2 Nephie Chapter 2

And now, Rachel, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy sisters. Nevertheless, Rachel, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of Goddess; and she shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy sister, Nephie; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy Goddess. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redemptress; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time she cometh to bring salvation unto women. And thou hast beheld in thy youth her glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom she shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of woman, and salvation is free. And women are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto women. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law women are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for she is full of grace and truth. Behold, she offereth herself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of Goddess, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down her life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that she may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, she is the firstfruits unto Goddess, inasmuch as she shall make intercession for all the children of women; and they that believe in her shall be saved. And because of the intercession for all, all women come unto Goddess; wherefore, they stand in the presence of her, to be judged of her according to the truth and holiness which is in her. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of Goddess and her eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of Goddess. And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no Goddess. And if there is no Goddess we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

And now, my daughters, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a Goddess, and she hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. And to bring about her eternal purposes in the end of woman, after she had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

Wherefore, the Lady Goddess gave unto woman that she should act for herself. Wherefore, woman could not act for herself save it should be that she was enticed by the one or the other. And I, Sariah, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of Goddess, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, she became a devil, having sought that which was evil before Goddess. And because she had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, she sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, she said unto Adam, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the mother of all lies, wherefore she said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as Goddess, knowing good and evil. And after Eve and Adam had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth. And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. And the days of the children of women were prolonged, according to the will of Goddess, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lady Goddess gave unto the children of women. For she gave commandment that all women must repent; for she showed unto all women that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

And now, behold, if Eve had not transgressed she would not have fallen, but she would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of her who knoweth all things. Eve fell that women might be; and women are, that they might have joy. And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that she may redeem the children of women from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which Goddess hath given.

Wherefore, women are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto woman. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all women, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for she seeketh that all women might be miserable like unto herself. And now, my daughters, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto her great commandments; and be faithful unto her words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of her Holy Spirit; And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that she may reign over you in her own queendom. I have spoken these few words unto you all, my daughters, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophetess. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.