Historical Study of Jesus the Christ and His Mission. James E. Talmage

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СКАЧАТЬ to the Father's wish."—John Taylor—Mediation and Atonement, pp. 93, 94.

      3. The Jaredites.—"Of the two nations whose histories constitute the Book of Mormon, the first in order of time consisted of the people of Jared, who followed their leader from the Tower of Babel at the time of the confusion of tongues. Their history was written on twenty-four plates of gold by Ether, the last of their prophets, who, foreseeing the destruction of his people because of their wickedness, hid away the historical plates. They were afterward found, B.C. 123, by an expedition sent out by King Limhi, a Nephite ruler. The record engraved on these plates was subsequently abridged by Moroni, and the condensed account was attached by him to the Book of Mormon record; it appears in the modern translation under the name of the Book of Ether.

      "The first and chief prophet of the Jaredites is not mentioned by name in the record as we have it; he is known only as the brother of Jared. Of the people, we learn that, amid the confusion of Babel, Jared and his brother importuned the Lord that He would spare them and their associates from the impending disruption. Their prayer was heard, and the Lord led them with a considerable company, who, like themselves, were free from the taint of idolatry, away from their homes, promising to conduct them to a land choice above all other lands. Their course of travel is not given with exactness; we learn only that they reached the ocean, and there constructed eight vessels, called barges, in which they set out upon the waters. These vessels were small and dark within; but the Lord made luminous certain stones, which gave light to the imprisoned voyagers. After a passage of three hundred and forty-four days, the colony landed on the western shore of North America, probably at a place south of the Gulf of California, and north of the Isthmus of Panama.

      "Here they became a flourishing nation; but, giving way in time to internal dissensions, they divided into factions, which warred with one another until the people were totally destroyed. This destruction, which occurred near the hill Ramah, afterward known among the Nephites as Cumorah, probably took place at about the time of Lehi's landing in South America—590 B.C."—The author, Articles of Faith, xiv:10–12.

      FOOTNOTES:

      4. Rev. 12:7; see also verses 8 and 9.

      5. Rev. 12:4; see also Doc. and Cov. 29:36–38; and 76:25–27.

6. Jude 6.

7. P. of G.P., Abraham 3:26.

8. Rev. 12:9.

9. Isa. 14:12–15; compare Doc. and Cov. 29:36–38; and 76:23–27.

10. P. of G.P., Moses 4:1–4; see also Abraham 3:27, 28.

11. For a further treatment of the preexistence of spirits see the author's "Articles of Faith" x:21–30.

12. Note 1, end of chapter.

13. Job 38:7.

14. Note 2, end of chapter.

15. Psalm 25:14; Amos 3:7.

16. John 1:1–3, 14; see also 1 John 1:1; 5: 7; Rev. 19:13; compare Doc. and Cov. 93:1–17, 21.

17. P. of C.P., Moses 1:32, 33; see also 2:5.

18. 1 John 1:1–3; 2:13, 14; 4:9; Rev. 3:14.

19. 2 Tim. 1:9, 10; Rom. 16:25; Eph. 1:4; 3:9, 11; Titus 1:2. See especially Rom. 3:25; and note the marginal rendering—"foreordained"—making the passage read: "Whom God hath foreordained to be a propitiation."

20. 1 Peter 1:19, 20.

21. John 6:38, 51, 57, 61, 62.

22. John 8:58; see also 17:5, 24; and compare Exo. 3:14. Page 37.

23. John 16:27, 28; see also 13:3.

24. John 17:3–5; see also verses 24, 25.

25. Note 3, end of chapter.

26. B. of M., Ether 3:11–16. See also 1 Nephi 17:30; 19:7; 2 Nephi 9:5; 11:7; 25:12; 26:12; Mosiah 3:5; 4:2; 7:27; 13:34; 15:1; Alma 11:40; Hela. 14:12; 3 Nephi 9:15.

27. Doc. and Cov. 93:1–17, 21.

28. Doc. and Cov. 76:13, 14.

      CHAPTER 3.

       THE NEED OF A REDEEMER.

       Table of Contents

We have heretofore shown that the entire human race existed as spirit-beings in the primeval world, and that for the purpose of making possible to them the experiences of mortality this earth was created. They were endowed with the powers of agency or choice while yet but spirits; and the divine plan provided that they be free-born in the flesh, heirs to the inalienable birthright of liberty to choose and to act for themselves in mortality. It is undeniably essential to the eternal progression of God's children that they be subjected to the influences of both good and evil, that they be tried and tested and proved withal, "to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."29 Free agency is an indispensable element of such a test.

      The Eternal Father well understood the diverse natures and varied capacities of His spirit-offspring; and His infinite foreknowledge made plain to Him, even in the beginning, that in the school of life some of His children would succeed and others would fail; some would be faithful, others false; some would choose the good, others the evil; some would seek the way of life while others would elect to follow the road to destruction. He further foresaw that death would enter the world, and that the possession of bodies by His children would be of but brief individual duration. He saw that His commandments СКАЧАТЬ