Portraits of the past: Joseph Smith hymnal

In the Nauvoo newspaper, Times and Seasons, the Prophet Joseph Smith once noted the following: "I have been favored by receiving a Hymn Book from you, and as far as I have examined it, I highly approve of it, and think it to be a very valuable collection" (Vol. 2, No. 5, Jan. 1, 1841). The volume seen here is likely that very book, which was sent to the Prophet by Brigham Young from Manchester, England. It has the Prophet's name inscribed on the outside cover. Inside the book is a written provenance, or history, of the book's owners, from Julia Smith Dixon (Joseph and Emma Smith's adopted daughter) down to the current owner. An unwritten oral tradition is that this volume was used by Elder John Taylor when he sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" in the Carthage Jail just prior to the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Two British converts, John Benbow and Thomas Kington, were the main contributors to the printing of the hymnal — 3,000 copies were printed in Manchester — which became the basis for all official LDS hymnals during the second half of the 19th century.

— Kenneth Mays