B. H. Roberts

“ Shiblon, go thou to the council, and give no further thought to me; let me follow the bent of my own mind. Your steady patience; your deep conviction as to the truth of the traditions of our fathers: your wisdom and goodness make you a fitting minister for God, if such a being there is; you are destined to become a pillar in the church; not so with me; my wild love of liberty can ill brook the restraints of the gospel or the priesthood, and the skepticism ingrained in my very nature disqualifies me for the work I could readily believe you were designed to support. ”

“ As Corianton and Seantum entered the saloon, a pretty dark-eyed girl was executing a sort of fandango to the evident delight of a number of young men sitting or lounging promiscuously about the room. At the conclusion of the dance the girl was greeted warmly with a round of applause. Then there was quiet, broken occasionally by light ripples of laughter, the hum of confused conversation, or occasional commands to the slaves to serve fruits or wines. ”

“ I do not lead our party, I am youngest in it."
"Ah, sir prophet, you are more famous than you know. It was Corianton that we first heard of in Siron; it is he whose eloquence most baffles the Zoramites, and threatens the disruption of their church—believe me, sir, I was charged by my father to bid you come."
Oh, flattery! what man is proof against thy sweet, seducing charms! And how those charms are heightened, when flattery falls from beauty's lips! The vanity of Corianton was well pleased with the words of the woman; pride swelled his bosom, and he felt exalted above his brethren. ”

“ As the party passed through the massive gateway, Korihor turned to look back at the guard, and raising his voice, said to the crowd which had gathered there rather than to the one whom he addressed, "Guard, tell your good people as they pass in and out of the city, that Korihor, their friend, who would see them free, is in bonds for liberty's sake, and is soon to be tried before an imperious High Priest and a tyrant judge, for honest disbelief in the foolish traditions of their fathers—tell them this, and ask them if the time has came when all men must be slaves to superstition!" ”

“ The air was fresh and pure, the electric storm having dispelled the mists and fogs so common to the tropics.
Long before the sun had reached midway between his rising and high noon, the open square before the Hall of Justice was filled with groups of men, some boisterously disputing the rightfulness of Korihor's treatment, and others with equal warmth defending the action of the authorities of Gideon.
The Hall of Justice was crowded to overflowing with men anxious to see and hear the man, who had by a few leaps and bounds sprung into notoriety. ”

“ At that moment in the lower part of the saloon some one was greeted by hearty applause; looking in that direction Joan was seen advancing clad in loose, fleecy garments; she held in her hand a long strip of crimson gauze, and as she reached the middle of the saloon she shook out its folds and began a dance of exquisite grace.
What mischief hath not been worked by the witching grace exhibited by beautiful women in the dance! The elegance and harmony of motion, the poetry of movement, gives a lustre to beauty and influences the senses through the imagination. ”

“ Ah me, that is such liberty as a maiden has under her father's control. I've often wished myself a man, that I might have a more extended liberty, but if men cannot act independent of control, it pleases me that I am a woman. I fear, Sir prophet, that I shall never be a convert to your faith."
"Then I would esteem my success in Siron of little value though I gained the whole people, if I failed to number one so fair among those who followed me." ”

“ Our law cannot punish a man for his belief nor for the expression of it, therefore it is our decision that you be set at liberty. However, it becomes my duty to caution you that the path you tread is filled with danger, both to yourself and those you may induce to follow you. Let me remind you that our present system of government has been most fruitful of happiness to the people, and holds out to them the fairest promise of future good; and he who becomes its enemy, becomes the enemy of the people, and in the end must come to sorrow. ”

“ Corianton, thy rebellion against God is in truth a grievous sin. But youth is thoughtless and wayward, impatient of restraint, easily misled, and often, too, by generous impulses. The high sounding phrase, the reckless plea for unbridled license, miscalled liberty, of which men of Korihor's type well know the influence, the mocking jests at sober, righteous lives, the boldness which dares mock at sacred things, and bid defiance even to God, hath in it a false daring which captures inconsiderate youth, and works its ruin. ”

“ I seek to strike off the servile chains, with which your priests have loaded them, in order to bring to pass your own designs—that you may glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, and hold them at your mercy. I would see men free from superstition, acknowledging no power more potent than their own, I would teach them that intelligent management is providence, that genius is God; that this life—so far as we know—terminates existence, and therefore they should encompass all the pleasure possible, by enjoying what the appetites and passions crave. ”

“ Seantum is one of the leaders of the Zoramites, he it was who sent for this cunning harlot to work your ruin, and in that hoped for the destruction of our mission; and he has succeeded, alas! too well. They have deceived you; and as the devil appears as an angel of light, so this woman assumes a virtue that she possesses not, and by that seeming grace wins you to your destruction. But break this chain, and let us flee."
Before Corianton could reply there was heard a hurrying of feet and they were surrounded by a body of men.
"Take that man," said Seantum, pointing to Shiblon, "and bind him." ”

“ She hastily arose as Corianton entered, and intense anger flashed in her dark eyes.
"Methinks this entrance is somewhat rude, bold Nephite. At least I should have thought a 'prophet' would have had respect for a maiden's privacy."
"Aye, no doubt he would. All men would respect a maiden's privacy; the most licentious wretch would tremble did he invade its hallowed precinct. But who respects the privacy of a commoner? Who pauses on the threshold of a strumpet?"
"Commoner? Strumpet?" echoed Isabel, choking with rage, "what mean you?" ”

“ This is the free city of Zarahemla! and yet here stands the minions of the High Priest and the Chief Judge to question whence ye come and why!"
"We come from the city of Gideon," said one of the guards of the prisoner, in answer to the questions, "we have in charge Korihor, the anti-Christ, who seeks to destroy religion and subvert all government; we"—
"Thou liest, almost as well as a high priest," broke in the prisoner; "I seek but to root out of men's minds the false traditions of the fathers concerning God and Christ, and to make them free! ”

“ In the hall they were met by Seantum. "Returned home at last, Corianton, eh?" he said with blustering familiarity, "what, and with Joan, too!"
"Yes, kinsman; I found our prophet as he was entering the grounds, and have detained him long enough to deliver my message."
"Quite right, too, quite right; if you have anything to do, do it, and do it at once, say I. But come, sir, some young people have gathered here, to make merry the night, recreation will do you good, sir; youth was made for enjoyment, sir, and youth cheats itself if it make not good use of its time." ”

“ CHAPTER TWELVE. THE LOVE OF A WANTON. The home of Isabel, in Siron, was nearly as magnificent as that of Seantum in Antionum. All that wealth could do to satisfy the caprice and extravagant tastes of woman, had evidently been lavished upon Isabel by her lovers. For two days after the arrival from Antionum she had been all that could be desired by Corianton—loving, gentle, and at times sprightly. ”

“ May it not be that even this great sin was necessary to humble his pride, and prepare him to receive and sense the gospel, that by and through it he might be prepared to receive the highest degree of glory to which his nature could attain, and which he never could have attained with his pride unbroken?
"I give unto men weakness," saith the Lord, "that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me." ”

“ Alma was a remarkable character. He was the son of the Nephite High Priest of the same name. In his youthful days he had been exceedingly wayward, and had united with the sons of King Mosiah II, in their efforts to overthrow what they called the superstition of their fathers. Being young men of marked abilities and pleasing address, the mischief they did was appalling. The very pillars of the Church seem to be shaken by their audacious boldness of declamation against it. ”

“ Alas, I fear thou art amiss; and your bad deeds are like to bring trouble to us all. Your association with harlots in this place is the talk of the whole city, and everywhere we are threatened with violence—we can no longer preach to the people since they judge us all by your conduct, and condemn us all as hypocrites and bid us be gone. The other brethren have started to leave the city, but I came in search of you; now brother, come—in God's name come! Come, let us leave together; by a penitent life you may yet cancel this great sin—you are young—not yet hardened in vice ”

“ He found, as many since his day have found, that seeing a single manifestation of the power of God—a miracle—had not removed all the difficulties in the way of a sound faith in the gospel; and in his own mind he began to find ways of accounting for the destruction of Korihor's speech—his own excitement, the mysterious magnetism of his father which swayed men's minds, a power which he flattered himself he had inherited, notwithstanding his unbelief. ”

“ The crowd which had been attracted by the unusual spectacle of the small cavalcade passing through their streets, and the animated speeches of the prisoner, still lingered in the public square, gathered in groups, discussing the events of the morning. "I tell you," said a hard visaged man to a group of listeners standing near the center of the square,—"I tell you there is too much truth in the complaints of Korihor. The High Priests and the Chief Judges are becoming too arbitrary in their rulings; there's too much said about law and order and not enough regard paid to personal liberty." ”

“ If his crime is worthy of death, has he not already suffered more than death? The burden of his great sin he must carry through life—and could his worst enemy be gratified by casting one more stone at this poor, bleeding body, or be pleased by adding one more pang to his tortured mind? ”

“ Corianton stood before his brother bewildered; to him his speech was incoherent—wild. "Shiblon," said he, "I have not associated with harlots, and though the revels of last night were indiscreet, I am free from such sin as you impute to me."
"God grant that you are, and far be it from me to believe that you add the sin of falsehood to a grosser sin; but brother, the house of Seantum where you have lodged, is the worst den of infamy in all Antionum, and only last night you were seen in loving converse on the shores of this very lake with the harlot Isabel." ”

“ But when a woman falls, 'tis never more to rise or be forgiven."
These indirect appeals to him touched the gentler nature of Corianton, and bending over her as he took her hand, he said: "Nay, do not weep; if I have fallen I alone am to blame, I should have had better discretion. I am no coward to lay the blame upon another. I alone am to blame and I will alone bear the burden of God's displeasure."
"Corianton," cried Isabel as a sudden idea seized her, "if you are an outcast; come to me, go with me to Siron ”

“ I have no relish for these dull councils, and as for converting the Zoramites, they may be as nearly right in their theology as yourself or our father, for aught I know; the whole subject is so wrapt in mystery that we can at least afford to be liberal, and not bind men and thrust them into prison for daring to assert their unbelief in these mysterious things. ”

“ As the two young men were crossing the square, the younger said to his brother: "Notwithstanding what you said just now to the crowd, Shiblon, and the truth of it in general, I think this treatment of Korihor is too harsh. Our law protects a man in his belief and in the expression of it; and though Korihor hath a proud bearing and holds what you believe to be dangerous views, still I think the officers at Gideon exceeded their jurisdiction in sending him bound to this city." ”

“ That, your people said, was a judgment of God,—a manifestation of his almighty power. Now live, return to your people to be the scorn and shame of the times, and let them know that your fall is a manifestation of Isabel's power—let it be Corianton for Korihor—Isabel against your God! ”

“ Mosiah, the Nephite leader, became king of the united people. He caused that the people of Zarahemla should be taught in the knowledge of their forefathers; and in reverence for the God of Israel. Both peoples were greatly benefited by this union. The people of Zarahemla so strengthened the Nephites in numbers as to make them strong enough to resist any attempted invasion of Lamanites; while to the people of Zarahemla the Nephites brought their civilization, their ideas of government, and enlightenment through means of education. ”