Ether 8

First, these chapters answered my question about whether or not the Jaredites had a written record that was brought with them over the ocean.

Ether 8:9

Whereby hath my father so much sorrow? Hath he not read the record which our fathers brought across the great deep?

So that answers that, but mostly this chapter deals with secret combinations. There is a lot of talk about secret combinations in the Book of Mormon, but it's hard to say what their direct equivalent is in our modern society. In a way gangs, organized crime, certain law firms, some politicians and lobbyists all fit into the category of secret combinations. by learning the characteristics of secret combination we can learn how to avoid and fight against them. And Moroni says that they are had among all people.

Ether 8:20-23

And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and combinations, for it hat been made known unto me that they are had among all people...

And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed...

Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain...

3 Nephi 6:28-30

And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea, even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which covenant was given and administered by the devil to combine against all righteousness.

Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord, and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was about to be administered according to the law.

And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their country...

Ether 8:25

For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

OK, that's a lot of references, but we learn some important things about secret combinations from those scriptures. The purpose of secret combinations is to get power and gain, to combine against all righteousness and the people of the lord, deliver those who are guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, set at defiance the law, and to overthrow the freedom of all lands. There could be others but those are the ones I picked out. Also we learn that secret combinations lead to the destruction of any nation in which they are present, its important to realize that they destroy nations from within, they don't destroy other nations, much like sin, it can't hurt us unless we let it in (so be less afraid of Al Qaeda and more afraid of corrupt politicians). And finally and perhaps most important, we learn that secret combinations cannot survive unless we are willing to uphold them, they cannot get above us unless we let them. If a people is righteous and repents and does not seek for power or gain then secret combinations will not survive.

Moroni warned us of these things so that we can stop them. Again it seems like the Book of Mormon is prompting us to be involved in our government and take responsibility for the direction of our society. Moroni also was commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men (Ether 8:26). In the end it's all up to us because like secret combinations Satan has no power unless we give it to him. Neither Satan or secret combinations can hurt us if we repent.