Page:A dictionary of the Book of Mormon.pdf/88

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Amulon.
78

happiness of the Gospel of the Son of God. Of his later ministry and death we are not informed, as the Book of Mormon changes from the history of the labors of the servants of God to an account of the terrible wars between the Nephites and Lamanites, which immediately afterwards deluged the land with blood.

AMULON. One of the most prominent of the degraded priests of king Noah. He undoubtedly took an active part in the martyrdom of the Prophet Abinadi, though not mentioned by name. (About B. C. 150). When king Noah was burned to death by his enraged subjects, they would have killed his priests also, but the latter fled before them into the depths of the wilderness. Here the priests hid for a lengthened period, both afraid and ashamed to return to their families. In this dilemma, being without wives, they surprised and carried off a number of Lamanite maidens, who had gathered to a much-frequented spot in the land of Shemlon, on mirth and pleasure intent. This act led to a war between the Lamanites and the Nephites in the land of Lehi-Nephi, which was soon put to an end when the trouble was understood. Amulon and his associates with their Lamanite wives settled in and commenced to cultivate the land of Amulon. There they were discovered by the Lamanite soldiery who were searching for the people of Limhi, but as they plead most abjectly for mercy, in which petitions they were joined by their Lamanite companions, the Lamanites had compassion on them and did not destroy them, because of their wives (B. C. 121). Amulon and his brethren then joined the Lamanites, and soon after the king made Amulon the ruler, under his supreme authority, of the lands of Amulon and Helam. By this appointment Amulon and his associates became the overseers of the people of Alma, and right brutally did they use their authority in oppressing the people of God, until the