The Book of Mormon Part 79

Alma 42:14 14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of G.o.d, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.

Alma 42:15 15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore G.o.d himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that G.o.d might be a perfect, just G.o.d, and a merciful G.o.d also.

Alma 42:16 16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as eternal also as the life of the soul.

Alma 42:17 17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin? How could he sin if there was no law? How could there be a law save there was a punishment?

Alma 42:18 18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought remorse of conscience unto man.

Alma 42:19 19 Now, if there was no law given--if a man murdered he should die--would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?

Alma 42:20 20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not be afraid to sin.

Alma 42:21 21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon the creature?

Alma 42:22 22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and G.o.d would cease to be G.o.d.

Alma 42:23 23 But G.o.d ceaseth not to be G.o.d, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pa.s.s the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of G.o.d; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice.

Alma 42:24 24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved.

Alma 42:25 25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, G.o.d would cease to be G.o.d.

Alma 42:26 26 And thus G.o.d bringeth about his great and eternal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also their destruction and misery.

Alma 42:27 27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

Alma 42:28 28 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the restoration of G.o.d.

Alma 42:29 29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

Alma 42:30 30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of G.o.d no more. Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point because of your sins, by denying the justice of G.o.d; but do you let the justice of G.o.d, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility.

Alma 42:31 31 And now, O my son, ye are called of G.o.d to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may G.o.d grant unto you even according to my words.

Amen.

Alma 43 Chapter 43

Alma 43:1 1 And now it came to pa.s.s that the sons of Alma did go forth among the people, to declare the word unto them. And Alma, also, himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.

Alma 43:2 2 Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the holy order of G.o.d by which they were called.

Alma 43:3 3 And now I return to an account of the wars between the Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 43:4 4 For behold, it came to pa.s.s that the Zoramites became Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon.

Alma 43:5 5 And it came to pa.s.s that the Lamanites came with their thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was their leader.

Alma 43:6 6 And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves, therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.

Alma 43:7 7 Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the accomplishment of his designs.

Alma 43:8 8 For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by bringing them into bondage.

Alma 43:9 9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might wors.h.i.+p G.o.d according to their desires.

Alma 43:10 10 For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites, that whosoever should wors.h.i.+p G.o.d in spirit and in truth, the true and the living G.o.d, the Lamanites would destroy.

Alma 43:11 11 Yea, and they also knew the extreme hatred of the Lamanites towards their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, who were called the people of Ammon--and they would not take up arms, yea, they had entered into a covenant and they would not break it--therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the Lamanites they would be destroyed.

Alma 43:12 12 And the Nephites would not suffer that they should be destroyed; therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance.

Alma 43:13 13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the Lamanites, who were a compound of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, and all those who had dissented from the Nephites, who were Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants of the priests of Noah.

Alma 43:14 14 Now those descendants were as numerous, nearly, as were the Nephites; and thus the Nephites were obliged to contend with their brethren, even unto bloodshed.

Alma 43:15 15 And it came to pa.s.s as the armies of the Lamanites had gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.

Alma 43:16 16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites--now the chief captain took the command of all the armies of the Nephites--and his name was Moroni;

Alma 43:17 17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.

Alma 43:18 18 And it came to pa.s.s that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.

Alma 43:19 19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-s.h.i.+elds, yea, and also s.h.i.+elds to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing--

Alma 43:20 20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins; yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the Amalekites;

Alma 43:21 21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor s.h.i.+elds--therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number being so much greater than the Nephites.

Alma 43:22 22 Behold, now it came to pa.s.s that they durst not come against the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies of Moroni would know whither they had gone.

Alma 43:23 23 But it came to pa.s.s, as soon as they had departed into the wilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch their camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend themselves against the Lamanites.

Alma 43:24 24 And it came to pa.s.s that the word of the Lord came unto Alma, and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people. And those messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.

Alma 43:25 25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land of Jershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites should come into that land and take possession of the city, took the remaining part of his army and marched over into the land of Manti.

Alma 43:26 26 And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land should gather themselves together to battle against the Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the time of the coming of the Lamanites.

Alma 43:27 27 And it came to pa.s.s that Moroni caused that his army should be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the wilderness.

Alma 43:28 28 And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when the camp of the Lamanites should come.

Alma 43:29 29 And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a kingdom unto themselves over all the land;

Alma 43:30 30 And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the Lamanites were to take.

Alma 43:31 31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of the hill Riplah;