Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 37 - Book of Mormon - Joseph Smith Jr

Transcript

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

0:00
Speaker 1: Alma, chapter forty two. And now, my son, I perceive
0:05
Speaker 1: there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which
0:08
Speaker 1: he cannot understand, which is concerning the justice of God
0:11
Speaker 1: in the punishment of the sinner. For ye, do try
0:13
Speaker 1: to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should
0:16
Speaker 1: be consigned to a state of misery. Now behold, my son,
0:20
Speaker 1: I will explain this thing unto thee For behold, after
0:23
Speaker 1: the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the
0:25
Speaker 1: garden of Eden to till the ground from whence they
0:28
Speaker 1: were taken. Yea, he drew out the man, and he
0:31
Speaker 1: placed at the east end of the garden of Eden
0:33
Speaker 1: Cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way to
0:36
Speaker 1: keep the tree of life. Now we see that the
0:39
Speaker 1: man had become as God, knowing good and evil. Unlest
0:42
Speaker 1: he should put forth his hand and take also of
0:44
Speaker 1: the tree of life and eat and live forever, the
0:47
Speaker 1: Lord God placed Cherubim in a flaming sword, that he
0:50
Speaker 1: should not partake of the fruit. And thus we see
0:53
Speaker 1: that there was a time granted unto man to repent, YEA,
0:56
Speaker 1: a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.
1:00
Speaker 1: For Behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately
1:03
Speaker 1: and partaken of the tree of life, he would have
1:06
Speaker 1: lived forever according to the word of God, having no
1:09
Speaker 1: space for repentance. Yea. And also the word of God
1:12
Speaker 1: would have been void, and the great plan of salvation
1:14
Speaker 1: would have been frustrated. But behold, it was appointed unto
1:18
Speaker 1: man to die. Therefore, as they were cut off from
1:21
Speaker 1: the tree of life, they should be cut off from
1:23
Speaker 1: the face of the earth, and man became lost forever. Yea,
1:26
Speaker 1: they became fallen man. And now ye see by this
1:30
Speaker 1: that our first parents were cut off, both temporarily and
1:32
Speaker 1: spiritually from the presence of the Lord. And thus we
1:36
Speaker 1: see they became subjects to follow after their own will.
1:39
Speaker 1: Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be
1:42
Speaker 1: reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the
1:44
Speaker 1: great plan of happiness. Therefore, as the soul could never die,
1:49
Speaker 1: and the fall had brought upon all mankind as spiritual
1:51
Speaker 1: death as well as a temporal that is, they were
1:54
Speaker 1: cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was
1:56
Speaker 1: expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual death. Therefore,
2:02
Speaker 1: as they had become carnal sensual and devilish by nature.
2:05
Speaker 1: This probationary state became a state for them to prepare.
2:09
Speaker 1: It became a preparatory state. And now, remember, my son,
2:12
Speaker 1: if it were not for the plan of redemption, laying
2:15
Speaker 1: it aside, as soon as they were dead, their souls
2:17
Speaker 1: were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the Lord.
2:21
Speaker 1: And now there was no means to reclaim men from
2:24
Speaker 1: this fallen state which man had brought upon himself because
2:27
Speaker 1: of his own disobedience. Therefore, according to Justice, the plan
2:31
Speaker 1: of redemption could not be brought about only on conditions
2:34
Speaker 1: of repentance of men in this probationary state. Yea, this
2:38
Speaker 1: preparatory state. For except it were for these conditions, mercy
2:41
Speaker 1: could not take effect except it should destroy the work
2:44
Speaker 1: of justice. Now, the work of justice could not be
2:47
Speaker 1: destroyed if so God would cease to be God. And
2:51
Speaker 1: thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they
2:55
Speaker 1: were in the grasp of justice. Yea, the justice of God,
2:58
Speaker 1: which consigned them forever to be cut off from His presence.
3:01
Speaker 1: And now the plan of mercy could not be brought
3:03
Speaker 1: about except an atonement should be made. Therefore, God himself
3:07
Speaker 1: atoneth for the sins of the world to bring about
3:10
Speaker 1: the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice,
3:13
Speaker 1: that God might be a perfect, just God and a
3:15
Speaker 1: merciful God. Also, now, repentance could not come unto men
3:19
Speaker 1: except there were a punishment, which also was eternal, as
3:22
Speaker 1: the life of the soul, should be a fixed opposite
3:25
Speaker 1: to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal, also
3:28
Speaker 1: as the life of the soul. Now, how could a
3:31
Speaker 1: man repent except he should sin? How could he sin
3:33
Speaker 1: if there was no law? How could there be a
3:36
Speaker 1: law save there was a punishment. Now there was a
3:39
Speaker 1: punishment affixed and a just law given, which brought remorse
3:42
Speaker 1: of conscience unto man. Now, if there was no law given,
3:46
Speaker 1: if a man murdered, he should die, would he be
3:48
Speaker 1: afraid he would die if he should murder? And also
3:51
Speaker 1: if there was no law given against sin, men would
3:53
Speaker 1: not be afraid to sin. And if there was no
3:56
Speaker 1: law given, if men sin, what could justice do or
3:59
Speaker 1: mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature.
4:02
Speaker 1: But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed,
4:05
Speaker 1: and a repentance granted, which repentance mercy claimeth. Otherwise justice
4:11
Speaker 1: claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law
4:14
Speaker 1: inflicteth the punishment. If not so, the works of justice
4:18
Speaker 1: would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.
4:21
Speaker 1: But God ceaseth not to be God. And Mercy claimeth
4:24
Speaker 1: the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement. And
4:28
Speaker 1: the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.
4:31
Speaker 1: And the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into
4:33
Speaker 1: the presence of God. And thus they are restored into
4:36
Speaker 1: His presence, to be judged according to their works, according
4:39
Speaker 1: to the law and justice. For behold, Justice exerciseth all
4:44
Speaker 1: his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own.
4:48
Speaker 1: And thus none but the truly penitent are saved. What
4:52
Speaker 1: do ye suppose that mercy caund rob justice? I say
4:55
Speaker 1: unto you, nay, not one wit. If so, God would
4:59
Speaker 1: cease to be God. And thus God bringeth about his
5:02
Speaker 1: great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation
5:05
Speaker 1: of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and
5:08
Speaker 1: the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery. Therefore, O,
5:13
Speaker 1: my son, whosoever will come, may come and partake of
5:16
Speaker 1: the waters of life freely and whosoever will not come
5:19
Speaker 1: the same is not compelled to come. But in the
5:22
Speaker 1: last day it shall be restored unto him according to
5:24
Speaker 1: his deeds. If he has desired to do evil and
5:27
Speaker 1: is not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be
5:30
Speaker 1: done unto him according to the restoration of God. And now,
5:34
Speaker 1: my son, I desire that ye should let these things
5:36
Speaker 1: trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble
5:38
Speaker 1: you with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance. O,
5:43
Speaker 1: my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice
5:45
Speaker 1: of God no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself
5:48
Speaker 1: in the least point because of your sins by denying
5:51
Speaker 1: the justice of God. But do you let the justice
5:54
Speaker 1: of God and his mercy and his long suffering have
5:56
Speaker 1: full sway in your heart, and let it bring you
5:59
Speaker 1: down to the dust and humility. And now my son
6:02
Speaker 1: year called of God to preach the word unto this people.
6:05
Speaker 1: And now my son, go thy way, declare the word
6:07
Speaker 1: with truth and soberness, that thou mayst bring souls unto repentance,
6:11
Speaker 1: and that the great plan of Mercy may have claim
6:13
Speaker 1: upon them. And may God grant unto you even according
6:16
Speaker 1: to my words Amen, Chapter forty three. And now it
6:24
Speaker 1: came to pass that the sons of Almah did go
6:26
Speaker 1: forth among the people to declare the Word unto them.
6:29
Speaker 1: And Almah also himself could not rest, and he also
6:32
Speaker 1: went forth. Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching,
6:36
Speaker 1: except that they preached the Word and the truth according
6:39
Speaker 1: to the spirit of prophecy and revelation. And they preached
6:42
Speaker 1: after the Holy Order of God by which they were called.
6:46
Speaker 1: And now I returned to one account of the wars
6:48
Speaker 1: between the Nephites and the Lamanites in the eighteenth year
6:51
Speaker 1: of the reign of the Judges. For behold, it came
6:54
Speaker 1: to pass that the Zoramites became Lamanites. Therefore, in the
6:58
Speaker 1: commencement of the eighteenth the people of the Nephites saw
7:01
Speaker 1: that the Lamanites were coming upon them. Therefore they made
7:04
Speaker 1: preparations for war. Yea, they gathered together their armies in
7:08
Speaker 1: the land of Jershon. And it came to pass that
7:10
Speaker 1: the Lamanites came with their thousands, and they came into
7:14
Speaker 1: the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites.
7:17
Speaker 1: And a man by the name of Zarahemnah was their leader.
7:21
Speaker 1: And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked
7:23
Speaker 1: and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were in and of themselves.
7:28
Speaker 1: Therefore Zarahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they
7:32
Speaker 1: were all Amalekites and Zoramites. Now this he did that
7:36
Speaker 1: he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephytes, that he
7:39
Speaker 1: might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.
7:44
Speaker 1: For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites
7:46
Speaker 1: to anger against the Nephites. This he did that he
7:49
Speaker 1: might usurp great power over them, and also that he
7:52
Speaker 1: might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage. Now,
7:56
Speaker 1: the design of the Nephites was to support their lands
7:59
Speaker 1: and their house, and their wives and their children, that
8:02
Speaker 1: they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies,
8:05
Speaker 1: and also that they might preserve their rights and their
8:07
Speaker 1: privileges yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship
8:10
Speaker 1: God according to their desires. For they knew that if
8:14
Speaker 1: they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites, that
8:16
Speaker 1: whosoever should worship God in spirit and in truth the
8:19
Speaker 1: true in living God, the Lamanites would destroy Yea. And
8:24
Speaker 1: they also knew the extreme hatred of the Lamanites towards
8:27
Speaker 1: their brethren, who were the people of anti nephi Lehi,
8:30
Speaker 1: who were called the people of Amen, and they would
8:32
Speaker 1: not take up arms. They had entered into a covenant
8:35
Speaker 1: and they would not break it. Therefore, if they should
8:39
Speaker 1: fall into the hands of the Lamanites, they would be destroyed,
8:43
Speaker 1: and the Nephytes would not suffer that they should be destroyed.
8:46
Speaker 1: Therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance. And the
8:50
Speaker 1: people of Amen did give, unto the Nephytes a large
8:52
Speaker 1: portion of their substance to support their armies. And thus
8:55
Speaker 1: the Nephytes were compelled alone to withstand against the Lamanites,
9:00
Speaker 1: who were a compound of Laymen and Lemuel and the
9:02
Speaker 1: sons of Ishmael, and all those who had descended from
9:05
Speaker 1: the Nephites, who are Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants
9:09
Speaker 1: of the priests of Noah. Now those descendants were as
9:12
Speaker 1: numerous nearly as were the Nephites, and thus the Nephites
9:16
Speaker 1: were obliged to contend with their brethren, even unto bloodshed.
9:20
Speaker 1: And it came to pass as the armies of the
9:22
Speaker 1: Lamanites had gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold,
9:25
Speaker 1: the armies of the Nephites were prepared to meet them
9:28
Speaker 1: in the land of Gershan. Now the leader of the Nephites,
9:31
Speaker 1: or the man who had been appointed to be the
9:33
Speaker 1: chief captain of the Nephytes, Now the chief captain took
9:36
Speaker 1: command of all the armies of the Nephytes, and his
9:39
Speaker 1: name was Moroni. And Moroni took all the command and
9:42
Speaker 1: the government of their wars. And he was only twenty
9:45
Speaker 1: and five years old when he was appointed chief captain
9:48
Speaker 1: over the armies of the Nephites. And it came to
9:51
Speaker 1: pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon.
9:54
Speaker 1: And his people were armed with swords and with simetars
9:57
Speaker 1: and all manner of weapons of war. And when the
10:00
Speaker 1: armies of the Lamanite saw that the people of Nephi
10:03
Speaker 1: or that Moroni had prepared his people with breastplates and
10:06
Speaker 1: with arm shields yea, and also shields to defend their heads.
10:10
Speaker 1: And also they were dressed with thick clothing. Now the
10:13
Speaker 1: army of Zarahemna was not prepared with any such thing.
10:16
Speaker 1: They had only their swords and their scimeters, their bows
10:18
Speaker 1: and their arrows, their stones and their slings. And they
10:21
Speaker 1: were naked, save it were a skin which was girded
10:23
Speaker 1: about their loins. Yea, all were naked save it were
10:26
Speaker 1: the Zoramites and the Amalekites. But they were not armed
10:29
Speaker 1: with breastplates nor shields. Therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of
10:33
Speaker 1: the armies of the Neophytes because of their armor, notwithstanding
10:36
Speaker 1: their number being so much greater than the Neophytes. Behold,
10:40
Speaker 1: it now came to pass that they durshed not come
10:42
Speaker 1: against the Nephytes in the borders of Gershan. Therefore they
10:45
Speaker 1: departed out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness,
10:48
Speaker 1: and took their journey round about in the wilderness away
10:51
Speaker 1: by the head of the river Sidon, that they might
10:53
Speaker 1: come into the land of Mantai and take possession of
10:55
Speaker 1: the land. For they did not suppose that the armies
10:58
Speaker 1: of Moroni would know whether they had gone. But it
11:01
Speaker 1: came to pass as soon as they had departed into
11:03
Speaker 1: the wilderness, Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch
11:06
Speaker 1: their camp. And Moroni, also knowing of the prophecies of
11:09
Speaker 1: Alma sent certain men unto him, desiring him that he
11:12
Speaker 1: should inquire of the Lord whither the armies of the
11:15
Speaker 1: Nephites should go to defend themselves against the Lamanites. And
11:19
Speaker 1: it came to pass that the word of the Lord
11:21
Speaker 1: came unto Alma, and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni
11:24
Speaker 1: that the armies of the Lamanites were marching round about
11:27
Speaker 1: in the wilderness, that they might come over into the
11:29
Speaker 1: land of Mantai, that they might commence an attack on
11:31
Speaker 1: the weaker part of the people. And those messengers went
11:34
Speaker 1: and delivered the message unto Moroni. Now, Moroni, leaving a
11:38
Speaker 1: part of his army in the land of Jershan, lest
11:40
Speaker 1: by any means a part of the Lamanite should come
11:42
Speaker 1: into that land and take possession of the city, took
11:45
Speaker 1: the remaining part of his army and marched over into
11:47
Speaker 1: the land of manti And he caused that all the
11:50
Speaker 1: people in that quarter of the land should gather themselves
11:53
Speaker 1: together to battle against the Lamanites, to defend their lands
11:56
Speaker 1: and their country, their rights and their liberties. Therefore, they
11:59
Speaker 1: were prepared against the time of the coming of the
12:01
Speaker 1: Lamanites and it came to pass that Moroni caused that
12:05
Speaker 1: his army should be secreted in the valley which was
12:07
Speaker 1: near the bank of the river Sidon, which was on
12:09
Speaker 1: the west of the River Sidon, in the wilderness. And
12:12
Speaker 1: Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when
12:15
Speaker 1: the camp of the Lamanites should come. And now, as
12:18
Speaker 1: Morona knew the intention of the Lamanites, that it was
12:20
Speaker 1: their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject them
12:23
Speaker 1: and bring them into bondage, that they might establish a
12:26
Speaker 1: kingdom unto themselves over all the land. And he also
12:29
Speaker 1: knowing that it was the only desire of the Nephites
12:31
Speaker 1: to preserve their lands and their liberty and their church,
12:35
Speaker 1: therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend
12:37
Speaker 1: them by stratagem. Therefore he found by his spies which
12:41
Speaker 1: course the Lamanites were to take. Therefore he divided his
12:45
Speaker 1: army and brought a part over into the valley, and
12:48
Speaker 1: concealed them on the east and on the south of
12:50
Speaker 1: the hill Rippla, and the remainder he concealed in the
12:54
Speaker 1: west valley, on the west of the River Sidon, and
12:57
Speaker 1: so down into the borders of the land Mantai and thus,
13:01
Speaker 1: having placed his army according to his desire, he was
13:03
Speaker 1: prepared to meet them. And it came to pass that
13:06
Speaker 1: the Lamanites came up on the north of the hill,
13:09
Speaker 1: where a part of the army of Morona was concealed.
13:12
Speaker 1: And as the Lamanites had passed the hill, Rippla and
13:15
Speaker 1: came into the valley and began to cross the river
13:18
Speaker 1: sidon the army which was concealed on the south of
13:20
Speaker 1: the hill, which was led by a man whose name
13:22
Speaker 1: was Lehi. And he let his army forth and encircle
13:25
Speaker 1: the Lamanites about on the east in their rear. And
13:29
Speaker 1: it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw
13:31
Speaker 1: the Nephytes coming upon them in their rear, turned them
13:34
Speaker 1: about and began to contend with the army of Lehi.
13:37
Speaker 1: And the work of death commenced on both sides. But
13:40
Speaker 1: it was more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites,
13:42
Speaker 1: for their nakedness was exposed to the heavy blows of
13:44
Speaker 1: the Nephytes with their swords and their scimeters, which brought
13:47
Speaker 1: death almost at every stroke. While on the other hand,
13:51
Speaker 1: there was now and then a man fell among the
13:53
Speaker 1: Nephyites by their swords and the loss of blood, they
13:56
Speaker 1: being shielded from the more vital parts of the body,
13:58
Speaker 1: or the more vital parts of the body by being
14:00
Speaker 1: shielded from the strokes of the Lemanites by their breastplates
14:03
Speaker 1: and their arm shields and their head plates. And thus
14:06
Speaker 1: the Nephights did carry on the work of death among
14:08
Speaker 1: the Lamanites. And it came to pass that the Lamanites
14:12
Speaker 1: became frightened because of the great destruction among them, even
14:16
Speaker 1: until they began to flee towards the river Sidon, and
14:19
Speaker 1: they were pursued by Lehi and his men, and they
14:21
Speaker 1: were driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon, and
14:24
Speaker 1: they crossed the waters of Sidon, and Lehi retained his
14:27
Speaker 1: armies upon the bank of the river Sidon, that they
14:30
Speaker 1: should not cross. And it came to pass that Marona
14:33
Speaker 1: and his army met the Lamanites in the valley on
14:35
Speaker 1: the other side of the river Sidon, and began to
14:38
Speaker 1: fall upon them and to slay them. And the Lamanites
14:41
Speaker 1: did flee again before them towards the land of Mantai,
14:44
Speaker 1: and they were met again by the armies of Moroni. Now,
14:48
Speaker 1: in this case, the Lamanites did fight exceedingly Yea. Never
14:52
Speaker 1: had the Lamanites been known to fight with such exceedingly
14:54
Speaker 1: great strength and courage, No, not even from the beginning.
14:58
Speaker 1: And they were inspired by the Aramites and the Amalekites,
15:01
Speaker 1: who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Sarah Heemna,
15:05
Speaker 1: who was their chief captain or their chief leader and commander. Yea,
15:08
Speaker 1: they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites
15:11
Speaker 1: were slain by their hands, Yea, for they did smite
15:14
Speaker 1: in too many of their head plates, and they did
15:16
Speaker 1: pierce many of their breastplates, and they did smite off
15:19
Speaker 1: many of their arms. And thus the Lamanites did smite
15:22
Speaker 1: in their fierce anger. Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by
15:26
Speaker 1: a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy
15:29
Speaker 1: nor power. But they were fighting for their homes and
15:32
Speaker 1: their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all Yea,
15:36
Speaker 1: for their rights of worship and their church. And they
15:39
Speaker 1: were doing that which they felt was the duty which
15:41
Speaker 1: they owed to their God. For the Lord had said
15:44
Speaker 1: unto them, and also unto their fathers, that inasmuch as
15:47
Speaker 1: ye are not guilty of the first defense, neither the second,
15:51
Speaker 1: ye shall not suffer yourselves to be slain by the
15:53
Speaker 1: hands of your enemies. And again the Lord has said
15:56
Speaker 1: that ye shall defend your families, even unto bloodshed. Therefore,
16:01
Speaker 1: for this cause were the Nephites contending with the Lamanites,
16:04
Speaker 1: to defend themselves and their families and their lands, their country,
16:08
Speaker 1: and their rights and their religion. And it came to
16:11
Speaker 1: pass that when the men of Moroni saw the fierceness
16:13
Speaker 1: and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to
16:16
Speaker 1: shrink and flee from them. And Moroni, perceiving their intent,
16:19
Speaker 1: sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts, yea,
16:23
Speaker 1: the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, YEA, their freedom
16:26
Speaker 1: from bondage. And it came to pass that they turned
16:29
Speaker 1: upon the Lamanites, and they cried with one voice unto
16:32
Speaker 1: the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom
16:34
Speaker 1: from bondage. And they began to stand against the Lamanites
16:38
Speaker 1: with power. And in that self same hour that they
16:41
Speaker 1: cried unto the Lord for their freedom, the Lamanites began
16:44
Speaker 1: to flee before them, and they fled even to the
16:46
Speaker 1: waters of Sidon. Now the Lamanites were more numerous, yea,
16:51
Speaker 1: by more than double the number of the Nephites. Nevertheless,
16:54
Speaker 1: they were driven insomuch that they were gathered together in
16:57
Speaker 1: one body in the valley upon the bank of the
16:59
Speaker 1: river Sidon. Therefore, the armies of Morona encircled them about
17:04
Speaker 1: yea even on both sides of the river. For behold,
17:07
Speaker 1: on the east were the men of Lehigh. Therefore, when
17:10
Speaker 1: Zarahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of
17:13
Speaker 1: the river Sidon, and the armies of Morona on the
17:15
Speaker 1: west of the river Sidon, that they were encircled about
17:18
Speaker 1: by the Nephites, they were struck with terror. Now, Moroni,
17:22
Speaker 1: when he saw their terror, commanded his men that they
17:24
Speaker 1: should stop shedding their blood Chapter forty four. And it
17:29
Speaker 1: came to pass that they did stop and withdraw a
17:32
Speaker 1: pace from them. And Maroni said unto Zarahemnah, Behold Zarahemnah,
17:36
Speaker 1: that we do not desire to be men of blood.
17:38
Speaker 1: Ye know that ye are in our hands. Yet we
17:40
Speaker 1: do not desire to slay you. Behold, we have not
17:44
Speaker 1: come out to battle against you that we might shed
17:46
Speaker 1: your blood for power. Neither do we desire to bring
17:49
Speaker 1: anyone to the yoke of bondage. But this is the
17:52
Speaker 1: very cause for which ye have come against us, yea.
17:55
Speaker 1: And ye are angry with us because of our religion.
17:58
Speaker 1: But now ye behold that the Lord is with us,
18:00
Speaker 1: and ye behold that He has delivered you into our hands.
18:04
Speaker 1: And now I would that ye should understand that this
18:06
Speaker 1: is done unto us because of our religion and our
18:09
Speaker 1: faith in Christ. And now ye see that you cannot
18:11
Speaker 1: destroy this our faith. Now ye see that this is
18:15
Speaker 1: the true faith of God. Yea. Ye see that God
18:18
Speaker 1: will support and keep and preserve us so long as
18:21
Speaker 1: we are faithful unto Him and unto our faith and
18:24
Speaker 1: our religion. And never will the Lord suffer that we
18:26
Speaker 1: shall be destroyed, except we should fall into transgression and
18:30
Speaker 1: deny our faith. And now zarahemnah, I command you, in
18:34
Speaker 1: the name of that all powerful God who has strengthened
18:37
Speaker 1: our arms, that we have gained power over you by
18:40
Speaker 1: our faith, by our religion, and by our rights of worship,
18:43
Speaker 1: and by our church, and by the sacred support which
18:46
Speaker 1: we owe to our wives and our children, by that
18:48
Speaker 1: liberty which binds us to our lands and our country, yea.
18:52
Speaker 1: And also by the maintenance of the sacred Word of God,
18:55
Speaker 1: to which we owe all our happiness, and by all
18:58
Speaker 1: that is most dear unto us. Yea, And this is
19:01
Speaker 1: not all. I command you, by all the desires which
19:04
Speaker 1: ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons
19:06
Speaker 1: of war unto us, and we will seek not your blood,
19:09
Speaker 1: but we will spare your lives if ye will go
19:12
Speaker 1: your way and come not again into war against us. Now,
19:17
Speaker 1: if ye do not do this, behold, ye are in
19:19
Speaker 1: our hands. And I will command my men that they
19:22
Speaker 1: shall fall upon you and inflict the wounds of death
19:25
Speaker 1: in your bodies, that ye may become extinct. And then
19:28
Speaker 1: we will see who shall have power over this people. Yea,
19:31
Speaker 1: we will see who shall be brought into bondage. And
19:35
Speaker 1: now it came to pass that when Zarahemnah had heard
19:38
Speaker 1: these sayings, he came forth and delivered up his sword
19:40
Speaker 1: and his cimeter and his bow into the hands of Moroni,
19:44
Speaker 1: and said unto him, behold, here are our weapons of war.
19:48
Speaker 1: We will deliver them up unto you. But we will
19:51
Speaker 1: not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which
19:54
Speaker 1: we know that we shall break, and also our children.
19:56
Speaker 1: But take our weapons of war and suffer that we
19:59
Speaker 1: may depart into the wilderness. Otherwise we will retain our swords,
20:03
Speaker 1: and we will perish or conquer. Behold, we are not
20:07
Speaker 1: of your faith, and we do not believe that it
20:09
Speaker 1: is God that has delivered us into your hands. But
20:11
Speaker 1: we believe that it is your cunning that has preserved
20:14
Speaker 1: you from our swords. Behold, it is your breastplates and
20:18
Speaker 1: your shields that have preserved you. And now, when Zarahemna
20:22
Speaker 1: had made an end of speaking these words, Moron I
20:24
Speaker 1: returned the sword and the weapons of war which he
20:27
Speaker 1: had received unto Zarahemnah, saying, behold, we will end the conflict.
20:33
Speaker 1: Now I cannot recall the words which I have spoken. Therefore,
20:36
Speaker 1: as the Lord liveth, ye shall not depart, except ye
20:39
Speaker 1: depart with an oath that ye will not return again
20:42
Speaker 1: against us to war. Now, as ye are in our hands,
20:45
Speaker 1: we will spill your blood upon the ground, or ye
20:48
Speaker 1: shall submit to the conditions which I have proposed. And now,
20:53
Speaker 1: when Morona had said these words, Zarahemnah retained his sword,
20:56
Speaker 1: and he was angry with Moroni, and he rushed forward
20:59
Speaker 1: that he might slay Moronai. But as he raised his sword, behold,
21:03
Speaker 1: one of Moronai's soldiers smote it even to the earth,
21:06
Speaker 1: and it broke by the hilt, and he also smote Zarahemna,
21:09
Speaker 1: that he took off his scalp, and it fell to
21:11
Speaker 1: the earth. And Zarahemnah withdrew from before them into the
21:14
Speaker 1: midst of his soldiers. And it came to pass that
21:18
Speaker 1: the soldier who stood by, who smote off the scalp
21:21
Speaker 1: of Zarahemnah, took up the scalp from off the ground
21:24
Speaker 1: by the hair, and laid it upon the point of
21:26
Speaker 1: his sword, and stretched it forth unto them, saying, unto
21:29
Speaker 1: them with a loud voice, even as this scalp has
21:33
Speaker 1: fallen to the earth, which is the scalp of your chief,
21:36
Speaker 1: so shall ye fall to the earth, except you will
21:39
Speaker 1: deliver up your weapons of war and depart with a
21:41
Speaker 1: covenant of peace. Now there were many when they heard
21:45
Speaker 1: these words and saw the scalp which was on the sword,
21:47
Speaker 1: that were struck with fear. And many came forth and
21:50
Speaker 1: threw down their weapons of war at the feet of
21:52
Speaker 1: Moroni and entered into a covenant of peace. And as
21:55
Speaker 1: many as entered into a covenant, they suffered to depart
21:58
Speaker 1: into the wilderness. Now it came to pass that Zarahemna
22:01
Speaker 1: was exceedingly wroth, and he did stir up the remainder
22:04
Speaker 1: of his soldiers to anger to contend more powerfully against
22:07
Speaker 1: the Nephites. And now Morona was angry because of the
22:11
Speaker 1: stubbornness of the Lamanites. Therefore he commanded his people that
22:15
Speaker 1: they should fall upon them and slay them. And it
22:17
Speaker 1: came to pass that they began to slay them. Yea.
22:20
Speaker 1: And the Lamanites did contend with their swords and their might.
22:23
Speaker 1: But behold, their naked skins and their bare heads were
22:26
Speaker 1: exposed to the sharp swords of the Nephites. Yea. Behold,
22:30
Speaker 1: they were pierced and smitten Yea, and did fall exceedingly
22:33
Speaker 1: fast before the swords of the Nephytes, and they began
22:36
Speaker 1: to be swept down, even as the soldier of Moroni
22:38
Speaker 1: had prophesied. Now Zarahemnah, when he saw that they were
22:42
Speaker 1: all about to be destroyed, cried mightily unto Moroni, promising
22:46
Speaker 1: that he would covenant and also his people with him,
22:49
Speaker 1: if they would spare the remainder of their lives, that
22:51
Speaker 1: they never would come to war again against them. And
22:55
Speaker 1: it came to pass that Morona caused that the work
22:57
Speaker 1: of death should cease again among the people, and he
23:00
Speaker 1: took the weapons of war from the Lamanites. And after
23:03
Speaker 1: they had entered into a covenant with Him of peace,
23:05
Speaker 1: they were suffered to depart into the wilderness. Now the
23:09
Speaker 1: number of their dead was not numbered, because of the
23:11
Speaker 1: greatness of the number Yea. And the number of the
23:14
Speaker 1: dead was exceedingly great, both on the Neophytes and on
23:17
Speaker 1: the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did
23:20
Speaker 1: cast their dead into the waters of Sidon, and they
23:23
Speaker 1: have gone forth and are buried in the depths of
23:25
Speaker 1: the sea. And the armies of the Nephites or of
23:28
Speaker 1: Moroni returned and came to their houses and their lambs.
23:32
Speaker 1: And thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of
23:34
Speaker 1: the Judges over the people of Nephi. And thus ended
23:37
Speaker 1: the record of Alma, which was written upon the plates
23:39
Speaker 1: of Nephi, Chapter forty five. Behold, now it came to
23:45
Speaker 1: pass that the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced because
23:49
Speaker 1: the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands
23:51
Speaker 1: of their enemies. Therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord
23:54
Speaker 1: their god Yea. And they did fast much and pray much,
23:58
Speaker 1: and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy. And
24:02
Speaker 1: it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the
24:04
Speaker 1: reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi, that
24:06
Speaker 1: Almah came unto his son Heliman, and said unto him,
24:09
Speaker 1: believest thou the words which I speak unto THEE concerning
24:12
Speaker 1: those records which have been kept. And Helimann said unto him, yea,
24:16
Speaker 1: I believe. And Almah said again, believest thou in Jesus Christ,
24:21
Speaker 1: who shall come. And he said, yea, I believe all
24:24
Speaker 1: the words which thou hast spoken. And Almah said unto
24:27
Speaker 1: him again, will ye keep my commandments? And he said, yea,
24:32
Speaker 1: I will keep thy commandments with all my heart. Then
24:35
Speaker 1: Almah said unto him, blessed art thou, and the Lord
24:38
Speaker 1: shall prosper THEE in this land. But behold, I have
24:41
Speaker 1: somewhat to prophest i unto THEE. But what I prophest
24:44
Speaker 1: i unto THEE, YE shall not make known. Yea, what
24:47
Speaker 1: I prophes i unto THEE shall not be made known
24:49
Speaker 1: even until the prophecy is fulfilled. Therefore, write the words
24:53
Speaker 1: which I shall say. And these are the words. Behold,
24:57
Speaker 1: I perceive that this very people, the Nephites to the
25:00
Speaker 1: spirit of revelation, which is in me. In four hundred
25:02
Speaker 1: years from the time that Jesus Christ shall manifest himself,
25:05
Speaker 1: unto them shall dwindle in unbelief, yea. And then shall
25:09
Speaker 1: they see the wars and pestilences, yea, famines and bloodshed,
25:14
Speaker 1: even until the people of Nephi shall become extinct. Yea.
25:17
Speaker 1: And this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall
25:20
Speaker 1: into the works of darkness and lasciviousness, and all manner
25:24
Speaker 1: of iniquities. Yea. I say unto you that, because they
25:27
Speaker 1: shall sin against so great light and knowledge. YEA, I
25:30
Speaker 1: say unto you that from that day even the fourth
25:33
Speaker 1: generation shall not pass away before this great iniquity shall come.
25:38
Speaker 1: And when that great day cometh, behold the time very
25:41
Speaker 1: soon cometh that those who are now or the seed
25:44
Speaker 1: of those who are now numbered among the people of Nephi,
25:47
Speaker 1: shall no more be numbered among the people of Nephi.
25:50
Speaker 1: But whosoever remaineth and is not destroyed in that great
25:53
Speaker 1: and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and
25:56
Speaker 1: shall become like unto them all, save it be a
25:59
Speaker 1: few who sh shall be called the disciples of the Lord.
26:02
Speaker 1: And them shall the layman knights pursue even until they
26:05
Speaker 1: shall become extinct. And now, because of iniquity, this prophecy
26:09
Speaker 1: shall be fulfilled. And now it came to pass that
26:12
Speaker 1: after Almah had said these things to Heliman, he blessed
26:15
Speaker 1: him and also his other sons. And he also blessed
26:18
Speaker 1: the earth for the righteous's sake. And he said, thus saith,
26:22
Speaker 1: the Lord God curse shall be the land yea, this
26:25
Speaker 1: land unto every nation kindred tongue, and people unto destruction,
26:30
Speaker 1: which do wickedly when they are fully ripe. And as
26:33
Speaker 1: I have said, so shall it be. For this is
26:36
Speaker 1: the cursing and the blessing of God upon the land.
26:39
Speaker 1: For the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least
26:41
Speaker 1: degree of allowance. And now when Almah had said these words,
26:45
Speaker 1: he blessed the church yea, all those who should stand
26:48
Speaker 1: fast in the faith from that time henceforth. And when
26:52
Speaker 1: Almah had done this, he departed out of the land
26:54
Speaker 1: of Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Meelik.
26:58
Speaker 1: And it came to pass that he was never heard
27:00
Speaker 1: word of Moore as to his death or burial we
27:02
Speaker 1: know not of behold this we know that he was
27:06
Speaker 1: a righteous man, and the saying went abroad in the Church,
27:09
Speaker 1: that he was taken up by the spirit or buried
27:11
Speaker 1: by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses. But behold,
27:15
Speaker 1: the scripture saith the Lord took Moses unto himself. And
27:18
Speaker 1: we suppose that he has also received Almah in the
27:20
Speaker 1: spirit unto himself. Therefore, for this cause we know nothing
27:24
Speaker 1: concerning his death and burial. And now it came to
27:28
Speaker 1: pass in the commencement of the nineteenth year of the
27:30
Speaker 1: reign of the Judges over the pupil of Nephi, that
27:33
Speaker 1: Heliman went forth among the people to declare the Word
27:35
Speaker 1: unto them. For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites,
27:39
Speaker 1: and the many little dissensions and disturbances which had been
27:42
Speaker 1: among the people, it became expedient that the Word of
27:45
Speaker 1: God should be declared among them Yea, and that a
27:48
Speaker 1: regulation should be made throughout the church. Therefore, Heliman and
27:52
Speaker 1: his brethren went forth to establish the Church again in
27:54
Speaker 1: all the land Yea, in every city, throughout all the
27:58
Speaker 1: land which was possessed by the people of Nephi, and
28:00
Speaker 1: it came to pass that they did appoint priests and
28:03
Speaker 1: teachers throughout all the land, over all the churches. And
28:06
Speaker 1: now it came to pass that after Heliman and his
28:08
Speaker 1: brethren had appointed priests and teachers over the churches, that
28:12
Speaker 1: there arose a dissension among them, and they would not
28:14
Speaker 1: give heed to the words of Heliman and his brethren.
28:17
Speaker 1: But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts
28:20
Speaker 1: because of their exceedingly great riches. Therefore, they grew rich
28:24
Speaker 1: in their own eyes and would not give heed to
28:26
Speaker 1: their words to walk uprightly before God. End of Alma,
28:32
Speaker 1: chapter forty two through forty five.