You know, the difference between knowing about Jesus Christ and knowing Him is eternal life. "And this is eternal life. That you may know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." (Jesus, John 17:3)
Sorry, but the Mormon author of this article doesn't play word games like you do and reduce those hymns to "talking about Joseph Smith."
The author is forthright in saying "we get two very well-known, oft-sung hymns FOCUSING DIRECTLY on Joseph Smith: Praise to the Man, and Oh How Lovely was the Morning.
Also, Mormons from years past worshiped Smith more often: Prior hymnals contained many more: The Seer; Blest was the Day when the Prophet and Seer; O Give me Back my Prophet; and so on.
So that's the Mormon legacy left from earlier generations: The direct worship of Joseph Smith. Somebody made a decision to pare it back a bit. But the heritage and legacy is still there.
Prior hymnals contained many more: The Seer; Blest was the Day when the Prophet and Seer; O Give me Back my Prophet; and so on.
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Be interesting to know what the lyrics are in those songs of worship to Joey Smith..
Ping me later.
I have a hymnal from the 20’s or 30’s. I can look up the subject of this article/discussion and confirm.