The War Chapters in Alma

[_consiglieri]

I have recently finished reading Alma 43-63 again. I remember the first time I sat down and read the entirety of these "war chapters" at one go back in 1989. Up to that point, I had read through them, but only by fits and starts.

Reading it all at once was a completely different experience for me. I was (and continue to be) impressed at how well the whole complicated scenario plays out. I think it is at least as well constructed as the Mosiah flashbacks, which tend to be talked about more.

There are only a couple of minor problems in the story, which I am happy to go into if anybody cares.

But overall, it does not strike me as a narrative likely to be pulled out of a hat, as it were.

I was wondering if anybody else has had a similar experience with these chapters, or any other kind of experience, for that matter.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[_Dr. Shades]

I was (and continue to be) impressed at how well the whole complicated scenario plays out.

What does "plays out well" entail, practically speaking?

There are only a couple of minor problems in the story, which I am happy to go into if anybody cares.

Please go into the minor problems in the story. In my opinion, the fact that those parts even exist are, in themselves, problems, since they don't fulfill the book's own stated mission of convincing Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.

But overall, it does not strike me as a narrative likely to be pulled out of a hat, as it were.

I understand that the wordprint studies identify those parts as being the ones authored by Spalding.

[_MCB]

I understand that the wordprint studies identify those parts as being the ones authored by Spalding.

Multiple studies identify them as having the strongest Spalding signal of any chapters in the Book of Mormon. And he was a veteran of the Revolution, and suffered financial reverses with the War of 1812. You can see some of the same themes in Oberlin Manuscript Story. War narrative was his strength.

[_bcspace]

There are only a couple of minor problems in the story, which I am happy to go into if anybody cares.

Sure. Give it a whirl.

by the way, I'm about to call in a high priest who's got 20 years on me and ask him to make sure to touch significantly on the points of the lesson in the manual rather than mention them in passing and dwelling on his favorite Church historical figure, Orrin Porter Rockwell. How do you think I should approach it?

[Guest]

There are only a couple of minor problems in the story, which I am happy to go into if anybody cares.

Sure. Give it a whirl.

by the way, I'm about to call in a high priest who's got 20 years on me and ask him to make sure to touch significantly on the points of the lesson in the manual rather than mention them in passing and dwelling on his favorite Church historical figure, Orrin Porter Rockwell. How do you think I should approach it?

Well for starters you should explain to him why the First Assistant to the Secretary of the Ward Librarian has summoned him to a meeting...

[_DrW]

I understand that the wordprint studies identify those parts as being the ones authored by Spalding.

Multiple studies identify them as having the strongest Spalding signal of any chapters in the Book of Mormon. And he was a veteran of the Revolution, and suffered financial reverses with the War of 1812. You can see some of the same themes in Oberlin Manuscript Story. War narrative was his strength.

Good response - mainly because it is backed by peer reviewed and published data.

[_Drifting]

Well, it seems to me there was enough influence of war in the world for it to have influenced a creative writer in the 1820's and 30's.


http://www.onwar.com/aced/chrono/index1825.htm

Bolivian-Peruvian War 1827-29
French Blockade of Algiers 1827-29
Mexican Conservative Revolt 1827
West African Blockade 1827-44

The Bolivian war of independence began in 1809 with the establishment of Government Juntas in Sucre and La Paz, after the Chuquisaca Revolution and La Paz revolution. Those Juntas were defeated shortly after, and the cities fell again under Spanish control. The May Revolution of 1810 ousted the viceroy in Buenos Aires, which established its own Junta. Buenos Aires sent three military campaigns to the Upper Peru, headed by Juan José Castelli, Manuel Belgrano and José Rondeau, but the royalists ultimately prevailed over each one. However, the conflict grew into a guerrilla war, the War of the Republiquetas, preventing the royalists from strengthening their presence. Simón Bolívar and Antonio José de Sucre defeated the royalists at northern South America, and Sucre led the campaign that defeated the royalists for good. Bolivian independence was proclaimed on August 6 of 1825.

Any potential 19th Century author would have been able to see plenty of material from which to base a war account(s) such as the one in Alma.

The Spanish American wars of independence were the numerous wars against Spanish rule in Spanish America that took place during the early 19th century, after the French invasion of Spain during Europe's Napoleonic Wars. The conflict started with short-lived governing juntas established in Chuquisaca and Quito opposing the composition of the Supreme Central Junta of Seville. When the Central Junta fell to the French invasion, numerous new juntas appeared across the Spanish domains in the Americas. The conflicts among these colonies and with Spain eventually resulted in a chain of newly independent countries stretching from Argentina and Chile in the south to Mexico in the north a little over a decade later. After the death of King Ferdinand VII, in 1833, only Cuba and Puerto Rico remained under Spanish rule.

[_sock puppet]

There are only a couple of minor problems in the story, which I am happy to go into if anybody cares.

Sure. Give it a whirl.

by the way, I'm about to call in a high priest who's got 20 years on me and ask him to make sure to touch significantly on the points of the lesson in the manual rather than mention them in passing and dwelling on his favorite Church historical figure, Orrin Porter Rockwell. How do you think I should approach it?

Old high priest...touching significantly on points...[FLASHBACK to annointing in temple]...how to approach it...TURN THE OTHER WAY AND RUN LIKE HELL!

[_why me]

I understand that the wordprint studies identify those parts as being the ones authored by Spalding.

Multiple studies identify them as having the strongest Spalding signal of any chapters in the Book of Mormon. And he was a veteran of the Revolution, and suffered financial reverses with the War of 1812. You can see some of the same themes in Oberlin Manuscript Story. War narrative was his strength.

Except that Joseph pulled the story out of hat. Give it a try and report back to us.

[_why me]

Well, it seems to me there was enough influence of war in the world for it to have influenced a creative writer in the 1820's and 30's.

Stick your head in a hat and give us a good war story. And be sure that there our witnesses. Let us know how you did.