FAIR's Rising Generation

The Title Of Liberty.  Everyone loves the story of the Title Of Liberty in Alma 46.  But I believe it starts a little before that in Alma 43.

Previous to these chapters, Alma and his brethren have just finished preaching to the Zoramites.  Who then kicked out all of the righteous from among them, got mad about it and then went and joined the Lamanites.  Now the Lamanites are coming to war, and it’s up to Moroni, twenty-five year old chief captain over all the Nephites, to lead an army to protect the people of Nephi and the Anti-Nephi-Lehi (otherwise known at the people of Ammon).  After he got some instructions from the prophet Alma and a bit of marching about, they finally engaged in battle, in which Moroni and his forces have got the Lamanite army on the run till he has them surrounded.  Now the Lamanites are in a bind, all they can do now is fight their way out.  And fight they did.  Alma 43:43-44

43) Now in this case the Lamanites did fight exceedingly; yea, never had the Lamanites been known to fight with such exceedingly great strength and courage, no, not even from the beginning.

44) And they were inspired by the Zoramites and the Amalekites, who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Zerahemnah, who was their chief captain, or their chief leader and commander; yea, they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites were slain by their hands, yea, for they did smite in two many of their head-plates, and they did pierce many of their breastplates, and they did smite off many of their arms; and thus the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.

Although the Nephites were fighting for a better cause, it says in verse 48 that they were about to run away!

48) And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to shrink and flee from them.  And Moroni, perceiving their intent, sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts—yea, the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom from bondage.

I can just see in my minds eye, Moroni, riding through the ranks of his valiant soldiers calling out to pray to the Lord their God, and what he later wrote on the Title Of Liberty.  Now we read verses 49 & 50.

49) And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage.

50) And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled even to the waters of Sidon.

Fighting with a renewed conviction, the Nephites encircle the Lamanites striking terror into their hearts. Moroni declares a standstill, and it doesn’t take much longer for the battle to end, giving the Lamanites two opportunities to leave under a covenant of peace.

Fast forward about one year. Helaman and his brethren reestablish the church in the land. But dissensions arise throughout the church and one cunning man named Amalickiah decides he wants to be king and leads many people in leaving the church to follow him and commit great wickedness. This brings us to Alma 46:11-12

11) And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

12) And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

Moroni then goes around bringing about a call to arms, both spiritually and temporally.  Moroni knew that all he needed to do was inspire the people.  To truly live their baptismal covenants, “… to stand as a witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in…” (Mosiah 18:9)

“…behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.” (Alma 46:21)

A promise to actively fight for truth and righteousness lest they fall into transgression and be destroyed.

I’m willing to do that. I promised that by being baptized, and have been “called to arms” by todays prophets, just as they were called Moroni and others prophets of that age. So, let’s give ourselves another reminder of what we’re here to do.

So this is my challenge to you: Raise up a personal Title Of Liberty.

My Title of Liberty

“In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children…”

And because it’s cool.

–Tommy Lugaresi

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