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21 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr · Philosophy and Faith

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Speaker 1: Mosiah chapter sixteen. And now it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: after Abinnedai had spoken these words, he stretched forth his
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Speaker 1: hand and said, the time shall come when all shall
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Speaker 1: see the salvation of the Lord, when every nation, kindred tongue,
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Speaker 1: and people shall see eye to eye, and shall confess
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Speaker 1: before God that his judgments are just. And then shall
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Speaker 1: the wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause
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Speaker 1: to howl and weep and wail and gnash their teeth.
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Speaker 1: And this because they would not hearken unto the voice
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Speaker 1: of the Lord. Therefore the Lord redeemeth them not, for
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Speaker 1: they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power
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Speaker 1: over them. Yea, even that old serpent that did beguile
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Speaker 1: our first parents, which was the cause of their fall,
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Speaker 1: which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish,
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Speaker 1: knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil. Thus
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Speaker 1: all mankind were lost. And behold, they would have been endless,
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Speaker 1: lesly lost, were it not that God redeemed his people
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Speaker 1: from their lost and fallen state. But remember that he
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Speaker 1: that persists in his own carnal nature and goes on
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Speaker 1: in the ways of sin and rebellion against God remaineth
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Speaker 1: in his fallen state, and the devil hath all power
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Speaker 1: over him. Therefore he is as though there was no
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Speaker 1: redemption made, being an enemy to God. And also is
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Speaker 1: the devil an enemy to God. And now, if Christ
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Speaker 1: had not come into the world the speaking of things
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Speaker 1: to come, as though they had already come, there could
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Speaker 1: have been no redemption. And if Christ had not risen
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Speaker 1: from the dead or have broken the bands of death,
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Speaker 1: that the grave should have no victory, and that death
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Speaker 1: should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.
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Speaker 1: But there is a resurrection. Therefore the grave hath no victory,
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Speaker 1: and the sting of death is swallowed up. In Christ.
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Speaker 1: He is the light and the life of the world YEA.
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Speaker 1: A light that is endless, that can never be darkened, yea.
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Speaker 1: And also a life which is endless, that there can
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Speaker 1: be no more death. Even this mortal shall put on immortality,
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Speaker 1: and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be
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Speaker 1: brought to stand before the bar of God, to be
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Speaker 1: judged of Him according to their works, whether they be
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Speaker 1: good or whether they be evil. If they be good,
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Speaker 1: to the resurrection of endless life and happiness, and if
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Speaker 1: they be evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation being
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Speaker 1: delivered up to the devil who hath subjected them, which
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Speaker 1: is damnation, having gone according to their own carnal wills
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Speaker 1: and desires, having never called upon the Lord, while the
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Speaker 1: arms of mercy were extended towards them. For the arms
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Speaker 1: of mercy were extended towards them, and they would not
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Speaker 1: they being warned of their iniquities, and yet they would
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Speaker 1: not depart from them. And they were commanded to repent,
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Speaker 1: and yet they would not repent. And now now ought
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Speaker 1: ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and
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Speaker 1: remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved. Therefore,
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Speaker 1: if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that
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Speaker 1: it is a shadow of those things which are to come.
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Speaker 1: Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ, the Lord, who
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Speaker 1: is the very eternal Father, Amen, Mosiah, chapter seventeen. And
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Speaker 1: now it came to pass that when Abinedai had finished
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Speaker 1: these sayings, that the king commanded that the priest should
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Speaker 1: take him and cause that he should be put to death.
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Speaker 1: But there was one among them whose name was Alma.
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Speaker 1: He also being a descendant of Nephi, and he was
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Speaker 1: a young man, and he believed the words which Abinedai
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Speaker 1: had spoken, for he knew concerning the iniquity which Abinedai
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Speaker 1: has testified against them. Therefore, he began to plead with
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Speaker 1: the king that he would not be angry with Abinedai,
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Speaker 1: but suffer that he might depart in peace. But the
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Speaker 1: king was more wrath and caused that Almah should be
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Speaker 1: cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him,
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Speaker 1: that they might slay him. But he fled from before
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Speaker 1: them and hid himself, that they found him not, and he,
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Speaker 1: being concealed for many days, did write all the words
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Speaker 1: which Abinanedai had spoken. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: the king caused that his guards should surround Abneda and
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Speaker 1: take him, and they bound him and cast him into prison.
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Speaker 1: And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he
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Speaker 1: caused that he should again be brought before him, and
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Speaker 1: he said, unto him, Abinadai, we have found an accusation
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Speaker 1: against thee, and thou art worthy of death, for thou
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Speaker 1: hast said that God himself should come down among the
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Speaker 1: children of men. And now for this cause thou shalt
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Speaker 1: be put to death unless thou wilt recall all the
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Speaker 1: words which thou hast spoken evil concerning me and my people. Now,
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Speaker 1: Abned I said unto him, I say unto you, I
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Speaker 1: will not recall the words which I have spoken unto
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Speaker 1: you concerning this people, for they are true, and that
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Speaker 1: ye may know of their surety. I have suffered myself,
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Speaker 1: that I have fallen into your hands, yea, and I
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Speaker 1: will suffer even until death. And I will not recall
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Speaker 1: my words. And they shall stand as a testimony against you.
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Speaker 1: And if ye slay me, ye will shed innocent blood.
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Speaker 1: And this shall also stand as a testimony against you.
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Speaker 1: At the last day, and now King Noah was about
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Speaker 1: to release him, for he feared his word, for he
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Speaker 1: feared that the judgments of God would come upon him.
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Speaker 1: But the priests lifted up their voices against him and
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Speaker 1: began to accuse him, saying he has reviled the king.
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Speaker 1: Therefore the king was stirred up in anger against him,
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Speaker 1: and he delivered him up that he might be slain.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that they took him and
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Speaker 1: bound him and scourged his skin with faggots. Yea, even
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Speaker 1: unto death. And now when the flames began to scorch him.
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Speaker 1: He cried unto them, saying, behold, even as YE have
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Speaker 1: done unto me, so shall it come to pass that
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Speaker 1: thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains
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Speaker 1: that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire.
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Speaker 1: And this because they believe in the salvation of the
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Speaker 1: Lord their God. And it will come to pass that
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Speaker 1: ye shall be afflicted with all manner of diseases because
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Speaker 1: of your iniquities, yea, and ye shall be smitten on
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Speaker 1: every hand, and shall be driven and scattered to and fro,
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Speaker 1: even as a wild flock is driven by wild and
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Speaker 1: ferocious beasts. And in that day ye shall be hunted,
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Speaker 1: and ye shall be taken by the hand of your enemies.
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Speaker 1: And then ye shall suffer, as I suffer, the pains
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Speaker 1: of death by fire. Thus God executeth vengeance upon those
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Speaker 1: that destroy his life. People, O, God, receive my soul.
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Speaker 1: And now when Abinedai had said these words, he fell,
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Speaker 1: having suffered death by fire, Yea, having been put to
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Speaker 1: death because he would not deny the commandments of God,
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Speaker 1: having sealed the truth of his words by his death
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Speaker 1: Mosiah chapter eighteen. And now it came to pass that Alma,
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Speaker 1: who had fled from the servants of King Noah, repented
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Speaker 1: of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among
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Speaker 1: the people, and began to teach the words of abinedai
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Speaker 1: Yea concerning that which was to come, and also concerning
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Speaker 1: the resurrection of the dead and the redemption of the people,
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Speaker 1: which was to be brought to pass through the power
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Speaker 1: and sufferings and death of Christ, and his resurrection and
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Speaker 1: ascension into Heaven. And as many as would hear his word,
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Speaker 1: he did teach, and he taught them privately that it
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Speaker 1: might not come to the knowledge of the King. And
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Speaker 1: many did believe his words. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that as many as did believe him, did go forth
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Speaker 1: to a place which was called Mormon, having received its
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Speaker 1: name from the King, being in the borders of the land,
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Speaker 1: having been invested by times or at seasons by wild beasts.
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Speaker 1: Now there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water,
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Speaker 1: and Alma resorted thither, there being near the water a
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Speaker 1: thicket of small trees, where he did hide himself in
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Speaker 1: the daytime from the searches of the King. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that as many as believed him went
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Speaker 1: thither to hear his words. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: after many days there were a goodly number gathered together
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Speaker 1: at the place of Mormon to hear the words of
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Speaker 1: Alma Yea. All were gathered together that believed on his
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Speaker 1: word to hear him. And he did teach them, and
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Speaker 1: did preach unto them repentance and redemption and faith on
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Speaker 1: the Lord. And it came to pass that he said
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Speaker 1: unto them, behold here are the waters of Mormon. For
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Speaker 1: thus were they called, And now as year, desirous to
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Speaker 1: come into the fold of God and to be called
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Speaker 1: His people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens
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Speaker 1: that they may be light yea, and are willing to
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Speaker 1: mourn with those that mourn, Yea, and comfort those that
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Speaker 1: stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses
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Speaker 1: of God at all times and in all things and
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Speaker 1: in all places, that ye may be in even until death,
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Speaker 1: that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered
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Speaker 1: with those of the First Resurrection, that ye may have
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Speaker 1: eternal life. Now I say unto you, if this be
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Speaker 1: the desire of your hearts, what have you against being
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Speaker 1: baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness
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Speaker 1: before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him,
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Speaker 1: that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that
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Speaker 1: ye may pour out his spirit more abundantly upon you.
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Speaker 1: And now when the people had heard these words words,
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Speaker 1: they clapped their hands for joy and exclaimed, this is
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Speaker 1: the desire of our hearts. And now it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that Almah took Helim, he being one of the first,
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Speaker 1: and went and stood forth in the water and cried, saying, O, Lord,
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Speaker 1: pour out thy spirit upon thy servant, that he may
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Speaker 1: do this work with holiness of heart. And when he
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Speaker 1: had said these words, the spirit of the Lord was
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Speaker 1: upon him, and he said, Helim, I baptize thee having
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Speaker 1: authority from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye
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Speaker 1: have entered into a covenant to serve him until you
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Speaker 1: are dead as to the mortal body. And may the
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Speaker 1: spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you, and
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Speaker 1: may He grant unto you eternal life through the redemption
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Speaker 1: of Christ, whom he has prepared from the foundation of
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Speaker 1: the world. And after Almah had said these words, both
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Speaker 1: Alma and Helim were buried in the water, and they
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Speaker 1: arose and came forth out of the water, rejoicing, being
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Speaker 1: filled with the spirit. And again Alma took another and
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Speaker 1: went forth a second time into the water and baptized
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Speaker 1: him according to the first. Only he did not bury
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Speaker 1: himself again in the water. And after this manner he
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Speaker 1: did baptize everyone that went forth to the place of Mormon.
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Speaker 1: And they were in number about two hundred and four
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Speaker 1: souls Yea. And they were baptized in the waters of Mormon,
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Speaker 1: and were filled with the grace of God. And they
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Speaker 1: were called the Church of God or the Church of
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Speaker 1: Christ from that time forward. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of
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Speaker 1: God was added to his church. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests, even
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Speaker 1: one priest to every fifty of their number. Did he
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Speaker 1: ordain to preach unto them and to teach them concerning
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Speaker 1: the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. And he
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Speaker 1: commanded them that they should teach nothing save it were
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Speaker 1: the things which he had taught and which had been
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Speaker 1: spoken by the mouth of the Holy prophets. Yea. Even
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Speaker 1: he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it
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Speaker 1: were repentance and faith on the Lord who had redeemed
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Speaker 1: his people. And he commanded them that there should be
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Speaker 1: no contention one with another, but that they should look
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Speaker 1: forward with one eye, having one faith and one baptism,
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Speaker 1: having their hearts knit together in unity and in love,
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Speaker 1: one towards another. And thus he commanded them to preach.
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Speaker 1: And thus they became the children of God. And he
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Speaker 1: commanded them that they should observe the Sabbath day and
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Speaker 1: keep it holy, and also every day they should give
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Speaker 1: thanks to the Lord their God. And he also commanded
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Speaker 1: them that the priests whom he had ordained, should labor
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Speaker 1: with their own hands for their support. And there was
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Speaker 1: one day in every week that was set apart, that
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Speaker 1: they should gather themselves together to teach the people and
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Speaker 1: to worship the Lord their God. And also as often
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Speaker 1: as it were was in their power to assemble themselves together.
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Speaker 1: And the priests were not to depend upon the people
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Speaker 1: for their support, but for their labor. They were to
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Speaker 1: receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong
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Speaker 1: in the spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they
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Speaker 1: might teach with power and authority from God. And again
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Speaker 1: Alma commanded that the people of the Church should impart
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Speaker 1: of their substance, every one according to that which he had.
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Speaker 1: If he have more abundantly, he should impart more abundantly.
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Speaker 1: And of him that had but little, but little should
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Speaker 1: be required. And to him that had not should be given.
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Speaker 1: And thus they should impart of their substance of their
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Speaker 1: own free will and good desires towards God. And to
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Speaker 1: those priests that stood in need Yea, and to every
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Speaker 1: needy naked soul. And this he said unto them, having
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Speaker 1: been commanded of God. And they did walk uprightly before God,
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Speaker 1: imparting to one another, both temper and spiritually, according to
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Speaker 1: their needs and their wants. And now it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that all this was done in Mormon Yea, by
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Speaker 1: the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near
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Speaker 1: the waters of Mormon Yea, the place of Mormon, the
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Speaker 1: waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon. How beautiful are
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Speaker 1: they to the eyes of them who there came to
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Speaker 1: the knowledge of their redeemer, Yea. And how blessed are they,
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Speaker 1: for they shall sing to His praise forever. And these
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Speaker 1: things were done in the borders of the land, that
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Speaker 1: they might not come to the knowledge of the king.
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Speaker 1: But behold, it came to pass that the King, having
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Speaker 1: discovered a movement among the people, sent his servants to
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Speaker 1: watch them. Therefore, on the day that they were assembling
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Speaker 1: themselves together to hear the word of the Lord, they
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Speaker 1: were discovered unto the king. And now the King said
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Speaker 1: that Alma was stirring up the people to rebellion against him.
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Speaker 1: Therefore he sent his army to destroy them. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that Alma and the people of the
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Speaker 1: Lord were apprized of the coming of the king's army.
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Speaker 1: Therefore they took their tents and their families and departed
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Speaker 1: into the wilderness. And they were in number about four
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Speaker 1: hundred and fifty souls Mosiah chapter nineteen. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that the army of the King returned, having
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Speaker 1: searched in vain for the people of the Lord. And
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Speaker 1: now behold, the forces of the king were small, having
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Speaker 1: been reduced, and there began to be a division among
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Speaker 1: the remainder of the people, And the lesser part began
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Speaker 1: to breathe out threatenings against the King. And there began
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Speaker 1: to be a great contention among them. And now there
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Speaker 1: was a man among them whose name was Gideon, and
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Speaker 1: he being a strong man and an enemy to the king.
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Speaker 1: Therefore he drew his sword and swore in his wrath
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Speaker 1: that he would slay the king. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that he fought with the king, And when the
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Speaker 1: king saw that he was about to overpower him, he
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Speaker 1: fled and ran and got upon the tower which was
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Speaker 1: near the temple. And Gideon pursued after him, and was
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Speaker 1: about to get upon the tower to slay the king.
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Speaker 1: And the king cast his eyes round about towards the
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Speaker 1: land of Shemlon, and behold, the army of the Lamanites
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Speaker 1: was within the borders of the land. And now the
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Speaker 1: king cried out in the anguish of his soul, saying, Gideon,
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Speaker 1: spare me, for the Lamanites are upon us, and they
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Speaker 1: will destroy us. Yea, they will destroy my people. And
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Speaker 1: now the king was not so much concerned about his
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Speaker 1: people as he was about his own life. Nevertheless, Gideon
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Speaker 1: did spare his life, and the king commanded the people
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Speaker 1: that they should flee before the Lamanites, and he himself
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Speaker 1: did go before them, and they did flee into the
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Speaker 1: wilderness with their women and their children. And it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them and did
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Speaker 1: overtake them, and began to slay them. Now it came
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Speaker 1: to pass that the king commanded them that all the
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Speaker 1: men should leave their wives and their children and flee
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Speaker 1: before the Lamanites. Now there were many that would not
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Speaker 1: leave them, but had rather stay and perish with them.
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Speaker 1: And the rest left their wives and their children and fled.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that those who tarried with
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Speaker 1: their wives and their children caused that their fair daughters
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Speaker 1: should stand forth and plead with the Lamanites that they
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Speaker 1: would not slay them. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: the Lamanites had compassion on them, for they were charmed
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Speaker 1: with the beauty of their women. Therefore, the Lamanites did
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Speaker 1: spare their lives and took them captives and carried them
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Speaker 1: back to the land of Nephi, and granted unto them
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Speaker 1: that they might possess the land, under the conditions that
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Speaker 1: they would deliver up King Noah into the hands of
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Speaker 1: the Lamanites and deliver up their property even one half
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Speaker 1: of all they possessed, one half of their gold and
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Speaker 1: their silver, and all their precious things. And thus they
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Speaker 1: should pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites from
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Speaker 1: year to year. And now there was one of the
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Speaker 1: sons of the king among those that were taken captive,
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Speaker 1: whose name was Limhai. Now Limhai was desirous that his
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Speaker 1: father should not be destroyed. Nevertheless, Limhai was not ignorant
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Speaker 1: of the iniquities of his father, he himself being a
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Speaker 1: just man. And it came to pass that Gideon sent
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Speaker 1: men into the wilderness secretly to search for the king
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Speaker 1: and those that were with him. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that they met the people in the wilderness, all
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Speaker 1: save the king and his priests. Now they had sworn
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Speaker 1: in their hearts that they would return to the land
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Speaker 1: of Nephi, and if their wives and their children were slain,
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Speaker 1: and also those that had tarried with them, that they
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Speaker 1: would seek revenge and also perish with them. And the
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Speaker 1: king commanded them that they should not return. And they
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Speaker 1: were angry with the king and caused that he should
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Speaker 1: suffer even unto death by fire. And they were about
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Speaker 1: to take the priests also and put them to death,
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Speaker 1: and they fled before them. And it came to pass
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Speaker 1: that they were about to return to the land of Nephi,
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Speaker 1: and they met the men of Gideon, and the men
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Speaker 1: of Gideon told them of all that had happened to
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Speaker 1: their wives and their children, and that the Lamanites had
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Speaker 1: granted unto them that they might possess the land by
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Speaker 1: paying a tribute to the Lamanites of one half of
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Speaker 1: all they possessed. And the people told the men of
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Speaker 1: Gideon that they had slain the king and his priests
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Speaker 1: had fled from them farther into the wilderness. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that after they had ended the ceremony,
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Speaker 1: that they returned to the land of Nephi, rejoicing because
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Speaker 1: their wives and their children were not slain. And they
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Speaker 1: told Gideon what they had done to the king. And
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Speaker 1: it came to pass that the King of the Lamanites
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Speaker 1: made an oath unto them that his people should not
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Speaker 1: slay them. And also Limhai, being the son of the king,
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Speaker 1: having the kingdom conferred upon him by the people, made
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Speaker 1: oath unto the King of the Lamanites that his people
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Speaker 1: should pay tribute unto him even one half of all
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Speaker 1: they possessed. And it came to pass that Limbhai began
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Speaker 1: to establish the kingdom and to establish peace among his people,
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Speaker 1: and the king of the Lamanites set guards round about
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Speaker 1: the land, that he might keep the people of Limhai
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Speaker 1: in the land, that they might not depart into the wilderness.
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Speaker 1: And he did support his guards out of the tribute
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Speaker 1: which he did receive from the Nephites. And now King
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Speaker 1: Lemhi did have continual peace in his kingdom for the
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Speaker 1: space of two years, that the Lamanites did not molest
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Speaker 1: them nor seek to destroy them. End of Mosiah, chapter
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Speaker 1: sixteen through nineteen