Gadianton
In the Book of Mormon, Gadianton is known as the leader of a band of robbers who eventually cause the overthrow of the Nephite nation. (Helaman 2:4–13)
A secret combination, or secret organization of people bound together by oaths to carry out the evil purposes of the group, has it design from Satan himself, the “father of lies” who “stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations. (2 Nephi 9:9)
- Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit—
- Yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth. (Helaman 6:26≠27)
“From the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother.” (Moses 5:51)
In the Book of Mormon, Gadianton took the lead of the secret band that Kishkumen had started. Kishkumen had murdered the chief judge Pahoran,[1] and was attempting to murder the newly appointed chief judge Helaman,[2] when he was killed by the servant of Helaman. Helaman attempted to capture “the band of robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed according to the law,” but when Gadianton knew that Kishkumen had not returned, he feared that he himself would be destroyed, and took his band into the wilderness.[3]
Elder M. Russell Ballard taught: “With all my heart I hope and pray that you will be wise enough to learn the lessons of the past. You don’t have to spend time as a Laman or a Lemuel in order to know that it’s much better to be a Nephi or a Jacob. You don’t have to follow the path of Cain or Gadianton in order to realize that “wickedness never was happiness” (Alma 41:10). And you don’t have to allow your community to become like Sodom or Gomorrah in order to understand that it isn’t a good place to raise a family.”[4]
