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<\/a>(LDS.org)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I published the column below in the Deseret News<\/em> for 5 April 2018:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe singing of hymns,\u201d President Dallin H. Oaks, the first counselor in the LDS Church\u2019s First Presidency, observed in \u201cWorship through Music<\/a>,\u201d \u201cis one of the best ways to learn the doctrine of the restored gospel.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And, indeed, Latter-day Saint hymn lyrics, taken altogether, summarize essential church teachings remarkably well. Located at the very core of regular Mormon worship, they provide an instructive and reliable picture of what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints<\/a> believe.<\/span><\/p>\n Some hymns (like the originally German \u201cHark, All Ye Nations!<\/a>\u201d celebrate the Restoration. Others contain concepts unique to the Restoration. For example, \u201cJoseph Smith\u2019s First Prayer<\/a>\u201d and \u201cPraise to the Man<\/a>\u201d recall the story of the founding prophet and \u201cAn Angel from on High<\/a>\u201d and \u201cThe Iron Rod<\/a>\u201d summarize the recovery of the Book of Mormon. Some hymns focus on priesthood authority and duties (e.g., \u201cYe Elders of Israel<\/a>\u201d and \u201cCome, All Ye Sons of God<\/a>\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n Others emphasize the blessings of LDS temples, including sealings for eternity (examples include \u201cFamilies Can Be Together Forever<\/a>,\u201d \u201cRise Ye Saints and Temples Enter,<\/a>\u201d and \u201cHow Beautiful Thy Temples, Lord<\/a>\u201d) and salvation for the dead (e.g, \u201cHigh on the Mountain Top<\/a>,\u201d \u201cHoly Temples on Mount Zion<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRejoice, Ye Saints of Latter Days<\/a>\u201d). Still others exult in continuing revelation (e.g., \u201cWe Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet<\/a>\u201d and \u201cCome, Listen to a Prophet\u2019s Voice<\/a>\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n Some hymns (such as \u201cIf You Could Hie to Kolob\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and \u201cO My Father<\/a>\u201d) highlight distinctive Mormon theology<\/a>. \u201cOur Savior\u2019s Love<\/a>\u201d carefully devotes each of its three verses to a member of the Godhead, understood by Latter-day Saints to consist of three distinct personages.<\/span><\/p>\n Some hymns commemorate the unique LDS pioneer heritage. Both multigenerational members and recent converts sing \u201cCome, Come, Ye Saints<\/a>,\u201d \u201cFor the Strength of the Hills<\/a>,\u201d \u201cCarry On<\/a>\u201d and \u201cO Ye Mountains High<\/a>.\u201d Reflecting the LDS Church\u2019s often embattled history and its sometimes embattled present, some hymns (e.g., \u201cUp, Awake, Ye Defenders of Zion<\/a>,\u201d \u201cTrue to the Faith<\/a>\u201d and \u201cAs Zion\u2019s Youth in Latter Days<\/a>\u201d) are resolute, even defiant.<\/span><\/p>\n This is as it should be. The LDS Church makes unique claims and teaches unique doctrines that distinguish it from mainstream Christianity. Mormonism freely and unapologetically acknowledges its uniqueness.<\/span><\/p>\n But Latter-day Saints remain Christians despite their distinctiveness, as the official hymnal both reflects and demonstrates.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, it contains numerous hymns associated with major mainstream Christian figures, including J. S. Bach (\u201cO Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown<\/a>\u201d), Martin Luther (\u201cA Mighty Fortress is Our God<\/a>\u201d), and the 18th-century English Christian poet William Cowper (\u201cGod Moves in a Mysterious Way<\/a>\u201d). \u201cPraise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow<\/a>\u201d is a 17th-century Anglican \u201cdoxology.\u201d Ten Latter-day Saint hymns come from the great English Protestant minister and hymn writer\u00a0Isaac Watts<\/a>\u00a0(d. 1748), while six were composed by the famous Methodist leader\u00a0Charles Wesley<\/a>(d. 1788), younger brother to Methodism\u2019s founder, John Wesley.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSing Praise to Him<\/a>\u201d comes from the 16th-century \u201cBohemian Brethren\u2019s Songbook.\u201d \u201cPraise to the Lord, the Almighty<\/a>\u201d derives from the 17th-century \u201cStralsund Gesangbuch.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But the LDS hymnal doesn\u2019t draw solely from Protestant sources: St. Francis of Assisi (d. A.D. 1226) wrote the original-language words to \u201cAll Creatures of Our God and King<\/a>,\u201d while those of \u201cAll Glory, Laud, and Hono<\/a>r\u201d were penned by Theodolph of Orleans (d. A.D. 821). The original Latin lyrics of \u201cJesus, the Very Thought of Thee<\/a>\u201d are ascribed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (d. A.D. 1153). \u201cLead, Kindly Light<\/a>\u201d was written by the great John Henry Cardinal Newman (d. 1890).<\/span><\/p>\n Such hymns as \u201cHow Wondrous and Great<\/a>,\u201d \u201cGlory to God on High<\/a>,\u201d \u201cBecause I Have Been Given Much<\/a>,\u201d \u201cGlorious Things of Thee Are Spoken<\/a>,\u201d \u201cHow Great Thou Art<\/a>,\u201d \u201cWe Are All Enlisted<\/a>,\u201d \u201cCast Thy Burden upon the Lord<\/a>\u201d (with Mendelssohn\u2019s wonderful melody), \u201cLord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing<\/a>\u201d (sung to a tune by the French-Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau), and Rudyard Kipling\u2019s great \u201cGod of Our Fathers, Known of Old<\/a>\u201d originated well outside (and often before) the LDS Church.<\/span><\/p>\n