Moroni
30 verses
A letter from my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni, soon after I was called to the ministry. This is what he wrote to me:
An epistle of my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni; and it was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry. And on this wise did he write unto me, saying:
My beloved son Moroni, I am extremely glad that your Lord Jesus Christ has remembered you and has called you to his ministry and his holy work.
My beloved son, Moroni, I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his ministry, and to his holy work.
I always remember you in my prayers, constantly asking God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that through his infinite goodness and grace, he will help you remain faithful to his name until the end.
I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.
Now, my son, I’m talking to you about something that troubles me deeply; it pains me that there are arguments arising among you.
And now, my son, I speak unto you concerning that which grieveth me exceedingly; for it grieveth me that there should disputations rise among you.
If I understand correctly, there have been disagreements among you about baptizing your little children.
For, if I have learned the truth, there have been disputations among you concerning the baptism of your little children.
Now, my son, I want you to work diligently so that this serious error will be removed from among you, because this is why I have written this letter.
And now, my son, I desire that ye should labor diligently, that this gross error should be removed from among you; for, for this intent I have written this epistle.
As soon as I learned these things from you, I asked the Lord about it. The word of the Lord came to me through the power of the Holy Ghost, saying:
For immediately after I had learned these things of you I inquired of the Lord concerning the matter. And the word of the Lord came to me by the power of the Holy Ghost, saying:
Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord, and your God. I came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are sick do. Little children are whole, because they are not capable of committing sin. The curse of Adam is taken from them through me, so it has no power over them. The law of circumcision is done away in me.
Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.
In this way, the Holy Ghost revealed the word of God to me. My beloved son, I know that it is a serious mockery before God for you to baptize little children.
And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.
I tell you that you should teach this—repentance and baptism to those who are accountable and able to sin. Teach parents that they must repent, be baptized, and humble themselves like their little children, and they will all be saved with their little children.
Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach—repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.
Their little children don’t need repentance or baptism. Baptism is for those who repent, to keep the commandments and receive forgiveness of sins.
And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins.
Little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world. If this weren't true, God would be partial, changeable, and show favoritism, because so many little children have died without baptism.
But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism!
So, if little children couldn’t be saved without baptism, they would have gone to an endless hell.
Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.
I tell you, anyone who thinks that little children need baptism is filled with bitterness and bound by sin, for he has neither faith, hope, nor charity. If he dies holding this belief, he must go down to hell.
Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity, for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell.
It is terrible wickedness to think that God saves one child because of baptism, and that another must be lost because he has not been baptized.
For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.
Those who pervert the ways of the Lord like this are in trouble, for they will be destroyed unless they repent. I speak boldly, with authority from God, and I am not afraid of what anyone can do, because perfect love casts out all fear.
Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.
I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love. All children are the same to me, and I love little children with a perfect love. They are all equal and able to receive salvation.
And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation.
I know that God is not partial or changeable; he is unchangeable from eternity to eternity.
For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.
Little children cannot repent; so it is terribly wicked to deny them the pure mercies of God, because they are all alive in him because of his mercy.
Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy.
Anyone who says that little children need baptism denies the mercy of Christ and rejects his atonement and the power of his redemption.
And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption.
Sorrow awaits such people, for they are in danger of death, hell, and endless torment. I say this boldly because God has commanded me. Listen to them and pay attention, or they will stand as witnesses against you at the judgment seat of Christ.
Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment-seat of Christ.
All little children are alive in Christ, as are all those who are without the law. The power of redemption comes to all who have no law; so, anyone who is not condemned, or who is under no condemnation, cannot repent, and for such people, baptism does not help.
For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing—
It is mocking God to deny the mercy of Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit, and to put your trust in dead works.
But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works.
My son, this should not happen; repentance is for those who are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.
Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law.
The first result of repentance is baptism, and baptism comes through faith by keeping the commandments, and keeping the commandments brings forgiveness of sins.
And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
And the remission of sins brings meekness and humility; and because of meekness and humility, the Holy Ghost visits us. The Comforter fills us with hope and perfect love, and this love endures through diligent prayer until the end comes, when all the saints will live with God.
And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.
My son, I will write to you again if I do not go out soon against the Lamanites. The pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, has brought about their destruction unless they repent.
Behold, my son, I will write unto you again if I go not out soon against the Lamanites. Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except they should repent.
Pray for them, my son, that they may repent. But I fear that the Spirit has stopped striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also trying to destroy all power and authority that comes from God, and they are denying the Holy Ghost.
Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them. But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are denying the Holy Ghost.
After rejecting such great knowledge, my son, they will soon be destroyed, fulfilling the prophecies spoken by the prophets and the words of our Savior himself.
And after rejecting so great a knowledge, my son, they must perish soon, unto the fulfilling of the prophecies which were spoken by the prophets, as well as the words of our Savior himself.
Goodbye, my son, until I write to you again or see you again. Amen.
Farewell, my son, until I shall write unto you, or shall meet you again. Amen.