The Book Of Alma (Chap. 13)

Alma 13:1
And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the
time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children;
and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained
priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his
Son, to teach these things unto the people.

Alma 13:2
And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in
a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to
look forward to his Son for redemption.

Alma 13:3
And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being
called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to
the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and
good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;
therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly
great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy
calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory
redemption for such.

Alma 13:4
And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account
of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on
account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their
minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as
great privilege as their brethren.

Alma 13:5
Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing
with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from
the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their
hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten
Son, who was prepared—

Alma 13:6
And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto
the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his
commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter
into his rest—

Alma 13:7
This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which
order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words,
being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared
from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of
all things—

Alma 13:8
Now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a
holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon
them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and
ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—

Alma 13:9
Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of
days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth.
And thus it is. Amen.

Alma 13:10
Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high
priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high
priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith
and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing
to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;

Alma 13:11
Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were
sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the
blood of the Lamb.

Alma 13:12
Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having
their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God,
could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there
were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered
into the rest of the Lord their God.

Alma 13:13
And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble
yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance,
that ye may also enter into that rest.

Alma 13:14
Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of
Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order
which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood
forever.

Alma 13:15
And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes;
yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all
he possessed.

Alma 13:16
Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that
thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being
a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they
might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that
they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

Alma 13:17
Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and
his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea,
they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of
wickedness;

Alma 13:18
But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received
the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of
God, did preach repentance unto his people. And behold, they did
repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his
days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the
king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

Alma 13:19
Now, there were many before him, and also there were many
afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have
more particularly made mention.

Alma 13:20
Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may
suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest
them it shall be to your own destruction.

Alma 13:21
And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words
unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a
mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of
salvation draweth nigh;

Alma 13:22
Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth
declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may
have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad
tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are
scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have
come unto us.

Alma 13:23
And they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may
understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being
wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly
favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all
parts of our vineyard.

Alma 13:24
For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in
our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of
the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming
in his glory.

Alma 13:25
And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us
by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we
know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in my day; but
let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.

Alma 13:26
And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the
mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our
fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have
spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of
prophecy which was in them.

Alma 13:27
And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my
heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would
hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not
procrastinate the day of your repentance;

Alma 13:28
But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call
on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not
be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the
Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of
love and all long-suffering;

Alma 13:29
Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive
eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that
ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

Alma 13:30
And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not
bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by
the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.

Alma 13:31
And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not
written in this book.