAND OF ANTIONUM—THE RAMEUMPTOM—ALMA'S MISSION TO
THESE PEOPLE—THOSE WHO RECEIVE HIS TEACHINGS
PERSECUTED—THEY FLEE TO JERSHON.
(ALMA CHAP. 31 TO 35.)
N OUR last chapter we stated that Korihor, the anti-Christ was
I killed in a city of the Zoramites. Who was Zoram? and who were
the Zoramites? are the questions that now present themselves.
There are two distinct classes of people called Zoramites in the Book
of Mormon. The first, the descendants of Zoram, the servant of
Laban, who accompanied Nephi from Jerusalem. The second were
the followers of the apostate Zoram, whose defection and treason
caused so much trouble and bloodshed in the Nephite republic.
Of the last named Zoram and his individual life we have no history.
We only know him through his pernicious teachings, and the sad
results thereof. But it is altogether probable that before he started
out as a religious reformer on his own account, he was a follower of
Nehor, as the majority of his adherents appear to have been
gathered from that sect and to have belonged to that order.
Zoram assembled his people in a region of the South American
continent, at that time but very thinly settled by the Nephites. It was
called the land of Antionum, and lay to the east of the river Sidon,
while it stretched from the land of Jershon in the north, to the great
wilderness south, which was infested with the more savage,
wandering Lamanites. To this broad land the Zoramites gathered,
and there built their cities, erected their synagogues, and grew in
material wealth; until, in the year B. C. 75, they had become an
important, though undesirable portion of the Nephite
commonwealth. As friends they were unreliable, as enemies
formidable.
In the various apostasies, partial or total, that from time to time
disgraced the Nephites, there is one characteristic feature that
seems universal to them all, however much they may have differed
on minor points. It was the denial of the coming of the Savior in the
flesh, and of the necessity of His atonement for the sins of the
world. This was the evil one's strong point in his efforts to mislead
the ancient Nephites. Let him but persuade any people to reject this,
the foundation of the gospel scheme, and little he cares what else
they believe or disbelieve; for when this fundamental truth is
rejected their spiritual enslavement is secured.
This was the case with the Zoramites. They claimed to be a chosen
and a holy people, separate from their fellow-men, and elected of
God to eternal salvation, while all around were predestined to be
cast down to hell. This atrocious creed naturally resulted in its
adherents and advocates being puffed up in vanity and consumed
with pride. They became haughty, uncharitable and tyrannical, and
oppressors of their poorer neighbors. They covered their bodies with
the finest apparel, and profusely adorned their persons with costly
ornaments of gold and jewels. In their arrogance and self-
righteousness they became the Pharisees of their age and country;
but in other phases of iniquity they far exceeded their counterparts
in the Holy Land. They bowed down to idols, denied the coming of
Christ, declared the doctrine of the atonement to be a foolish
tradition, and, like many of the sects of modern Christendom, they
misinterpreted the teachings of holy scripture with regard to the
being of God. Their declaration of faith was: Holy, holy God; we
believe that thou art God, and we believe that thou art holy, and
that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art a spirit, and that thou wilt
be a spirit forever.
This strange medley of ideas gave birth to corresponding vagaries of
worship. They left off praying. Being chosen and elected to be God's
holy children, they had no need of prayer. Once a week they
assembled in their synagogues and went through an empty form,
which was a little prayer, a little praise and considerable self-
glorification. Having done this, they never mentioned God or holy
things again throughout the week; indeed, it was a portion of their
creed that their synagogues were the only places in which it was
lawful to talk or think of religious matters.
Their ceremonies were as absurd as their creed. In the centre of
each of their synagogues was erected a holy stand, or pulpit, called
rameumptom, which stood high above the congregation. From the
slight description given of it in the book of Alma we judge it may
have been somewhat pyramidical in form, the top being only large
enough for one person to stand upon. Each worshiper mounted to
the top, stretched out his hands toward heaven, and, in a loud voice,
repeated their set form of worship. Having done this, he descended
and another took his place, and so on, until all who desired to go
through the mummery had satisfied their conscience or gratified
their pride.
The tidings of this defection having reached Alma, he selected
several of the leading members of the priesthood, and, as soon as
possible, proceeded to the land of Antionum. Those who
accompanied him were his two younger sons, three of the sons of
king Mosiah, Amulek and Zeezrom. To his anxiety to bring these
dissenters back from the error of their ways and to avert heaven's
righteous wrath from falling upon them, was added the fear that if
they remained in their wickedness they would join the Lamanites
and bring trouble upon the more faithful Nephites by urging the
renewal of war.
On the arrival of Alma and his fellow-laborers at the seat of this
apostasy, they at once commenced their ministrations. They taught
in the synagogues and preached in the streets. They visited the
people from house to house, using every possible effort to bring
these misguided dissenters to an understanding of their perilous
condition. To these labors we are indebted for some of the plainest
and most powerful gospel teachings contained in the Book of
Mormon, all of which will well repay our perusal. Suffice it to say,
that many of the poor and humble, those who were oppressed,
abused and trodden down by their false priests and unrighteous
rulers, as well as by the wealthier portion of the community, received
the words of salvation, while the majority rejected them with
contemptuous scorn. Some of the missionaries were maltreated.
Shiblon, the son of Alma, was imprisoned and stoned for the truth's
sake, while others fared but little better. Unfortunately the work of
God was retarded by the misconduct of Corianton, the brother of
Shiblon, who, for a time, deserted his ministerial duties for the
company of a harlot. This folly caused Alma great sorrow, as it gave
the ungodly a pretext for rejecting the gospel, of which they were
not slow to avail themselves.
When Alma and his associates had done all the good they deemed
possible, they withdrew to the neighboring land of Jershon. No
sooner had they left than the more crafty of the Zoramites devised a
plan to discover the feelings of the community. They gathered the
people together throughout the land and consulted with them
concerning that which they had heard. In this way they discovered
who favored the truth and who rejected it. Finding that the poor and
uninfluential were those who had received it, they resorted to
persecution and plunder. They drove the believers from their homes
and out of the land. Most of these fled to the land of Jershon,
whither the priesthood had preceded them.
The land of Jershon was inhabited by the people of Ammon. They
also had left home and country for the truth's sake, and now that
others were suffering from the same cause, they received them with
open arms. They fed and clothed those who needed such help, and
gave them lands whereon they might build up new homes.
When the wicked Zoramites heard of the kind reception their injured
fellow-citizens had received in Jershon they were greatly angered.
They were not content to spoil them themselves, but they wanted to
make them fugitives and vagabonds on the face of the whole earth.
Their leader, a very wicked man, sent messages to the Ammonites,
desiring them to expel the refugees, adding many threats of what
would follow, should his cruel demand not be complied with. But the
Ammonites were a brave people; they had already suffered unto
death for the cause of God; and they were not of the stamp to
desert their afflicted brethren. Rather than do so, they would again
forsake their homes and find in some other region a land of peace:
for we must remind our readers that the Ammonites had entered
into covenant with God never again to bend the bow or draw the
sword to take human life. They, therefore, withdrew to the land of
Melek, and the armies of the Nephites occupied the land of Jershon.
 CHAPTER XXVIII.

ANOTHER WAR—MORONI, THE LEADER OF THE NEPHITES—THE

TACTICS OF THE LAMANITES—ZERAHEMNAH—THE BATTLE AT
RIPLAH—DEFEAT OF THE LAMANITES.
(ALMA CHAP. 43 AND 44.)
HE cause which led the Nephite armies to occupy Jershon was
T that the Zoramites, finding that their haughty and unjust
demands would not be complied with, had excited the Lamanites
to invade the territory of the Nephites. The Lamanite forces which
were commanded almost entirely by Nephite apostates, on account
of their fierce hatred to their former associates, marched first into
the land of Antionum, where they were joined by the Zoramites.
Then the whole of the invading hosts, under the command of a
dissenter named Zerahemnah, advanced northward towards the land
of Jershon.
This was a day of peril for the Nephites. Their enemies were much
more numerous than they, and were filled with a savage thirst for
blood, which was especially felt against those who were of their own
race and kindred who had bowed in obedience to Heaven's
commands. At this juncture the Lord raised up one of the greatest
heroes ever born on American soil. He was not only a military leader,
but a priest and prophet, and by his inspiration and devoted courage
the Nephites were for many years led to uninterrupted victory. Such
was Moroni, who now, though but twenty-five years old, took the
chief command of the armies of his nation.
Though the forces of the Lamanites were much more numerous, all
other advantages were on the side of their foes. The discipline of the
Nephites was better by far; the bodies of their soldiers were
protected by armor, breastplates, helmets, shields, etc., and they
were fighting for the sacred cause of their religion and their country,
their altars and their fire-sides, their wives and their little ones.
Inspired by the justness of their cause and the extremity of their
circumstances, they fought with a courage and a desperation never
exceeded in their annals.
The Lamanites, on the other hand, had no such holy impulses to
nerve their arms for the combat. They were the aggressors, and
were hasting to shed the blood of their brethren. Insane and infernal
hatred alone inspired them for the warfare. Besides, they were ill-
prepared to meet the Nephites, who had such a tactician as Moroni
for their commander-in-chief. The descendants of Laman were
simply armed with swords and cimeters, bows and arrows, slings
and stones. Their bodies were naked with the exception of a skin
wrapped about their loins. The Zoramites and other dissenters from
the Nephites were better clothed; in dress they followed the fashion
of the people from whom they sprang.
The Lamanites, finding that Moroni was too well prepared for their
attack on the land of Jershon, retired through Antionum into the
wilderness, where they changed direction and marched towards the
headwaters of the river Sidon, with the intention of taking
possession of the land of Manti. But Moroni was too vigilant to allow
his enemies to slip away without knowing what had become of
them. He had his spies watch the movements of Zerahemnah's
forces, and in the meanwhile sent to Alma to inquire the mind and
will of the Lord with regard to his future course. The word of the
Lord was given to Alma, and he informed Moroni's messengers of
the movements of the Lamanites. The young general, with becoming
prudence, then divided his army. One corps he left to protect
Jershon, and with the remainder he advanced by rapid marches
toward Manti, by the most direct route. On his arrival he at once
mustered all the men who could bear arms into his forces, to help in
the defense of their rights and their liberties against the advancing
foe. So rapid had been his movements and so prompt had been the
response to his calls that when the Lamanites reached the
neighborhood of the Sidon he was prepared for their coming.
The battle that was fought when the opposing armies met was one
of the most stubborn and bloody in Nephite history. Never from the
beginning had the Lamanites been known to fight with such
exceeding great strength and courage. Time after time their hosts
rushed upon the well-ordered ranks of the Nephites, and
notwithstanding the latter's armor they crushed in their heads and
cut off their arms. But the cost of these charges to their own
numbers was terrible. The battle began at a hill called Riplah, and
afterwards extended to both banks of the Sidon. At one time a lull
took place in the carnage, and Moroni, who had no pleasure in the
shedding of blood, made an offer of such terms of surrender as he
considered the circumstances warranted. But Zerahemnah and other
captains of the Lamanite hosts rejected the offer and urged their
troops to renewed resistance. So the battle recommenced with
unabated ferocity. At last the faith and valor of the Nephites
prevailed; many of the Lamanites surrendered and agreed to a
covenant of peace. Even Zerahemnah himself, wounded and scalped
by one of Moroni's body guard, to prevent the total annihilation of
his armies, at last consented to the proposed terms and entered into
the required covenant of peace. So great were the losses on both
sides, especially of the Lamanites, that the dead were not
numbered.
Thus ended the war, but not the Zoramite heresy, for we read, in the
history of later wars between the two nations, of certain Lamanite
captains being of the Zoramites. Foiled in their attempts to destroy
their former brethren and to overthrow the church of God, they still
adhered to their false faith, and on every possible occasion made
manifest their undying hatred to those whose only offense was that
they would not join them in their crimes nor consent to the
destruction of the liberties of the people.
 CHAPTER XXIX.

ALMA'S CHARGE TO HIS SONS—HE TRANSFERS THE RECORDS TO

HELAMAN—HE LEAVES THIS WORLD—ZEEZROM'S LATTER DAYS
—HELAMAN'S MINISTRATIONS.
(ALMA CHAP. 36 TO 42, 45.)
LMA was now growing old. Notwithstanding his unceasing efforts
A and fervent prayers, the Nephites were again backsliding into
iniquity. To every Nephite city, and to every Nephite land he
went or sent, to revive the gospel fires in the souls of the
inhabitants. But many became offended because of the strictness of
the gospel's laws, which forbade not only sin itself, but the very
appearance of sin. As this feeling grew, Alma's heart became
exceedingly sorrowful and he mourned the depravity of his people.
Like many of the ancient patriarchs, when they felt that their mortal
career was drawing to its close, he called his sons to him, and gave
them his last charge and blessing, speaking to each as the spirit of
instruction and prophecy inspired. To Helaman, his eldest, he
transferred the custody of the sacred plates, with many words of
warning and caution regarding them. With hearts strengthened and
renewed by the inspiration of his fervent admonitions, his sons went
forth among the people; nor could Alma himself rest while there was
a soul to save or a wrong to make right. He also went forth once
again in the spirit of his holy calling, and raised his voice in advocacy
of the principles of the everlasting gospel.
It was in the nineteenth year of the Judges (B. C. 73), that Alma
took his beloved son, Helaman, and after having discovered, through
divers questions, the strength and integrity of his faith, he
prophesied to him of many important events in the distant future,
especially with regard to the destruction of the Nephites. This
prophecy he commanded him to record on the plates, but not to
reveal to anyone. Alma then blessed Helaman, also his other sons;
indeed he blessed all who should stand firm in the truth of Christ
from that time forth. Shortly after this he departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, as if to go to the land of Melek, and was never heard of
more. Of his death and burial no men were witnesses. Then the
saying went abroad throughout the church that the Lord had taken
him, as he beforetime had taken Moses. This event occurred exactly
one hundred years from the time of the elder Alma's birth.
After the departure of Alma we learn no more of the life of his
associate Zeezrom, though his name and teachings are more than
once referred to by later servants of God. We also read of a city of
Zeezrom, and, as it was the custom of the Nephites to name their
cities, towns and villages after whoever founded them, it is highly
probable that, in the colonization of the country so vigorously carried
on in the age that these men lived, he commenced the building of
this place, and it would not be unreasonable to believe that he dwelt
in the midst of its citizens as their high priest or chief judge.
Alma's son Helaman appears to have succeeded him as the presiding
High Priest. After Alma's departure from this earth Helaman and
others went through the cities of the Nephites and regulated the
affairs of the church. Owing to the pride of many who would not
give heed to the instructions given them, nor walk uprightly,
dissensions arose, which in after years led to numerous evils, among
the greatest of which was a long continued war, or series of wars,
between the faithful Nephites on one side, and the apostates, and
afterwards the Lamanites on the other. Still, for four years, Helaman
and his associate priesthood were enabled to maintain order in the
church. Many died in full faith of the gospel and in joyous hope of its
never-ending rewards; indeed, during that period there was much
peace and great prosperity enjoyed by those who remained faithful.
 CHAPTER XXX.

AMALICKIAH—HIS APOSTASY AND TREASON—MORONI'S TITLE OF

LIBERTY—THE NEPHITES RESPOND TO HIS CALL—LEHONTI-HE
IS POISONED BY AMALICKIAH—THE KING OF THE LAMANITES
TREACHEROUSLY SLAIN—AMALICKIAH MARRIES THE QUEEN
AND IS PROCLAIMED KING—A DISASTROUS LAMANITE RAID.
(ALMA CHAP. 46 AND 50.)
EACE, however, was but short lived. Internal dissensions created
P by the intrigues of apostates and royalists convulsed the Nephite
community. The rebels were led by a descendant of Zoram, the
servant of Laban, named Amalickiah, one of the most ambitious,
cunning and unscrupulous characters that ever disgraced the history
of ancient America. It was a perilous day for the Nephite nation
when this subtle creature bent all his brilliant energies to the
fulfillment of his ambitious dreams. True, he had been a member of
Christ's holy church, but now the love of God had given place to the
hatred of his servants; he was the citizen of a republic, but he
aspired to overthrow its liberties, and reign as king over his fellow-
citizens. Indeed he had cherished thoughts of still greater power,
even to be monarch of the entire continent; both Nephite and
Lamanite should bow to his undisputed sway. Such were his nightly
dreams, and the continual thoughts of his waking hours, and to this
end he bent all the energies of his mind, all the craft of his soul, all
the cunning of his tongue, all the weight of his influence. With
promises rich as the gold of Ophir and numerous as the snow-flakes
in a winter's hurricane, he beguiled his weaker fellows; men who,
like him, loved power, hated the truth, delighted in iniquity, but who
had not the lofty ambition, the unhallowed valor, and the deep
designing cunning that distinguished their leader. To his call the
dissatisfied, the corrupt and the apostate rallied.
Opposed to him stood Moroni, the dauntless leader of the armies of
the Nephites. Inspired by an unquenchable love for truth and liberty,
he sensed with every heart's pulsation that no man could fight for a
holier, more glorious cause than virtue and liberty. Thus inspired, he
tore a portion of his robe from it surrounding parts, and inscribing
thereon his battle cry, he lifted it high upon a pole. Then girding on
his armor, incasing his head with its fit covering, shielding his body
with its breastplates, placing the proper pieces round his thighs and
loins, he kneeled in humble, heartfelt prayer before Jehovah,
presented his "Title of Liberty" before him and asked his blessing,
protection, guidance and victorious aid in the coming struggle. Then
he gathered the hosts of the Nephites; from place to place he sped,
waving in the air the ensign on which all could read the burning
words he had inscribed: In memory of our God, our religion and
freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children.
 MORONI RAISES THE "TITLE OF LIBERTY."

Nor did he cry in vain; the patriot Nephites, the members of the
church of Christ, hastened with ready feet to the response. The
streets of Zarahemla were alive with the gathering hosts. Each
warrior, to show his devotion to the liberties with which God had
endowed them, and his fealty to the Great Giver, rent his robe, as
the young general had done, and thereby made covenant with God
and his brethren to be faithful and true, in life and in death, in the
council chamber and on the battle field, while an enemy remained to
menace their liberties, national or religious.
Nor was Zarahemla alone in the manifestation of her patriotic love.
Moroni's stirring appeal was spread far and wide throughout the
lands of the Nephites. Swift-footed, banner-bearing messengers
hastened down the Sidon's banks to the dwellers in the north,
arousing the patriots of each peaceful city to the peril of the hour.
Onward they hurried until Desolation echoed back to Bountiful the
battle cry of liberty. Others gave no rest to the soles of their feet
until Mulek, and her sister cities that lined the Caribbean Sea had
flung from their tower tops the hallowed banner. Through the
narrow defiles and rocky canyons that lay between the Andes' lofty
peaks, other couriers pushed their unwearied way into the western
wilderness and hence to the Pacific's strand, until every city held by
Nephites had gathered her sons to the defense of their rights and
their liberties, their altars and their fire-sides. Nor were Manti and
the other cities of the south forgotten; the faithful and the brave
who lined the borders of the great southern wilderness heard the
rallying cry. From every city, every vale, the converging hosts poured
forth with sword and spear, with bow and arrow, with slings and
stones; while from the top of every tower and citadel throughout the
Nephites' land, the sacred standard fluttered in the breeze. Men of
strong arms and stout hearts were they, of faith unfaltering, and
courage undiminished.
No wonder, then, that when Amalickiah's emissaries brought the evil-
boding news of this great awakening to his unwilling ears that he
faltered in his purpose, that his followers lost heart, that retreat was
deemed the fittest show of wisdom, and discretion the better part of
valor. No wonder that when, by Moroni's vigilance, that retreat was
cut off, that the rebels succumbed and surrendered, that Amalickiah
fled for safety to the Lamanites, and that the "Title of Liberty"
continued to float uninterruptedly from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast, as far as Nephi's children ruled or Nephite homes were found,
and that Moroni and his people rejoiced with intensified joy in their
liberties, now more than ever dear to them through the valorous
efforts they had put forth for their preservation.
When Amalickiah fled to the court of the king of the Lamanites he
evolved a plot worthy of a demon, which only ceased with life. He
was a Napoleon in ambition and diplomacy, and possibly also in
military skill. On the first favorable opportunity after reaching the
Lamanite court, he commenced to rekindle the fires of hatred toward
his former friends. At first he was unsuccessful, the recollection of
their late defeats was too fresh in the memory of the multitude. The
king issued a war proclamation, but it was disregarded. Much as his
subjects feared the imperial power, they dreaded a renewal of war
more. Many gathered to resist the royal mandate. The king, unused
to such objections, raised an army to quell the advocates of peace,
and placed it under the command of the now zealous Amalickiah.
The peace-men had chosen an officer named Lehonti for their king
and leader, and he had assembled his followers at a mountain called
Antipas. Thither Amalickiah marched, but with no intention of
provoking a conflict; he was working for the good feelings of the
entire Lamanite people. On his arrival he entered into a secret
correspondence with Lehonti, in which he agreed to surrender his
forces on condition that he should be appointed second in command
of the united armies. The plan succeeded. Amalickiah surrendered to
Lehonti and assumed the second position. Lehonti now stood in the
way of his ambition; it was but a little thing to remove him: he died
by slow poison administered by Amalickiah's command.
Amalickiah now assumed supreme command, and at the head of his
forces he marched towards the Lamanite capital. The king,
supposing that the approaching hosts had been raised to carry the
war into Zarahemla, came out of the royal city to greet and
congratulate him. As the monarch drew near he was traitorously
slain by some of the creatures of the subtle general, who at the
same time raised the hue and cry that, the king's own servants were
the authors of the vile deed. Amalickiah assumed all the airs of grief,
affection and righteous indignation that he thought would best suit
his purpose. He next made apparently desperate, but purposely
ineffectual, efforts to capture those who were charged with the
crime, and so adroitly did he carry out his schemes, that before long
he wheedled himself into the affections of the queen, whom he
married, and he was recognised by the Lamanites as their king. Thus
far his ambition was realized, but it was far from satisfied; ambition
seldom is.
Amalickiah now cherished the stupendous design of subjugating the
Nephites and ruling singly and alone from ocean to ocean (B. C. 73).
To accomplish this iniquitous purpose, he dispatched emissaries in all
directions whose mission was to stir up the angry passions of the
populace against the Nephites. When this vile object was sufficiently
accomplished, and the deluded people had become clamorous for
war, he raised an immense army, armed and equipped with an
excellence never before known among the Lamanites. This force he
placed under the command of Zoramite officers, and ordered its
advance into the western possessions of the Nephites, where,
amongst others, stood the cities of Ammonihah, now rebuilt, and
Noah.
The Nephites, during this time, had been watching Amalickiah's
movements and energetically preparing for war. When the Lamanites
reached Ammonihah they found it too strongly fortified to be taken
by assault; they therefore retired to Noah, originally a very weak
place, but now, through Moroni's foresight and energy, made
stronger than Ammonihah. The Zoramite officers well knew that to
return home without having attempted something would be most
disastrous, and therefore, though with little hope, made an assault
upon Noah. This step resulted in throwing away a thousand lives
outside its walls, while its well-protected defenders had but fifty men
wounded. After this disastrous attempt the Lamanites marched
home. Great was the anger of Amalickiah at the miscarriage of his
scheme; he cursed God and swore he would yet drink the blood of
Moroni.
During the next year the Lamanites were driven out of the great
eastern wilderness, which was occupied by numerous Nephite
colonies, who laid the foundations of several new cities along the
Atlantic coast. Moroni also established a line of fortifications along
the Nephites' southern border, which stretched from one side of the
continent to the other.
 CHAPTER XXXI.

A FEW YEARS OF PEACE—TEANCUM-THE CONTENTION BETWEEN

LEHI AND MORIANTON—AMALICKIAH'S TERRIBLE INVASION—
HIS SUCCESS—HE IS STOPPED AT BOUNTIFUL BY TEANCUM—
TEANCUM SLAYS AMALICKIAH—AMMORON MADE KING OF THE
LAMANITES.
(ALMA CHAP. 50 AND 52.)
FEW YEARS of peace and prosperity now followed. The Nephites
A multiplied exceedingly and grew very rich. They were also
greatly blessed of the Lord; and the sacred historian informs us
there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi than at
this time. Sad to say, this blessed era lasted but a few years. A local
quarrel between two cities on the Atlantic sea-board regarding their
respective boundaries was the cause of the first fresh outbreak. At
this point we are introduced to another great general of the
Nephites, named Teancum.
Teancum appears to have had command of the Nephite army of the
north (under the direction of Moroni, the commander-in-chief of all
the forces of the republic), and to have had committed to him the
defense of the land Bountiful and the Isthmus of Panama. His first
exploit to which our attention is drawn is the defeat of the
dissatisfied people of Morianton, who, having unjustly quarreled with
their neighbors, the people of the city of Lehi, and being apparently
aware of the unrighteousness of their cause, determined to migrate
to the land northward, and there establish an independent
government.
Such a movement being evidently dangerous to the peace and
stability of the republic, Moroni determined to prevent the
accomplishment of their schemes. He dispatched Teancum with a
body of troops to head them off. This the gallant officer succeeded
in doing, but not until they had reached the Isthmus, when a
stubbornly fought battle ensued, in which Teancum slew Morianton
with his own hand, and compelled the surrender of his followers. (B.
C. 68.) The prisoners were brought back, the grievances of the two
people were investigated, a union between them brought about, and
both were restored to their own lands. [6]
In the following year (B. C. 67), Amalickiah commenced his
devastating invasion of the Atlantic provinces of the Nephites.
Commencing at Moroni, on the extreme south-east, he gradually
advanced northward, capturing and garrisoning all the Nephite cities
along the coast, until toward the close of the year he reached the
borders of the land Bountiful, driving the forces of the republic
before him. At this point he was met by Teancum and a corps of
veterans renowned for their courage, skill and discipline. The
Lamanite leader endeavored to force his way to the Isthmus, with
the intention of occupying the northern continent. In this he was
foiled, for the trained valor of Teancum's warriors was too much for
that of Amalickiah's half-savage hordes. All day the fight lasted, and
at night the worn out soldiers of the two armies camped close
together, the Lamanites on the sea-beach, and the Nephites on the
borders of the land Bountiful.
It was the last night of the old year, according to Nephite reckoning.
The great heat and the terrible efforts of the day had overcome both
officers and men. The murmur of the Atlantic's waves sounded a soft
lullaby in the ears of Amalickiah and his hosts, who, for the first time
during the campaign, had suffered a check in their triumphal march.
Even Amalickiah slept; but not so with Teancum. He was brooding
over the wrongs and perils of his beloved country, as well as his own
sufferings, both the deadly fruit of one man's unholy ambition. As he
pondered he grew more angry, and at last he determined by one
desperate stroke to put an end to the war; or, if not that, at least to
slay the cause of it. Taking one servant with him, he secretly stole
out of his own camp into that of the enemy. A death-like silence
reigned in both. Cautiously and unobserved he searched out the
royal tent. There lay the foe, there lay his guards, all overcome with
resistless fatigue. To draw his javelin, thrust it into the king's heart
and then flee, was but the work of a moment, and so adroitly did he
fulfill his purpose that Amalickiah died without a struggle or a cry,
and it was not until the morning that his guards discovered that the
hosts of Laman were without a head.
When Teancum returned to his own warriors he awoke them from
their slumbers and rehearsed to them all that he had done. It is not
difficult to imagine their enthusiasm, which, for fear they should
arouse the enemy, they were compelled to restrain. They, however,
kept a strong guard on the alert, lest when the Lamanites awoke
and discovered that their king was dead, they should, in their anger
make a sudden onslaught on the Nephite lines. This thought,
however, was not realized. When the Lamanites found that
Amalickiah was slain, they hastily retreated to the fortified city of
Mulek.
Amalickiah was succeeded on the Lamanitish throne by his brother
Ammoron, who continued the war with unrelenting vindictiveness.

FOOTNOTE:
[6] During this year Nephihah the second Chief Judge died, and his son
Pahoran, succeeded him on the judgment seat.
 CHAPTER XXXII.

JACOB THE ZORAMITE—HIS CHARACTERISTICS—THE STRATEGY

BY WHICH MULEK WAS TAKEN—THE FIERCE BATTLE BETWEEN
JACOB AND THE NEPHITE FORCES—JACOB'S DEATH.
(ALMA CHAP. 52.)
HE general who commanded the Lamanite forces at Mulek was
T named Jacob. He was a Nephite apostate, who had accepted the
errors of the Zoramites. His appointment was one characteristic
of the prevailing policy of Amalickiah and of his successor, Ammoron.
It was to give the command of the Lamanite armies to men who,
like themselves, were traitors to their own government; for, in such
cases, to military knowledge was almost invariably added intense
religious hate, which neither asked nor gave quarter on the
battlefield, but fought to the last extremity with unconquerable fury.
Such a one was Jacob. He had entrenched himself in the strongly
fortified city of Mulek, the most northern of the Nephite cities that
had fallen into the enemy's hands. It was a key to the surrounding
country. While it remained in Lamanite possession it was very little
use for Moroni to attempt to recover the cities that lay yet farther
south along the shores of the east sea. The Nephite generals did not
consider themselves justified in making an attempt to carry the place
by assault. Such an effort would have cost too many noble lives, and
probably have proven unsuccessful. Moroni had with him at this time
two of his most trusted lieutenants, Lehi and Teancum, both of
whom were little inferior to the chief captain in wisdom and valor. At
a council of war it was determined to attempt the capture of Mulek
by strategy. They had already sent embassies to Jacob desiring him
to bring his armies into the open plain to meet the Nephites in
battle, but the Lamanite commanders were too well acquainted with
the discipline and courage of the Nephite forces to take such a risk.
There was, therefore, but one plan left, other than to patiently sit
down before the city and reduce it by a regular siege, and that was
to decoy a portion of its defenders beyond the protection of its walls,
and when it was thus weakened to carry it by storm. Moroni
determined on this course.
By command of Moroni, the gallant Teancum, with a small force,
marched along the sea shore to the neighborhood of Mulek, while
Moroni, with the main body of the army, unperceived by the enemy,
made a forced march by night into the wilderness which lay on the
west of the city. There he rested. Lehi, with a third corps, remained
in the city of Bountiful.
On the morrow Teancum's detachment was discovered by the
Lamanite outposts, and from the smallness of its numbers they
judged it would fall an easy prey. Jacob at once sallied forth at the
head of his warriors to attack the presumptuous Nephites. On their
approach Teancum cautiously retreated along the sea shore towards
the city of Bountiful. Jacob followed in vigorous pursuit. Moroni, in
the meanwhile, divided his army into two corps, one of which he
dispatched to capture the city, and with the other he closed in
between Jacob's army and Mulek. The first corps accomplished its
work without difficulty, for Jacob had left but a small force behind
him, and all who would not surrender were slain.
The Lamanites crowded after Teancum in hot pursuit until they came
nigh unto Bountiful, when they were met by Lehi and the small force
under his command. At his appearance the Lamanite captains fled in
confusion, lest they should be out-generaled and cut off from their
fortifications. Jacob's warriors were weary by reason of their long
and hasty advance, while Lehi's soldiers were fresh and unfatigued.
But Lehi refrained from pressing too vigorously on his retreating
foes, as his object was not to exhaust his men before the hour of
battle came, and he was anxious to avoid a conflict till he and
Moroni could at the same moment attack the Lamanites in front and
rear.
When Jacob drew near the city he found himself confronted by the
soldiers of Moroni, who closed in around his warriors and barred
their further progress southward; while Lehi, putting forth his pent-
up energies, fell with fury on their rear. Weary and worn though his
troops were, Jacob would not surrender. Whatever his faults may
have been, and they were doubtless numerous, he had a resolute,
unconquerable spirit that would fight to the last. He determined, if
possible, to cut his way through to Mulek. With this intent he made a
desperate, though ineffectual, charge on Moroni's lines. The
Nephites being fresh and unwearied, never wavered, but received
the shock firm as a rock upon which the waves of the ocean break in
vain. The battle here raged with indescribable fierceness, and with
heavy losses to both sides. The wild Lamanites, in the frenzy of
desperation, dashed with all their strength and prowess against the
well-ordered ranks of the Nephites, in the one absorbing endeavor to
force their way through; while the Nephites, in the heroic courage
which religion and patriotism inspire, stood cool and undismayed,
breaking the force of the shock of each charge, then
On the wounded and the slain
Closed their diminished files again.
to receive the next onslaught. In this desperate encounter Moroni
was wounded and Jacob slain.
While Jacob was thus impetuously charging on Moroni's corps, Lehi
with his "strong men" was as furiously driving in the Lamanite rear.
At last the soldiers of Jacob in that part of the field surrendered.
Their leader being slain, the remainder of the troops hesitated
between throwing down their arms and continuing the hopeless
strife. Moroni, with his intense hatred of unnecessary bloodshed,
when he noticed that they wavered, cried out that if they would lay
down their weapons and deliver themselves up he would spare their
lives. His offer was accepted. The chief captains, who remained,
came forward and placed their weapons at his feet and commanded
their men to do the same. Most of the warriors obeyed, yet numbers
would not. They preferred death to surrender, and force had to be
used to wrest their weapons from them. The Lamanite prisoners
were then sent under an escort to the city of Bountiful, and when
counted were found to exceed in numbers the slain on both sides in
the late battle. Thus fell Mulek, and thus died its defender, Jacob the
Zoramite.
 CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE WAR IN THE SOUTH-WEST—ANTIPUS—HELAMAN AND HIS

TWO THOUSAND SONS—THEIR VALOR AND FAITH—THE
REPULSE OF THE LAMANITES.
(ALMA CHAP. 56 AND 57.)
HE war had been raging about a couple of years, and was
T working disastrously to the Nephites, when the people of
Ammon, feeling that they were a burden rather than a help to
their benefactors, though indeed they were not, desired to be
released from their oath and covenant never again to take up deadly
weapons against their fellows. They desired in this hour of extreme
peril to take up arms in defense of the liberties of their adopted
country. From this rash step Helaman and his brethren dissuaded
them, lest by so doing they should imperil their eternal salvation. But
they had sons who had grown far towards manhood who had not
entered into this covenant, and consequently were not shut off from
participating in the dangers and glories of the war. So with their
fathers' and mothers' consent, faith, prayers and words of
encouragement, two thousand of these youths were mustered into
the Nephite army (B. C. 66). These striplings were all men of truth,
faith, soberness and integrity, and were conspicuous for their
courage, strength and activity. Being organized they desired that
Helaman, for whom they had great love and respect, should be their
leader. He consented, and at their head marched to the relief of the
forces of the republic that were struggling against considerable odds
on the southern borders of the Nephite dominions, from the shores
of the Pacific Ocean eastward.
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