Alma's son Helaman appears to have succeeded him as the presiding High Priest. After Alma's departure from this earth Helaman and others went through the cities of the Nephites and regulated the affairs of the church. Owing to the pride of many who would not give heed to the instructions given them, nor walk uprightly, dissensions arose, which in after years led to numerous evils, among the greatest of which was a long continued war, or series of wars, between the faithful Nephites on one side, and the apostates, and afterwards the Lamanites on the other. Still, for four years, Helaman and his associate priesthood were enabled to maintain order in the church. Many died in full faith of the gospel and in joyous hope of its never-ending rewards; indeed, during that period there was much peace and great prosperity enjoyed by those who remained faithful. CHAPTER XXX. AMALICKIAH--HIS APOSTASY AND TREASON--MORONI'S TITLE OF LIBERTY--THE NEPHITES RESPOND TO HIS CALL--LEHONTI-HE IS POISONED BY AMALICKIAH--THE KING OF THE LAMANITES TREACHEROUSLY SLAIN--AMALICKIAH MARRIES THE QUEEN AND IS PROCLAIMED KING--A DISASTROUS LAMANITE RAID. (ALMA CHAP. 46 AND 50.) Peace, however, was but short lived. Internal dissensions created by the intrigues of apostates and royalists convulsed the Nephite community. The rebels were led by a descendant of Zoram, the servant of Laban, named Amalickiah, one of the most ambitious, cunning and unscrupulous characters that ever disgraced the history of ancient America. It was a perilous day for the Nephite nation when this subtle creature bent all his brilliant energies to the fulfillment of his ambitious dreams. True, he had been a member of Christ's holy church, but now the love of God had given place to the hatred of his servants; he was the citizen of a republic, but he aspired to overthrow its liberties, and reign as king over his fellow-citizens. Indeed he had cherished thoughts of still greater power, even to be monarch of the entire continent; both Nephite and Lamanite should bow to his undisputed sway. Such were his nightly dreams, and the continual thoughts of his waking hours, and to this end he bent all the energies of his mind, all the craft of his soul, all the cunning of his tongue, all the weight of his influence. With promises rich as the gold of Ophir and numerous as the snow-flakes in a winter's hurricane, he beguiled his weaker fellows; men who, like him, loved power, hated the truth, delighted in iniquity, but who had not the lofty ambition, the unhallowed valor, and the deep designing cunning that distinguished their leader. To his call the dissatisfied, the corrupt and the apostate rallied.