The majority of the people had chosen a contrary course, as King Mosiah had warned (see Mosiah 29:27), thus the few who recognized the truth (Helaman 8:7) feared that judgments would follow (v. 8). Those few took the position that Nephi would not be able to know what he knew if he was not a prophet (v. 9).
The anger of the secret band of Gadianton was typical of a fourth characteristic of a prophet; he is always unpopular with the wicked, while the righteous defend him. Jeremiah was the epitome of the Old Testament prophets unpopularity. He was placed in stocks at the gate by the temple where all could see him (see Jeremiah 20:1–2). He also suffered other persecutions (see Jeremiah 12). In the New Testament, Stephen was stoned to death because he testified to the wicked San-hedrin (see Acts 7:51–60). Joseph Smith was treated with great contempt by the very minister who had inspired him to go into the grove and pray, leading to his first vision (see Joseph Smith–History 1:21–23). Also, the angel Moroni told Joseph that his “name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people” (Joseph Smith–History 1:33).