ruler of the Zoramites being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those who came over from them into their land. 9. And he breathed out many threatenings against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words, therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and "they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants. 10. Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites, and to stir them up also to anger against them; 11. And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also against the Nephites. 12. And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the Judges over the people of Nephi. 13. And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon, and came over into the 'land of Melek, and gave place in the land of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might contend with the armies of the Lainanites and the armies of the Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the Judges; and an account shall be given of their wars hereafter. 14. And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the "two sons of Alma, returned to the land of "Zarahemla, after having been instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the "Zoramites to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance, were driven out of their land; but they have lands for their inheritance in the "land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their lands. 15. Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceeding sorrowful; 16. Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record. e, see 2j, Alma 30. i, see j, Alma 30. m, Alma 43, 44. q, ver, 6. f, ver. 6. j, Alma 27 26. g, Alma 27: 26. k, see g, Alma 27. o, see h. Omni 1. h, see l, Mos. 4. 1, see c, Alma 8. p, see 2j, Alma 30, The Commandments of Alma to his son Helaman. CHAPTER 36. 1. My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that "inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall prosper in the land. 2. I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the captivity of our fathers; for they were in 'bondage, and none could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in their afflictions. 3. And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words, and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God, shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day; 4. And I would not that ye think that I know of myself, not of the temporal, but of the spiritual; not of the carnal mind, but of God. 5. Now behold I say unto you, if I had not been born of God, I should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself, 6. For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us by the way. 7. And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the "voice of thunder, and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet, and we all fell to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us. 8. But behold, the voice said unto me, Arise. And I 'arose and stood up, and beheld the angel. 9. And he said unto me, If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed, seek no more to destroy the church of God. 10. And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for the space of three days and three nights, that I could not open my mouth: neither had I the use of my limbs. 11. And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the words, If thou wilt be "destroyed of thyself, seek no more to destroy the church of God, I was struck with such great fear and amazement, lest perhaps I a, see h, II. Nep. 1. d, see c, Mos. 5. h, Mos. 27: 11. 1, ver. 16. b, Mos. 23: 23. 24: 17-21. c, see p, Mos. 23. e, Mos. 27: 11-17. f, Mos. 27: 10. i, Mos. 27: 13, 15. j, Mos. 27: 16. Mos. 27:19-23. g, see e. k, Mos. 27: 18 should be destroyed, that I fell to the earth, and I did hear no more; 12. But I was racked with "eternal torment, for my soul was harrowed up to the greatest degree, and racked with all my sins. 13. Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy commandments; 14. Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thoughts of coming into the presence of my God, did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. 15. Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds. 16. And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked, even with the pains of a damned soul. 17. And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to Patone for the sins of the world. 18. Now as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart, O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who art in the gall of bitterness, and ar encircled about by the everlasting chains of death. 19. And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more. 20. And oh, what joy, and what marvellous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pasay unto you, my son, that there could be 21. Yea, nothing so exquisite and so bitter, as was my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy ; 22. Yea, me thought I saw, even as our "father Lehi saw, God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there. 23. But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had been born of God; 24. Yea, and from that time, even until now, I have n, see m, Jacob 6. 9, see p, . Nep. 28. o, ver. 10. Mos. 27: 19-23. r, I. Nep. 1: 8. p, see f, 1. Nep. 2. t, see c, labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the "exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be "born of God, and be "filled with the Holy Ghost. 25. Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceeding great joy in the fruit of my labors; 26. For because of the word which he has imparted unto me, behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have tasted, and have seen eye to eye, as I have seen; therefore they do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and the knowledge which I have is of God. 27. And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me; 28. And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him for ever, for he has brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and captivity from time to time; 29. Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time, even down to the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I have done, their captivity. 30. But behold, my son, this is not all for ye ought to know as I do know, that ainasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God, ye shall be cut off from his presence. Now this is according to his word. CHAPTER 37. 1. AND now my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the records which have been "entrusted with me; 2. And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people, according as I have done, upon the 'plates of w, 1. Nep. 10: 17-19. II. Nep. 31: III. Nep. 9: 20. u, vers. 20-22. v, see c, Mos. 5. 13, 14, 17, 18. 32: 2, 5. Alma 31: 36. 11:35, 36. 12: 1,2. 18:37. 19:13, 14. Mos. 5. y, Alma 14: 26-29. z, see p, Mos. 23. 2a, see h, II. Nep. 1. a, Mos. 28: 20. b, see f, 1. Nep. 1. x, see c, Nephi, and keep all these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them; for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept; 3. And these plates of "brass which contain these engravings, which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning. 4. And behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they should be kept and handed down from one generation to another, and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord, until they should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon. 5. And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy writ. 6. Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things, are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances, doth confound the wise. 7. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by "very small means the Lord doth confound the wise, and bringeth about the salvation of many souls. 8. And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God, that these things should be preserved; for behold, they have 'enlarged the memory of this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways, and brought them to the knowledge of their God, unto the salvation of their souls. 9. Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites, of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer. 10. And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer ? 11. Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me; therefore I shall forbear. 12. And it may suffice, if only say, they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; |