that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them. 3. Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? 4. For he said, Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me; 5. Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me. 6. And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer. 7. And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me; 8. Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee to be heard of thee, and not of men, and thou wilt hear them; 9. Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations; 10. Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out, and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction. 11. And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son. 12. And now Alma said unto them, Do ye believe those 'scriptures which have been written by them of old? 13. Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what "Zenos said; for, behold he said, Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of thy Son. 14. Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have "read the scriptures? If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God? 15. For it is not written that 'Zenos alone spake of these things, but Zenock also spake of these things; 16. For behold, he said, Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand of thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son. 17. And now my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not understand his words, they stoned him to death. c, Copies from the Brass Plates. e, see e, II. Nep. 32. f, see c. h, I. Nep. 19. j, see g, 1. Nep. 19. Alma 63: 12. d, see h, 1. Nep. 19. h, see c. 2, see 18. But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God. 19. Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. 20. But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look, is because they did not believe that it would heal them. 21. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes, that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? 22. If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the "resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged, at the last and judgment day, according to their works. 23. And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell, even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can, ye do if ye will. Amen. CHAPTER 34. 1. AND now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words unto them, he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began to teach them, saying; 2. My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea, I know that these things were taught unto you, bountifully before your dissension from among us. 3. And as ye have desired of my beloved brother, that he should make known unto you "what ye should do, because of your afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you k, The Brazen Serpent. 1, see f, II. Nep. 2. m, see d, II. Nep. 2. a, Alma 32: 5. to prepare your minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience; 4. Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to 'plant the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its goodness; 5. And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds, is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ. 6. And ye also beheld that my brother has proven unto you, in many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation. 7. My brother has called upon the words of "Zenos, that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenoch; and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true. 8. And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it; 9. For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the eternal God, there must be an atonement made, or else "all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made; 10. For it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice. 11. Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood, which will atone for the sins of another. Now if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay. 12. But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite atonement, which will suffice for the sins of the world; 13. Therefore it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a 'stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled; every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away. 14. And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law; b, Alma 33: 23. c, Alma 31: 16. See h, I. Nep. 19. g, see f, II. Nep. 2. j, vers. 10, 14. k, vers. d. Alma 33: 3. e, Alma 33: 15. see g, 1. Nep. 19. f, Alma 33: 19. h, see e and g, 11. Nep. 9. i, see f, II. Nep. 2. 14, 15. 1, III. Nep. 9: 19. m, see o, 11. Nep. 25. every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and "last sacrifice will be the Son of God: yea, infinite and eternal; 15. And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this Plast sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. 16. And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance, is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance, is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption. 17. Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you; 18. Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save; 19. Yea, humble yourselves, and "continue in prayer unto him; 20. Cry unto him when ye are in your fields; yea, over all your flocks; 21. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening; 22. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies; 23. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. 24. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them; 25. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. 26. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness; 27. Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. 28. And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need; I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith; 29. Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye n, vers. 13, 15. r, see e, II. Nep. 32. o, ver. 10. p, vers. 13, 14. q, see 2m, Alma 12. 8, see l, Mos. 4. t, Moro. 7:6-8. Y are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth,) and is trodden underfoot of men. 30. And now, my brethren, I would that after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, come forth and bring fruit unto repentance; 31. Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time, and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. 32. For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. 33. And now as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you, that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness, wherein there can be no labor performed. 34. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. 35. For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath "all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked. 36. And this I know, because the Lord hath said, He dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also said, That the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, to go no more out: but their garments should be made white, through the blood of the Lamb. 37. And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming of Christ; 38. That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in Spirit and in truth; v, see 2a, Alma 12. u, upon the Brass and other metallic plates. w, see i, I. Nep. 9. x, see r, Alma 7. y, see e, Mos. 5. |