In the final sermon that Jesus of Nazareth shared with His apostles, at that last supper before He would journey with them to Gethsemane, and begin the work of His atoning sacrifice, He taught them about love, and greater love. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).

What is the motivation of this greater love that one would lay down his life for his friends? There was One of which it was required to suffer so much, so deeply, so excruciatingly and exquisitely completely in this life, that when death finally came the salvation of all men was purchased with His wrenched body and innocent blood. Of the rest, it may be required to die for love, to seal one’s witness with blood, for the love of all others who will hear and follow that testimony of truth, but only One could die for all, that we might live, our Savior, even Jesus Lord of all.

Nevertheless there are others who have given their lives as martyrs for the testimony of Jesus Christ. John the Revelator, he who walked in the inner circle and was beloved of Jesus, prophesied as a witness of those revered old martyrs, who had lived and would yet live and die as witnesses of the Christ. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:9-11).

Yes, many have born witness of the Savior and sacrificed their very lives for righteousness sake that others might hear and follow Jesus Christ. To the pharisees and scribes the Lord declared, “I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:34-35).

Other early martyrs must include Abinadi (Mosiah 17:20), John the Baptist (Matthew 14:8-11), Stephen (Acts 7:56–60), Peter, James, Paul, and converted Ammonihahites who were cast into fire (Alma 14:8–11), among so many named and unnamed. My heart feels after additional martyrs William Tyndale (martyred 1536), who translated the Bible into English, and Joan of Arc (martyred 1431), who witnessed she received visions from God. Both were burned at the stake for their deeds.

Paul wrote to the Hebrew Saints, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth” (Hebrews 9:16-17). Perhaps that is an extension of the Lord’s words regarding His own visit to Nazareth, “that a prophet hath no honour in his own country” (John 4:44).

I sing a song among my favorites titled “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.” The words, written by James Montgomery (1771–1854), describe a potential martyr’s path and journey to testimony of his Savior. The deeply personal last three verses, spoken from the perspective of the willing martyr as the Lord is revealed to him, I have always found to be especially humbling and poignant yet extremely hopeful and uplifting.

Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
I found him by the highway side.
I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
Revived his spirit, and supplied
Wine, oil, refreshment—he was healed.
I had myself a wound concealed,
But from that hour forgot the smart,
And peace bound up my broken heart.

In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
He asked if I for him would die.
The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
But my free spirit cried, “I will!”

Then in a moment to my view
The stranger started from disguise.
The tokens in his hands I knew;
The Savior stood before mine eyes.
He spake, and my poor name he named,
“Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
These deeds shall thy memorial be;
Fear not, thou didst them unto me.”

The words of “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” were sung by John Taylor, at the request of the Prophet Joseph Smith, in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844, just shortly before his innocent death. His witness of Jesus Christ and subsequent death for so testifying, along with his brother Hyrum, has placed their names among those old martyrs who have died for righteousness sake, and “should rest yet for a little season” until they are called forth once again to testify of Christ.

Of Joseph Smith it is written, “He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3). “The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:5).

Since the hour that he knelt in that grove of trees in the spring of 1820, a mere boy, and heard his poor name called by God the Father, testifying of Christ, “Joseph, This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!,” he too was a witness of the Savior. In his own words we read, “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of Him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of Him: That He lives! For we saw Him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that He is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by Him, and through Him, and of Him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22-24). Brother Joseph, like all the other martyrs of Christ, has sealed his testimony with his blood.

I bear my humble and solemn witness that Jesus is the Christ, the creator of heaven and earth, born of Mary, yet Son of the living God. He suffered in Gethsemane and upon Golgotha unto death and by His grace redeemed all mankind with His innocent blood, His infinite atonement. He lives! May we live so, and speak His testimony on our lips sufficiently, ever willing to live and to die as His witnesses, that one day He will name our poor names and speak, “Of me thou hast not been ashamed. These deeds shall thy memorial be; Fear not, thou didst them unto me.” In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, amen.

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A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

1. A poor wayfaring Man of grief,
   Hath often crossed me on my way,
   Who sued so humbly for relief
   That I could never answer nay.
   I had not pow’r to ask his name,
   Whereto he went, or whence he came;
   Yet there was something in his eye
   That won my love; I knew not why.
2. Once, when my scanty meal was spread,
   He entered; not a word he spake,
   Just perishing for want of bread.
   I gave him all; he blessed it, brake,
   And ate, but gave me part again.
   Mine was an angel’s portion then,
   For while I fed with eager haste,
   The crust was manna to my taste.
3. I spied him where a fountain burst
   Clear from the rock; his strength was gone.
   The heedless water mocked his thirst;
   He heard it, saw it hurrying on.
   I ran and raised the suff’rer up;
   Thrice from the stream he drained my cup,
   Dipped and returned it running o’er;
   I drank and never thirsted more.
4. ’Twas night; the floods were out; it blew
   A winter hurricane aloof.
   I heard his voice abroad and flew
   To bid him welcome to my roof.
   I warmed and clothed and cheered my guest
   And laid him on my couch to rest,
   Then made the earth my bed and seemed
   In Eden’s garden while I dreamed.
5. Stript, wounded, beaten nigh to death,
   I found him by the highway side.
   I roused his pulse, brought back his breath,
   Revived his spirit, and supplied
   Wine, oil, refreshment—he was healed.
   I had myself a wound concealed,
   But from that hour forgot the smart,
   And peace bound up my broken heart.
6. In pris’n I saw him next, condemned
   To meet a traitor’s doom at morn.
   The tide of lying tongues I stemmed,
   And honored him ’mid shame and scorn.
   My friendship’s utmost zeal to try,
   He asked if I for him would die.
   The flesh was weak; my blood ran chill,
   But my free spirit cried, “I will!”
7. Then in a moment to my view
   The stranger started from disguise.
   The tokens in his hands I knew;
   The Savior stood before mine eyes.
   He spake, and my poor name he named,
   “Of me thou hast not been ashamed.
   These deeds shall thy memorial be;
   Fear not, thou didst them unto me.”

Text: James Montgomery, 1771–1854
Music: George Coles, 1792–1858, alt.
Hymn sung prior to the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph Smith. See History of the Church, 6:614–15.

Matthew 25:31–40
Mosiah 2:17