Posted by admin on Dec 17, 2013 in Christmas Past 2013 |

Answer 5th Day Christmas Past: George Washington spent Christmas with his troops at Valley Forge.  He is one of our nation’s many great leaders that turned to God for help and reminds us that “A man stands tallest when upon his knees.” Story still available on yesterday’s 5th Day Question website blog post. Congrats to 5th Day drawing winner, Jennifer Marshall, who won a hand carved Woman at the Well olive wood statue from...

Posted by admin on Dec 16, 2013 in Christmas Past 2013 | 10 comments

Question 5th Day Christmas Past:  Which founding father spent a bleak Christmas at Valley Forge? (To be entered into today’s giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts of story below on Facebook or our blog.) On December 19 in 1777, commander of the Continental Army George Washington, the future first president of the United States, leads his beleaguered troops into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Things could hardly have looked bleaker for Washington and the Continental Army as 1777 came to a close. The British had successfully occupied Philadelphia, leading some members of Congress to question Washington’s leadership abilities. No one knew better than Washington that the army was on the brink of collapse–in fact, he had defied Congress’ demand that he launch a mid-winter attack against the British at Philadelphia and instead fell back to Valley Forge to rest and refit his troops. Though he had hoped to provide his weary men with more nutritious food and badly needed winter clothing, Congress had been unable to provide money for fresh supplies. That Christmas Eve, the troops dined on a meal of rice and vinegar, and were forced to bind their bleeding frost-bitten feet with rags. “We have experienced little less than a famine in camp,” Washington wrote to Patrick Henry the following February. Desperate to keep the army intact, Washington tried to stem desertion by resorting to lashings as punishment and then threatening to shoot deserters on sight. For those soldiers who remained with him, Washington expressed deep gratitude and awe. He described men marching without clothes, blankets or shoes–leaving bloody trails in the snow–who displayed “patience and obedience which in my opinion can scarce be paralel’d.” Meanwhile Washington faced the displeasure of Congress and rumors of plots to replace him with his typical stoicism and composure. On December 31, he wrote to the Marquis de Lafayette that he would continue “to observe one steady and uniform conduct, which I shall invariably pursue, while I have the honour to command, regardless of the Tongue of slander or the powers of detraction.” Furthermore, he told the press that if Congress could find someone better suited to lead the army that he would be more than happy to resign and return to private life at his Mount Vernon estate. Now today, in a quiet grove at Valley Forge, there is a heroicsized monument to Washington. He is depicted not astride a charging horse nor overlooking a battlefield of glory, but kneeling in humble prayer, calling upon the God of Heaven for divine help. To gaze upon the statue prompts the mind to remember the oft-heard expression, “A man stands tallest when upon his knees.” Taken from: Thomas S. Monson, Be Your Best Self [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1979], 24...

Posted by admin on Dec 16, 2013 in Christmas Past 2013 |

Answer 4th Day Christmas Past:It was William W. Phelps intention to adapt the hymn “Joy to the World” as a Millennial hymn celebrating the Messiah’s return. Story still available on yesterday’s 4th Day Question website blog post. Congrats to 4th Day drawing winner, Jeffrey Abraham, who won an olive wood Holy Family nativity  figurine hand carved in...

Posted by admin on Dec 15, 2013 in Christmas Past 2013 | 6 comments

Question 4th Day Christmas Past:  What second purpose did the Christmas hymn “Joy to the World” serve to early Saints? (To be entered into today’s giveaway & FREE tour drawing, Comment & Share your thoughts of story below on Facebook or our blog.) Joy to the World Text: Isaac Watts (1674 -1748); altered by William W. Phelps (1792-1872; LDS) Music: George F. Handel (1685-1759); arranged by Lowell Mason (1792-1872) Tune name: ANTIOCH Ever since Emma Smith included it in her hymnal of 1835, this energetic and dignified hymn has been a favorite among Latter-day Saints. Today we follow the practice of the rest of the Christian world in using it mainly as a Christmas carol. But this hymn has also served a second purpose: it is clear that William W. Phelps’s intention was to adapt it as a millennial hymn. The early Saints loved to sing of the millennium, and with some changes in verb tense—such as “The Lord will come” (rather than is come)—and a few other alterations, William W. Phelps made it suitable for that purpose. It is interesting that Isaac Watts’s original title for the hymn suggests this millennial spirit: “The Messiah’s Coming and Kingdom.” The 1985 hymnal returned to the traditional verb tense in the opening line—”the Lord is come”—preserving the more common Christmas message. Other changes made by William W. Phelps have been retained, however, such as the line popular among members of the Church: “And Saints and angels sing” (rather than “heaven and nature”). George F. Handel and Lowell Mason share credit for the remarkable melody. (Note how the first phrase is nothing more than a descending major scale!) How Lowell Mason arrived at the tune is not perfectly clear, but it is possible that he brought together two melodic suggestions from Handel’s Messiah. First was the opening of “Lift Up Your Heads”. Lowell Mason himself gave principal credit to George F. Handel; when he published “Joy to the World” in Occasional Psalms (1836), he marked it “Arr. from Handel.” We do not know for sure why he named the tune ANTIOCH; he took Bible names almost at random for his tunes. Taken from: Karen Lynn Davidson, Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1988],...

Posted by admin on Dec 15, 2013 in Christmas Past 2013 |

Answer 3rd Day Christmas Past: The Prophet Joseph Smith spent a Christmas in Liberty Jail.  Because of the revelation and comfort the Lord gave to him while he was imprisoned, it has come to be known as a temple prison. Story still available on yesterday’s 3rd Day Question website blog post. Congrats to 3rd Day drawing winner, Loraine LeFevre, who won a hand carved olive wood nativity scene from...