Mormon records that "there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite" (Mormon 1:19).
This verse creates confusion for the reader because, first, it is apparently not punctuated correctly. As the verse now stands, the reader is incorrectly led to believe that both Abinadi and Samuel prophesied about sorceries (which they did not). Additionally, if the reader looks at the footnotes they will find a reference to Samuel's prophecy but no reference is given for Abinadi. This adds to the confusion because the reader is led to believe that there is no recorded prophecy by Abinadi in the Book of Mormon which fulfills these words by Mormon.
The answer to all this confusion is that Abinadi did NOT prophesy about sorceries and witchcrafts; he prophesied about a people ripe for destruction. In other words, Abinadi prophesied about what Mormon discussed in verses 11-17. Samuel prophesied about what Mormon discussed in verses 17-19.
For the benefit of the reader, I will first note the specific prophecy of Abinadi, and then the specific prophecy of Samuel the Lamanite:
Prophecy of Abinadi Concerning Complete Destruction:
And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength . . . and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of the wickedness of their king and priests.
And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose name was Abinadi [who was apparently a "type" for Mormon], and he went forth among them, and began to prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus saith the Lord--Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and except they repent I will visit them in mine anger. . . .
And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other nations. And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this people.
And it came to pass that they were angry with him . . . (Mosiah 11:19-20; 12:8-9).
Prophecy of Samuel Concerning Slippery Treasures:
And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the Lord shall say--Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of him who hath hid it up--behold, it shall be accursed. (Helaman 12:18)
And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord of Hosts, because of the people's sake who are upon the land, yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations. And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord. For I will, saith the Lord that they shall hide up their treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall redeem it because of the curse of the land. And the day shall come that they shall hide up their treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and because they have set their hearts upon their riches, I will hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be smitten, saith the Lord. Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them unto you. Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your riches, not to thank the Lord your God for them; yea, your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, unto boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions and murders, and all manner of iniquities. For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because of your iniquities. (Helaman 13:17-23)
Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity. And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them. And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say: O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out. Yea, in that day ye shall say: O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us. Behold, lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought them for battle. Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away from us, because of the curse of the land. O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them. Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. Behold, our iniquities are great. O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us? And this shall be your language in those days. But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head. (Helaman 13:30-38)
Now, in order to more fully bring this message home to the reader, I will give a more appropriate punctuation for Mormon 1:19 as follows:
19a. "And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and witchcrafts, and magics."
The reader should note that verse 19a is a continuation of verses 17-18, which talk about a curse on the land and about slippery treasures. Mormon now summarizes the two messages which he has previously stated--(1) verses 11-17; and (2) verses 17-19a:
19b. : "And the power of the evil one was wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling of all the words of Abinadi, and also of Samuel the Lamanite."
Thus, in Mormon's reference to the fulfillment of these prophecies, we find another superb illustration of Mormon's inspired writing (and another reason to doubt that Joseph Smith could have written the Book of Mormon by himself). In a most convincing way, Mormon brings together specific prophecies about the destructions which occurred among his people, and the reasons behind those destructions. Mormon also gives to the reader in the last days a most convincing warning of what will happen if history chooses to repeat itself. [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes]