Salvation Through Joseph Smith?

Turn to hymn #27, “Praise to the Man,” in the Mormon Hymnbook and you will find this:

Praise to the Man who communed with Jehovah!

Jesus anointed that prophet and seer.

Blessed to open the last dispensation,

Kings shall extol him and nations revere.

Chorus:

Hail to the prophet, ascended to heaven!

Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vein [sic].

Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren;

Death cannot conquer the hero again.

Praise to his memory he died as a martyr;

Honored and blest be his ever-great name!

Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins,

Plead unto heaven while the earth lauds his fame.

Great is his glory and endless his priesthood.

Ever and ever the keys he will hold.

Faithful and true, he will enter his kingdom,

Crowned in the midst of the prophets of Old.

Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven;

Earth must atone for the blood of that man.

Wake up the world for conflict of justice.

Millions shall know “Brother Joseph” again.

Mormons have long taught that Joseph Smith ultimately determined their salvation, so is it any wonder that they have a hymn worshipping him?

According to the 11th Mormon President, Harold, B. Lee, “A testimony of Joseph Smith is vital.  No man can accept Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, no man can accept this as His church, the Church of Jesus Christ, unless he can accept Joseph Smith as God’s mouthpiece and the restorer of His work in these latter days.  First, to say that we are Christians then requires two or three certainties.  We must know for certainty in our hearts and minds that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world.  We must know that this in indeed the Church of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God on earth in these last days; and finally we must have a testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.”  (The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p.371)

When the LDS prophets, presidents, and teachers say that Joseph Smith holds the keys to heaven, when they say one must have a testimony of Smith to be saved, and that one has to pass by Smith to get into heaven, then who is really the savior of the LDS?  Certainly not Jesus Christ.

Mormon Coffee also has an interesting article about whether or not Mormons worship Smith.

How sad that Mormons will spend eternity in hell separated from God unless they turn to the truth.