Alma Chapter 63 Critique
Setting: Shiblon and later
Helaman take possession of the sacred records—Many Nephites travel to
the land northward—Hagoth builds ships, which sail forth in the west
sea—Moronihah defeats the Lamanites in battle. About 56–52 B.C.
Verses 1-2: And it came to pass
in the commencement of the thirty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, that Shiblon took possession of those
sacred things which had been delivered unto Helaman by Alma. And he was
a just man, and he did walk uprightly before God; and he did observe to
do good continually, to keep the commandments of the Lord his God; and
also did his brother.
Note: Sideny Rigdon did not know that Pre-Columbian Indians were pagan polytheists.
The terms Muisca religion and mythology refer to the pre-Columbian
beliefs of the Muisca indigenous people of the Cordillera Oriental
highlands of the Andes in the vicinity of Bogotá, Colombia. The
tradition includes a selection of received myths concerning the origin
and organization of the universe. Their belief system may be described
as a polytheistic religion containing a very strong element of
spirituality based on an epistemology of mysticism. Wikipedia
Encyclopedia.
Verses 3-10: And it came to
pass that Moroni died also. And thus ended the thirty and sixth year of
the reign of the judges. And it came to pass that in the thirty and
seventh year of the reign of the judges, there was a large company of
men, even to the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with
their wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla
into the land which was northward. And it came to pass that Hagoth, he
being an exceedingly curious man, therefore he went forth and built him
an exceedingly large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the
land Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the narrow
neck which led into the land northward. And behold, there were many of
the Nephites who did enter therein and did sail forth with much
provisions, and also many women and children; and they took their
course northward. And thus ended the thirty and seventh year. And in
the thirty and eighth year, this man built other ships. And the first
ship did also return, and many more people did enter into it; and they
also took much provisions, and set out again to the land northward. And
it came to pass that they were never heard of more. And we suppose that
they were drowned in the depths of the sea. And it came to pass that
one other ship also did sail forth; and whither she did go we know not.
And it came to pass that in this year there were many people who went
forth into the land northward. And thus ended the thirty and eighth
year. And it came to pass in the thirty and ninth year of the reign of
the judges, Shiblon died also, and Corianton had gone forth to the land
northward in a ship, to carry forth provisions unto the people who had
gone forth into that land.
Note: Solomon Spalding did not know anything about Teotihuacan.
The decline of the Olmec resulted in a power vacuum in Mexico. Emerging
from that vacuum was Teotihuacan, first settled in 300 B.C. By AD 150,
it had grown to become the first true metropolis of what is now called
North America. Teotihuacan established a new economic and political
order never before seen in Mexico. Its influence stretched across
Mexico into Central America, founding new dynasties in the Mayan cities
of Tikal, Copan, and Kaminaljuyú. Teotihuacan's influence over the Maya
civilization cannot be overstated; it transformed political power,
artistic depictions, and the nature of economics. Within the city of
Teotihuacan was a diverse and cosmopolitan population. Wikipedia
Encyclopedia.
Verses 11-17: Therefore it
became expedient for Shiblon to confer those sacred things, before his
death, upon the son of Helaman, who was called Helaman, being called
after the name of his father. Now behold, all those engravings which
were in the possession of Helaman were written and sent forth among the
children of men throughout all the land, save it were those parts which
had been commanded by Alma should not go forth. Nevertheless, these
things were to be kept sacred, and handed down from one generation to
another; therefore, in this year, they had been conferred upon Helaman,
before the death of Shiblon. And it came to pass also in this year that
there were some dissenters who had gone forth unto the Lamanites; and
they were stirred up again to anger against the Nephites. And also in
this same year they came down with a numerous army to war against the
people of Moronihah, or against the army of Moronihah, in the which
they were beaten and driven back again to their own lands, suffering
great loss. And thus ended the thirty and ninth year of the reign of
the judges over the people of Nephi. And thus ended the account of
Alma, and Helaman his son, and also Shiblon, who was his son.
Note: No great civilizations have ever existed in the Amazon Basin.
Amazonia is sparsely populated. There are scattered settlements inland,
but most of the population lives in a few larger cities on the banks of
the Amazon and other major rivers, such as in Iquitos, Peru, and Manaus
and Belém (Brazil). Wikipedia Encyclopedia.
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