Saying, "My brethren," is a wonderful example of the humility and grace of King Benjamin's character. He thus approached them over whom he ruled, as "My brethren," and not like one who because of station, ascribes to himself, honor, and majesty. "Brethren" is the distinction he applied to those, who like himself, kept the Lord's commandments. There is nothing that equalizes men more than walking together in the paths of righteousness. In God's justice there is no inequality or inferiority among those who stand before Him, save as to them who do, and them who do not, obey His Laws. We remember the words of Micah: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." (Micah 6:8) To walk humbly with God, makes the rough places, smooth, and the journey, sweet.
In perusing this sermon of King Benjamin's, we are impressed with the nobility of his teachings; he says, "that ye might understand." Operating with his words, and raising them to sublime heights one can feel the warmth of brotherly love and kindness which unites all men in the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached to them of Christ's atoning Sacrifice. They looked forward to His coming, and they kept the Law of Moses because they saw in it the likeness of Him who would bring them Salvation. Looking forward to the Messiah was to them as effective as it is for us to look back. (Jarom 1:14) They were united in all good things.
For unity to be lasting and real, it must be upheld and sustained by righteousness. When men combine in evil, it is recognized as intrigue and conspiracy; when they unite with no fixed purpose, it is merely coalition. But the tie that bound together King Benjamin's people was not a plot, nor a scheme that would end with success or failure according to the strength or weakness of those involved. It was love-love of the Word of God, love of truth, and love for one another. This unity was innate in Benjamin and his followers. It recalls the words of the Psalmist, "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."
To develop this unity of purpose, Benjamin did not use harsh, disciplinary measures. He was not tyrannical or arbitrary. He had not caused any man to be confined in dungeons, nor had he suffered any of them to be made slaves.24 He labored with his own hands to provide the necessary things of life; he had sought neither gold nor silver from them by way of taxes, which to the poor among them might be grievous or oppressive. Through all this he taught them to keep the commandments of God. He did not boast these things, nor did he offer any apologies, pretexts, or excuses for his past; he entered calmly and even joyously on the prospects of answering before God for that which he had encouraged to be done.
The righteous behavior of the Nephites under King Benjamin, we may conclude, was the outgrowth of common principles, the reciprocity of mutual affections, "the inspiration of the heart, not the discipline of the rod." Jesus said, "Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you"; we should not forget that the nearer we are to God, the nearer we are to one another. This seems to have been the case with Benjamin's people. They were united in serving the Lord, and, together they were united as one big family of brethren in obeying and honoring His prophet. When we consider King Benjamin's salutation, "My Brethren," we recall the words of Jesus, our Redeemer, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my...brother."