By Eric Johnson

Note: The following was originally printed in the September/October 2024 edition of Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit here.

Published 9/26/2024

On May 30, 2024, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the “first wave” of 13 songs to be included in its new global hymnbook.

The songs are now available in the church’s music library housed on its website. There will be additional releases of new songs over the next two years before the updated hymnbook is set to be published at the end of 2026 in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.

 In fact, the goal is to have this new hymnbook available in 50 languages by 2031. More than 17,000 songs were submitted for inclusion in the new hymnal, which is expected to contain 450-500 songs compared to 341 in the current edition.

In recent years, LDS Church leaders have promoted its religion as being “Christian.” If there is real intent to move closer to true Christian thought, the leaders should consider removing a number of blasphemous songs now found in the 1985 hymnbook. (An article titled “10 LDS hymns that should be deleted in the next Mormon hymnbook” can be found on MRM’s website—see www.mrm.org/10-lds-hymns.)

Consider 4 of the 13 Christian songs announced for inclusion in May:

“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

The hymn was originally written by Robert Robinson (1735-1790) when he was 23 years old. Robinson had been a religious scoffer who associated with hoodlums; he attended revivalist George Whitefield’s church meeting to mock him, yet Robinson converted to Christianity after hearing a sermon on Matthew 3:7. He eventually became a Baptist pastor.

How will Latter-day Saints be able to sing the hymn’s first stanza? It begins, “Come, thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.” Because his meaning of “grace” and “mercy” is completely different than the interpretation given by Mormons, Robinson would have certainly objected to having the church use his song.

Although 2 Samuel 7:7-19 is referenced under the title of the hymn, Alma 5:26-27 is also mentioned. Verse 27 of that passage reads in part, “Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble?” Mormonism teaches that a person must be blameless through good works; grace and mercy must ultimately be merited, making this inclusion of Alma 5 with this hymn seem curious.

“It is Well with My Soul”

The author of this hymn, Horatio C. Stafford (1828-1888), was a financially secure Christian layman in Chicago and a good friend of D.L. Moody, the famous 19^th century pastor. Stafford’s son died just before the family’s real estate holdings were lost in the Chicago Fire of 1871.

To get away after their misfortune, Stafford organized a family retreat to Europe in 1873. His last-minute business dealings kept him home, so just  his wife and four daughters boarded the S.S. Ville du Havre. Unfortunately, their ship was struck by an English vessel and it sunk in 12 minutes; his wife wrote a telegram with the words “saved alone,” letting Stafford know that his four daughters were dead.

  Stafford left by ship to reunite with his wife. Near the spot on the water where his daughters were killed, he wrote this hymn. Instead of dwelling on these tragic events, Stafford focused on the redemptive work of Christ and, in the fourth stanza, anticipated the Second Coming of Jesus.

Stanza 3 certainly goes against LDS doctrine. It reads, “My sin—O the bliss of this glorious tho’t—My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.”

When I talk with Latter-day Saints, it is typically not well with their souls. “If you were to suddenly die today, would you be assured of celestial glory?” I have sometimes asked. Generally, Latter-day Saints explain how hard they are trying and doing their best, though admitting that they are not prepared. Is it even possible for the sins of Latter-day Saints to be “nailed to the cross” when they have no idea if their sins are forgiven?

“Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise”

This hymn was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788), who was an English Anglican pastor and founder of the Methodist movement. He was a prolific hymn writer, with more than 6500 total to his credit! The current LDS hymnbook has six other Wesley hymns already included.

Why was this lesser-known hymn included? Perhaps it’s because the first stanza says that Christ “enters now the highest heav’n.” Though Wesley composed these words before Joseph Smith was born, is this supposed to be a reference to the celestial kingdom? It certainly wasn’t the meaning Wesley intended since the term “celestial kingdom” had not yet been invented.

“What Child is This”

This is a Christmas carol written by William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898), an Anglican layman. He incorporated Luke 2:8-16 into a single stanza. The second stanza includes these words,

“Nails, spear, shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne for me, for you.” Of course, Mormonism’s leaders have stressed the importance of Jesus’s suffering in Gethsemane, making His death on the cross as an afterthought.

Amazing Grace added to the song list in September 2024

“Amazing Grace” has been cherished by many Christians for more than two centuries. John Newton (1725-1807) was a former slave trader who, in the first stanza, wrote, “Amazing grace—how sweet the sound—that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” Newton didn’t hope his sins would be forgiven; rather, he knew that he had been set right by God.

It is “amazing” that the first stanza is included because Mormonism does not teach that people are “wretches” but rather “gods in embryo.” The idea of being “lost” and “blind” will also not resonate with many Latter-day Saints. However, what would Amazing Grace be like without the most known stanza being included?

It is interesting to note that Newton’s “Amazing Grace” appeared in Emma Smith’s original songbook as “Hymn 118.” The 268 hymns in her book were published in 1841 along with many other songs by Christian composers, especially Charles Wesley and Isaac Watts. The question must be asked,  Why was “Amazing Grace” ever taken out? Could it be because the early leaders did not believe it corresponded to their theology?

Only three stanzas of the six stanzas will be used: Stanza 1 (“Amazing Grace (how sweet the sound”), Stanza 3 (“Through many dangers, toils, and snares…”) and Stanza 4 (“The Lord has promised good to me.”)

Left out are stanzas 2, 5, 6, and 7. Perhaps the words by Newton were too close to what continues to be taught in biblical Christianity. Stanza 2 goes like this:

‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

I’m sure “the hour I first believed” was too risky, as eternal life in Mormonism is more than just “belief” when it comes to celestial glory or exaltation.

Meanwhile, Stanza 5 in Amazing Grace says,

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease:
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

This verse may have inferred too much assurance tied to “grace” because, in Mormonism, grace is not all that is needed to gain eternal glory.

Stanza 6 says,

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
the sun forbear to shine;
but God, who called me here below,
will be forever mine.

Again, perhaps this offered too much assurance to the Latter-day Saint who is required to “endure to the end.” Finally, Stanza 7 reads:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

Perhaps the idea here might not have resonated well as singing God’s praises for eternity is probably not what many Latter-day Saints anticipate in the next life. Yet Mormon 7:7 in the Book of Mormon states:

And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

While this might not be the scenario many Mormons might anticipate, it certainly fits with the most important of the four LDS scriptures!

4 Hymns We Hope Won’t Make the Hymnal’s Cut

Unfortunately, the LDS Church’s hymn book already includes other Christian songs that contradict Mormonism, including “How Great Thou Art,” “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” “How Firm a Foundation,” and a number of popular Christmas hymns—all written by faithful Christians. My hope is that the following list of doctrinal songs will not be included in the new hymnal, as each is a Christian favorite that contradicts Mormon theology.

1 — “Holy, Holy, Holy”

Written by Reginal Heber (1783-1826), this hymn is based on Revelation 4:8-11 and was meant to coincide with “Trinity Sunday,” which occurs just 8 weeks after Easter. It was composed three years before Heber passed away, as he was a missionary in India who died from sunstroke while delivering a sermon to the Indians. The line at the end of the first stanza that could keep this hymn out of the LDS hymnbook says, “Holy, Holy, Holy, merciful and mighty, God in three Persons, Blessed Trinity.”

2 — “The Old Rugged Cross”

Composed by George Bennard (1873-1958), this hymn’s first stanza says, “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, the emblem of suffering and shame. And I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.” The start of the second stanza adds, “O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world.”

Shouldn’t the “world” cited here also include the many leaders of Mormonism who have voraciously criticized the cross? This hymn could also be safe from the new hymnbook. (For more on the cross, see “Why Christians glory in the cross” at mrm.org/glory-in-the-cross.)

3 — “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”

This is another hymn that might not make the cut. It was written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748), a composer of about 600 hymns. Just like “The Old Rugged Cross,” this hymn’s message contradicts Mormonism’s view of the cross as there is no emphasis of the importance of Gethsemane. The second stanza says in part, “Forbid it Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; All the vain things that charm me most—I sacrifice them to His blood.”

4 — “Jesus Paid it All”

Written by Elvina Hall (1820-1899) while she was listening to a sermon delivered by her pastor in Baltimore, Maryland in 1865, this hymn’s refrain says, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain—He washed it white as snow.”

Some Latter-day Saints believe that as long as a person tries his or her best, Jesus pays the rest of the debt to make His atonement efficacious. This is not a biblical teaching, as there is no one who is capable of paying even a fraction of the penalty deserved by sin. It is Jesus who paid all of sin’s debt for the true believer. This was accomplished on the cross! This payment is not dependent on anything we think we might be able to add.

Conclusion

During the next two years, we will discover which additional hymns the LDS Church will “borrow” from faithful Bible-believing Christians. Needless to say, we should not be surprised if songs we hold near and dear end up becoming part of this new hymnbook.