THE BOOK OF SHIONI AKEK

1And it pleased the Nem of Nespelem to call me up to the seat of the high priest because I did lead my people out of Meninta up into the north country. And this was considered a great act of council, but I esteem it no great thing. But the people proclaimed it as a mighty work - that so great a Common Consent could be made by so large a population. And the people esteemed me greatly because of the removal of an entire people up into safety.

2And when the people see me in the streets of the cities and settlements of Nespelem, they do greet me and make a peculiar obeisance unto me. And this thing does give me cause for discomfort, for I do not esteem myself differently than any other father. But the people do this peculiar thing out of respect of what the people of Meninta gave in sacrifice for our way of life.

3But the people do not bow down in any kind of worship when they do this, for this would be sin. But they do incline the head and place a hand upon their breast whenever they do see me or pass by me in the streets and in the synagogues.

4And behold, this thing displeases me, for it does seem to me to set one apart from all others to do such obeisance to one’s fellowman. But the people cannot be convinced to cease the practice, notwithstanding my objections to it. Therefore, so that there might not develop a caste or castes within the Nem, I have taken up the same custom, giving the same obeisance unto all that I meet upon my path.

5Now, this thing has become a custom unto us, to greet every person we see with inclined head and a hand upon our breast. And when we pray, it seems to us only natural to make this obeisance unto the Lord unto whom we hope we are sealed. For, we would be His friends and His relations. And if we do this unto all our relations, then it has only become natural to do the same when we pray.

6For I must believe that He who has created all things and given us a stewardship here in His creation would want us to feel as much for His love as we do for the love of our relations. And it appears seemly unto me that what deference we give to the least of they who call themselves His relations, so also ought we to give unto Him who is our head.

7For Him do we worship, as also His Father and His Mother, by and through the peculiar instrumentality of the Holy Ghost. Yea, we make our oblations and all our prayers unto Them in His name, even the Peacemaker. Even unto Them do we bow ourselves in worship.

8And the people do also greet each one the other in a peculiar way, praying in the same moment that all might be well with them. And this is become a sacred thing that we do one unto another. Yea, the Nem of Nespelem have become peculiar in this custom.

9Yea, we do this in token that we are one people Zion. Yea, we do incline or bow the head in token that we are of one mind and have all things in common. And we do place a hand upon the breast to signify that we are one people Zion and govern ourselves by the Common Consent.

10And this custom does continually remind us that we have covenanted with the Lord that we will live the Law of Consecration. And it is this final law given in this mortality which is called the fullness of the gospel, for it is the culmination of our culture and our society. Behold, it is the keeping of this law that is the finishing of our faith, for by it are we made the friends of the Peacemaker. And it is the breaking of this law that undoes our salvation and causes each to return again unto their own.

11Wherefore, should we ever sin against this fullness of the gospel, behold, the Lord shall take from us our stewardship. Behold, this is in accordance with the blessing and the curse which He did lay upon this choice land. Shall we continue in good faith and in prosperity, then let us observe to keep this law and this statute and hallow it. For, in the day we depart from it, seeking our own good over that of our neighbor, we shall have sinned against the fullness of the gospel and the Lord shall turn His holy face from us. Cursed shall be that day.