| WHEN |
WHO/WHAT |
LINK/SOURCE |
COMMENT |
| 2012 (February) |
BYU Doctrine & Covenants325 course: One of the verses in the great Christmas hymn, Oh come, oh come Emmanuel reads: "Oh come, Thou rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan's tyranny From depths of hell Thy people save And give them victory o'ver the grave" Who is the "rod of Jesse"? The Messiah, Jesus! But who does BYU teach is "the rod of Jesse as well as "The Root of Jesse"? That's right, Joseph Smith!!! Flashcard Q&A: "According to the student manual, who is the Rod and Root of Jesse?" "Joseph Smith" (I confirmed this in the 2000 hard copy version, pp. 283-284 |
Cram.com: D&C 325, Test #2 |
Oh come, Oh come, EmmanSMITHuel? See 1982, 1966 and 1944 entries for additional info |
| 2011 (Dec. 18) |
(1) Headline by church-owned newspaper mentions "co-celebrants'" December birthdays: Joseph Smith gets same billing as Jesus Christ: Deseret News (owned by the Mormon Church): Two December Births to celebrate: Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith "Dec. 23 will mark the 207th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith Jr., the prophet of the Restoration. Joseph entered the world on a cold Monday morning in Sharon, Vt., shortly before the close of 1805...Interestingly, Joseph’s circumstances share many parallels with that of the Savior and remind us that Joseph was also a remarkable being." (3) Note that Jesus is reduced to "remarkable being" level – so that Joseph can be properly compared to Him: ..."Joseph was ALSO a remarkable being." |
Deseret News (owned by the Mormon Church): Two December Births to celebrate: Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith; for previous response discussion, see also: Two December births to celebrate: Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith [Merry Smithmas Day!] |
Joseph Smith was also a "remarkable beng" in the same "remarkable being" category as Jesus Christ? Why, that's downright remarkable! |
| 2011 (Nov. 30) |
MormonHeritage.com elects to kick off December with a reminder commemorate the month "in memory of the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith" – by citing his nephew's urging from 1894, "I should like to see introduced among the Latter-day Saints...the practice of celebrating or commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith..." Article quote: "Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on December 23, 1805. His nephew, Joseph F. Smith, said of this fact – “in my judgment the next birthday celebration to that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ should be that of Joseph Smith.”The following is parts of a talk Joseph F. Smith gave at a Memorial honoring the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Birthday held on December 23, 1894. That year marked the 50 year anniversary of his martyrdom. “I should like to see introduced among the Latter-day Saints…the practice of CELEBRATING or commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith..." The 2011 article concludes: "Do something this Christmas season in memory of the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith!" |
MormonHeritage.com urges 'celebrating' Smithmas |
It took about 50 years – until the centennial of Smith's death (1944) – before Joseph F. Smith's push for "celebrating...the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith" took effect |
| 2010 (Dec. 18) |
The article kicks off with the obligatory Mormon Smithmas narrative: "On Dec. 23, 1805, as much of the world was preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, another baby boy was born. Like Jesus, this 19th century baby came forth in humble circumstances and in an obscure village. The article then jumps to what tends of overshadow the focus of Jesus' visitation as a babe in Bethlehem: The alleged visitation of Jesus unto Joseph Smith, preceded by angel visitations: "Visiting Joseph on Sept. 21, 1823, the Book of Mormon prophet Moroni in angelic form quoted a number of biblical passages, among them this verse from Isaiah: "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots" (Isaiah 11:1). Some 15 years later, the Prophet would provide a divinely revealed explanation of this verse in the form of questions and responses recorded today as Doctrine and Covenants 113:1-4: ..."What is the rod spoken of in the first verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the Stem of Jesse? "Behold, thus saith the Lord: It is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." Commented Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve, "Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith, to whom the priesthood came, who received the keys of the kingdom, and who raised the ensign for the gathering of the Lord's people in our dispensation?" Alexander W. Baugh, professor of Church history and doctrine at BYU commented, "On Dec. 9, 1834, Joseph Smith Sr. pronounced a patriarchal blessing on Joseph Smith Jr. wherein he declared that the Prophet was a lineal descendant and birthright heir to the patriarchal fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but more particularly Joseph of Egypt. Furthermore, Brigham Young declared that Joseph Smith was a descendant of Joseph through Ephraim (Journal of Discourses 2:269). "Additionally, Doctrine and Covenants 113:6 states that the 'root of Jesse' as spoken of in Isaiah 11:10 is 'a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' Such wording suggests the individual to be none other than Joseph Smith." Jesse, in biblical history, is the father of David, making him the ancestor of the kings of Judah and of Christ (see Ruth 4:17,22; 1 Chronicles 2:5-12; Matthew 1:5-6; Bible Dictionary, "Jesse" entry). Thus the Prophet Joseph Smith fits the scriptural designation of being descended from Jesse and Joseph, of having been endowed with much power, and of having been given the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom preparatory to the gathering of Israel in the last days preceding the Second Coming of the Savior. |
R. Scott Lloyd, LDS CHURCH NEWS: Joseph Smith: a witness of Christ; see also: Joseph Smith: a witness of Christ [LDS Open - Merry Smithmas!] |
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| 2009 (Dec. 20) |
So, it’s five days to Christmas 2009. And the Mormon Times, published under the umbrella of the Mormon Church-owned Deseret News, wants all of its readers to “remember and reflect on all that” Jesus Christ “did for each of us,” right? WRONG!: ”Christmas is a busy time of year. However, Dec. 23 is a good time to remember and reflect on all that Joseph Smith did for each of us.” |
Remember the Prophet Joseph Smith’s birthday |
This prompted a sarcastic response from Mormon blogger in The Mormon Chapbook: ”Is there anything that goes by the name ‘Christian’ that has not been usurped, abominated, surpassed and eclipsed by that damnable heresy Mormonism! Let us not allow Christmas to draw our attention away from the great event of the ages – the birth of Joseph Smith. Let us not permit the events recounted in the gospels to distract us from the great events of the ‘Restoration’. God forbid that the annunciation of angels, the trembling wonder of shepherds and the reverence of wise men at the advent of God become flesh should eclipse the news of the ‘First Vision.’ God forbid that the prophet of prophets should be eclipsed by the King of kings. God knows I try to be patient, to build bridges and show respect but this is an assault on all that is called Christian and I condemn and abhor it.” Source: Mormon Times Remembers Prophet Joseph |
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| 2008 (Dec. 22) |
It’s three days to Christmas. And the Mormon Church-owned Deseret News is at it yet once again: ”In 1844, there were approximately 26,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yet, when W.W. Phelps penned a song of tribute to his beloved, fallen Prophet, he promised that ‘millions shall know Brother Joseph again’” [My note: The ‘song of tribute’ is an actual praise song directed TO Joseph Smith, ‘Praise to the Man’] ” ...Now known not only to the millions of members of the LDS Church, but also by countless more around the world, Joseph Smith has taken a unique and respected place in American and religious history...An advance copy of the CD was presented to President Thomas S. Monson...He reminisced about serving as a mission president in Toronto, ‘the only area outside his own, where Joseph Smith taught.’ He also noted that he's always appreciated the fact that Joseph Smith was born in the season in which we celebrate the birth of Christ...And at this season, he's happy that our thoughts can be drawn to Joseph Smith. ‘He gave us everything.’" |
Praise to the Man honors Joseph Smith; for previous FR discussion on this, please see: 'Praise to the Man' honors Joseph Smith [Mormon Merry Smithmas!] |
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| 2008 (Jan. 14) |
Lds "prophet's" Joseph Smith worship-fest continues up until the end of his life with this citation of lyrics from "The Seer" at the end of an article. After this is published more broadly, Hinckley dies less than two weeks later! |
JS: Lesson 2: God the Eternal Father: GORDON B. HINCKLEY, "THE GREAT THINGS WHICH GOD HAS REVEALED" - JANUARY 14, 2008 |
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| 2007 |
Lds Church publishes Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith And this quote of adoration comes from an Lds Member of its “Seventy” hierarchy – Howard W. Hunter: "We praise him [Joseph Smith] for his capacity to commune not only with Jehovah but also with other personages of heaven. So many visited, gave keys, and tutored that ‘choice seer’ raised up in the latter days..We praise Joseph Smith, too, for his diligence and capacity to translate and to receive hundreds of pages of revealed scripture. He was the revealing conduit. Through him, it has been estimated, more marvelous pages of scripture passed than through any other human in history." (p. 550) |
Lds Church Ensign Magazine (September, 1994) |
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| 2006 (July 1) |
This time, it’s “Smithmas in July.” Lds “prophet” Gordon B. Hinckley focuses on "Testimony of the First Vision"...and, in doing so, openly disses and dismisses the members of the Godhead: "I hope with all my heart that each member of this Church will read the story of the Prophet Joseph Smith, read the story of the First Vision...There's no other event in all recorded history that compares with it, not even at the baptism of the Savior." |
Lds Church News, p. 2 |
Note, Heavenly Father spoke @ Jesus’ baptism. This ”there’s no other event in all recorded history that compares with it” also not only openly disses and dismisses the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, but its absolute nature also "outdoes" even Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection! This is truly a nasty, derogatory statement aimed directly @ the Godhead! |
| 2005 (Dec. 31) |
Lds Church News pronounces: ”Thousands across world offer 'praise to the man'. While the Conference Center stage was still dominated by the Christmas setting of The First Presidency Christmas Devotional and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert, the village church, cottage and flocked evergreens hinted of Joseph Smith's Vermont. A prominent statue of the Prophet on the stage was a constant reminder of the purpose of the evening.” |
Lds Church News: Thousands across the world offer ‘praise to the man’ |
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| 2005 (December) |
SmithEmphasisMas: Lds Church magazine Ensign returns to the “cradle” theme – one normally reserved for Jesus Christ in December: ”Sharon, Vermont, could rightly be called the cradle of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it was here that Joseph Smith Jr. was born on December 23, 1805. The fifth child of Joseph Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Jr. was nurtured and loved as he developed gradually into his role as the Prophet of “the dispensation of the fulness of times” (Eph. 1:10).” |
A Prophet’s Life: The Cradle—Sharon, Vermont [Mormon Merry Smithmas Day!] |
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| 2005 (December) |
Lds "Prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley: "It is a constantly recurring mystery to me how some people speak with admiration for the Church and its work while at the same time disdaining him through whom, as a servant of the Lord, came the framework of all that the Church is, of all that it teaches, and of all that it stands for...Proclaiming a Prophet ...we acknowledge the Prophet; we proclaim him; we respect him; we reverence him...The story of Joseph’s life is the story of a miracle...Praise to the Man When I was a boy 12 years of age, my father took me to a meeting of the priesthood of the stake in which we lived. I sat on the back row while he, as president of the stake, sat on the stand. At the opening of that meeting, the first of its kind I had ever attended, 300 or 400 men stood. They were from varied backgrounds and many vocations, but each had in his heart. Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!... Kings shall extol him, and nations revere.(“Praise to the Man,” Hymns, no. 27) ... Great is his glory and endless his priesthood...(Hymns, no. 27)...Ideas for Home Teachers 1. Show a picture of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and invite family members to tell what they know about him. Make a list of their responses...Discuss ways family members can better know the Prophet and his teachings. You may want to encourage family members to plan a special family activity on December 23rd to celebrate Joseph’s 200th birthday...Read or sing “Praise to the Man” (Hymns, no. 27), and study President Hinckley’s testimony..." |
; see also: Joseph Smith Jr.—Prophet of God, Mighty Servant |
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| 2005 |
One of the most significant ongoing tributes to the Prophet Joseph Smith is the annual Joseph Smith Memorial Firesides...These...began in 1944 and have been held each year since, as close as possible to December 23, Joseph Smith’s birthday...This being the case, appropriately we sing, “Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!...Praise to his memory...Honored and blest be his ever great name!” For the time is not far distant when “millions shall know Brother Joseph again...” |
Read more at "Praise To The Man": A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons; see also “Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas] |
So, instead of focusing on Jesus Christ's birthday the third week of December. In Mormonism, Smith's "birthday is heralded around the world..." and "People of every land and of every race are coming to honor the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith...” Well, that's interesting. The average non-Mormon might think that the Mormon hymnal, "Praise to the Man" is about Jesus Christ. But you would be wrong. It's praising Joseph Smith! Praising the memory of Joseph Smith. Honoring and blessing Joseph Smith. And in the hymn, is the "key" to know Jesus Christ? No.Wrong again: ..."the time is not far distant when 'millions shall know Brother Joseph again..." |
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| 2005 (Feb. 19) |
Lds Church News: "The more I learn of him, the more I love and revere him." (Lds "apostle" Joseph B. Wirthlin) |
p. 5 |
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| 2000 (Dec. 2) |
Lds Church News, p. 16 [Smithmas candidate] "As we again commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas season, let us also remember the birth of Joseph Smith on the 23rd of December. |
Preserved for our day |
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| 1998 |
BYU Prof Joseph Fielding McConkie published Answers: Straightforward Answers to Tough Gospel Questions thru the church-owned Deseret Book Publisher: "No man in earth's history has been responsible for restoring more truth than the Prophet Joseph Smith, and thus we can suppose that no man in earth's history will have more evil spoken of him." |
p. 53 |
So, Joseph Smith outdoes Jesus Christ as the restorer of truth? This is worship of Smith as neo-omniscient! |
| 1997 (December) |
Lds "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley in the Lds publication Ensign: "This is a season for giving and a time for gratitude. We remember with appreciation the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which is celebrated this same month of December, two days before Christmas. How great indeed is our debt to him. His life began in Vermont and ended in Illinois, and marvelous were the things that happened between that simple beginning and tragic ending. It was he who brought us a true knowledge of God, the Eternal Father, and His Risen Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. During the short time of his great vision he learned more concerning the nature of Deity than all of those who through centuries had argued the matter in learned councils and scholarly forums. He brought us the marvelous Book of Mormon...To him, from those who held it anciently, came the priesthood, the power, the gift, the authority, the keys to speak and act in the name of God. He gave us the organization of the Church and its great and sacred mission. Through him were restored the keys of the holy temples, that men and women might enter into eternal covenants with God and that the great work for the dead might be accomplished to open the way for eternal blessings. Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.Ever and ever the keys he will hold. Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom...(“Praise to the Man,” Hymns, no. 27) ... We stand in reverence before him. He is the great prophet of this dispensation. He stands at the head of this great and mighty work which is spreading across the earth. He is our prophet, our revelator, our seer, our friend. Let us not forget him. Let not his memory be forgotten in the celebration of Christmas..." |
Lds publication Ensign; see also: A Season for Gratitude (Mormon – OPEN) |
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| 1997 (Dec. 13) |
Quoting Lds "Prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley: "His birthday will grow in recognition and in importance as the years pass and the Church continues to grow...At this season of his birth, it is well that we pause to remember him as we determine within ourselves to follow his teachings..." |
`A gift that is greater than all gifts' |
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| 1996 |
Deseret Book Company publishes Joseph Smith: The Choice Seer by BYU professors Joseph Fielding McConkie and Robert Millet: "Ours is the song of praise TO the man ordained from eternity past to part the veil and open the heavens, for through him the fulness of truth and the fulness of priesthood powers have come to earth again.” |
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Joseph Smith: Choice Seer |
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| 1996 (January) |
Lds official publication Ensign: "The practical sage, President Brigham Young, who died with the name of Joseph upon his lips, said, “I honor and revere the name of Joseph Smith. I delight to hear it; I love it. I love his doctrine. … I feel like shouting Hallelujah, all the time, when I think that I ever knew Joseph Smith, the Prophet whom the Lord raised up.I am his witness” (Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1978, pp. 458–59)." |
Ensign: First Presidency Message: Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon |
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| 1995 |
Lds church-owned Deseret Book Co. publishes this pronouncement: "Who, then, is the 'root of Jesse'? It appears that the Prophet Joseph Smith is both the 'rod' and the 'root' that will come from Jesse…However, Victor Ludlow suggested that 'Joseph Smith might not be the only ‘root of Jesse’ in these last days. Many presidents of the Church have been related to him by blood, and all have held the priesthood and the keys of the kingdom that he held…The ‘root of Jesse’ could also be that particular prophet who will hold the keys when Christ returns to preside personally over his kingdom. The term could even represent the office of the president of the Church. In any case, the ‘root of Jesse” could also be that particular prophet who will hold the keys when Christ returns to preside personally over his kingdom. The term could even represent the office of the president of the Church. In any case, the ‘root of Jesse’ designates a great leader in the Church of Jesus Christ in this dispensation.” |
Hoyt W. Brewster Jr., Isaiah Plain & Simple: The Message of Isaiah in the Book of Mormon [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 112-13. See: Lds.net/forums: 2 Nephi 21 |
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| 1994 (September) |
This was the 150th anniversary year of Joseph Smith's death – and the September Ensign issue laid it on heavy with three Joseph Smith worship articles. Lds "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley: "Today, this Sabbath day, in many thousands of congregations, perhaps as many as twenty-one thousand, in many areas of the earth, our people have sung or will sing the praises of the builder of the temple that once stood here: Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! Jesus anointed that Prophet and Seer. Blessed to open the last dispensation, Kings shall extol him, and nations revere." (Hymns, 1985, no. 27) |
Ensign: Nauvoo's Holy Temple |
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| 1994 (September) |
This was the 150th anniversary year of Joseph Smith's death – and the September Ensign issue laid it on heavy with three Joseph Smith worship articles. Gordon B. Hinckley cites lyrics from the Joseph Smith worship hymn, "The Seer." |
Joseph, the Seer |
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| 1994 (September) |
This was the 150th anniversary year of Joseph Smith's death – and the September Ensign issue laid it on heavy with three Joseph Smith worship articles. Lds "seventy" Howard W. Hunter: "When we sing of Joseph Smith, “Praise to the Man” (Hymns, 1985, no. 27), we remember so many praiseworthy things about him. We praise him for his capacity to commune not only with Jehovah but also with other personages of heaven. So many visited, gave keys, and tutored that “choice seer” raised up in the latter days (2 Ne. 3:6–7). When Father Smith blessed young Joseph in 1834, he declared that ancient Joseph in Egypt saw this latter-day seer. Ancient Joseph wept when he realized how the work of the Prophet Joseph would bless the earlier Joseph’s numerous posterity. We praise Joseph Smith, too, for his diligence and capacity to translate and to receive hundreds of pages of revealed scripture. He was the revealing conduit. Through him, it has been estimated, more marvelous pages of scripture passed than through any other human in history. We praise Joseph not only for his capacity to endure but to “endure it well” (D&C 121:8). Early on, as a boy, there was the painful operation on his leg—without which surgery he could not have made the later arduous Zion’s Camp march from Ohio to Missouri. During the march Joseph “walked most of the time and had a full share of blistered, bloody, and sore feet” (They Knew the Prophet, comp. Hyrum L. Andrus and Helen Mae Andrus, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1974, p. 48). Likewise, we praise him and Emma for enduring the sorrowful loss of six of their natural and adopted children to early death. Parents who have lost even one child are filled with empathy. We praise Joseph for the capacity to endure persecution, including the long and severe deprivations in Liberty Jail. To so many everything then seemed hopeless. Yet the Lord of heaven reassured imprisoned Joseph that 'the ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name' (D&C 122:1). We live in a day where there is increased inquiry about Joseph Smith and the restored gospel. Joseph has long since fulfilled his wish that he might hold “an even weight in the balances with” the ancients (The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith,comp. Dean C. Jessee, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1984, p. 395). We can now sing of how Joseph has been “crowned in the midst of the prophets of old” (Hymns, 1985, no. 27)." |
Lds publication Ensign, p. 63 |
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| 1990 (December) |
Ah, Smithmas time again! December 1990, and the official Lds Church publication Liahona ensures a "get-out-the-worship" for Joseph Smith in its piece "Praise the Prophet": "The early members of the Church remembered his birthday with festive celebrations. We can remember the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith and show our PRAISE and admiration for him by living the principles that he taught." |
Praise the Prophet |
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| 1989 |
BYU professor Rodney Turner – in the publishing arm of the Mormon Church (Deseret Book Co.) says: "A fourth individual is described in verse 10 as 'the root of Jesse.' The Lord explained that this 'root of Jesse' will be a 'descendant of Jesse, as ell as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' Like the 'rod,' he, too, will descend from both Judah and Joseph...the 'root of Jesse' is almost surely the Prophet Joseph Smith. He holds the keys of this kingdom in both time and eternity and is the president of the last and GREATEST of all dispensations, the dispensation of the fulness of times. He is the living ensign to which the present generation must gather. We cannot, in reality, come to Christ if we do not accept his servant, Joseph Smith. The Lord's works are first spiritual and then temporal, or physical. All of the spiritual keys, powers, doctrines, and ordinances revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith must be honored and implemented before Zion, the second ensign, can be literally established in fullness and glory. That day is not far off." |
Rodney Turner's chapter in Witness of Jesus Christ: The 1989 Sperry Symposium on the Old Testament, Richard D. Draper, pp. 248-249. Can see quote in |
Joseph Smith's dispensation is the "greatest" of all...Joseph Smith holds "the keys of this kingdom in both time and eternity"...We cannot come to Christ if we don't accept Joseph Smith as the way to Christ. |
| 1989 (January) |
Lds Church publication Ensign: Doctrine and Covenants 113 identifies the “Stem of Jesse” as the LordJesus Christ (D&C 113:1–2) and the “rod” as “a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power” (D&C 113:3–4). The “root of Jesse,” verses 5 and 6 tell us, is “a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.” [D&C 113:5–6] ... Identifying Joseph Smith as the great prophet of the Restoration makes other biblical prophecies relating to his divine calling become clearer. One of these is found in Isaiah 40:3–5, where we read of “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” [Isa. 40:3–5] Here, “the voice of him that crieth” does not refer to John the Baptist in the meridian of time; the context of the chapter deals with happenings that will occur just prior to the Second Coming and the Millennium. Therefore, it is likely that Joseph Smith is “the voice of him that crieth.” Once this is recognized, it becomes easier to understand similar biblical passages, such as Jeremiah 30:21: “Their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.” [Jer. 30:21] Who is this “governor” that will “draw near” the Lord and “approach unto” him? Jeremiah 30:17 tells us that he will come as Israel is returning from her long captivity: “I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.” [Jer. 30:17] It is likely that health refers here to spiritual vigor. Healing probably refers to the healing powers of repentance and baptism. The verse also suggests a return to the covenant promises of Abraham. The “outcasts” are the scattered tribes of Israel (see Isa. 11:12), who have languished for centuries in spiritual bondage but who are now beginning to heed the call of Israel’s missionaries to return to the covenant. Like many other biblical prophecies, this could have multiple fulfillments. As “governors,” both Ezra and Joseph Smith initiated that return to the promised covenant of old. (See D&C 84:33–34; D&C 110:12; D&C 132:31–32.) Another biblical prophecy may refer to the Prophet Joseph Smith—John 1:19–25, where we read of the priests’ and Levites’ asking John the Baptist, “Who art thou? “And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. “And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. “Then said they unto him, Who art thou? … What sayest thou of thyself? “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias...“And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?” In the Joseph Smith Translation (John 1:22), John the Baptist’s response is somewhat different: “They asked him, saying; How then art thou Elias? And he said, I am notthat Elias who was to restore all things. And they asked him, saying, Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” (Italics added.) The popular interpretation of this verse among Bible scholars is that the “prophet” referred to is Christ—the same “prophet” Moses prophesied of inDeuteronomy 18:15. (See The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the New Testament, Minneapolis, Minn.: Bethany House Publishers, 1983, p. 502.) However, in his answer, John makes it clear that neither he nor Christ is “that prophet.” We can understand these verses better if we keep in mind that Elias is a title that could refer to any number of “restorers” and that Christ, John the Baptist, and Joseph Smith all qualify. (See the Bible Dictionary, s.v., Elias.) On 12 May 1844, just a few weeks before the death of Joseph Smith, the Prophet taught that he “was chosen [to be] … the last and greatest prophet to lay the foundation of God’s work of the seventh dispensation.” Then he pointed out that the Jews in the meridian of time, apparently aware of prophecies of a forerunner preparing the way of the Lord, “asked John the Baptist if he was Elias or Jesus or that great prophet that was to come.” (The Words of Joseph Smith, comp. and ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, Provo: Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center, 1980, p. 370.) This statement, taken from the journal of George Laub, implies that Joseph taught that he himself was “that prophet” referred to in John 1:21 and 25. It is reasonable, then, for us to conclude that Joseph Smith is most likely the prophet referred to in these verses. It was he who would “restore all things.” (John 1:22.) |
Prophecies in the Bible about Joseph Smith |
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| 1985 |
Lds Mormon Church revises/republishes Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And Hymn #27? "Praise to the Man" (Joseph Smith, not Jesus Christ) |
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| 1984 |
Acknowledge the Triumphant ruler of the Spirit World! Jesus Christ? God? (Nope, Joseph Smith!) The Lds Church publishes a curricula Melchizedek Priesthood Study Manuel" each year. The one for 1984 includes this citation of Brigham Young: "Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the vail [sic] in the great work of the last days...No man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith...He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation—the keys to rule in the spirit-world; and he rules there triumphantly...He was foreordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation." |
Melchizedek Priesthood Study Manual, Search These Commandments, p. 133, citing Brigham Young, Journal of Discourse, pp. 289-290) |
So, per the Mormon Church priesthood curricula, Joseph Smith "holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation—the keys to rule in the spirit-world; and he rules there triumphantly..."??? Smith is the sovereign ruler of the Spirit world? Really? |
| 1983 (August) |
Lds "to-be-Prophet" Hinckley resurrects his 1979 “Praise to the Man” hymn to Joseph Smith – at that time, hymn number 147 in their hymnbook: "Many years ago when at the age of twelve I was ordained a deacon, my father, who was president of our stake, took me to my first stake priesthood meeting. In those days these meetings were held on a week night. I recall that we went to the Tenth Ward building in Salt Lake City, Utah. He walked up to the stand, and I sat on the back row, feeling a little alone and uncomfortable in that hall filled with strong men who had been ordained to the priesthood of God. The meeting was called to order, the opening song was announced, and—as was then the custom—we all stood to sing. There were perhaps as many as four hundred there. Together these men lifted their strong voices, some with the accents of the European lands from which they had come as converts, all singing these words with a great spirit of conviction and testimony: Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!...Kings shall extol him, and nations revere. (Hymns, No. 147.)" |
Hinckley: Praise to the Man |
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| 1982 |
"...........it is a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days." Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith, to whom the priesthood came, who received the keys of the kingdom, and who raised the ensign for the gathering of the Lord's people in our dispensation? And is he not also the "servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power"? (D&C 113:4-6.) Those whose ears are attuned to the whisperings of the Infinite will know the meaning of these things." |
Lds "apostle" Bruce R. McConkie publishes through the Lds Church-owned publisher, Deseret Book Co., The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man, p. 339 |
"Are we amiss in saying that the prophet here mentioned is Joseph Smith," asks the Lds "apostle"? (Yup!) |
| 1981 (June) |
Lds "Prophet" Ezra Taft Benson, speaking forth in the Official Lds magazine, Liahona Magazine, cites an October 1960 quote from First President Marion G. Romney's Conference Report, whereby Romney told of this incident which happened to him: “I remember years ago when I was a bishop I had President Heber J. Grant talk to our ward. After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said: ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it." |
Fourteen fundamentals in following the Prophet |
Hebrews 12:2: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; 2 Corinthians 4:18: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen..." Lds tend to be contradictory on this: In the November 1999 Ensign: "It means placing Christ and Christ only at the center of our lives so that the vanities and philosophies of men lose their addictive appeal." (p. 98) |
| 1979 (Nov. 4) |
Lds "to-be Prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley gives a "Praise to the Man" BYU fireside: "I am responsible for the singing of that first song by the congregation: “Praise to the Man.” I would like to say a word or two about that great hymn from the pen of W. W. Phelps. Many years ago when at the age of twelve I was ordained a deacon, my father, who was president of our stake, took me to my first stake priesthood meeting. In those days these meetings were held on a week night. I recall that we went to the Tenth Ward building in Salt Lake City. He walked up to the stand, and I sat on the back row, feeling a little alone and uncomfortable in that hall filled with strong men who had been ordained to the priesthood of God. The meeting was called to order, the opening song was announced, and—as was then the custom—we all stood to sing. There were perhaps as many as four hundred there, for it was a very large stake. Together these men lifted their strong voices, some with the accents of the European lands from which they had come as converts and all singing with a great spirit of conviction and testimony: Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah! ... Kings shall extol him, and nations revere. [“Praise to the Man,” Hymns, no. 147] |
"Praise to the Man" |
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| 1978 (December) |
Joy to the World II: BYU Professor Larry C. Porter: "A special, virtually tangible spirit envelops the Christian world at Christmas with an intensity unknown the rest of the year. To Latter-day Saints the Christmas story, from Bethlehem to Calvary, takes precedence over the tinsel and the toys, for the Savior is the center of Christmas. Within the Church there is also a second story associated with Christmas—from Sharon, Vermont, to Carthage, Illinois—which draws our attention during this season. ...As we commemorate the birth of the babe in Bethlehem, the Savior of the world, may we also remember his emissary, Joseph Smith, and consciously rejoice in his life and sacrifice, as well. |
Christmas with the Prophet Joseph |
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| 1978 |
The Mormon Church's official Web site recirculates a Brigham Young quote published in 1978: (republished quote Jan. 1996): "I honor and revere the name of Joseph Smith" |
1978 republished under Discourses of Brigham Young, compiled by Lds "apostle" John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City, Lds church-owned Deseret Book Co., pp. 458-459. |
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| 1976 (December) |
Lds Church Official publication New Era: The observance and 'keeping' of Smithmas: "This special season has greater importance for the Latter-day Saints than for others because we not only observe the birthday of the Savior but also the birthday of our Prophet, Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith...was born on December 23, 1805...December 23 should be a day of great importance in EVERY Latter-day Saint home..." |
“What should be different about a Mormon Christmas?” |
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| 1975 |
J. Spencer Cornwall publishes a summary of Lds hymns under Lds Church-owned Deseret Book Co.: "''Praise to the Man' is one of the few hymns written in praise of a man. Most hymns of praise are to our Father in heaven. This hymn, however, is one of the more popular hymns of the Latter-day Saints." |
Stories of our Mormon Hymns, Deseret Book Co., p. 164 |
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| 1971 (June) |
President A. Theodore Tuttle (Of the First Council of the Seventy): "Every man who has lived since the days of Joseph Smith is subject to accepting him as a prophet of God in order to enter into our Heavenly Father’s presence." |
Lds Ensign: The Message of the Restoration |
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| 1970 (October) |
Lds "Prophet" Harold B. Lee, in his Conference Report, warns all Mormons: "Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” |
(In Conference Report, Oct. 1970, pp. 152–53.) Lds 'Prophet' Harold B. Lee in conference report/D&C study manual (In hard copy of 2000 manual, p. 45) |
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| 1966 (October) |
BYU professor Sidney B. Sperry, one of the leading "Bible scholars" at the university, reinforces what he began exporting in 1944: "When the Angel Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith on the evening of Sept. 21, 1823, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah and doubtless fully explained its meaning. The Prophet himself said: '...he (Moroni) quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying it was about to be fulfilled." (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 12). It can be presumed that Moroni would not have quoted the chapter from Isaiah unless in some way it directly involved Joseph Smith and the Church he was destined to organize. ...certain expressions in two verses have occasioned some difficulties in interpretation. Indeed, there are differences of opinion on the meaning of these verses. The problems in question are the meaning of 'rod' in verse 1 and the 'root of Jesse' in verse 10. Verse 1 reads: 'And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow up out of his roots." In March 1838 the Prophet gave certain answers to questions on scripture in which he explained the 'rod' and the 'stem of Jesse' of this verse. His explanation is found in Doctrine and Covenants 113:1-4. 'Who is the stem of Jesse spoken of in the 1st, 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5 verses of the 11th chapter of Isaiah? Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is Christ. What is the rod spoken of in the 1 verse of the 11th chapter of Isaiah, that should come of the stem of Jesse? Behold, thus saith the Lord, it is a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendent of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." The Prophet gives a clear, unequivocal answer when he identifies Christ as as the 'Stem of Jesse,' but he leaves to our discernment our task of determining the identity of the 'rod.' All he says 'it is a servant in the hands of Christ,' and then he adds some interesting genealogical data. The writer has always assumed that the 'rod' was Joseph Smith, believing that the Prophet, out of modesty, hesitated to name himself directly. None of us would question that Joseph was destined to become a 'great servant in the hands of Christ.' Moreover, if we assume he was the 'rod' or 'servant,' observe how very well such an identification fits in with Moroni's mission of explaining to the latter-day Prophet his part in Isaiah's great vision of the (cont'd on Page 914-917)...(Page 915:) I suggest that the 'rod' of verse 1 and the 'root of Jesse' of verse 10 refer to the same man, Joseph Smith. ...Who better fits the description ...[re: D&C 113:4,6] than Joseph Smith? ...In your...Sunday School gospel doctrine manual, 'The Old Testament Prophets,' Page 41... you give your opinion that the rod to come forth from the stem of Jesse, mentioned in Isaiah 11:1, and the root of Jesse, mentioned in Isaiah 11:10, are the same person, whom you believe to be Joseph Smith. You give as evidence that he holds the..(Page 916:) Unfortunately, President Brigham Young did not give an explanation what he meant by a 'pure' Ephraimite; nor is there any Scriptural evidence, ancient or modern, to support the view that Joseph would have descended from blood lines that were strictly of Ephraim. Not only that, but modern genealogical reseach shows the Smith ancestry traced back through English and other European stock...Isn't it more reasonable to believe that when Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he would explain that he (Joseph) was 'the rod' (Isaiah 11:1) whom Isaiah saw 'on whom there is laid much power' (D&C113:4)--indeed that he was the 'root of Jesse' (Isaiah 11:10) unto whom 'rightly belongs the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days'? (D&C 113:6) ... (Page 916:) There is still another problem in connection with the 'root of Jesse' in Isaiah 11:10. In Romans 15:12 the Apostle Paul expressly quotes this passage from Isaiah and seems to imply – as many theologians believe – that Christ is the 'root of Jesse' (See Rev. 5:5; 22:16). If so, it would appear that Paul contradicts the revelation in Doctrine and Covenants that, as we have already seen, explains that the 'root of Jesse' is a 'descendent of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs... (Page 917:) ... the priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days.' ... The Lord, speaking through the Prophet, does not really identify the 'root of Jesse' as Christ; otherwise, he would have said so, as he did regarding the 'stem of Jesse' of Isaiah 11:1. (See D&C 113:3,4) So we are confronted with the dilemma: Does Paul really identify the 'root of Jesse' as Christ, thus contradicting the Doctrine and Covenants, or is there some other explanation? It is well known to New Testament scholars that Paul often quotes texts with little regard for the original context...It appears that the Great Apostle of the Gentiles equates the 'root of Jesse' (Isaiah 11:10) with the Christ in Romans 15:12.... |
Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet |
Hebrews 12:2: "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; 2 Corinthians 4:18: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen..." |
| 1953 (Dec 6) |
Joseph Smith Memorial Fireside, Logan Institute, gearing up for the 150th anniversary within a few years' coming: “It is an appropriate thing to remember the birthday of the Prophet Joseph. . . . This is the birthday of our greatest countryman. Joseph Smith is the only American whose birthday is heralded around the world. . . . People of every land and of every race are coming to honor the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith.” |
Message by William E. Berrett. Read more at "Praise To The Man": A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons; see also “Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas] |
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| 1944 (Dec. 10) |
"To be 'Prophet'" David O. McKay, Joseph Smith Memorial Fireside: "An eloquent summary to the testimonies of all the memorial speakers came in the words of President David O. McKay, who asked, 'Whence hath this man wisdom?' Then he answered as follows: 'Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!...” |
Read more at "Praise To The Man": A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons; see also “Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas] |
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| 1944 (Feb. 6) |
Acting Lds Church Patriarch Joseph Fielding Smith gave the first Joseph Smith Memorial Fireside Thomas E. Thunell (Salt Lake University Institute): "These firesides, sponsored by the Logan Institute of Religion, began in 1944 and have been held each year since, as close as possible to December 23, Joseph Smith’s birthday. Speakers during the past six decades have included all the presidents of the Church (David O. McKay through Gordon B. Hinckley, prior to their calls as president), counselors in the First Presidency, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, other General Authorities, Church leaders, and scholars." |
Read more at "Praise To The Man": A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons; see also “Praise To The Man”: A Review Of The Annual Joseph Smith Memorial Sermons [Mormon Merry Smithmas] |
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| 1944 (July) |
BYU Professor Sidney B. Sperry: "A supplement to Lesson 29, 3 0, 31 in the Gospel Doctrine Manual J. here are many parts of Isaiah of special interest to Latter-day Saints...One of the most interesting chapters to us is the eleventh, which was quoted in its entirety to the prophet Joseph Smith by Moroni on the evening of September 21, 1823. Speaking of this event, the prophet said, "He quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled." (Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith 2:40) What is of such importance in this chapter that Moroni felt constrained to quote it and explain the contents thereof? (It seems to us a reasonable assumption that he did explain it.) On analysis Isaiah 11 seems to fall Page 333: logically into three sections...Section 1 (vss. 1-5) has been, unfortunately, the least understood part of the Chapter. That is especially true of verse 1, which reads as follows: And there shall come forth a rod out of the Stem of Jesse, And a branch shall grow out of His roots. What does this verse mean? What is meant by the rod, the Stem of Jesse, the branch, and the roots? The writer has arranged the verse in poetic form so that its synonymous parallelism can be an aid to interpretation. The "rod" Page 334: will then be equivalent to "branch" and the "Stem of Jesse" will correspond to "His roots." According to Doc. & Gov. 113:1-2, the "Stem of Jesse" is the Christ, who is further spoken of in verses 2-5 of the Isaianic text. The "rod" is explained as "a servant in the hands of Christ, who is partly a descendant of Jesse as well as of Ephraim, or of the house of Joseph, on whom there is laid much power." (Doc. & Gov. 113:4) This explanation is interesting, but it still is not clear-cut as to who is meant. Verses 5 and 6 of the same section of the Doctrine and Covenants seem to give us an answer. The "root of Jesse" in the eleventh verse of this chapter of Isaiah is explained as "a descendant of Jesse, as well as of Joseph, unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days." The wording of verse 6 in the Doctrine & Covenants is strongly reminiscent of verse 4 and the "descendant of Jesse" in both verses must be one and the same individual. Who is the one "unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days"? Who better fits this description than Joseph Smith?...He is the one whom Isaiah probably had in mind when he refers in a figurative sense to the "rod" or the "branch" that should grow out of "His roots." Who will deny that the prophet was a real spiritual Page 335: descendant (branch) of the Christ?” |
The Instructor |
So this BYU prof claims that Joseph Smith is both the "rod of Jesse" as well as the "root of Jesse," effectively replacing the Messiah as the "rod of Jesse" as sung in the Christmas hymn, "Oh, come, Oh come, Emmanuel: "Who is the one "unto whom rightly belongs the Priesthood, and the keys of the kingdom, for an ensign, and for the gathering of my people in the last days"? Who better fits this description than Joseph Smith?...He is the one whom Isaiah probably had in mind when he refers in a figurative sense to the "rod" or the "branch" that should grow out of "His roots." Who will deny that the prophet was a real spiritual" |
| 1938 |
"To be 'Prophet'" Joseph Fielding Smith compiled the words of Joseph Smith under Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and published it under Deseret News Press: "God made Aaron to be the mouthpiece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like it, you must lump it." |
p. 363 |
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| 1919 |
Lds "apostle" Hyrum M. Smith and James Sjodahl co-wrote a church-approved A Commentary on the Doctrine and Covenants, published in Liverpool, England: "Attention is called to the name [Joseph], because the Scriptures predict the coming of a great deliverer in the latter days, so named. Nephi says that Joseph, the patriarch, predicted the coming forth of the House of Israel on the American continents, of a 'righteous branch' and a Seer, whose name, he said, 'shall be called after me' (Joseph)..." |
This quote in cited in the Lds Church Doctrines & Covenant Study Manual, 2000 pp. 34-35 |
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| 1919 |
Relief Society publishes song book that includes worship hymn of Joseph Smith, "Praise to the Man" |
Relief Society Song Book |
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| 1894 |
Lds "Prophet" Joseph F. Smith, nephew of Joseph Smith: "Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on December 23, 1805. His nephew, Joseph F. Smith, said of this fact – “in my judgment the next birthday celebration to that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ should be that of Joseph Smith.” The following is parts of a talk Joseph F. Smith gave at a Memorial honoring the Prophet Joseph Smith’s Birthday held on December 23, 1894. That year marked the 50-year anniversary of his martyrdom. “I should like to see introduced among the Latter-day Saints…the practice of celebrating or commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith..." The 2011 article from MormonHeritage.com concludes: "Do something this Christmas season in memory of the beloved prophet, Joseph Smith!" |
Joseph Smith's nephew calls for 'celebrating' Smithmas |
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| 1861 (Feb. 10) |
Brigham Young: "He is the man through whom God has spoken and revealed some of the most glorious principles that ever were revealed to the children of men; yet I would not like to call him a savior, though in a certain capacity he was a God to us, and is to the nations of the earth, and will continue to be." |
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Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses |
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| 1860 (Sept. 2) |
Do we praise God in thanksgiving for who He has made us to be? (Not Brigham Young) " I feel happy. 'Mormonism' has made me all I am..." |
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses |
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| 1859 (Oct. 9) |
Brigham Young : "Joseph Smith holds the keys of this last dispensation, and is now engaged behind the veil in the great work of the last days. I can tell our beloved brother Christians who have slain the Prophets and butchered and otherwise caused the death of thousands of Latter-day Saints, the priests who have thanked God in their prayers and thanksgiving from the pulpit that we have been plundered, driven, and slain, and the deacons under the pulpit, and their brethren and sisters in their closets, who have thanked God, thinking that the Latter-day Saints were wasted away, something that no doubt will mortify them—something that, to say the least, is a matter of deep regret to them—namely, that no man or woman in this dispensation will ever enter into the celestial kingdom of God without the consent of Joseph Smith. From the day that the Priesthood was taken from the earth to the winding-up scene of all things, every man and woman must have the certificate of Joseph Smith, junior, as a passport to their entrance into the mansion where God and Christ are—I with you and you with me. I cannot go there without his consent. He holds the keys of that kingdom for the last dispensation—the keys to rule in the spirit world; and he rules there triumphantly, for he gained full power and a glorious victory over the power of Satan while he was yet in the flesh, and was a martyr to his religion and to the name of Christ, which gives him a most perfect victory in the spirit world. He reigns there as supreme a being in his sphere, capacity, and calling, as God does in heaven. Many will ex claim—"Oh, that is very disagreeable! It is preposterous! We cannot bear the thought!" But it is true." |
Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses: 7:289-290; see also |
The Second Coming of Joseph Smith? |
| 1858 (Jan 3) |
All hail Judge Joseph, Lds "apostle" Orson Hyde: "I tell you, Joseph holds the keys, and none of us can get into the celestial kingdom without passing by him. We have not got rid of him, but he stands there as the sentinel, holding the keys of the kingdom of God; and there are many of them beside him. I tell you, if we get past those who have mingled with us, and know us best, and have a right to know us best, probably we can pass all other sen tinels as far as it is necessary, or as far as we may desire. But I tell you, the pinch will be with those that have mingled with us, stood next to us, weighed our spirits, tried us, and proven us: there will be a pinch, in my view, to get past them. The others, perhaps, will say, If brother Joseph is satisfied with you, you may pass. If it is all right with him, it is all right with me. Then if Joseph shall say to a man, or if brother Brigham say to a man, I forgive you your sins, 'Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them;' if you who have suffered and felt the weight of transgression—if you have generosity enough to forgive the sinner, I will forgive him: you cannot have more generosity than I have. I have given you power to forgive sins, and when the Lord gives a gift, he does not take it back again." |
Journal of Discourse, Vol. 6 |
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| 1857 (July 26) |
The "GOD" Joseph Smith? First President Heber C. Kimball – one of the top three Mormon hierarchists of his time: "You call us fools, but the day will be, gentlemen and ladies, whether you belong to this Church or not, when you will prize brother Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Living God, and look upon him as a GOD, and also upon Brigham Young, our Governor in the Territory of Deseret." |
Kimball, Journal of Discourses 5:88 |
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| 1845 (Jan. 1) |
For first time, Lds Church publishes idolatrous lyrics from John Taylor's "The Seer." See: History of the Church, vol. 7, chapter 26 What exactly is wrong with the hymn? See The Great Conference of the Seventies at Nauvoo... Dedication of the Seventies' Hall... |
Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, p. 794 |
The hymn sticks around being promoted by the Mormon Church into 2008; was sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in October 2005 General Conference and remained in the Mormon hymnal through the mid-80s |
| 1844 (Dec. 26) |
Lds hold dedication to new prophet and a Seventies Hall; eventual "prophet" John Taylor pens lyrics to blasphemous idolatrous hymn of Joseph Smith -- and sung on this date for the first time |
See The Great Conference of the Seventies at Nauvoo... Dedication of the Seventies' Hall... |
In Hark the Herald Angels sing, we praise Jesus: Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth” This carol had been around over a century when it appeared to be the inspiration for this line that Taylor drew up about Joseph Smith: ”Of noble seed—of heavenly birth, He came to bless the sons of earth”; |
| 1844 (August) |
W.W. Phelps wrote & published poem which became lyrical basis for song Praise to the Man |
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See lyric chart comparison to "True Gospel" at Mormon Tabernacle Choir conductor: 'Praise to the Man'...hymn praises Joseph Smith [Smithmas vanity] |
| 1838 (March 3) |
Visions and Revelations—Joseph Smith received Doctrine and Covenants 113, a revelation identifying the “stem of Jesse” and the “rod” and “root of Jesse” in Isaiah 11. ◆ History of the Church, 3:9–11; D&C 113 |
Joseph Smith as "rod" and "root" of Jesse? |
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