Many of the people of Ammonihah had known Alma in Zarahemla during the early days of the Republic. They had founded Ammonihah to have a place far away from those who strictly kept the Law of Moses, and where they could revel, unmolested, in their queer belief that all men unmindful of their wicked ways would be saved. They rejoiced in what they called liberal doctrines, they forgetting that the doctrines of the Lord's Salvation are the most liberal of all, and the most forgiving of any.
The Ammonihahites readily recognized that Alma was the Presiding High Priest over his Church, which they said was founded upon tradition, and further they said, "We do not believe in such foolish traditions." When Alma, in obedience to his divine commitment, commanded them to repent, they took singular joy in declaring their freedom from his authoritative injunction by their proclaiming severance from Alma's Church, which was the Church of God, therefore, they said, "Thou hast no power over us." They also took malignant satisfaction because Alma had given up the Judgment-Seat to another, for that reason they further gloated, and in their ignorance and infatuation shouted, "Thou art not the Chief Judge over us."
But Alma had a message to bear them. He was not to be easily discouraged nor denied the right to deliver it. In "mighty prayer" he sought the help of Heaven's gracious ways. He implored God that the Holy Spirit might turn the hearts of the people from their wickedness, and that they would thereafter seek the Lord while there was yet time. Alma's great desire was not his own aggrandizement, but the advancement of truth and righteousness throughout the earth. He wanted no more than to add the people of Ammonihah to the great number of those who throughout the Nephite Commonwealth had been baptized unto repentance, and had had their sins remitted.
In spite of Alma's kindly manners and his direct appeal for their welfare, the Ammonihahites refused him sanctuary in their midst. Their hardened hearts became like granite, their ill will towards him was immeasurable, and they allowed the venom that is so often seen in apostates to be the sole judge of their seeming inexhaustible spite. They reviled him, they mocked him and spat upon him, and then cast him out of their sin-laden city.
Alma, grieving because of the wickedness of the Ammonihahites, wended his way "towards the City which was called Aaron."
Aaron, City of. It is natural to suppose that the City of Aaron was not far distant from Ammonihah; at any rate it was not on the other side of the continent. Yet the only other time when a city called Aaron is referred to it is spoken of as joining the Land of Moroni, which was the frontier district in the extreme southeast of the lands possessed by the Nephites. Our only explanation is to suggest that there were two cities called Aaron; not an unlikely thing when we reflect how important a personage Aaron, the son of King Mosiah, was among his people. When he was chosen to be king, he declined this great honor and the Nephite Republic was established. It requires very little imagination to believe that a free and grateful people would name more than one city in honor of this self-denying prince.
The only mention made of the first of these cities is that Alma bent his way "toward the city which was called Aaron," (82 B.C.) Of the second City of Aaron we learn that it was north of Moroni on the Atlantic slope; between these two places the Nephites built a third city (72 B.C.) and called it Nephihah. (Alma 50:14)