Alma 46:21 21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.

Alma 46:22 22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying:  We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.

Alma 46:23 23 Moroni said unto them:  Behold, we are a remnant of the seed of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold, let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be sold, or be slain.

Alma 46:24 24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea, let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold, he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was preserved and had not decayed.  And he said—­Even as this remnant of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

Alma 46:25 25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul
hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall
be taken unto God.

Alma 46:26 26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.

Alma 46:27 27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of
Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have
dissented from us?  Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do
not stand fast in the faith of Christ.

Alma 46:28 28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called Amalickiahites.

Alma 46:29 29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites—­and he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—­therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi.