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

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine. Oh, that I were an angel and
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Speaker 1: could have the wish of mine heart, that I might
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Speaker 1: go forth and speak with the trump of God with
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Speaker 1: a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto
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Speaker 1: every people. Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as
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Speaker 1: with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption,
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Speaker 1: that they should repent and come unto our God, that
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Speaker 1: there might not be more sorrow upon all the face
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Speaker 1: of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and
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Speaker 1: do sin in my wish, For I ought to be
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Speaker 1: content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.
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Speaker 1: I ought not to harrow up in my desires the
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Speaker 1: firm decree of a just God. For I know that
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Speaker 1: He granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it
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Speaker 1: be unto death or unto life. Yea. I know that
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Speaker 1: He allotteth unto men. Yea, decreeth unto them decrees which
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Speaker 1: are unalterable according to their wills, whether they be unto
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Speaker 1: salvation or unto destruction. Yea. And I know that good
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Speaker 1: and evil hath come before all men. He that knoweth
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Speaker 1: not good from evil is blameless. But he that knoweth
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Speaker 1: good and evil to him. It is given according to
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Speaker 1: his desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death,
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Speaker 1: joy or remorse of conscience. Now, seeing that I know
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Speaker 1: these things, why should I desire more than to perform
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Speaker 1: the work to which I have been called? Why should
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Speaker 1: I desire that I were an angel, that I could
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Speaker 1: speak unto all the ends of the earth. For behold,
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Speaker 1: the Lord doth grant unto all nations of their own
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Speaker 1: nation and tongue to teach his word yea, in wisdom,
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Speaker 1: all that he seeth fit that they should have. Therefore
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Speaker 1: we see that the Lord doth counsel and wisdom according
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Speaker 1: to that which is just and true. I know that
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Speaker 1: which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.
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Speaker 1: I do not glory of myself, but I glory in
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Speaker 1: that which the Lord hath commanded me. Yea. And this
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Speaker 1: is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument
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Speaker 1: in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance.
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Speaker 1: And this is my joy. And behold, when I see
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Speaker 1: many of my brethren truly penitent in coming to the
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Speaker 1: Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy?
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Speaker 1: Then do I remember what the Lord has done for me. Yea,
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Speaker 1: even that he hath hurt my prayer. Yea. Then do
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Speaker 1: I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me. Yea.
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Speaker 1: And I also remember the captivity of my fathers, For
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Speaker 1: I surely do know that the Lord did deliver them
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Speaker 1: out of bondage, and by this did establish his church. Yea.
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Speaker 1: The Lord God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,
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Speaker 1: the God of Jacob, did deliver them out of bondage. Yea.
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Speaker 1: I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers, and
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Speaker 1: that same God who delivered them out of the hands
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Speaker 1: of the Egyptians, to deliver them out of bondage. Yea.
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Speaker 1: And that same God did establish his church among them, yea.
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Speaker 1: And that the same God hath called me by a
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Speaker 1: holy calling to preach the Word unto this people, and
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Speaker 1: hath given me much success in the which my joy
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Speaker 1: is full. But I do not joy in my own
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Speaker 1: success alone. But my joy is more full because of
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Speaker 1: the success of my brethren who have been up to
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Speaker 1: the land of Nephi. Behold, they have labored exceedingly and
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Speaker 1: have brought forth much fruit. And how great shall be
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Speaker 1: their reward now when I think of the success of
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Speaker 1: these my brethren. My soul is carried away, even to
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Speaker 1: the separation of it from the body, as it were.
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Speaker 1: So great is my joy. And now may God grant
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Speaker 1: unto these my brethren, that they may sit down in
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Speaker 1: the Kingdom of God Yea, and also all those who
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Speaker 1: are the fruit of their labors, that they may go
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Speaker 1: no more out, but that they may praise Him forever.
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Speaker 1: And may God grant that it may be done according
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Speaker 1: to my words, even as I have spoken, Amen Almah. Behold.
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Speaker 1: Now it came to pass that after the people of
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Speaker 1: Amen were established in the land of Jershon Yea, and
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Speaker 1: also after the Lamanites were driven out of the land,
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Speaker 1: and their dead were buried by the people of the land.
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Speaker 1: Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness
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Speaker 1: of their numbers. Neither were the dead of the Nephites numbered.
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Speaker 1: But it came to pass after they had buried their dead,
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Speaker 1: and also after the days of fasting and mourning and prayer.
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Speaker 1: And it was in the sixteenth year of the reign
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Speaker 1: of the Judges over the people of Nephi there began
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Speaker 1: to be continual peace throughout all the land Yea, and
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Speaker 1: the people did observe to keep the commandments of the Lord,
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Speaker 1: and they were strict in observing the ordinances of God
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Speaker 1: according to the Law of Moses. For they were taught
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Speaker 1: to keep the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.
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Speaker 1: And thus the people did have no disturbance in all
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Speaker 1: the sixteenth year of the reign of the Judges over
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Speaker 1: the people of Nephi, and it came to pass in
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Speaker 1: the commencement of the seventeenth year of the reign of
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Speaker 1: the Judges, there was continue old peace, but it came
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Speaker 1: to pass. In the latter end of the seventeenth year.
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Speaker 1: There came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and
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Speaker 1: he was anti Christ, for he began to preach unto
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Speaker 1: the people against the prophecies which had been spoken by
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Speaker 1: the prophets concerning the coming of Christ. Now there was
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Speaker 1: no law against a man's belief, for it was strictly
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Speaker 1: contrary to the commands of God that there should be
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Speaker 1: a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.
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Speaker 1: For thus saith the scripture choose ye this day whom
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Speaker 1: you will serve. Now, if a man desired to serve God,
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Speaker 1: it was his privilege. Or rather, if he believed in God,
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Speaker 1: it was his privilege to serve him. But if he
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Speaker 1: did not believe in him, there was no law to
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Speaker 1: punish him. But if he murdered, he was punished unto death.
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Speaker 1: And if he robbed, he was also punished. And if
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Speaker 1: he stole, he was also punished. And if he committed adultery,
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Speaker 1: he was also punished. Yea, for all this wickedness they
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Speaker 1: were punished for there was a law that men should
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Speaker 1: be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no
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Speaker 1: law against a man's belief. Therefore a man was punished
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Speaker 1: only for the crimes which he had done. Therefore, all
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Speaker 1: men were on equal grounds. And this anti Christ, whose
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Speaker 1: name was Corrohor, and the law could have no hold
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Speaker 1: upon him, began to preach unto the people that there
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Speaker 1: should be no Christ. And after this manner did he preach, saying, oh,
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Speaker 1: ye that are bound down under a foolish in a
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Speaker 1: vain hope, Why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things?
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Speaker 1: Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man
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Speaker 1: can know of anything which is to come. Behold these
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Speaker 1: things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed
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Speaker 1: down by Holy prophets. Behold, they are foolish traditions of
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Speaker 1: your fathers. How do ye know of their surety? Behold,
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Speaker 1: ye cannot know of things which ye do not see.
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Speaker 1: Therefore ye cannot know that there shall be a Christ.
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Speaker 1: You look forward and say that ye see a remission
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Speaker 1: of your sins. But behold, it is the effect of
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Speaker 1: a frenzied mind. And this derangement of your minds comes
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Speaker 1: because of the traditions of your fathers, which lead you
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Speaker 1: away and to a belief of things which are not so.
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Speaker 1: And many more such things did he say unto them,
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Speaker 1: telling them that there could be no atonement made for
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Speaker 1: the sins of men. But every man fared in this
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Speaker 1: life according to the management of the creature. Therefore every
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Speaker 1: man prospered according to his genius, and that every man
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Speaker 1: conquered according to his strength. And whatsoever a man did
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Speaker 1: was no crime. And thus he did preach unto them,
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Speaker 1: leading away the hearts of many, causing them to lift
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Speaker 1: up their heads in their wickedness. Yea leading away many
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Speaker 1: women and also men to commit whoredoms, telling them that
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Speaker 1: when a man was dead, that was the end thereof
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Speaker 1: Now this man went over to the land of Jershon
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Speaker 1: also to preach these things among the people of Amen,
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Speaker 1: who are once the people of the Lamanites. But behold,
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Speaker 1: they were more wise than many of the Nephites. For
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Speaker 1: they took him and bound him and carried him before Amin,
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Speaker 1: who was a high priest over that people. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that he caused that he should be
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Speaker 1: carried out of the land. And he came over into
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Speaker 1: the land of Gideon and began to preach unto them also,
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Speaker 1: And here he did not have much success, for he
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Speaker 1: was taken and bound and carried before the high priest
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Speaker 1: and also the chief judge over the land. And it
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Speaker 1: came to pass that the high priest said unto him,
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Speaker 1: why do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord.
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Speaker 1: Why do ye teach this people that there shall be
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Speaker 1: no Christ to interrupt their rejoicings. Why do ye speak
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Speaker 1: against all the prophecies of the holy prophets? Now the
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Speaker 1: high priest's name was Geddona, and Korihor said unto him,
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Speaker 1: because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your fathers,
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Speaker 1: and because I do not teach this people to bind
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Speaker 1: themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are
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Speaker 1: laid down by ancient priests to usurp power and authority
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Speaker 1: over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may
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Speaker 1: not lift up their heads, but be brought down according
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Speaker 1: to thy words. Ye say this people is a free people. Behold,
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Speaker 1: I say they are in bondage. Ye say that these
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Speaker 1: ancient prophecies are true. Behold, I say that ye do
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Speaker 1: not know that they are true. Ye say that this
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Speaker 1: people is a guilty and a fallen people because of
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Speaker 1: the transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a
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Speaker 1: child is not guilty because of its parents. And ye
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Speaker 1: also say that Christ shall come. But behold, I say
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Speaker 1: that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ.
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Speaker 1: And ye say also that he shall be slain for
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Speaker 1: the sins of the world. And thus ye lead away
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Speaker 1: this people after the foolish traditions of your fathers, and
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Speaker 1: according to your own desires. And ye keep them down
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Speaker 1: even as it were in bondage, that ye may glut
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Speaker 1: yourselves with the labors of their hands. That they durst
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Speaker 1: not look up with boldness, that they durst not enjoy
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Speaker 1: their rights and privileges. Yea they durst not make use
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Speaker 1: of that which is their own, lest they should offend
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Speaker 1: their priests, who to yoke them according to their desires,
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Speaker 1: and have brought them to believe, by their traditions and
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Speaker 1: their dreams, and their whims, and their visions, and their
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Speaker 1: pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not, according
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Speaker 1: to their words, offend some unknown being who they say
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Speaker 1: is God, a being who has never been seen or known,
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Speaker 1: who never was, nor ever will be. Now when the
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Speaker 1: high Priest and the Chief Judge saw the hardness of
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Speaker 1: his heart, Yea, when they saw that he would revile
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Speaker 1: even against God, they would not make any reply to
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Speaker 1: his words. But they caused that he should be bound,
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Speaker 1: and they delivered him up into the hands of the officers,
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Speaker 1: and sent him to the land of Zarahemla, that he
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Speaker 1: might be brought before Alma and the chief Judge, who
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Speaker 1: was governor over all the land. And it came to
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Speaker 1: pass that when he was brought before Alma and the
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Speaker 1: chief Judge, he did go on in the same manner
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Speaker 1: as he did in the land of Gideon. Yea, he
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Speaker 1: went on to blaspheme, and he did rise up in
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Speaker 1: great swelling words before Almah and did revile against the
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Speaker 1: priests and teachers, accusing them of leading away the people
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Speaker 1: after the silly traditions of their fathers, for the sake
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Speaker 1: of glutting on the labors of the people. Now Almah
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Speaker 1: said unto him, thou knowest that we do not glut
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Speaker 1: ourselves upon the labors of this people. For behold, I
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Speaker 1: have labored even from the commencement of the reign of
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Speaker 1: the judges, until now was mine own hands for my support.
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Speaker 1: Notwithstanding my many travels round about the land to declare
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Speaker 1: the word of God unto my people, and notwithstanding the
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Speaker 1: many labors which I have performed in the church, I
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Speaker 1: have never received so much as even one senine for
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Speaker 1: my labor. Neither has any of my brethren, save it
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Speaker 1: were in the judgment seat. And then we have received
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Speaker 1: only according to law for our time. And now, if
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Speaker 1: we do not receive anything for our labors in the church,
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Speaker 1: what doth it profit us to labor in the church,
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Speaker 1: save it were to declare the truth, that we may
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Speaker 1: have rejoicings in the joy of our brethren. Then why
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Speaker 1: sayest thou that we preach under this people to get gain,
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Speaker 1: When thou of thyself knowest that we receive no gain.
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Speaker 1: And now believest thou that we deceive this people that
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Speaker 1: causes such joy in their hearts. And Korihor answered him, yea.
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Speaker 1: And then Alma said unto him, believest thou that there
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Speaker 1: is a God. And he answered nay. Now Almah said
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Speaker 1: unto him, will ye deny again that there is a God,
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Speaker 1: and also deny the Christ. For behold, I say unto you,
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Speaker 1: I know there is a God, and also that Christ
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Speaker 1: shall come. And now what evidence have ye that there
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Speaker 1: is no God or that Christ cometh. Not I say
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Speaker 1: unto you that ye have none save it be your
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Speaker 1: word only. But behold, I have all things as a
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Speaker 1: testimony that these things are true. And ye also have
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Speaker 1: all things as a testimony unto you that they are true.
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Speaker 1: And will ye deny them? Believest thou that these things
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Speaker 1: are true. Behold, I know that thou believest. But thou
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Speaker 1: art possessed with a lying spirit. And ye have put
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Speaker 1: off the spirit of God, that it may have no
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Speaker 1: place in you. But the devil has power over you,
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Speaker 1: and he doth carry you about working devices that he
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Speaker 1: may destroy the children of God. And now Korihor said
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Speaker 1: unto Almah. If thou wilt show unto me a sign
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Speaker 1: that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea,
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Speaker 1: show unto me that he hath power, Then will I
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Speaker 1: be convinced of the truth of thy words. But Almah said,
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Speaker 1: unto him, thou hast had signs enough, will ye temp
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Speaker 1: your God? Will ye say, show unto me a sign?
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Speaker 1: When ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren,
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Speaker 1: and also all the holy prophets. The scriptures are laid
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Speaker 1: before thee yea, and all things denote that there is
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Speaker 1: a God, yea. Even the earth and all things that
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Speaker 1: are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion yea.
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Speaker 1: And also the planets which move in their regular form,
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Speaker 1: to witness that there is a supreme Creator. And yet
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Speaker 1: ye go about leading away the hearts of this people,
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Speaker 1: testifying unto them that there is no God. And yet
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Speaker 1: will ye deny against all these witnesses. And he said, yea,
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Speaker 1: I will deny except ye show me a sign. And
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Speaker 1: now it came to pass that Almah said unto him, behold,
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Speaker 1: I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea,
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Speaker 1: that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth
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Speaker 1: that thy soul may be destroyed. But behold, it is
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Speaker 1: better that thy soul should be lost. Then thou shouldst
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Speaker 1: be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction
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Speaker 1: by thy lying and by thy flattering words. Therefore, if
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Speaker 1: thou shalt deny again, behold, God shall smite thee, that
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Speaker 1: thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy
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Speaker 1: mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people
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Speaker 1: any more. Now, Korihor said unto him, I do not
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Speaker 1: deny the existence of a God. But I do not
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Speaker 1: believe that there is a God. And I say also
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Speaker 1: that ye do not know that there is a God.
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Speaker 1: And except ye show me a sign, I will not believe.
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Speaker 1: Now Almah said unto him, this will I give unto
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Speaker 1: thee for a sign. Thou shalt be struck dumb according
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Speaker 1: to my words. And I say that in the name
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Speaker 1: of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye shall
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Speaker 1: have no more utterance. Now, when Almah had said these words,
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Speaker 1: Korihor was struck dumb that he could not have utterance
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Speaker 1: according to the words of Almah. And now when the
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Speaker 1: chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand and
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Speaker 1: wrote unto Korihor, saying, art thou convinced of the power
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Speaker 1: of God? And whom did ye desire that Almah should
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Speaker 1: show forth his sign? Would ye that he should afflict
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Speaker 1: others to show unto thee a sign. Behold, he has
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Speaker 1: showed unto you a sign. And now will ye dispute more?
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Speaker 1: And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying, I
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Speaker 1: know that I am dumb, for I cannot speak. And
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Speaker 1: I know that nothing save it were the power of
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Speaker 1: God could bring this upon me. Yea. And I always
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Speaker 1: knew that there was a God. But behold, the devil
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Speaker 1: hath deceived me. For he appeared unto me in the
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Speaker 1: form of an angel and said, unto me, go and
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Speaker 1: reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after
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Speaker 1: an unknown God. And he said, unto me, there is
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Speaker 1: no God, yea. And he taught me that which I
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Speaker 1: should say. And I have taught his words. And I
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Speaker 1: taught them because they were pleaded unto the carnal mind.
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Speaker 1: And I taught them even until I had much success,
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Speaker 1: insomuch that I verily believed that they were true. And
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Speaker 1: for this cause I withstood the truth even until I
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Speaker 1: have brought this great curse upon me. And now, when
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Speaker 1: he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray
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Speaker 1: unto God that the curse might be taken from him.
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Speaker 1: But Alma said unto him, if this curse should be
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Speaker 1: taken from Thee, thou wouldst again lead away the hearts
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Speaker 1: of this people. Therefore it shall be unto Thee, even
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Speaker 1: as the Lord will. And it came to pass that
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Speaker 1: the curse was not taken off of Korihor, but he
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Speaker 1: was cast out, and he went about from house to
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Speaker 1: house begging for his food. Now, the knowledge of what
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Speaker 1: had happened unto Korihor was immediately published throughout all the land. Yea,
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Speaker 1: the proclamation was sent forth by the Chief Judge to
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Speaker 1: all the people in the land, declaring unto those who
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Speaker 1: had believed in the words of Korihor, that they must
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Speaker 1: speedily repent lest the same judgments should come upon them.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass that they were all convinced
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Speaker 1: of the wickedness of Korihor. Therefore they were all converted
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Speaker 1: again unto the Lord. And this put an end to
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Speaker 1: the iniquity. After the manner of Korihor and Korihor did
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Speaker 1: go about from house to house, begging food for his support.
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Speaker 1: And it came to pass it as he went forth
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Speaker 1: among the people Yea, among a people who had separated
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Speaker 1: themselves from the Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led
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Speaker 1: by a man whose name was Zoram. And as he
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Speaker 1: went forth amongst them, behold, he was run upon and
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Speaker 1: trodden down, even until he was dead. And thus we
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Speaker 1: see the end of him who perverteth the ways of
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Speaker 1: the Lord. And thus we see that the devil will
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Speaker 1: not support his children at the last day, but doth
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Speaker 1: speedily drag them down to Hell. Alma, chapter thirty one.
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Speaker 1: Now it came to pass that, after the end of
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Speaker 1: Kororhor Alma, having received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting
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Speaker 1: the ways of the Lord, and that Zoram, who was
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Speaker 1: their leader, was leading the hearts of the people to
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Speaker 1: bow down to dumb idols, his heart again began to
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Speaker 1: sicken because of the iniquity of the people. For it
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Speaker 1: was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know
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Speaker 1: of iniquity among his people. Therefore, his heart was exceedingly
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Speaker 1: sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the Nephites. Now,
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Speaker 1: the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in the land which
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Speaker 1: they called Antionum, which was east of the land of Zarahemla,
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Speaker 1: which lay nearly bordering upon the sea shore, which was
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Speaker 1: south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon
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Speaker 1: the wilderness south which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.
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Speaker 1: None of the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would
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Speaker 1: enter into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it
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Speaker 1: would be the means of great loss on the part
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Speaker 1: of the Nephites. And now, as the preaching of the
19:55
Speaker 1: Word had a great tendency to lead the people to
19:58
Speaker 1: do that which was just, yet it had more powerful
20:01
Speaker 1: effect upon the minds of the people than the sword
20:04
Speaker 1: or anything else which had happened unto them. Therefore, Alma
20:08
Speaker 1: thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue
20:10
Speaker 1: of the Word of God. Therefore he took Amin and Aaron,
20:15
Speaker 1: and Omner and him Nigh. He did leave in the
20:17
Speaker 1: church in Zarahemla. But the former three he took with him,
20:21
Speaker 1: and also Amulek and Ziezram, who are at Meelek, and
20:25
Speaker 1: he also took two of his sons. Now, the eldest
20:28
Speaker 1: of his sons he took nought with him, and his
20:30
Speaker 1: name was Heliman. But the names of those he took
20:33
Speaker 1: with him were Shiblon and Kriantin. And these are the
20:37
Speaker 1: names of those who went with him among the Zoramites
20:40
Speaker 1: to preach unto them the Word. The Zoramites were dissenters
20:43
Speaker 1: from the Nephites. Therefore they had had the word of
20:47
Speaker 1: God preached unto them, But they had fallen into great errors,
20:51
Speaker 1: for they would not observe to keep the commandments of
20:53
Speaker 1: God and his statutes according to the Law of Moses.
20:58
Speaker 1: Neither would they observe the performances of the Church to
21:01
Speaker 1: continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they
21:04
Speaker 1: might not enter into temptation. Yea, and fine, they did
21:08
Speaker 1: pervert the ways of the Lord in very many instances. Therefore,
21:13
Speaker 1: for this cause, Alma and his brethren went into the
21:16
Speaker 1: land to preach the Word unto them. Now, when they
21:19
Speaker 1: had come into the land, behold to their astonishment, they
21:22
Speaker 1: found that the Zoramites had built synagogues, and that they
21:26
Speaker 1: did gather themselves together on one day of the week,
21:29
Speaker 1: which day they did call the Day of the Lord.
21:32
Speaker 1: And they did worship after a manner which Alma and
21:34
Speaker 1: his brethren had never beheld, For they had a place
21:38
Speaker 1: built up in the center of their synagogue, a place
21:41
Speaker 1: for standing, which was high above the head, and the
21:44
Speaker 1: top thereof would only admit one person. Therefore, whosoever desired
21:49
Speaker 1: to worship must go forth and stand upon the top thereof,
21:52
Speaker 1: and stretch forth his hands towards Heaven, and cry with
21:56
Speaker 1: a loud voice, saying, Holy, Holy God. We believe that
22:01
Speaker 1: thou art God, and we believe that thou art Holy,
22:05
Speaker 1: and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou art
22:07
Speaker 1: a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever,
22:12
Speaker 1: Holy God. We believe that thou hast separated us from
22:15
Speaker 1: our brethren, and we do not believe in the tradition
22:18
Speaker 1: of our brethren, which was handed down to them by
22:21
Speaker 1: the childishness of their fathers. But we believe that thou
22:25
Speaker 1: hast elected us to be thy holy children. And also
22:29
Speaker 1: that thou hast made it known unto us that there
22:31
Speaker 1: shall be no Christ, but thou art the same, yesterday
22:36
Speaker 1: to day and forever, and thou hast elected us that
22:39
Speaker 1: we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected
22:42
Speaker 1: to be cast by Thy wrath down to Hell. For
22:45
Speaker 1: the which holiness, O God, we thank THEE. And we
22:49
Speaker 1: also thank THEE that thou hast elected us that we
22:52
Speaker 1: may not be led away after the foolish traditions of
22:55
Speaker 1: our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief
22:58
Speaker 1: of Christ, which lead their hearts to wander far from
23:02
Speaker 1: THEE our God. And again we thank THEE, O God,
23:05
Speaker 1: that we are a chosen and a holy people. Amen.
23:10
Speaker 1: Now it came to pass that after Alma and his
23:12
Speaker 1: brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were
23:15
Speaker 1: astonished beyond all measure. For behold, every man did go
23:20
Speaker 1: forth and offer up these same prayers. That the place
23:24
Speaker 1: was called by them Ramiemtam, which being interpreted is the
23:29
Speaker 1: holy stand. Now from this stand, they did offer up
23:33
Speaker 1: every man the self same prayer unto God, thinking their
23:37
Speaker 1: God that they were chosen of him, and that He
23:39
Speaker 1: did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren,
23:43
Speaker 1: and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe
23:46
Speaker 1: in things to come which they knew nothing about. Now,
23:49
Speaker 1: after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner,
23:53
Speaker 1: they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God
23:56
Speaker 1: again until they had assembled themselves together again to the
23:59
Speaker 1: Holy stand to offer up thanks after their manner. Now,
24:03
Speaker 1: when Alma saw this, his heart was grieved, for he
24:06
Speaker 1: saw that they were a wicked and a perverse people. Yea.
24:10
Speaker 1: He saw that their hearts were set upon gold, and
24:13
Speaker 1: upon silver, and upon all manner of fine goods, Yea.
24:17
Speaker 1: And he also saw that their hearts were lifted up
24:20
Speaker 1: unto great boasting in their pride. And he lifted up
24:24
Speaker 1: his voice to heaven and cried, saying, Oh, how long,
24:28
Speaker 1: O Lord, wilt thou suffer that Thy servants shall dwell
24:31
Speaker 1: here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness
24:34
Speaker 1: among the children of men. Behold, O God, they cry
24:39
Speaker 1: unto THEE, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in
24:42
Speaker 1: their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto THEE with
24:45
Speaker 1: their mouths, while they are puffed up even to greatness
24:49
Speaker 1: with the vain things of the world. Behold, o, My God,
24:54
Speaker 1: their costly apparel, and their ringlets, and their bracelets, and
24:58
Speaker 1: their ornaments of gold, and all the precious things which
25:01
Speaker 1: they are ornamented with and behold, their hearts are set
25:04
Speaker 1: upon them. And yet they cry unto THEE, and say
25:07
Speaker 1: we thank THEE, O God, for we are a chosen
25:10
Speaker 1: people unto THEE, while others shall perish Yea, and they
25:14
Speaker 1: say that thou hast made it known unto them that
25:16
Speaker 1: there shall be no Christ, O Lord God, How long
25:20
Speaker 1: wilt thou suffer that such wickedness and infidelity shall be
25:24
Speaker 1: among this people? O Lord, wilt thou give me strength
25:28
Speaker 1: that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm,
25:32
Speaker 1: and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul,
25:36
Speaker 1: O Lord, My heart is exceedingly sorrowful. Will thou comfort
25:40
Speaker 1: my soul in Christ? O Lord, wilt thou grant unto
25:43
Speaker 1: me that I may have strength that I may suffer
25:46
Speaker 1: with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me because
25:49
Speaker 1: of the iniquity of this people. O Lord, wilt thou
25:53
Speaker 1: comfort my soul and give them to me success. And
25:57
Speaker 1: also my fellow laborers who are with me Yea, Amond
26:01
Speaker 1: and Aaron and Omner, and also Amulek and Ziazram, and
26:05
Speaker 1: also my two sons Yea. Even all these wilt thou comfort,
26:09
Speaker 1: O Lord. YEA, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ?
26:13
Speaker 1: What thou grant unto them that they may have strength
26:16
Speaker 1: that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon
26:18
Speaker 1: them because of the iniquities of this people, O Lord?
26:22
Speaker 1: What thou grant unto us that we may have success
26:25
Speaker 1: in bringing them again unto THEE in Christ. Behold, O Lord,
26:29
Speaker 1: their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren.
26:33
Speaker 1: Therefore give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that
26:37
Speaker 1: we may bring these our brethren again unto thee. Now
26:41
Speaker 1: it came to pass that when Almah had said these words,
26:44
Speaker 1: that he clapped his hands upon all them who were
26:46
Speaker 1: with him. And behold, as he clapped his hands upon them,
26:50
Speaker 1: they were filled with the Holy Spirit. And after that
26:53
Speaker 1: they did separate themselves one from another, taking no thought
26:57
Speaker 1: for themselves what they should eat, or what they should drink,
27:00
Speaker 1: or what they should put on. And the Lord provided
27:03
Speaker 1: for them that they should hunger, not neither should they thirst, yea.
27:07
Speaker 1: And he also gave unto them strength that they should
27:10
Speaker 1: suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up
27:13
Speaker 1: in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to
27:17
Speaker 1: the prayer of Alma, and this because he prayed in
27:20
Speaker 1: faith Alma chapter thirty two. And it came to pass
27:26
Speaker 1: that they did go forth and began to preach the
27:29
Speaker 1: word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues
27:32
Speaker 1: and into their houses. Yea. And even they did preach
27:36
Speaker 1: the word in their streets. And it came to pass
27:39
Speaker 1: that after much labor among them, they began to have
27:41
Speaker 1: success among the poor class of the people. For Behold,
27:44
Speaker 1: they were cast out of the synagogues because of the
27:47
Speaker 1: coarseness of their apparel. Therefore they were not permitted to
27:50
Speaker 1: enter into their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness.
27:55
Speaker 1: Therefore they were poor. Yea, they were esteemed by their
27:58
Speaker 1: brethren as dross. Therefore they were poor as to the
28:01
Speaker 1: things of the world. And also they were poor in heart. Now,
28:05
Speaker 1: as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon
28:08
Speaker 1: the hill Oneida, there came a great multitude unto him.
28:11
Speaker 1: Who are those of whom we have been speaking of,
28:14
Speaker 1: whom were poor in heart because of their poverty as
28:17
Speaker 1: to the things of the world. And they came unto Almah.
28:21
Speaker 1: And the one who was foremost among them, said unto him, behold,
28:25
Speaker 1: what shall these my brethren do? For they are despised
28:28
Speaker 1: of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more
28:31
Speaker 1: especially by our priests. For they have cast us out
28:34
Speaker 1: of our synagogues, which we have labored abundantly to build
28:37
Speaker 1: with our own hands. And they have cast us out
28:40
Speaker 1: because of our exceeding poverty. And we have no place
28:43
Speaker 1: to worship our God. And behold, what shall we do?
28:48
Speaker 1: And now, when Almah heard this, he turned him about
28:51
Speaker 1: his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy,
28:56
Speaker 1: for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them,
28:59
Speaker 1: and that they were in a preparation to hear the word. Therefore,
29:03
Speaker 1: he did say no more to the other multitude. But
29:06
Speaker 1: he stretched forth his hand and cried unto those whom
29:08
Speaker 1: he beheld who are truly penitent, and said, unto them,
29:13
Speaker 1: I behold that ye are lowly in heart, And if
29:16
Speaker 1: so blessed are ye? Behold, thy brother hath said, what
29:19
Speaker 1: shall we do? For we are cast out of our synagogues,
29:23
Speaker 1: that we cannot worship our God. Behold, I say, unto you,
29:27
Speaker 1: do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God? Say that
29:30
Speaker 1: it be in your synagogues. Only. Moreover, I would ask,
29:34
Speaker 1: do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only
29:37
Speaker 1: once in a week? I say unto you, it is
29:39
Speaker 1: well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that
29:42
Speaker 1: ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom.
29:46
Speaker 1: For it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom. For
29:49
Speaker 1: it is because that ye are cast out, that ye
29:51
Speaker 1: are despised of your brethren, because of your exceeding poverty,
29:55
Speaker 1: that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart. For
29:58
Speaker 1: y are necessarily brought to be humble. And now, because
30:01
Speaker 1: ye are compelled to be humble, blessed are ye? For
30:04
Speaker 1: a man, sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble,
30:07
Speaker 1: seeketh repentance. And now surely whosoever repenteth shall find mercy.
30:13
Speaker 1: And he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end,
30:16
Speaker 1: the same shall be saved. And Now, as I said
30:20
Speaker 1: unto you that because you are compelled to be humble,
30:23
Speaker 1: you are blessed. Do you not suppose that they are
30:25
Speaker 1: more blest who truly humble themselves because of the word.
30:29
Speaker 1: Yea he that humbleth himself and repenteth of his sins,
30:33
Speaker 1: and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed. YEA,
30:37
Speaker 1: much more blessed than they who are compelled to be
30:39
Speaker 1: humble because of their exceeding poverty. Therefore, blessed are they
30:43
Speaker 1: who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble. Or rather,
30:48
Speaker 1: in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the
30:51
Speaker 1: Word of God and is baptized without stubbornness of heart. Yea,
30:55
Speaker 1: without being brought to know the word, or even compelled
30:58
Speaker 1: to know before they will believe. Yea, there are many
31:02
Speaker 1: who do say, if thou wilt show unto us a
31:04
Speaker 1: sign from Heaven, then we shall know of a surety.
31:08
Speaker 1: Then we shall believe. Now I ask is this faith? Behold,
31:13
Speaker 1: I say unto you nay. For if a man knoweth
31:15
Speaker 1: a thing, he hath no cause to believe, for he
31:18
Speaker 1: knoweth it. And now, how much more cursed is he
31:21
Speaker 1: that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not
31:24
Speaker 1: than he that only believeth or only hath cause to believe,
31:27
Speaker 1: and falls into transgression. Know of this thing, ye must judge. Behold,
31:33
Speaker 1: I say unto you that it is on the one
31:35
Speaker 1: hand even as it is on the other, and it
31:38
Speaker 1: shall be unto every man according to his work. And Now,
31:42
Speaker 1: as I said concerning faith, faith is not to have
31:45
Speaker 1: a perfect knowledge of things. Therefore, if ye have faith,
31:49
Speaker 1: ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
31:53
Speaker 1: And now behold, I say unto you, and I would
31:56
Speaker 1: that ye should remember that God is merciful unto all
31:59
Speaker 1: who blie leave on his name. Therefore he desireth in
32:03
Speaker 1: the first place, that ye should believe yea even on
32:06
Speaker 1: his word. And now he imparteth his word by angels
32:10
Speaker 1: unto men. Yea, not only men, but women also. Now
32:14
Speaker 1: this is not all little children. Do have words given
32:17
Speaker 1: unto them many times which confound the wise and the learned.
32:22
Speaker 1: And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to
32:25
Speaker 1: know of me, what ye shall do, because ye are
32:27
Speaker 1: afflicted and cast out. Now I do not desire that
32:30
Speaker 1: ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only
32:33
Speaker 1: according to that which is true. For I do not
32:35
Speaker 1: mean that ye all of you have been compelled to
32:38
Speaker 1: humble yourselves. For I verily believe that there are some
32:41
Speaker 1: among you who would humble themselves. Let them be in
32:44
Speaker 1: whatsoever circumstances they might. Now, as I said concerning faith,
32:50
Speaker 1: that it was not a perfect knowledge. Even so it
32:53
Speaker 1: is with my words, ye cannot know of their surety
32:56
Speaker 1: at first unto perfection, any more than faith is a
33:00
Speaker 1: perfect knowledge. But behold, if you will awake and arouse
33:04
Speaker 1: your faculties even to an experiment upon my words and
33:08
Speaker 1: exercise a particle of faith. Yea, even if ye can
33:12
Speaker 1: no more than desire to believe, let this desire work
33:15
Speaker 1: in you, even until you believe in a manner that
33:18
Speaker 1: ye can give place for a portion of my words.
33:22
Speaker 1: Now we will compare the word unto a seed. Now,
33:25
Speaker 1: if ye give place that a seed may be planted
33:27
Speaker 1: in your heart. Behold, if it be a true seed
33:31
Speaker 1: or a good seed. If ye do not cast it
33:33
Speaker 1: out by your unbelief that ye will resist the spirit
33:36
Speaker 1: of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within
33:39
Speaker 1: your breasts. And when you feel these swelling motions, you
33:43
Speaker 1: will begin to say within yourselves it must needs be
33:47
Speaker 1: that this is a good seed, or that the word
33:49
Speaker 1: is good. For it beginneth to enlarge my soul. Yea.
33:52
Speaker 1: It beginneth to enlighten my understanding. Yea, It beginneth to
33:56
Speaker 1: be delicious to me. And behold, would not this increase
34:00
Speaker 1: your faith, I say unto you, yea, nevertheless it hath
34:05
Speaker 1: not grown up to a perfect knowledge. But behold, as
34:09
Speaker 1: a seed swelleth and sprouteth and beginneth to grow. Then
34:12
Speaker 1: ye must needs say that the seed is good, for
34:15
Speaker 1: behold it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And
34:19
Speaker 1: now behold. Will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it
34:23
Speaker 1: will strengthen your faith, For ye will say, I know
34:26
Speaker 1: that this is a good seed. For behold it sprouteth
34:29
Speaker 1: and beginneth to grow. And now behold, are ye sure
34:33
Speaker 1: that this is a good seed? I say unto you, yea.
34:37
Speaker 1: For every seed bringeth forth after its own likeness. Therefore,
34:41
Speaker 1: if a seed groweth, it is good. But if it
34:44
Speaker 1: groweth not, behold, it is not good. Therefore it is
34:47
Speaker 1: cast away. And now behold, because ye have tried the
34:51
Speaker 1: experiment and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth
34:55
Speaker 1: and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the
34:58
Speaker 1: seed is good. And now behold is your knowledge perfect? Yea,
35:03
Speaker 1: your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith
35:06
Speaker 1: is dormant, and this because ye know, for ye know
35:10
Speaker 1: that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also
35:13
Speaker 1: know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth
35:16
Speaker 1: begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand. Oh,
35:21
Speaker 1: then is not this real? I say unto you, yea,
35:25
Speaker 1: because it is light. And whatsoever is light is good
35:29
Speaker 1: because it is discernible. Therefore ye must know that it
35:32
Speaker 1: is good. And now behold, after ye have tasted this light,
35:36
Speaker 1: is your knowledge perfect. Behold, I say unto you, Nay,
35:40
Speaker 1: neither must ye lay aside your faith, For ye have
35:43
Speaker 1: only exercised your faith to plant the seed, that ye
35:46
Speaker 1: may try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
35:50
Speaker 1: And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say,
35:54
Speaker 1: let us nourish it with great care, that it may
35:56
Speaker 1: get root, that it may grow up and bring forth fruit.
35:59
Speaker 1: Unto us, And now, if ye nourish it with much care,
36:03
Speaker 1: it will get root and grow up and bring forth fruit.
36:07
Speaker 1: But if you neglect the tree and take no thought
36:09
Speaker 1: for its nourishment, behold, it will not get any root.
36:13
Speaker 1: And when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it,
36:16
Speaker 1: because it hath no root, it withers away. And ye
36:19
Speaker 1: pluck it up and cast it out. Now, this is
36:22
Speaker 1: not because the seed was not good, neither is it
36:25
Speaker 1: because the fruit thereof would not be desirable. But it
36:28
Speaker 1: is because your ground is barren, and you will not
36:31
Speaker 1: nourish the tree. Therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.
36:36
Speaker 1: And thus if you will not nourish the Word, looking
36:38
Speaker 1: forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof,
36:41
Speaker 1: ye can never pluck the fruit of the tree of life.
36:44
Speaker 1: But if you will nourish the Word, YEA, nourish the
36:47
Speaker 1: tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith, with
36:50
Speaker 1: great diligence and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof,
36:55
Speaker 1: it shall take root. And behold, it shall be a
36:57
Speaker 1: tree springing up unto everlasting life. And because of your
37:02
Speaker 1: diligence and your faith, and your patience with the Word
37:05
Speaker 1: in nourishing it, that it may take root in you
37:08
Speaker 1: behold by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof,
37:11
Speaker 1: which is most precious, which is sweet above all that
37:14
Speaker 1: is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, YEA,
37:18
Speaker 1: and pure above all that is pure. And ye shall
37:21
Speaker 1: feast upon this fruit, even until ye are filled, that
37:25
Speaker 1: ye hunger, not neither shall ye thirst. Then, my brethren,
37:29
Speaker 1: ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence,
37:32
Speaker 1: and patience and long suffering waiting for the tree to
37:36
Speaker 1: bring forth fruit unto you. End of the Book of Alma,
37:40
Speaker 1: chapters twenty nine through thirty two,