"Praise to the Man" originally titled "Joseph Smith"

This hymn is a favorite one to sing about Joseph Smith and that great love that he had in his work while here on the Earth.  Interesting things I didn't know about this hymn.

• It used to be titled "Joseph Smith" instead of being called "Praise to the Man"
• The second verse has also changed due to being more "neighbor like".  It used to say "Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins/Stain Illinois, while the earth lauds his fame."  Because he was murdered in cold blood by a mob in Illinois.  Now that our relationship with the people of Nauvoo, Illinois is more peaceful with us Latter-day Saints, they changed to the wording.  Now it reads "Plead unto heaven, while the earth lauds his fame." 

I did though know that it was written by William W. Phelps who at first was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, then fell away and became an enemy to Joseph Smith.  A while later he realized the error of his ways and pleaded unto Joseph Smith to forgive him, Joseph Smith did forgive him.  This song is a poem to a tribute to Joseph Smith.

Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus annointed that Prophet and Seer.
Blessed to open the last dispensation,
Kings shall extol him, and nations revere.

Chorus
Hail to the Prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;
Death cannot conquer the hero again.

Praise to his mem'ry, he died as a martyr;
Honored and blest be his ever great name!
Long shall his blood, which was shed by assasins,
Plead unto heav'n while the earth lauds his fame.

Chorus

Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.
Ever and ever the keys he will hold.
Faithful and true he will enter his kingdom,
Crowned in the midst of the prophets of old.

Chorus

Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;
Earth must atone for the blood of that man.
Wake up the world for the conflict of justice.
Millions shall know 'Brother Joseph' again.

Chorus

The Standard of Truth told from the prophet Joseph Smith

This quote from Joseph Smith which came from a letter written at the request of John Wentworth and George Barstow, Nauvoo, Illinois published in Times and Seasons, March 1, 1842, p. 709

• “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

So even if bad people come and try to stop the work of the Lord and his Church it will not stop.  The Lord knows this and that his gospel will spread to every people, nation and tongue.  For this is his gospel and he wants to have all his children the opportunity to hear the gospel. 

Eventually the gospel will be spread to those countries who have closed their doors on religion.  With prayer we can pray that those countries will soften their hearts and open the doors to let the gospel of Jesus Christ in and be taught to the people.  One day the gospel will be spread to the Middle East. 

The Articles of Faith.

When I was a young child in the church I was taught the Articles of Faith, of what we believe in, to learn what they mean about our beliefs and know how to teach them to others.  There are 13 Articles of Faith.  They came out during the time of when Joseph Smith was the prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  They are put on cards now to be given out to anyone who wants to learn more.  They are simple and basic principles about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

Joseph Smith

If interested in learning more about the beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contact the missionaries on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.org. 

A great prophet of God died as a martyr.

     I am grateful for the prophet Joseph Smith and what he did here on earth. He did see God the Father and Jesus Christ appear to him. He knew that his name would be used in good and evil but, that he did what the Lord commanded him to do knowing that he would be die one day for his belief.