Yet in spite of God's deliverance of them from their enemies, and the peace that imbued them all, enabling them to see those things which brought them happiness and prosperity-which in the land wherein they lived abounded most plentifully-some of the people "were lifted up unto pride and boastings because of their exceeding great riches, yea, even unto great persecutions." We may not be surprised that peace was shortlived. Iniquity and dissension soon began again to raise their hideous heads, and the prophets and servants of God were persecuted and some illegally condemned to death.
As among all prosperous people where wealth and a desire for more worldly goods motivate their way of life, both material things and station therein, these things became common merchandise among the Nephites. There were many merchants going from place to place hawking their wares and exchanging anything that appealed to their customers' fancy or satisfied their whims. We may imagine that many made all the trouble they could because there were also many lawyers among them seeking fees. Officers in search of authority over their fellow men added a luster to the rapidly growing sense of superiority one had over the other. "And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning...."