Gadianton Robbers

Secret societies.  They are nothing new in the history of the world.  They were nothing new among the Nephites.  One such secret combination designed to murder in secret to get gain was begun by two men: Kishkumen and Gadianton. 

Kishkumen was an assassin back in the days when Pahoran was chief
judge among the Nephites and Helaman, son of Helaman, was the prophet (about 49 years before the sign of Christ's birth.)  Kishkumen conspired with others in secret to murder Pahoran.  Pahoran died at Kishkumen's had on the very seat of Nephite justice.

After that, no one wanted to take on the role of chief judge.  Finally, Helaman was importuned by the people to take the position.  Kishkumen began immediately to conspire to assassinate Helaman as well.

Kishkumen's chief co-conspirator was the man Gadianton.  If anything, he was even more wicked and ambitious than Kishkumen.  When the assassination plot failed and Kishkumen was killed, Gadianton feared that their secret oaths had been betrayed.  He took the band of Kishkumen out of the city to live in the mountains and jungle wildernesses from which position, they periodically conducted a guerrilla warfare against the Nephites. 

They became known as the Gadianton Robbers.  Many modern readers don't fully comprehend just how evil these men were.  The connotation of the word robber today implies someone who steals.  But stealing was one of their minor sins.  They were a band as organized as the mafia, as evil as the Nazi's, and as murderous as any band of assassins before or since.  The Book of Mormon tells us that they did not learn their secret oaths, signs, and traditions from any other people, but that it was revealed to them by the father of secret combination, that evil one who taught Cain to conspire to murder his brother Abel for gain, and to hide his evil deed.

Within 15 years of the sign of Jesus' birth, the Gadianton Robbers rose up in such strength that they threatened both the Nephites and the Lamanites.  The righteous Lamanites and those who didn't seek war allied themselves with the Nephites in order to have sufficient strength of arms to stay the attacks of this wicked band of men. By this time in Nephite history, the Gadianton Robbers were not a single band in one location but a coordinated cartel throughout the Nephite and Lamanite territories.  In fact, this evil combination was a key factor in the ultimate destruction of the Nephites as a people from the earth!

Tomorrow, I will talk about archaeological evidence of secret societies in pre-Columbian Mesosamerica.

 

Text copyright December 2013, Gebara Education

Pictures from www.bookofmormonbattles.com