The Collected Works. Joseph Smith Jr.
Alma 31:14
14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and
stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards
heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:
Alma 31:15
15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe
that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou
art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.
Alma 31:16
16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our
brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren,
which was handed down to them by the childishness of their
fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy
children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there
shall be no Christ.
Alma 31:17
17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou
hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are
elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which
holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou
hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish
traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief
of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee,
our God.
Alma 31:18
18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a
holy people. Amen.
Alma 31:19
19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his
sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all
measure.
Alma 31:20
20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same
prayers.
Alma 31:21
21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being
interpreted, is the holy stand.
Alma 31:22
22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the
selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were
chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the
tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not
stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing
about.
Alma 31:23
23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this
manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God
again until they had assembled themselves together again to the
holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.
Alma 31:24
24 Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that
they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their
hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner
of fine goods.
Alma 31:25
25 Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto
great boasting, in their pride.
Alma 31:26
26 And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O,
how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell
here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among
the children of men?
Alma 31:27
27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are
swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee
with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness,
with the vain things of the world.
Alma 31:28
28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets,
and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their
precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their
hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say—We
thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while
others shall perish.
Alma 31:29
29 Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that
there shall be no Christ.
Alma 31:30
30 O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness
and infidelity shall be among this people? O Lord, wilt thou
give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I
am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my
soul.
Alma 31:31
31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort
my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may
have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions
which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.
Alma 31:32
32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success,
and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and
Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom and also my two
sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt
thou comfort their souls in Christ.
Alma 31:33
33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that
they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them
because of the iniquities of this people.
Alma 31:34
34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in
bringing them again unto thee in Christ.
Alma 31:35
35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them
are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and
wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.
Alma 31:36
36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that
he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And
behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with
the Holy Spirit.
Alma 31:37
37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another,