To Joseph in Heaven.
Tune
“Ye Banks & Braes o’bonny Doon.”
1st
O Joseph Prophet of the Lord,
Thy praise we sing, thy name revere;
This day brings round in mem’ry sad,
Remembrance of thy fate—severe
Twenty seventh June, in forty four,
In Carthage Jail thou wast assailed
By wicked—pained—fiendish men
How glad wed been had their efforts failed.
2nd
In twenty three & to twenty Seven,
Thou highly favor’d wert of God:
Salvation’s ways—the errors of man--
Moroni’s Record—to thee were showed
Thummin and Urim to thee were given,
Priesthood—the lesser and greater also,
The different pow’rs in Earth, hell & heaven,
To thee ‘twas given for ever to know.
3rd
A Seer—Revelator—a Prophet from Heaven;
A Church and kingdom, as at first, were restored;
Visions and blessing and power undisputed--
A god with a body and spirit adored.
Of Nephi & Laman—Mosiah & Alma
Moroni & Mormon—Lemuel & Dan,
From the plates thou did’st write by heavenly vision,
The downfall—the rise and the glory of man.
4th
Thick darkness and gross, covered earth & the people,
The heavenly light thou then didst bring forth--
The full blaze of Truth, through a channel so humble,
‘Twas too much for pious wise man of this earth:
E’even false friends named Higbee—Foster & Law,
Bennet—Vandusen & Williams besides,
Gave scope to their positions—adultery & lying,
But Heaven’s pure law these would not abide.
5th
These, as agents of Satan and Pious Sectarians,
Determined to kill Thee, & overthrow Truth:
Law—falsehood & perjury could not assail thee
Bot powder & lead cut thee off in thy youth.
But Joseph and Hyrum, ye live yet and ever,
Your power’s increased and your glory extends,
In heaven, on earth & in Space’s vast dominions,
Jehovah & Jesus—all saints—are your friends.
6th
Since the sixth day of April, the year 1830.
The number of Saints from six has increased
To hundreds & thousands & soon will be millions
Of live wheat & tares also Martyrs deceased.
Ball proof-learned Willard to you has withdrawn,
John Taylor yet lives the Truth to proclaim;
The Indians—their missionaries & Saints without number
alive and unborn, shall yet sing of your fame.
7th
The power of our Prophet in Heaven is wielded--
Of Hyrum & others, tho’ ten years have gone;
The living and dead are still bound together
Brigham yet lives! and the work is not done
We’ll love one another & never dissemble,
No evil we’ll speak but ever be one,
And pray for the day when Joseph & Jesus
The meek and the noble—shall sit upon thrones. (Thomas D. Brown, Journal, June
27, 1854, in Journal of the Southern Indian Mission: Diary of Thomas D.
Brown [Western Text Society 4; Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press,
1972], 72-74; do also note that “Jehovah” in this hymn is used of the Father,
not the Son)
