Therefore they were not permitted to
enter into their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness;
therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross;
therefore they were poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in
heart. (Alma 32:3)
Therefore, if ye do not remember to be
charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no
worth) and is trodden under foot of men. (Alma 34:29)
The
reference to the simile, “as dross,” has been used to argue the Book of Mormon
teaches that the Nephites and Lamanites had widespread knowledge and use of
metallurgy. While the first two definitions of “dross” in
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary have reference to metallurgy, the third definition
does not, and could fit nicely into the use in Alma 32:3 (though not 34:29):
Waste matter; refuse; any worthless
matter separated from the better part; impure matter.
