************************
Moroni writes
for the benefit of the Lamanites--The Nephites who will not deny
Christ are put to death. [Between A.D.
400 and 421]
1 NOW I, Moroni, after having made an end
of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not
to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not
myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.
2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among
themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every
Nephite that will not deny the Christ.
3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I
wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.
4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that
which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any
more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of
worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according
to the will of the Lord.
Jesus gave the Nephite apostles power to confer the gift of the
Holy Ghost. [Between A.D. 400 and
421]
1 THE words of Christ, which he spake
unto his disciples, the twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his
hands upon them--
2 And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the
Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye
shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye
shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus
do mine apostles.
3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his
first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples
heard it; and on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy
Ghost.
Elders ordain priests and teachers by the laying on of hands.
[Between A.D. 400 and 421]
1 THE manner which the disciples, who
were called the elders of the church, ordained priests and teachers--
2 After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of
Christ, they laid their hands upon them, and said:
3 In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest,
(or, if he be a teacher) I ordain you to be a teacher, to preach
repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the
endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen.
4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers,
according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they
ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.
How the elders and priests administer the sacramental bread.
[Between A.D. 400 and 421]
1 THE manner of their elders and priests
administering the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church; and they
administered it according to the commandments of Christ; wherefore we
know the manner to be true; and the elder or priest did minister it--
2 And they did kneel down with the church, and pray to the
Father in the name of Christ, saying:
3 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy
Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of
all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the
body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father,
that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and
always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given
them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
The mode of administering the sacramental wine is set forth.
[Between A.D. 400 and 421]
1 THE manner of administering the
wine--Behold, they took the cup, and said:
2 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy
Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of
all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the
blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto
thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him,
that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.
Repentant persons are baptized and fellowshipped--Church
members who repent are forgiven--Meetings are conducted by the power
of the Holy Ghost. [Between A.D. 400
and 421]
1 AND now I speak concerning baptism.
Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were
not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy
of it.
2 Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came
forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto
the church that they truly repented of all their sins.
3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon
them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the
end.
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were
wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were
numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names
were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good
word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually
watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who
was the author and the finisher of their faith.
5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray,
and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.
6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and
wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.
7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no
iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and
three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and
if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted
out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ.
8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with
real intent, they were forgiven.
9 And their meetings were conducted by the church after the
manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy
Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach,
or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it
was done.
An invitation to enter into the rest of the Lord--Pray with
real intent--The Spirit of Christ enables men to know good from
evil--Satan persuades men to deny Christ and do evil--The prophets
manifest the coming of Christ--By faith miracles are wrought and
angels minister--Men should hope for eternal life and cleave unto
charity. [Between A.D. 400 and 421]
1 AND now I, Moroni, write a few of the
words of my father Mormon, which he spake concerning faith, hope, and
charity; for after this manner did he speak unto the people, as he
taught them in the synagogue which they had built for the place of
worship.
2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and
it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and
his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I am
permitted to speak unto you at this time.
3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church,
that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a
sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from
this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.
4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of
your peaceable walk with the children of men.
5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works
ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good
also.
6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that
which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except
he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.
8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it
grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had
retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.
9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he
shall pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth
him nothing, for God receiveth none such.
10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good;
neither will he give a good gift.
11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good
water; neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water;
wherefore, a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ;
and if he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil.
12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and
that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy
unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and
enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.
13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to
do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and
enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired
of God.
14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not
judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of
God to be of the devil.
15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge,
that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain,
that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from
the dark night.
16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man,
that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way
to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade
to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ;
wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and
believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may
know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this
manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no,
not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject
themselves unto him.
18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by
which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye
do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge
ye shall also be judged.
19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should
search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from
evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it
not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.
20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay
hold upon every good thing?
21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would
speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every
good thing.
22 For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting
to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children
of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in
Christ there should come every good thing.
23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth,
that Christ should come.
24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest
things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things
which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and there
could no good thing come unto them.
25 Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word
which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise
faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good
thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ.
26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his
name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as
Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying:
Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good,
in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done
unto you.
27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased
because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the
right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which
he hath upon the children of men?
28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth
all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will
cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of
the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.
29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have
miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels
ceased to minister unto the children of men.
30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister
according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of
strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.
31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto
repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the
Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the
way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto
the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the
residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have
place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this
manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made
unto the children of men.
33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall
have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.
34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and
come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that
ye may be saved.
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that
these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show
unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are
true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men?
Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he,
so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall
be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that
miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and
minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto
the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ,
save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things
have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of
man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made.
39 But behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of
you, for I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your
meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to be
numbered among the people of his church.
40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you
concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye
shall have hope?
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto
you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the
power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this
because of your faith in him according to the promise.
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope;
for without faith there cannot be any hope.
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith
and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.
44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable
before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek
and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that
Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not
charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not,
and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked,
thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the
truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye
are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto
charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth
forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall
be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with
all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which
he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus
Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have
this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
Infant baptism is an evil abomination--Little children are
alive in Christ because of the atonement--Faith, repentance, meekness
and lowliness of heart, receiving the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the
end lead to salvation. [Between A.D.
400 and 421]
1 AN epistle of my father Mormon, written
to me, Moroni; and it was written unto me soon after my calling to
the ministry. And on this wise did he write unto me, saying:
2 My beloved son, Moroni, I rejoice exceedingly that your
Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to
his ministry, and to his holy work.
3 I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually
praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus,
that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you
through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.
4 And now, my son, I speak unto you concerning that which
grieveth me exceedingly; for it grieveth me that there should
disputations rise among you.
5 For, if I have learned the truth, there have been
disputations among you concerning the baptism of your little
children.
6 And now, my son, I desire that ye should labor diligently,
that this gross error should be removed from among you; for, for this
intent I have written this epistle.
7 For immediately after I had learned these things of you I
inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And the word of the Lord
came to me by the power of the Holy Ghost, saying:
8 Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and
your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but
sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are
sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable
of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in
me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is
done away in me.
9 And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word
of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn
mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.
10 Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye
teach--repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and
capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent
and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and
they shall all be saved with their little children.
11 And their little children need no repentance, neither
baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the
commandments unto the remission of sins.
12 But little children are alive in Christ, even from the
foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a
changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little
children have died without baptism!
13 Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without
baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.
14 Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little
children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds
of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore,
should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell.
15 For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one
child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath
no baptism.
16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord
after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold,
I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what
man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
17 And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love;
wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little
children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of
salvation.
18 For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a
changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all
eternity.
19 Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful
wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are
all alive in him because of his mercy.
20 And he that saith that little children need baptism
denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of
him and the power of his redemption.
21 Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and
an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen
unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the
judgment-seat of Christ.
22 For behold that all little children are alive in Christ,
and also all they that are without the law. For the power of
redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is
not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent;
and unto such baptism availeth nothing--
23 But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of
Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead
works.
24 Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance
is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a
broken law.
25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism
cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the
fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness
of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the
visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and
perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the
end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.
27 Behold, my son, I will write unto you again if I go not
out soon against the Lamanites. Behold, the pride of this nation, or
the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except they
should repent.
28 Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them.
But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them;
and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all
power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the
Holy Ghost.
29 And after rejecting so great a knowledge, my son, they
must perish soon, unto the fulfilling of the prophecies which were
spoken by the prophets, as well as the words of our Savior himself.
30 Farewell, my son, until I shall write unto you, or shall
meet you again. Amen.
The second epistle of Mormon to his son Moroni.
Both the Nephites and the Lamanites are depraved and
degenerate--They torture and murder each other--Mormon prays that
grace and goodness may rest upon Moroni forever. [Between A.D.
400 and 421]
1 MY beloved son, I write unto you again
that ye may know that I am yet alive; but I write somewhat of that
which is grievous.
2 For behold, I have had a sore battle with the Lamanites, in
which we did not conquer; and Archeantus has fallen by the sword, and
also Luram and Emron; yea, and we have lost a great number of our
choice men.
3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall
destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth them
up continually to anger one with another.
4 Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I
speak the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against
me; and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it;
wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased striving
with them.
5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that
they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one
towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.
6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness,
let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should
be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst
in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all
righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.
7 And now I write somewhat concerning the sufferings of this
people. For according to the knowledge which I have received from
Amoron, behold, the Lamanites have many prisoners, which they took
from the tower of Sherrizah; and there were men, women, and children.
8 And the husbands and fathers of those women and children
they have slain; and they feed the women upon the flesh of their
husbands, and the children upon the flesh of their fathers; and no
water, save a little, do they give unto them.
9 And notwithstanding this great abomination of the
Lamanites, it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum. For
behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken
prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and
precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue--
10 And after they had done this thing, they did murder them
in a most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and
after they have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild
beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it for a
token of bravery.
11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are
without civilization--
12 (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a
civil and a delightsome people)
13 But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is
in so much abomination--
14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment
against us?
15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people. Come out in
judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and
abominations from before thy face!
16 And again, my son, there are many widows and their
daughters who remain in Sherrizah; and that part of the provisions
which the Lamanites did not carry away, behold, the army of Zenephi
has carried away, and left them to wander whithersoever they can for
food; and many old women do faint by the way and die.
17 And the army which is with me is weak; and the armies of
the Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and as many as have fled
to the army of Aaron have fallen victims to their awful brutality.
18 O the depravity of my people! They are without order and
without mercy. Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the strength of
a man, and I cannot any longer enforce my commands.
19 And they have become strong in their perversion; and they
are alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they
delight in everything save that which is good; and the suffering of
our women and our children upon all the face of this land doth exceed
everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be written.
20 And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible
scene. Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou
knowest that they are without principle, and past feeling; and their
wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites.
21 Behold, my son, I cannot recommend them unto God lest he
should smite me.
22 But behold, my son, I recommend thee unto God, and I trust
in Christ that thou wilt be saved; and I pray unto God that he will
spare thy life, to witness the return of his people unto him, or
their utter destruction; for I know that they must perish except they
repent and return unto him.
23 And if they perish it will be like unto the Jaredites,
because of the wilfulness of their hearts, seeking for blood and
revenge.
24 And if it so be that they perish, we know that many of our
brethren have deserted over unto the Lamanites, and many more will
also desert over unto them; wherefore, write somewhat a few things,
if thou art spared and I shall perish and not see thee; but I trust
that I may see thee soon; for I have sacred records that I would
deliver up unto thee.
25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things
which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but
may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the
showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering,
and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind
forever.
26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high
in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right
hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him,
be, and abide with you forever. Amen.
A testimony of the Book of Mormon comes by the power of the
Holy Ghost--The gifts of the Spirit are dispensed to the
faithful--Spiritual gifts always accompany faith--Moroni's words
speak from the dust--Come unto Christ, be perfected in him, and
sanctify your souls. [About A.D. 421]
1 NOW I, Moroni, write somewhat as
seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I
would that they should know that *more than four hundred and twenty
years have passed away since the sign was given of the coming of
Christ.
2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few
words by way of exhortation unto you.
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these
things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye
would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of
men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall
receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you
that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if
these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart,
with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth
of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of
all things.
6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore,
nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he
is.
7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost;
wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for
he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men,
the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the
gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And
there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is
the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the
manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.
9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he
may teach the word of wisdom;
10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by
the same Spirit;
11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another,
the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all
things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and
ministering spirits;
15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and
of divers kinds of tongues.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they
come unto every man severally, according as he will.
18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye
remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.
19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye
remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that
all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never
will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only
according to the unbelief of the children of men.
20 Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith
there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be
charity.
21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in
the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if
ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and
despair cometh because of iniquity.
23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith
ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.
24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth--that if
the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away
among you, it shall be because of unbelief.
25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case;
for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if
there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power
and gifts of God.
26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die,
for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom
of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie
not.
27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time
speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see
me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not
declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as
one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?
28 I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the
prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of
the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to
generation.
29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have
written is true.
30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto
Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil
gift, nor the unclean thing.
31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and
put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy
stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be
confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath
made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.
32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all
ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength,
then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be
perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in
Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in
Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by
the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which
is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins,
that ye become holy, without spot.
34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the
paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I
am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the
pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick
and dead. Amen.
* Verse 1 [About A.D.
421].
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