went forth to call the people to repentance and set the Church in order. In this blessed work he had much success, and with the help of his brethren he again established the Church of God throughout all the land. These labors he continued until the time of his death, and his joy therein was greatly increased by the continued faithfulness of the people, who, notwithstanding their abundant prosperity, which, as ever, followed their repentance, they remained humble, fervent in prayer and diligent in works of righteousness. Such was the happy condition of the people of Nephi when Helaman died (B. C. 57), he having survived his illustrious father sixteen years. And Shiblon, his brother, “took possession of the sacred things that had been delivered unto Helaman by Alma."
HELAMAN, THE SON OF HELAMAN. The life of this patriarch is not given with the same details in the inspired record, as are those of his father, and his illustrious son Nephi. In the year B. C. 53, he was entrusted with the care of the sacred plates by his uncle Shiblon, and three years later (B. C. 50) he was elected by the Nephite people to be their chief judge, in which office he administered the law with justice and equity until the year B. C. 39, when he died. He had two sons, whom he named after the first fathers of his people — Nephi and Lehi. It was his eldest son, the righteous and faithful Nephi, who succeeded him on the judgment seat, and who also took charge of the sacred plates and the other holy things that accompanied them.
The few years that preceded the elevation of Helaman to the judgment seat, were among the most important in Nephite history, for at that time arose that terrible and devilish organization, the Gadianton robbers, who for so long cursed the inhabitants of ancient America.
Helaman being a God-fearing, just man, his election was very distasteful to the Gadianton
