- Thus says the Lord God, even Jesus Christ, the great I Am, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made, the same which knows all things, for all things are present before my eyes. I am the same which spoke and the world was made, and all things came by me. I am the same which has taken the Zion of Enoch into my own bosom, and verily I say, even as many as have believed on my name, for I am Christ, and in my own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pled before the Father for them.
- But behold, the residue of the wicked have I kept in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day, which shall come at the end of the earth. And even so will I cause the wicked to be kept that will not hear my voice, but harden their hearts, and woe, woe is their doom.
- But behold, verily, verily I say unto you that my eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and you cannot see me, but the day soon comes that you shall see me and know that I am, for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent, and he that is not purified shall not abide the day. Wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared. Behold, the kingdom is yours, and the enemy shall not overcome.
- Verily, I say unto you that you are clean, but not all, and there is none else with whom I am well pleased, for all flesh is corruptible before me, and the powers of darkness prevail upon the earth among the children of men, in the presence of all the host of heaven, which causes silence to reign. And all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned, and behold, the enemy is combined.
- And now, I show unto you a mystery, a thing which is had in secret chambers, to bring to pass even your destruction in process of time, and you knew it not, but now I tell it unto you.
- And you are blessed, not because of your iniquity, neither your hearts of unbelief, for verily some of you are guilty before me. Therefore, be strong from henceforth. Fear not, for the kingdom is yours. And for your salvation, I give unto you a commandment, for I have heard your prayers, and the poor have complained before me, and the rich have I made, and all flesh is mine, and I am no respecter to persons, and I have made the earth rich, and behold, it is my footstool. Wherefore, again I will stand upon it, and I hold forth, and deign to give unto you greater riches, even a land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, upon which there shall be no curse. And I will give it unto you for the land of your inheritance, if you seek it with all your hearts. And this shall be my covenant with you: you shall have it for the land of your inheritance, and for the inheritance of your children, for ever, while the earth shall stand, and you shall possess it again in eternity, no more to pass away.
- But verily I say unto you that in time, you shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your King and watch over you. Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people, and you shall have no laws but my laws, for I am your lawgiver, and what can stay my hand? But verily I say unto you, teach one another according to the office wherewith I have appointed you, and let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practice virtue and holiness before me. And again, I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself, for what man among you, having twelve sons, and is no respecter to them, and they serve him obediently, and he says unto the one, Be clothed in robes and sit here, and to the other, Be clothed in rags and sit there, and looks upon his sons and says, I am just? Behold, this I have given unto you, a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one, and if you are not one, you are not mine.
- And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeks your lives. You hear of wars in far countries, and you say in your hearts, There will soon be great wars in far countries, but you know not the hearts of them in your own land. I tell you these things because of your prayers. Wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth. But if you are prepared, you need not fear.
- And that you might escape the power of the enemy and be gathered unto me, a righteous people without spot and blameless, wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that you should go to the Ohio. And there I will give unto you my law, and there you shall be endowed with power from on high, and from there, whomever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do, for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them wherever I will, and no power shall stay my hand.
- And now I give unto the church in these parts a commandment that certain men among them shall be appointed, and they shall be appointed by the voice of the church. And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer, and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them. And this shall be their work: to govern the affairs of the property of the church.
- And they that have farms that cannot be sold, let them be left or rented, as seems best to them. See that all things are preserved, and when men are endowed with power from on high and are sent forth, all these things shall be gathered unto the bosom of the church. And if you seek the riches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, you shall be the richest of all people, for you shall have the riches of eternity. And it must needs be that the riches of the earth are mine to give, but beware of pride, lest you become as the Nephites of old.
- And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment that every man, both elder, priest, teacher, and also member, go to with his might, with the labor of his hands, to prepare and accomplish these things which I have commanded. And let your preaching be the warning voice, every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness, and go out from among the wicked. Save yourselves; be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Even so, Amen.
SECTION 22
A commandment given at Fayette, New York, 2 January 1831, through Joseph Smith Jr. to the churches in New York at a conference, they being commanded to flee to Ohio, etc., saying: