Joseph Smith

“ Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hath driven us forth, and for this many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer it not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness, but behold these things which I have moulten out of the rock. -- And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man ”

“ And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men, is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity, they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father. Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them which shall have more abundantly. ”

“ Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy servant because of his weakness before thee: for we know that thou art holy, and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are unworthy before thee: because of the fall, our natures have become evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may receive according to our desires. ”

“ Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow, neither would he lend; and every man kept the hilt of his sword thereof, in his right hand, in the defence of his property and his own life, and they of his wives and children. And now after the space of two years, and after the death of Shared,
behold, there arose the brother of Shared, and he gave battle unto Coriantumr, in the which Coriantumr did beat him, and did pursue him to the wilderness of Akish. ”

“ But because of the faith of men, he has shewn himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen; wherefore ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will have faith. ”

“ And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land, and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years, they had become exceeding strong, insomuch that they became exceeding rich, having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious things, and also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kind of animals, which were useful for the food of man ”

“ And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they shall be like unto the old, save the old have passed away, and all things have
become new. And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they which dwell therein, for it is they whose garment are white through the blood of the Lamb; and they are they which are numbered among the remnant of the seed of Joseph, which were of the house of Israel. ”

“ And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the
people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power, to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms. -- And it was the daughter of Jared which put it into his heart to search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of Akish; wherefore Akish administered it unto his kindreds and friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever thing he desired. ”

“ But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my spirit, he shall know that these things are true: for it persuadeth men to do good ”

“ And it came to pass that when they were all gathered together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives, and their children; both men, women and children being armed with weapons of war, having shields, and breast-plates, and head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war, they did march forth one against another, to battle ”