Got to love the title of this blog, eh! So who was the lucky cat that died in such an ignominious (look it up kids) way? You recall the Gadianton Robbers, well this guy took over as leader after his successor was sought out and killed in another great battle to end all battles. This time the combatants are a combination of righteous Lamanites and Nephites against the not-so-righteous, okay, downright abhorrent (look that up too kids), robbers of Gadianton (also comprised of both Lamanites and Nephites).
A new general, righteously ruthless, named Gidgidoni, rallies his people to repentance and preparation for war. They recede from their vast lands to one place, the stronghold Zarahemla, and have provisions enough to survive for seven years (talk about food storage). There they prepare for the coming assault of GNR (my new acronym for the Gadianton Robbers and yes a slight jab at Guns n' Roses as well). The GNR army approaches and our, now thoroughly righteous, humble, and prepared, army kneel in prayer thanking God for all they had and asking for strength and protection - they were not fearful of the enemy. The GNR army sees this act and assumes they are scared out of their whits and therefore charge with much exuberance...much to their chagrin...the righteous army rises and they too charge - with greater exuberance, and win the day!
The GNR army retreats and regroups, naming a new general, our hanged friend Mr. Zemnarihah (I shall call him agent Z). Agent Z decides the best course would be to cutoff supply lines to the great city of Zerahemla (obviously unaware that they have a seven year supply of provisions) and therefore he surrounds the city. Not too long afterward the GNR boys run out of supplies and decide to call off the Great War and return home. Our good general, Gidgidoni (now ranked among our favorite generals; Moroni, Helaman, Teancum) discovers this plan and sends out a portion of his army to cutoff the retreat. The tactic works and the GNR army is routed quite convincingly. As for Agent Z...
3 NEPHI 3:28-29
28 And their leader, Zemnarihah, was taken and hanged upon a tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead. And when they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree to the earth, and did cry with a loud voice, saying:
29 May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth.
That is a serious execution! They even cut down and burned the tree he was hanged from...Dagum! The great and endearing point here is that Gidgidoni wanted to make a statement, he knew that his people were prone to the enticements of pride during long stretches of righteousness and he knew that one of those stretches was about to take place so, in his wisdom, he devised the extra portion of the execution as a reminder to the people that secret combinations would not be tolerated in the least amount - well played sir!
~Kipling
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