Gospel Doctrine
Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith
Synopsis: This book is a collection of sermons and writings of President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, selected by a group of compilers headed by future apostle John A. Widtsoe, just shortly before the death of President Smith. It was published in 1919, just after President Smith’s death. (Albert E. Bowen, another future apostle, was also one of the compilers.) The book came about when President Smith had remarked offhand that he would be leaving no published book behind after leaving this world. In protest to the idea of President Smith leaving no published book behind, then-brother Widtsoe determined to make a compilation of his sermons and writings in Church magazines into a book to suit that purpose. When the compilers notified Elder David O. McKay, an apostle and member of the Committee on Study for the Priesthood Quorums, Elder McKay spearheaded the idea of it becoming the text of study for the priesthood throughout the Church. The manuscript was completed in time for President Smith himself to give his approval. Gospel Doctrine has long been a classic work in Latter-day Saint literature. As the introduction to the book states, “The sermons and writings of President Joseph F. Smith teach, in wisdom and moderation, practically every essential doctrine of the Latter-day Saints concerning the present life and the life hereafter. Not only that, but they abound in helpful counsel and advice on everyday practices in right living, stated in simple and persuasive language.”
Strong Points: This book is an excellent tour of Joseph F. Smith’s ministry and thought. It covers a wide range of topics and gives the reader the distinct sense of his famous preaching ability. The book permeates with sincerity and impassioned language; there is no doubt for the reader about President Smith’s testimony of Jesus Christ, of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and of the Restoration of the Gospel, and a variety of other topics on which he preaches with passion, wisdom, and simplicity. He had a gift to make complex topics rather plain and candid, which is no doubt a reason why his teachings are so often referred to even today. As for the book itself, its chapters and sections within the chapters are a good length to keep the reader engaged. They are also generally laid out in a systematic fashion, and cover a wide variety of interesting topics. The range of topics is almost encyclopedic, in fact, ranging from “Truth, the Foundation” and “God Constantly Mindful of Us” to “Pernicious Nature of Card Playing” and “The Crime of Witchcraft and Other Superstitions.” If, for some strange reason, this book is not already on your shelf, you should be looking to add it to your library, because it is a great classic and a staple.
Weak Points: While the book was laid out in a generally good, systematized way, it was not always categorized very well. For instance, a discourse on the eternal nature of truth is found in the chapter, “The Purpose and Mission of the Church” instead of the opening chapter, “Truth, the Foundation,” where similar discourses were found. Also, the inclusion of administrative policies that were unique to that era of time were less interesting (p. 166-168). Saddest of all, while the book is almost encyclopedic in its breadth, it contains a terrible index that is very incomplete and has so many gaping holes that it is almost of little use. You would think that by the time they came out with a 1975 edition (the one I read), this would have been expanded properly.
Interesting: 3.9/5
Must Read: 4.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Pages: 553
Selected Quote: “There are at least three dangers that threaten the Church within, and the authorities need to awaken to the fact that the people should be warned unceasingly against them. As I see these, they are flattery of prominent men in the world, false educational ideas, and sexual impurity.
“But the third subject mentioned—personal purity, is perhaps of greater importance than either of the other two. We believe in one standard of morality for men and women. If purity of life is neglected, all other dangers set in upon us like the rivers of waters when the flood gates are opened.” (p. 312-313).
“[The truths that Joseph Smith taught] were new to Joseph’s generation, as they are in part to ours, because men had gone astray, been cast adrift, shifted hither and thither by every new wind of doctrine which cunning men—so called progressives—had advanced. This made the Prophet Joseph a restorer, not a destroyer, of old truths. And this does not justify us in discarding the simple, fundamental principles of the gospel and running after modern doctrinal fads and notions.” (p. 489).
“When he had finished translating the Book of Mormon he [Joseph Smith] was still only a boy, yet in producing this book he developed historical facts, prophecies, revelations, predictions, testimonies and doctrines, precepts and principles that are beyond the power and wisdom of the learned world to duplicate or refute. Joseph Smith was an unlearned youth, so far as the learning of the world is concerned. He was taught by the angel Moroni. He received his education from above, from God Almighty, and not from man-made institutions; but to charge him with being ignorant would be both unjust and false; no man or combination of men possessed greater intelligence than he, nor could the combined wisdom and cunning of the age produce an equivalent for what he did. He was not ignorant, for he was taught by him from whom all intelligence flows. He possessed a knowledge of God and of his law, and of eternity, and mankind have been trying, with all their learning, wisdom and power—and not content with that, they have tried with the sword and cannon—to extirpate from the earth the superstructure which Joseph Smith, by the power of God, erected; but they have signally failed, and will yet be overwhelmed by their efforts to destroy it.” (p. 483-484).
“The greatest event that has ever occurred in the world, since the resurrection of the Son of God from the tomb and his ascension on high, was the coming of the Father and of the Son to that boy Joseph Smith, to prepare the way for the laying of the foundation of his kingdom—not the kingdom of man—never more to cease nor to be overturned. Having accepted this truth, I find it easy to accept of every other truth that he enunciated and declared during his mission of fourteen years in the world. He never taught a doctrine that was not true. He never practiced a doctrine that he was not commanded to practice. He never advocated error. He was not deceived. He saw; he heard; he did as he was commanded to do; and, therefore, God is responsible for the work accomplished by Joseph Smith—not Joseph Smith. The Lord is responsible for it, and not man.” (p. 495-496).