Book of Mormon; Latter Day Saint churches -- Doctrines; Latter Day Saints
The statement which Helaman makes regarding the conduct of his young
soldiers at this council is very interesting. After he had explained
the situation to them, he inquired, What say ye, my sons, will ye
go against them in battle? Without hesitancy they answered in the
affirmative, saying: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will
not suffer that we shall fall; then let us go forth; we would not slay
our brethren if they would let us alone; therefore let us go lest they
should overpower the army of Antipus. Here Helaman remarks: Now they
never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more
of the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea,
they had been taught by their mothers that if they did not doubt that
God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their
mothers, saying, We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
Helaman and his sons arrived none too soon on the field of battle.
The soldiers of Antipus were already fleeing before their more
numerous foes, but the valor and impetuosity of the youthful Ammonites
was irresistible. They fell on the Lamanite rear with a daring and
miraculous strength possessed only by men who put their whole trust
in God. Thus attacked in the rear, the Lamanites immediately halted,
changed front, and threw their whole force against the Ammonites. The
surviving officers of Antipus' army, finding that Helaman had come to
their rescue, stopped the retreat, re-organized their scattered bands,
and renewed the attack. The Lamanites were compelled to succumb; they
could not resist the desperate courage of the Nephites that was driving
them in at both front and rear. Their legions all surrendered, and, by
Helaman's orders, were sent as prisoners of war to Zarahemla.
And what about the young warriors of Ammon? So great was their faith,
so potent its workings, that when, after the battle, Helaman called the
roll of his youthful heroes, not one was missing. The faith sown by
their mothers' words had borne fruit--they were all preserved. To their
undaunted prowess, for they fought as if with the strength of God, the
Nephites unhesitatingly accorded the glory of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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