32:1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to preach
the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and
into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their
streets.
32:2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they began
to have success among the poor class of people; for behold, they were
cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of their apparel—
32:3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their synagogues
to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness; therefore they were poor;
yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were
poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in heart.
32:4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the
hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were those of
whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart, because of
their poverty as to the things of the world.
32:5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among
them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they
are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more
especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues
which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they
have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have no place
to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?
32:6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face
immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld
that their afflictions had truly humbled them and that they were in a
preparation to hear the word.
32:7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he
stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were
truly penitent, and said unto them:
32:8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are ye.
32:9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?—for we are cast
out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.
32:10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God
save it be in your synagogues only?
32:11 Moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship God
only once in a week?
32:12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your
synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it
is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are
cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your
exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye
are necessarily brought to be humble.
32:13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye;
for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh
repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and
he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.
32:14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be
humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed
who truly humble themselves because of the word?
32:15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins,
and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more
blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their
exceeding poverty.
32:16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being
compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that
believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of
heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled
to know, before they will believe.
32:17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign
from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.
32:18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a
man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.
32:19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God
and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to
believe, and falleth into transgression?
32:20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it
is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto
every man according to his work.
32:21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect
knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things
which are not seen, which are true.
32:22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should
remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name;
therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea,
even on his word.
32:23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only
men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words
given unto them many times which confound the wise and the learned.
32:24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me
what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not
desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according
to that which is true—
32:25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to
humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you
who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances
they might.
32:26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect
knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety
at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.
32:27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to
an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea,
even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in
you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a
portion of my words.
32:28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place,
that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed,
or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will
resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within
your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin
to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or
that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it
beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be
delicious to me.
32:29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you,
Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.
32:30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to
grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it
swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now behold, will
not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for
ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth
and beginneth to grow.
32:31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto
you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.
32:32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not,
behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.
32:33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and
planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow,
ye must needs know that the seed is good.
32:34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge
is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because
ye know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also
know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be
enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.
32:35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is
light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible,
therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have
tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?
32:36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith,
for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might
try the experiment to know if the seed was good.
32:37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us
nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up,
and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with
much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.
32:38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its
nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the
sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away,
and ye pluck it up and cast it out.
32:39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it
because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because
your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye
cannot have the fruit thereof.
32:40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with
an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit
of the tree of life.
32:41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it
beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with
patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and
behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
32:42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience
with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold,
by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious,
which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all
that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast
upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither
shall ye thirst.
32:43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and
your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree
to bring forth fruit unto you.