Merry Smithmas!

[Everybody Wang Chung]

I think we should all take a minute and appreciate how far the church has come. From Joseph’s humble beginnings as a convicted treasure seeker, to creating an entire religion that today hoards vast amounts of treasure. Joseph would be proud his church today.

[Kishkumen]

As happens each year, critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are rolling out their mirthless annual lie that the Saints celebrate “Smithmas,” Joseph’s birthday, with more enthusiasm, vigor, and devotion than members of the Church give to the mainstream Christian holiday of Christmas.


For many such critics, I expect that it’s just a rather bitter and not particularly funny joke. An expression of, among other things, their contempt and disdain for Joseph. Some, though, seem to take the falsehood seriously — or, at least, to want others to take it seriously.

[Kishkumen]

Here’s the deal. I think Mormons SHOULD celebrate Smithmas, and I DO. Loved seeing Book of Mormon the Musical on Smithmas with the family. My kids loved it!

[Tom]

We marked Smithmas by seeing Book of Mormon the musical on Broadway. My earlier post was an attempt to broadcast that fact before the show started, but my proficiency with the phone was lacking.

Initially I thought I was viewing an interior photo of the new Orem Utah Temple.

I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the show.

[Kishkumen]

I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the show.

Second time seeing the show, first time in NYC. What a Smithmas to remember!

[drumdude]

Every day that an Elders Quorum sings “Praise to the Man” is a day filled with Smithmas cheer.

Keep Smith in Smithmas!

[Tom]

John Taylor penned a hymn that deserves to be sung far and wide on Smithmas Day. I won’t go into all the reasons that I like the hymn, but I will note Taylor’s wonderful use of astronomical imagery in describing Joseph’s ministry on earth:

“O’er the world that was wrapped in sable night,
Like the sun he spread his golden light,
Like the sun he spread his golden light.”

I will also point out Taylor’s description of Joseph’s birth as “heavenly.”

1. The Seer, the Seer, Joseph, the Seer!
I’ll sing of the Prophet ever dear, the Prophet ever dear;
His equal now cannot be found
By searching the wide world around.
With Gods he soared in the realms of day,
And men be taught the heavenly way,
And men be taught the heavenly way.
The earthly Seer! the heavenly Seer!
I love to dwell on his memory dear;
The chosen of God and the friend of man,
He brought the priesthood back again;
He gazed on the past and the future, too,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view.

2. Of noble seed, of heavenly birth,
He came to bless the sons of earth, to bless the sons of earth;
With keys by the Almighty given,
He opened the full rich stores of heaven;
O’er the world that was wrapped in sable night,
Like the sun he spread his golden light,
Like the sun he spread his golden light.
He strove, O how he strove to stay
The stream of crime in its reckless way!
With a mighty hand and a noble aim,
He urged the wayward to reclaim:
’Mid foaming billows of angry strife,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life.

3. The Saints, the Saints, his only pride!
For them he lived, for them he died; he lived, for them he died;
Their joys were his, their sorrows too.
He loved the Saints; he loved Nauvoo.
Unchanged in death, with a Savior’s love,
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
The Seer, the Seer! Joseph, the Seer!
O how I love his memory dear!
The just and wise, the pure and free,
A father he was and is to me.
Let fiends now rage, in their dark hour—
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power,
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power.

4. He’s free! he’s free! the Prophet’s free!
He is where he will ever be, where he will ever be,
Beyond the reach of mobs and strife,
He rests unharmed in endless life.
His home’s in the sky; he dwells with the Gods
Far from the furious rage of mobs,
Far from the furious rage of mobs.
He died, he died for those he loved.
He reigns; he reigns in the realms above.
He waits with the just who have gone before
To welcome the Saints to Zion’s shore.
Shout, shout, ye Saints! this boon is given;
We’ll meet him, we’ll meet him Our martyred Seer, in heaven.
We’ll meet him, we’ll meet him, our martyred Seer, in heaven.

[Gadianton]

I think the columnist who wrote the anti-Smithmas piece is confused. His objection amounts to complaining that one worships God, not Allah. Just because members don't use the term Smithmas doesn't mean they don't celebrate it. The first Christians did not themselves identify as Christians, but were called Christians by outsiders. Everything this columnist writes affirms the reality of Smithmas. Having a historian show up at your house on 12-23 to demonstrate parallels between the lives of Jesus and Joseph is about as Smithmas as it gets.

[Kishkumen]

I think the columnist who wrote the anti-Smithmas piece is confused. His objection amounts to complaining that one worships God, not Allah. Just because members don't use the term Smithmas doesn't mean they don't celebrate it. The first Christians did not themselves identify as Christians, but were called Christians by outsiders. Everything this columnist writes affirms the reality of Smithmas. Having a historian show up at your house on 12-23 to demonstrate parallels between the lives of Jesus and Joseph is about as Smithmas as it gets.

So true.

[Kishkumen]

John Taylor penned a hymn that deserves to be sung far and wide on Smithmas Day. I won’t go into all the reasons that I like the hymn, but I will note Taylor’s wonderful use of astronomical imagery in describing Joseph’s ministry on earth:

“O’er the world that was wrapped in sable night,
Like the sun he spread his golden light,
Like the sun he spread his golden light.”

I will also point out Taylor’s description of Joseph’s birth as “heavenly.”

1. The Seer, the Seer, Joseph, the Seer!
I’ll sing of the Prophet ever dear, the Prophet ever dear;
His equal now cannot be found
By searching the wide world around.
With Gods he soared in the realms of day,
And men be taught the heavenly way,
And men be taught the heavenly way.
The earthly Seer! the heavenly Seer!
I love to dwell on his memory dear;
The chosen of God and the friend of man,
He brought the priesthood back again;
He gazed on the past and the future, too,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view,
And opened, and opened the heavenly world to view.

2. Of noble seed, of heavenly birth,
He came to bless the sons of earth, to bless the sons of earth;
With keys by the Almighty given,
He opened the full rich stores of heaven;
O’er the world that was wrapped in sable night,
Like the sun he spread his golden light,
Like the sun he spread his golden light.
He strove, O how he strove to stay
The stream of crime in its reckless way!
With a mighty hand and a noble aim,
He urged the wayward to reclaim:
’Mid foaming billows of angry strife,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life,
He stood at, he stood at the helm of the ship of life.

3. The Saints, the Saints, his only pride!
For them he lived, for them he died; he lived, for them he died;
Their joys were his, their sorrows too.
He loved the Saints; he loved Nauvoo.
Unchanged in death, with a Savior’s love,
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
He pleads their cause in the courts above.
The Seer, the Seer! Joseph, the Seer!
O how I love his memory dear!
The just and wise, the pure and free,
A father he was and is to me.
Let fiends now rage, in their dark hour—
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power,
No matter, no matter, he is beyond their power.

4. He’s free! he’s free! the Prophet’s free!
He is where he will ever be, where he will ever be,
Beyond the reach of mobs and strife,
He rests unharmed in endless life.
His home’s in the sky; he dwells with the Gods
Far from the furious rage of mobs,
Far from the furious rage of mobs.
He died, he died for those he loved.
He reigns; he reigns in the realms above.
He waits with the just who have gone before
To welcome the Saints to Zion’s shore.
Shout, shout, ye Saints! this boon is given;
We’ll meet him, we’ll meet him Our martyred Seer, in heaven.
We’ll meet him, we’ll meet him, our martyred Seer, in heaven.

When was this one removed from the hymnal?