“They Did Not Establish a King over the Land”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

In spite of the fact that the rebellious overthrew the government, and caused that the Chief Judge be murdered while he sat upon the Judgment-Seat, they were unable, as they desired, to establish a kingship to rule over the land. In the spasmodic attempts by Nephite Royalists to place a king at the head of their government, they never succeeded to permanently change the form of its administrative powers. Although the Heaven-inspired laws of the Republic were sometimes perverted to meet the criminal tendencies of the wicked or feed their greed, they were not made subject to the despotic rule of a king. This was especially true at times when the Gadianton Robbers elected men to governmental offices, and forthwith proceeded to fulfil their unrighteous purposes.

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 7

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