The Testament of Adam — True Church Edition
The Testament of Adam 15
1Noah lived after going out of the ship 350 years. When his death came near, there gathered to him Shem, and Ham, and Japhet, and Arphaxad, and Salah. He made vows for them, and desired the presence of Shem his firstborn, and commanded him, saying to him, “When I die, bury me. Go to the Ark of the covenant, and take out of it the body of our father Adam. Make for it a large chest, and put it within. Prepare for thyself a store of bread and drink, and carry the chest, in which is the body of our father.
2Verily the Lord hath chosen you from the rest of my sons to minister before our father Adam. When thou reachest the centre of the earth, bury the body there, and perform the ordinances after the priesthood order of Melchizedek (king of righteousness), in the resting place, for the service of the body.
3Verily the Angel of the Lord will go before you to guide you to the place for the body, which shall be the centre of the earth. From it shall be seen the power of God. The four pillars of the world are now joined together and have become one pillar, and from it shall be salvation to Adam and to all his children.” Thus it was written in the tables which Moses received from the hand of the Lord and broke at the time of his anger against his people.
4Noah strengthened Shem in receiving the testament, and told him that it was the Testament of Adam to Seth, and of Seth to Enos, and of Enos to Cainan, and of Cainan to Mahlaleel, and of Mahlaleel to Jared, and of Jared to Enoch, of Enoch to Methuselah, and of Methuselah to Lamech, and of Lamech to Noah; he made him swear to perform the duties of what he commanded in regard to the body of Adam.
5When he had finished his testament, he died, being 950 years old, on a Wednesday. Shem embalmed him, and with him his other children put him on a bier and buried him. They raised a wail over him for forty days.
6Then Shem went and took out the body of Adam. He sealed the ship with his father’s seal. Then he desired the presence of Ham and Japhet and said to them, “Know that Noah our father commanded me to journey after his death to the elevated land and to go round it to the place of the sea, that I may bury our father, Adam. I have already resolved on this, and have left my wife and children with you; take heed to them till the time of my return.” They said to him, “Take with thee a man since thou hast resolved on this, for the land which thou hast described has wild beasts and hunting lions.”
7He said to them, “Verily, the Angel of God is with me, he is my Saviour.” His brethren called to him and said, “The Lord be with thee wherever thou dwellest.” Then he said to them, “Verily, our father at his death made me swear to bury the body of Adam at the center of the earth. I have received his testament, and sealed it with his seal.” We will seek out the place where the Lord will have us bury our patriarch, the first man who dwelt upon the earth. They pledged themselves to him concerning this and gave glory to God.
8They went out, the Angel going before them, till he brought them to the place with the utmost speed. He said to them, “Set him down, for this is the centre of the earth.” And they put him down from their hands. When he came to the ground, the earth was cleft for him as a door, and the body was let down into it, and they put him in it. When the body rested in its place, the earth returned and covered it over.
9The place was called Gumgumah, “of a skull,” because in it was placed the skull of the Father of mankind, and Gulgulah, because it was conspicuous in the earth, and was despised by its sons, for in it was the head of the hateful Dragon which seduced Adam. It was called also Otâriâ, which is, being interpreted, “the families of the world,” because to it is the gathering together of mankind.
10Then the Lord spoke to Shem from on high, “know that thou art now a priest of the Everlasting God, who hath chosen thee to minister before Him, before the body of thy father Adam. Accept the Lord’s choice of thee, and the ordinances, responsibilities and power of the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, who is Jesus Christ. Be diligent and chaste in all things, and remain pure and un-defiled from the sins of the world. Be married, and bear children, teaching them the ways of the Lord. Cleave unto the Holy Ghost for guidance in all things.
11Live in truth and in peace with thy wife and children, raising them to be pure and Holy before the Lord. Do not shave thy hair, nor pare thy nails. Shed no blood for thyself, and sacrifice no beast. Do not build a building over this place. Let thine offerings before the Lord be of fine pure bread, and [let the] drink be of the juice of the vine. The Angel of the Lord is with thee for ever.”