THE fifth year of Alma's reign

as chief judge was a very sad period in Nephite history. In the commencement of that year a man named Amlici, a disciple of Nehor (the man who slew Gideon and who by his false teachings destroyed the faith of many of the Nephites), started a rebellion which ended in the destruction of many souls.

Amlici by his cunning gathered around him a great number of followers. He was a very ambitious man and had a strong desire to be made king over the people. It was his intention, as soon as he gained this power, to break up the Church of God; but he learned, as many had done before and as many have learned since, that man makes a great mistake when he tries to measure arms with Omnipotence. No man has ever battled with the Almighty and come off victorious. Lucifer and his rebellious host were the first to try their strength against the God of Heaven, and as they went down to defeat and shame, so have all those who have placed themselves in opposition to the work of the Eternal Father.

My dear young readers, let us learn a lesson from these things. Look at the poor Lamanites as they go along the streets today, a miserable remnant of a once mighty

nation. Their forefathers rebelled against the authority of heaven; they would not accept the laws of God but they became a law unto themselves, and we see the result. What a different picture we would behold today had these people been humble and obedient!

Great contention arose among the people. Amlici had many supporters, who did all in their power to place him upon the throne, but when a vote was taken he was defeated, the majority of the people preferring to be governed by righteous judges rather than by a wicked king.

Notwithstanding this defeat, his followers rallied around him, and consecrated Amlici king king over them. But he was not satisfied with that; he must be "monarch of all he surveyed," king over all. So he issued a proclamation of war, calling upon all his supporters to take up arms against their brethren.

Arming themselves with swords and cimiters, bows and arrows, stones and slings, and all manner of implements of war, the Nephites prepared themselves for the attack. It was made on the hill Amnihu, east of the river Sidon. The Nephite army was led by Alma, the chief judge, who with his faithful followers went forth in the name of the Lord to fight in

defense of civil and religious liberty. The Lord was with his people. He strengthened their arms, so that before the sun went down the Amlicites fled from the field. They were hotly pursued, and twelve thousand five hundred and thirty-two of their number were slain.

The Nephite army also suffered greatly, losing six thousand five hundred and sixty-two men. It makes one shudder when he thinks of that terrible carnage-nearly twenty thousand men slain in one day, and all this brought about by the unrighteous ambition of wicked man.

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Alma sent four spies to watch the movements of the enemy, and these came into camp the next day with a report that the breach made in the enemy's columns by the previous day's slaughter had been filled up by a reinforcement of Lamanites. The Lamanites and Amlicites had joined forces in the land of Minon, above the land of Zarahemia, and had attacked the Nephites who were inhabiting that part of the country.

Alma immediately issued orders to his followers to strike their tents and to repair with all possible haste to the city of Zarahemla. On coming to the river Sidon they were confronted by the combined forces of the Lamanites and Amlicites. A fierce battle ensued, in which both sides suffered serious loss. During the progress of the battle Alma and Amlici met face to face and en

gaged in mortal combat. The chief judge, notwithstanding he was an able swordsman, did not rely solely upon his own strength and skill. With the prayer, "O Lord have mercy and spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save and preserve this people," he crossed swords with his opponent and finally slew him. Alma was next confronted by the king of the Lamanites, but the latter soon fled from before him. The dead bodies of the Lamanites and Amlicites were thrown into the river, and on these the Nephites walked across to the west bank, when the battle was resumed. The Nephites were victorious. They utterly routed their enemies, slaying so many that they did not take time to number them. The Lamanites Lamanites fled into the wilderness, where many of the wounded died and were devoured by wild beasts. This is a brief account of the battle of Sidon river.

I

WILL tell my little brothers and sisters how the Lord answered my prayer on one occasion. When I was a young girl I left my home in Switzerland and went to the city of London, England, where I expected to get work and better wages, so that I might get to Zion.

I cannot tell you how lonesome I felt when I arrived in the great city. I was a stranger; I knew no one, and to make matters worse, I could not speak a sertence in English. I could speak German only.

I succeeded in getting employment, and one night I thought I would go to the meeting of the Saints. When returning home I lost my way. There I was alone in the great city of London, and not able to speak a word of English so that I could tell anyone of my trouble. What was I to do? Just then I thought of my Heavenly Father. Surely he could guide me home. He knew me; he knew where I lived; he knew I was lost. So I looked up into heaven, and prayed to him to lead me back home again.

Just as I had finished praying a lady stopped and spoke to me in English. I did not understand her; but I told her in German that I could not find my way home. What was most remarkable, the

lady knew enough of the German language to understand what I said. She took me to a policeman and told him where I wanted to go. He said he would take me as far as his beat extended, and then he would hand me over to another officer, who would take me to the end of his beat, and then transfer me to a third policeman, who would take me home.

I reached home in safety, and you may be sure when I knelt at my little bed to offer up my prayer that night I did not forget to thank God for sending me a friend to guide me home.

A BRIGHT little girl, who attends a dancing school, had a trying experience some little time ago. She is really a favorite with the children of the school, but when the little boys and girls marched in couples, or danced a quadrille, it happened again and again that she was left out.

She waited patiently and hopefully, and each time she was disappointed. She felt that the situation justified a protest, and the conscience stricken teacher agreed with her when finally she stepped forward and said, in a pathetic little voice:

"Please, Miss Jones, if there's any little boy left over next time, may I have him?"