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