Mormon's transition does not clearly give a time frame between the closing of his sermon in the church in Zarahemla and this organizational process. It is possible that these ordinations occurred soon after, and it is also possible that these ordinations occurred some time after. Nevertheless, we are justified in supposing this to be a shorter rather than longer time period because Alma is preparing to continue his preaching in other areas attached to Zarahemla. Alma's apparent urgency in this missionary journey would suggest that he not tarry too long.
Alma's Ecclesiastical Organization:As Alma prepares to leave he "ordained priests and elders…to preside and watch over the church." Clearly there are two different types of offices in Alma's ecclesiastical organization, but what were their functions, and are their other offices? We would commit an error of historical interpretation if we were to assume that the same names in Alma's church as there are in the modern church would indicate that the functions are similar. Indeed, as we will see, the functions of these positions as they can be determined from the Book of Mormon are quite different from their identically named modern counterparts.
The earliest indication of ecclesiastical organization in the New World comes from Nephi: "2 Ne. 5:26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people." We have two different functions, priest and teacher, but only two people. Since the functions are listed in the plural, and there are only two, it would appear that at this early point in the Book of Mormon there is no clear distinction between a priest and a teacher. Rather than assume modern definitions of a "teacher" we should rather suppose it to be the more typical didactive function. Thus Jacob and Joseph were priests who taught their people, and were hence simultaneously teachers.
The early combination of the two functions apparently did not last, as later verses would appear to make a distinction between the persons of the priests and the persons of the teachers:
"Jarom 1:11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them."
By Jarom's time it would appear that priests and teachers were not the same persons. Similarly, we find: "Mosiah 25:21 Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma."
Even though there do appear to be two available functions, it should be remembered that the function of priest and teacher could be combined in the same person, as they were with Jacob and Joseph. In Mosiah we find Benjamin ordaining priests for the purpose of teaching: "Mosiah 6:3And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an end of all these things…[he] also had appointed priests to teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the oath which they had made…
Even Alma's first ordination of priests clearly combined the function of teaching into the other functions of the priest: "Mosiah 18:18And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."
While it is possible that there were two distinct offices, it is also possible that "priest and teacher" was a definition of the function that was given to a single person. This may be the best way to read Mosiah's charge to Alma concerning church governance:
Mosiah 25:19-21
19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.
20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of God in one assembly;
21 Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.
Verse 19 appears to confirm two separate offices, as Mosiah grants Alma the right to ordain "priests and teachers over every church." The problem comes when the next verses are used to define what "priests and teachers" will do. Verse 20 talks about the teacher governing, and verse 21 talks of the priest teaching. Clearly, priests were in an administrative role, with the office of "high priest" being the man with the ultimate ecclesiastical authority in Zarahemla (the title was first given to Alma: Mosiah 23:16, the designation does not exist prior to this point in the Book of Mormon).
It would appear safest, therefore, to assume that "priest and teacher" described aspects of the same office that was formally named "priest" and also functioned as a "teacher". Nevertheless, it is entirely possible that there were separate teachers. We cannot ascribe any function to this title than that of instruction in the word of God, a function clearly filled by other people. It may be that "priest" was a formal ecclesiastical position, and "teacher" was a lesser position not involved with governance.
The designation of "elder" is even yet more problematic as it is rarely used. The title first appears in Alma 4:
Alma 4:7 Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be among their people.
As with the term "teacher," "elder" shows here as a separate category from the more common "priests." Unfortunately, the only information we have on the function of the "elders" is that they were "over the church," but so were the priests and teachers.
The next important information about the elders comes from the appointment of Nephihah as chief judge:
16 And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people, that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws which had been given, and to put them in force according to the wickedness and the crimes of the people.
17 Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the people.
While the verse does not specifically give us information on the role of the "elders" we can extract some possibilities. The first important aspect is that there were multiple "elders" in the church. Secondly, at least one could be termed a "wise man" and capable of becoming a chief judge. We don't see more information on elders during Alma's time. The next information on the elders comes Moroni, so the time difference suggests the possibility that there may have been some alteration in the function over the years.
First, we find that the twelve disciples were referred to as elders: "Moro. 3:1 …the disciples, who were called the elders of the church…
In their capacity of elders, they have ecclesiastical authority: "Moro. 6:7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ."
This little evidence allows no more than a speculative reconstruction, but we can assay one based upon the name and the give functions. Rather than equate the ancient term "elder" with the modern priesthood office of Elder, it is probably better to assume that it refers to respected older men, the way "elders of the village" might be understood. These would be men whose position in the community transferred to the church, and they would have been a governing body. Clearly, they were under the auspices of the high priest, and probably the priest in Alma's day.
The calling of twelve disciples during Christ's visit apparently had an effect on the nature of church organization. With the emphasis on the twelve rather than a single high priest, it is probable that the "elders" became the ecclesiastical body that followed in the footsteps of the twelve, and that the governance of the church later shifted to these elders. This would have been allowed if the elders had had some type of governing function in the pre-Christ church, a function that is at least suggested by the case of Nephihah being chosen from among them. To be accepted in the greater society, Nephihah must have already had some credentials as a leader, and an "elder" of the people would have been sufficient.
Of course this is speculative, and dependent upon reading "elder," and earlier "teacher" as descriptions rather than titles. In the world of the Book of Mormon, those descriptions fit the social situation better than would an imposition of the modern functions backwards to the Book of Mormon peoples.
A last category of religious functionary that deserves examination is the role of the prophet. By far, the largest number of references to prophets in the Book of Mormon have their most clear antecedent in the brass plates. Prophets are invoked as part of the sacred record and their sacred teachings. Nevertheless, there were prophets among the Nephites. What was their role?
The first clear reference to contemporary prophets is found in Enos:
Enos 1:22-23
22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.
23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness, preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and all these things-stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord. I say there was nothing short of these things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep them from going down speedily to destruction. And after this manner do I write concerning them.
Enos' reference to prophets has the prophets fulfilling a very Old Testament role. They do not necessarily appear as leaders in the church, but very clearly appear as those who would bring the warnings from God to the people. Indeed, Enos' reference to prophets and the reaction of the people has a very familiar flavor to Old Testament readers. The prophets come, and the people are stiff-necked and do not listen.
Jarom also mentions prophets in very similar terms:
Jarom 1:10-11
10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the land.
11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.
In these verses, the prophets speak for the Lord, and they are one of the set of people who are trying to teach the people. Once again, however, it is important to notice that there is no indication that there is a prophet in an official ecclesiastical capacity. Once again, this follows the Old Testament model of the prophet.
A possible confirmation of this separation of prophets from the direct governance comes from Benjamin:
W of M 1:16
16 …it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the holy prophets who were among his people-
We know that Benjamin was at this time the leader both politically and religiously. In spite of Benjamin's position at the head of the religious organization (remembering that this precedes Alma and therefore precedes "churches" in Zarahemla) we have prophets (in the plural) who assist him. This continues to paint a very Old Testament function for prophets in the New World. Indeed, Ammon's brethren in his missionary efforts are deemed "prophets" (Alma 20:15).
When we see prophets in the Book of Mormon, therefore, we should see them as Old Testament prophets, those who are inspired to warn the people for God. They do not appear to have any ecclesiastical function.
To recap the organization of Alma's church, we can define two clear offices, with a probable third. There are priests who appear to have the ultimate authority in the church. Each local priest was subject to the high priest (Alma at this point) who resided in Zarahemla. Each church would also probably have a counsel of elders. In an ancient Mesoamerican setting these would likely be the leading men of the various clans in that church area. These men had some say in the governance of the church, a function that was probably expanded to the role of the elders in Moroni's time. While the overt discussion of contemporaneous prophets in the Book of Mormon appears to cease with Benjamin, it is possible that other prophets would appear in Mosiah's time as well.
It is an unanswerable question as to whether there were prophets in the time of Alma's church. There is no direct evidence for them. It is possible that after the formal organization of the church with Alma that the Lord communicated through the newly clarified ecclesiastical lines rather than the former more diffuse organization that existed when there was no separation between politics and religion.