Joseph L. Townsend
{{Short description|American hymnwriter}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2007}}
{{Infobox Latter Day Saint biography
| name = Joseph Longking Townsend
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1849|08|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States
| death_date = {{Dda|1942|04|01|1849|08|09|df=yes}}
| death_place = Provo, Utah, United States
}}
Joseph L. Townsend (August 9, 1849 – April 1, 1942) was a writer of many Latter-day Saint hymns including "Choose the Right" and "Oh, What Songs of the Heart".
Biography
Townsend was born in Canton, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Ohio, Kansas and Missouri. Townsend studied at the University of Missouri.Cornwall, J. Spencer. Stories of Our Mormon Hymns. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1975) p. 74. He came to Salt Lake City in 1872 to try to improve his health. While there, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Townsend later served as a missionary for the church in the Southern States Mission from 1881 to 1882.Cornwall. Stories of Our Hymns. p. 74{{cite web |title=Missionary entry for Joseph Longking Townsend |url=https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/chd/individual/joseph-l-townsend-1849?lang=eng |website=history.churchofjesuschrist.org |access-date=7 April 2021}}
Townsend ran a drugstore in Payson, Utah, for 15 years. He then taught for two years at Brigham Young Academy, the predecessor of Brigham Young University. After that, he taught at Salt Lake City High School. He died at Utah County Infirmary in Provo. His poetry included many published works that were not made hymns.{{cite web |last1=Larsen |first1=Kent |title=Literary OTGD #31: My Friends and I by J. L. Townsend |url=https://www.timesandseasons.org/harchive/2014/07/literary-otgd-31-my-friends-and-i-by-j-l-townsend/ |website=Times & Seasons |access-date=10 April 2021 |date=27 July 2014}}
Hymns
A number of Townsend's hymns are included in the 1985 Latter-day Saint hymnal:
- #52 "The Day Dawn is Breaking"
- #99 "Nearer, Dear Savior, to Thee"
- #185 "Reverently and Meekly Now"
- #232 "Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words To Each Other"
- #239 "Choose the Right"
- #258 "O Thou Rock Of Our Salvation"
- #259 "Hope of Israel"
- #271 "Oh, Holy Words of Truth and Love"
- #274 "The Iron Rod"
- #286 "Oh, What Songs of the Heart"
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.deseret.com/2017/8/2/20616844/the-lds-giant-i-overlooked-who-penned-let-us-oft-speak-kind-words-and-choose-the-right Jerry Earl Johnston "New Harmony: The LDS 'giant' I overlooked who penned 'Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words' and 'Choose the Right'"], Deseret News, Aug 2, 2017.
- [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31039328/joseph-longking-townsend Joseph Longking Townsend memorial] at Find a Grave; includes a Salt Lake Tribune obituary.
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Category:19th-century American writers
Category:19th-century Mormon missionaries
Category:American Latter Day Saint hymnwriters
Category:American Latter Day Saints
Category:American Mormon missionaries in the United States
Category:Brigham Young Academy faculty
Category:Converts to Mormonism
Category:People from Payson, Utah
Category:University of Missouri alumni
Category:19th-century American male writers
Category:People from Canton, Pennsylvania
Category:Latter Day Saints from Pennsylvania
Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah
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