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for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is "one eternal round.

13. O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the commandments of God. And he said, "If ye will keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land; but if ye keep not his commandments, ye shall be cut off from his presence.

14. And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him, that he may shew forth his power unto future generations.

15. And now behold, I tell you by the Spirit of prophecy, that if ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and ye shall be delivered up unto satan, that he may sift you as chaff before the wind.

16. But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these things which are sacred, according to that which the Lord doth command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things whatsoever ye must do with them,) behold, no power of earth or hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words;

17. For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers.

18. For he promised unto them that he would reserve these things for a wise purpose in him, that he might shew forth his power unto "future generations.

19. And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; and he hath shewn forth his power in them, and he will also still shew forth his power in them unto "future generations; therefore they shall be preserved;

20. Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ve be diligent in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as they are written.

21. And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of darkness, and their secret works, or the 'secret works of those people, who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their plunderings, and all their wickedness, and abominations, may be made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these "directors.

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22. For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in darkness, yea, work "secret murders and abominations; therefore the Lord said, If they did not repent, they should be "destroyed from off the face of the earth.

23. And the Lord said, I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto them the works of their brethren: yea, their secret works, their works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.

24. And now my son, these directors were prepared, that the word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

25. I will bring forth out of darkness unto light, all their 2 secret works and their abominations; and except they repent, I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.

26. And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out of darkness, and 2dmade known

unto us.

27. And now my son, I command you that ye retain all their oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall retain from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure they should fall into darkness also, and be destroyed.

28. For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness, according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe; therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.

29. Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness, and their murders, and their abominations, shall ye make known unto them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness, and abominations, and murders; and ye shall also teach them, that these people were destroyed on account of their wickedness, and abominations, and their murders.

30. For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities; and the blood of those whom they murdered, did cry unto the Lord their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers: and thus the judg.

v, see i, II. Nep. 10. w, see 11. Nep. 10. z, see n, Mos. 8 2c, The Jaredites, see j, Mos. 8.

j, Mos. 8.
x, see n, Mos. 8.
y, see i,
2 a, see i, 11. Nep. 10. 2b, seej, Mos. 8.
2d, see i, 11. Nep. 10.

ments of God did come upon these workers of darkness and secret combinations;

31. Yea, and 2ecursed be the land for ever and ever unto those workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.

32. And now my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto you: trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity;

33. Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves, and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ;

34. Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart : for such shall find rest to their souls.

35. Oh remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth: yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God;

36. Yea, and 2/cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest, let it be in the Lord: yea, let thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord for ever;

37. Counsel the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night, lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning, let thy heart be full of thanks unto God: and if ye do these things, ye shall be 2 lifted up at the last day.

38. And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing which our fathers call a 2"ball, or director; for our fathers called it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

39. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was prepared to shew unto our fathers the course which they should travel in the wilderness;

40. And it did work for them according to their faith in God therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day;

41. Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means, it did shew unto them marvellous works. They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and

2e, ver. 28. Alma 45 16. Mos. 23.

2h, see d, 1. Nep. 16.

2f, see e, II. Nep. 32.

2g, see p,

diligence and then those marvellous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;

42. Therefore they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst, because of their transgressions.

43. And now my son, I would that ye should understand that these things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful to give heed to this compass, (now these things were temporal,) they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are spiritual.

44. For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a 2 straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

45. And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this 2/director did bring our fathers, by following its course to the 2*promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow, into a far better land of promise.

46. O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look, they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look, we may live for ever.

47. And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things; yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people, and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.

CHAPTER 38.

The Commandments of Alma to his son Shiblon.

1. My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I said unto Helaman, That "inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God, ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God, ye shall be cast off from his presence.

2. And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth, to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that 'endureth to the end.

2 i, see 2 a, II. Nep. 9. 1. Nep. 2.

2j, ver. 38, see d, 1. Nep. 16.

2k, see α,

a, see h, 11. Nep. 1.

b, see h, 11. Nep. 31.

3. I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience, and thy long suffering among the people of the Zoramites.

4. For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also knew that thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all these things with patience, because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.

5. And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember that as much as ye shall put your trust in God, even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

6. Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in me, which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been born of God, I should not have known these things.

7. But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to declare unto me, that I must stop the work of destruction among his people: yea, and I have seen an angel face to face; and he spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the whole earth.

8. And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a remission of my sins. But behold, I did cry unto him, and I did find peace to my soul.

9. And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness.

10. And now, as ye have begun to teach the word, even so I would that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things.

11. See that ye are not lifted up unto pride: yea, see that ye do not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength;

12. Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness;

13. Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.

14. Do not say, O God, I thank thee that we are better than our brethren; but rather say, O Lord, forgive my

d, see p, Mos. 23. e, see c, Mos. 5.
Alma 36: 10, 16,

c, see 2j, Alma 30.
g, Mos. 27: 19-23.
j, see 2j, Alma, 30,

27: 11-17.
i, see m, Mos, 16,

f, Mos. h, see d, Mos. 5,

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