The Book Of Alma (Chap. 34)

Alma 34:1
And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words
unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began
to teach them, saying:

Alma 34:2
My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be
ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the
coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea,
I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before
your dissension from among us.

Alma 34:3
And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should
make known unto you what ye should do, because of your
afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your
minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience—

Alma 34:4
Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant
the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its
goodness.

Alma 34:5
And we have beheld that the great question which is in your
minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there
shall be no Christ.

Alma 34:6
And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in
many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.

Alma 34:7
My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption
cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock;
and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things
are true.

Alma 34:8
And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these
things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that
Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the
transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the
sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Alma 34:9
For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for
according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an
atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea,
all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must
perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient
should be made.

Alma 34:10
For it is expedient that there should be a great and last
sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither
of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but
it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

Alma 34:11
Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood
which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man
murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of
his brother? I say unto you, Nay.

Alma 34:12
But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;
therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite
atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.

Alma 34:13
Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and
last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient there
should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of
Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and
tittle, and none shall have passed away.

Alma 34:14
And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit
pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and
last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

Alma 34:15
And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall
believe on his name; this being the intent of this last
sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth
justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have
faith unto repentance.

Alma 34:16
And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and
encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no
faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands
of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto
repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of
redemption.

Alma 34:17
Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may
begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to
call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Alma 34:18
Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Alma 34:19
Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

Alma 34:20
Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your
flocks.

Alma 34:21
Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household,
both morning, mid-day, and evening.

Alma 34:22
Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

Alma 34:23
Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all
righteousness.

Alma 34:24
Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may
prosper in them.

Alma 34:25
Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

Alma 34:26
But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your
closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

Alma 34:27
Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts
be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your
welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

Alma 34:28
And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not
suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these
things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not
the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have,
to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of
these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you
nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

Alma 34:29
Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as
dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and
is trodden under foot of men.

Alma 34:30
And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so
many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these
things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.

Alma 34:31
Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your
hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of
your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not
your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be
brought about unto you.

Alma 34:32
For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet
God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to
perform their labors.

Alma 34:33
And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many
witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not
procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after
this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity,
behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then
cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor
performed.

Alma 34:34
Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that
I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say
this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the
time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have
power to possess your body in that eternal world.

Alma 34:35
For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to
the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the
Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in
you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final
state of the wicked.

Alma 34:36
And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not
in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he
dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit
down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should
be made white through the blood of the Lamb.

Alma 34:37
And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should
remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation
with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming
of Christ;

Alma 34:38
That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye
receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble
yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place
ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he
doth bestow upon you.

Alma 34:39
Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful
unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the
temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye
may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he
rewardeth you no good thing.

Alma 34:40
And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have
patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that
ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of
your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;

Alma 34:41
But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions,
with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your
afflictions.