I was racked with eternal torment,
for my soul was harrowed up
to the greatest degree
and racked with all my sins.
Yea, I did remember
all my sins and iniquities,
for which I was tormented
with the pains of hell;
yea, I saw that I had
rebelled against my God,
and that I had not kept
his holy commandments.
Yea, and in fine so great
had been my iniquities,
that the very thought
of coming into the
presence of my God
did rack my soul
with inexpressible horror.
Oh, thought I, that I could
be banished and become extinct
both soul and body,
that I might not be brought
to stand in the presence of my God,
to be judged of my deeds.
And now, for three days and
for three nights was I racked,
even with the pains
of a damned soul.
And it came to pass
that as I was thus
racked with torment,
while I was harrowed up
by the memory of my many sins,
behold, I remembered also
to have heard my father
prophesy unto the people
concerning the coming of
one Jesus Christ, a Son of God,
to atone for the sins of the world.
Now, as my mind caught hold
upon this thought,
I cried within my heart:
O Jesus, thou Son of God,
have mercy on me,
who am in the gall of bitterness,
and am encircled about
by the everlasting chains of death.
And now, behold,
when I thought this,
I could remember
my pains no more;
yea, I was harrowed up
by the memory of
my sins no more.
And oh, what joy, and
what marvelous light
I did behold;
yea, my soul was filled
with joy as exceeding
as was my pain!
Yea, I say unto you that
there could be nothing
so exquisite and so bitter
as were my pains.
Yea, and again I say unto you
that on the other hand,
there can be nothing
so exquisite and sweet
as was my joy.
And I stood upon my feet,
and did manifest
unto the people
that I had been
born of God.