Book Review: They Knew the Prophet

Book review:  They Knew the Prophet compiled by Hyrum L. and Helen Mae Andrus Copyright 1974

I just finished a book I really enjoyed called They Knew the Prophet. 

The book is a collection of first-hand accounts of people’s interactions with the Prophet, Joseph Smith.  I think this book could be of interest to anyone, whether a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or not.  Even if you know nothing about the Church, you get a grasp of how respected and revered Joseph Smith was by his followers. This man with zero education started a religion.  In 1830, less than 200 years ago, six people gathered together to formally organize the church. That group of six has turned into over 16 million. For this reason, even people not of the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ could be fascinated by and should be interested in the historical character that Joseph Smith was.

If you are a member of the Church, I highly recommend this book.  It was an easy read. Each first-hand account is brief. The longest individual account was 10 pages but that was an outlier.  The book is 193 pages long and there are a total of 98 unique accounts. Fun fact—the 10-page account was from my great-great grandfather, Benjamin F. Johnson.  The book is organized so you move through the prophet’s life. It starts from the beginning with someone who lived near his family and hired young Joseph to help on his farm.  It moves slowly until the end where first-hand accounts are given of his death. I’ve previously read a decent amount on the death of the Prophet and some of what I read at the end was still new to me.

It’s interesting to see the progression from people describing Joseph Smith early on as ineloquent to later in the book people describing him as the most powerful man and speaker they ever encountered.  It’s truly fascinating to see that progression through the eyes of those who knew him.

I will avoid giving away too much and thus ruining the book for anyone that may want to read it.  I will share an excerpt from my favorite account. It was written by Howard Coray. He was speaking about all the learned men that would come and try to contend with and confound Joseph.  He wrote:

“Among other great men who called to see him was Cyrus Walker, a lawyer of much note.  He tried to sound the Prophet, and see how deep he was. Well, it was with Walker as it had been with all the others.  He soon got enough, found Joseph too deep for his lead and line, and gave up the enterprise. Thus it was in every instance that came under my observation.  How could we expect it to be otherwise-for any man who had never peered into heaven and seen heavenly things to be a match for one who had had a half score or more heavenly messengers for teachers.”

That passage made me think of Joseph Smith in a new way.  Thinking about myself, in the last four years since coming back to Church and actively studying the gospel, I’ve felt I’ve grown so much.  The knowledge and understanding I have today is so far from where I was just four years ago. Joseph was being visited, tutored, and taught by the leaders of past dispensations.  He was being taught by Jesus Christ Himself. His progression from an un-learned farm hand to eloquent orator of gospel principles was at such an accelerated pace. I love that story and it perfectly illustrates what I enjoyed about this book.

It did get a bit repetitive near the very end and I found myself having a hard time finishing it.  Until the conclusion came. Reading of the end of the Prophet’s life is always emotional and gives me an appreciation for Joseph Smith and what he was willing to give for his testimony:  everything. 

You can find a copy of the book online for ~$28.  If anyone is interested in borrowing my copy, just let me know!  

I highly recommend this book.  As the inside cover said, “more than any other book it will make the reader feel that (they) too knew the prophet.”  He was the Moses of our dispensation. There’s no better way to try to understand who he was than through the eyes of those who knew him.