In my opinion, this is one of the more ignorant (and one of the silliest) arguments used by the anti-LDS. It comes directly from a standardized list of anti-LDS propaganda.
Here is a list of ALL of the songs in the current LDS Hymnal. The list is presented in alphabetical order according to the Title and the first line of the song.
http://www.LDS.org/cm/catalogsearchalph ... l#nullLinkby the way, the title of one of the songs Mittens is so quick to disparage is NOT "
Warfaring man". If Mittens had checked it out for herself, she would have discovered the title is: "A Poor
Wayfaring Man of Grief". Mittens also would then have discovered (well, let's make that "hopefully" would have been able to discover) that the song is NOT about Joseph Smith.
The song is about our Savior, Jesus Christ.It was one of Joseph Smith's favorite hymns about the Savior. Here are the beautiful final two verses (verse #6 and #7) which reveal who the song is being sung about:
In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him, ‘mid shame and scorn.
My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, “I will!”
Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named,
“Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall they memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto me.”
I can never remain joined in the singing of these last two verses because by then I am crying in thankfulness and in awe for what Christ did for us.
Blessings,
jo
