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Show POOK BOOK OF ALMA. him. -And now I say unto you, that the good shepherd dott he will call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice, comman he and sheep; his bring you into his fold, and ye are you, deth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among es that ye may not be destroyed. him And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of words the do to observe ye that me, who hath commanded which I have spoken unto you. I speak by way of command do unto you that belong to the church; and unto those which saying, not belong to the church, I speak by way of invitation, OF ALMA. 939 the valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man And which was slain by the hand:of Nehor with the sword, the unto God of word the declare to Alma went and began accorGideon, of valley. the in established was church which ding to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son.of God, which should come for to redeem his people from their sins, and the holy order by which he was called. And thus it is: written. Amen. Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life. a ne CHAPTER cnaprer i.- (A VI 7 € Ann now it came to pass that after Alma had made an end of speaking unto the people of the church, which was esta- lished in the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders, by laying on his hands according to the order of God, to preAnd it came to pass that side and watch over the church. church who repented 0! the to belong not whomsoever did nce, and was received repenta unto d baptize was their sins, into the church. And it also eame to pass that whomsocve! did belong to the church, that did not repent of their wicke® ness, and humble themselves before God; I mean those which were lifted up in the pride of their hearts; the same were jected, and their names were blotted out, that their names thu were not numbered among those of, the righteous; and they began to establish the order of the church in the city & Now I would that ye-should understand that the Zarahemla. word of God was hberal unto all; that no one was deprive’ r to hear the ‘of the privilege of assembling themselves togethe Of God were co™ word of God; nevertheless" the children manded that they should gather themselves together off, - joi in fasting and mighty prayer, in behalf of the weliare © | — the souls of those who knew not God. And now it came to pass. that when Alma had made these them, yea, fromthe church Ww)" regulations, he departed from la, and went over upon the east 0} was in the city of Zarahem having been . the river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there was © city built whieh was called ihe city of Gideon, which V, = V US ‘ The words of Alma which he delivered to the peopie in Gideon, according to his own record. Benotp my beloved brethren, seeing that I have been permitted to come unto you, therefore I attempt to address you mmy language; yea, by my own mouth, seeing that it is the urst time that I have spoken unto you by the words of my nouth, [having been wholly confined to the judgment seat, ‘ving had much business that I could not come unto you; and even I could not have come now at this time, were it noi at the judgment seat hath been given to another, to reign in iy stead; and the Lord in much mercy hath granted that I Ould come unto you. And behold, [have come, baving great ‘pes and much desire that I should find that ye had humled yourselvés*before~God, and that ye had continued in the “upphcating of his grace, that I should find that ye were blamePe ah him; that I should find that ye were not in the aw: lemma that our brethren were im at Zarahemla; but» Wssed he the name of God that he hath given me to know,” ne . giver Unto-me” the~excéeding great joy of knowing established again in the way of his righte aaiistts ; oe | shall a ; meen have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire ee you, should come by the cause of so much at m SO of me. Lirnh to the spirit of God which is in me, that and sorrow which Ihave had for the brethren at emla: for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading But behold, I trust that hough Much afflictions and sorrow. ea. tin a state of so much unbelief as were your breth-’. |