SONG VISUALS
“The Iron Rod”
(Hymns, Hymnal, p. 274)
48 visuals (color/black-and-white/cue cards)
LYRICS & MUSIC FOR THE SONG
“THE IRON ROD”
FOUR WAYS TO GRAB SONG VISUALS AND SINGING
Lyrics
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To Nephi, seer of olden time,
A vision came from God,
Wherein the holy word sublime
Was shown an iron rod.
[Chorus]
Hold to the rod, the iron rod;
’Tis strong, and bright, and true.
The iron rod is the word of God;
’Twill safely guide us through.
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While on our journey here below,
Beneath temptation’s pow’r,
Through mists of darkness we must go,
In peril ev’ry hour.
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And when temptation’s pow’r is nigh,
Our pathway clouded o’er,
Upon the rod we can rely,
And heaven’s aid implore.
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And, hand o’er hand, the rod along,
Through each succeeding day,
With earnest prayer and hopeful song,
We’ll still pursue our way.
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Afar we see the golden rest
To which the rod will guide,
Where, with the angels bright and blest,
Forever we’ll abide.
Text: Joseph L. Townsend, 1849–1942
Music: William Clayson, 1840–1887
IDEAS TO PRESENT THIS SONG:
The song is illustrated with 48 visuals (color and black-and-white) with cue cards. It includes all 8 verses.
STUDY THESE SCRIPTURES
LESSON IDEAS:
“The iron rod has become a well-known symbol for following God’s commandments and staying true to the path that leads back to Him.”
QUOTE FROM TALK:
In Lehi’s dream an already difficult journey gets more difficult when a mist of darkness arises, obscuring any view of the safe but narrow path his family and others are to follow. It is imperative to note that this mist of darkness descends on all the travelers—the faithful and the determined ones (the elect, we might even say) as well as the weaker and ungrounded ones. The principal point of the story is that the successful travelers resist all distractions, including the lure of forbidden paths and jeering taunts from the vain and proud who have taken those paths. The record says that the protected “did press their way forward, continually [and, I might add, tenaciously] holding fast” to a rod of iron that runs unfailingly along the course of the true path.4 However dark the night or the day, the rod marks the way of that solitary, redeeming trail.
“I beheld,” Nephi says later, “that the rod of iron … was the word of God, [leading] … to the tree of life; … a representation of the love of God.” Viewing this manifestation of God’s love, Nephi goes on to say:
“I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, … [who] went forth ministering unto the people. …
“… And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; … and they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.”5
Love. Healing. Help. Hope. The power of Christ to counter all troubles in all times—including the end of times. That is the safe harbor God wants for us in personal or public days of despair. That is the message with which the Book of Mormon begins, and that is the message with which it ends, calling all to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him.”6 That phrase—taken from Moroni’s final lines of testimony, written 1,000 years after Lehi’s vision—is a dying man’s testimony of the only true way.
Description
Fly to Quiz Bee’s hive of 28 Book of Mormon stories and test your “sweet” knowledge of the scriptures. Quiz Bee will buzz questions at you, and you can zip the answers right back. You will be amazed at how much you know and how fast your testimony will grow!
To use this “honey” of a deck, first read the story, paying close attention to the details. Then buzz on to the question card that corresponds to test what you know. You can see your answers at the bottom of each question card. If you don’t do very well, stick to it! Reread the story and try it again!
