Praise to the Man

The poem's authorship is typically attributed to Latter Day Saint leader and hymn writer William W. Phelps.

It was first published with no directly attached name in the church newspaper Times and Seasons in August 1844, approximately one month after Smith was killed.

He subsequently served as a leader in Missouri before leaving the church due to unresolved financial issues and personal dissatisfaction.

However, the proceeding never took place, and in 1839 Smith and his associates were allowed to escape to the newly established Mormon haven of Nauvoo, Illinois.

[3] Two years later, Phelps experienced a change of heart toward Smith, and wrote him a repentant letter asking for forgiveness and a chance to rejoin the Latter Day Saints in Illinois.

The unclear authorship was likely due to Snow's byline appearing above two separate poems on the page and Phelps being both an assistant editor of the periodical as well as an accomplished poet.

Part of the original text of the second verse read: "Long shall his blood, which was shed by assassins, / Stain Illinois, while the earth lauds his fame.

"[1][5] In 1927, in accordance with its "good neighbor" policy, the LDS Church officially changed the words "Stain Illinois" to "Plead unto heav'n".

[6] In earlier hymnals, Community of Christ changed the hymn title and first line to “Praise to the Lord for the Great Restoration,”[7] to make it less focused on Joseph Smith.