Moreover, it appears that Mercy has special claims upon those men and women, and also upon nations and races who know not the laws of God, or have never heard the gospel. The first Nephi in speaking of the Atonement of Christ and its effects where proclaimed and rejected, says: "Wherefore he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment, there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation, the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them because of the Atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him (Christ); for the Atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone (see Alma xii, 17),[I] which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel."[J] [Footnote I: The torments of the ungodly sinners are likened unto a lake of fire and brimstone by this writer, Nephi--not that sinners are plunged into a lake of fire and brimstone as so-called orthodox Christians teach. Indeed, in the above passages there is a definition of what the lake of fire is--it is "endless torment," which ever exists for the punishment of impenitent sinners--each one partaking of it to such a degree and for such time as is necessary to satisfy the demands of justice. In the very chapter above quoted Nephi says of the wicked: "And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames ascendeth up for ever and ever, and have no end."] [Footnote J: II. Nephi ix, 25, 26.] And so Moroni: "For the power of redemption Cometh on all they that have no law; wherefore he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing."[K] [Footnote K: Moroni viii, 22.] To this also agrees the teachings of Paul: "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law;[L] and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law."[M] [Footnote L: I venture the suggestion, basing it on the sense of the whole passage, that it should read: "Shall also be judged without the law."] [Footnote M: Rom. ii, 12.] So also the word of the Lord to Joseph Smith: "And again I say unto you, that whosoever having knowledge, have I not commanded to repent? And he that hath no understanding it remaineth in me to do as it is written."[N] [Footnote N: Doc. and Cov. Sec. xxix, 49, 50.] Hence it is that the heathen nations who have had no law given to them, and have died without law, will have part in the first resurrection.[O] [Footnote O: Doc. and Cov. Sec. xlv, 54. See also Mosiah xv, 24, 25.]