This musical number takes place in June, 1838, in Far West, Missouri.

BACKSTORY
By this time many Saints had either been excommunicated or had removed themselves from the church as a result of the turmoil created by the collapse of the Kirtland Safety Society the previous year, and/or due to the brutal persecution endured by the Saints both in Jackson County, Missouri, and Kirtland Ohio.  Of this time Brigham Young would later write, “This was a crisis when earth and hell seemed leagued to overthrow the Prophet and Church of God. The knees of many of the strongest men in the Church faltered.” (see Brigham Young, in Historian’s Office, Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1844–46, vol. 1, p. 16, Church Archives).  Many of those who left the church also turned against the church and joined in the persecution of their former Brethren, causing Joseph to one day lament, “They can leave the church, but they can’t leave it alone”.

Sidney Rigdon believed that the Saint’s policy of painfully enduring the mob by constantly being on the defensive, had not improved their situation with their enemies.  He believed that the Saints needed to adopt a more pre-emptive strategy by taking the battle to the very homes of their adversaries.  He unsuccessfully made this case before Joseph.  

THE SONG: “ZION’S GUARD” 
In the show, once this argument concludes, Joseph exits the stage and the music for “Zion’s Guard” begins.  The song starts with Sidney imaging a future with a flourishing Zion “…full of temples, families, honest and loving, humble…”.  He sings the words sung by Joseph earlier in the act.  As the song progresses, Sidney begins to convince himself of the righteousness of his position and decides to move forward with his plan of aggression despite the Prophet’s direction to the contrary.  On June 17, Rigdon preaches a vitriolic sermon (historically referred to as “The Salt Sermon”) based on the theme of salt losing its savor and being cast out and trodden underfoot.  Rigdon uses this as a metaphor to describe how the dissenting and excommunicated members of the church should be treated.

Then, with the help of Sampson Avard, Sidney forms the Danites - a private militia reporting to Sidney Rigdon alone.  The oaths the members take in the song are quoted directly from the writings of John Corrill (Joseph’s secretary at the time) and Reed Peck, a Mormon of no particular consequence other than he took the time to record his recollections in a 35-page document entitled, “The Reed Peck Manuscript”.  Reed left the church in 1839 – the year after these events.   

The song ends with Sidney giving very specific direction to the Danites as to the action they are to take against Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer.  David would never forgive the Saints for this.  Some 10 years later, Oliver would forgive the Saints and return into activity to be counted once again among the Saints.  

EPILOGUE
In the show, the next song is Sidney’s bloody Fourth of July Oration (“Our Father’s Fought”) a song which I published on SoundCloud a few months ago.  That song is then followed by Joseph’s song, “The Gospel is so Simple” which I expect to publish in the next week or so.   These three songs are intended to be sung back-to-back without interruption at the close of Act II.

ACT II - Song 07 - Zion's Guard

Ezra Booth and John Johnson have just seen Elsa Johnson's lame arm miraculously healed by Joseph Smith.  In this song they come to grips with what has just transpired as they marvel at their shared experience.  They sing with joy about their commitment to the Lord and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!

ACT I - Song 17 - I Love The Lord!

ACT II - Song 09 - The Gospel Is So Simple

Joseph Smith's first vision of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as told by both his younger and older selves.

ACT I - Song 07 - I Want To Know Him

This song depicts the excitement during the early days of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It begins with Luke & Lyman Johnson explaining the restoration to their parents and Ezra Booth (a family friend and well-regarded Methodist minister).  As the song develops we encounter others who have heard of the restoration, then finally we catch up with Parley P. Pratt.  Parley has just returned home from a long journey during which he encountered the Book of Mormon and was baptized into the church.  With much excitement he explains his conversion to his wife who also believes and is converted.

ACT I - Song 14 - Have You Heard?

On Friday, June 7 1844, a newspaper called The Nauvoo Expositor was published.  It was the brainchild of William Law, a former leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, now excommunicated.  William affirmed his testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph as the Prophet of this dispensation up until roughly 1843.  But in 1843 and 1844, Joseph began teaching doctrine that William just could not endure.  On January 13 1844, William wrote in his diary that Joseph’s latest teachings were “as poisoned arrows in my bleeding heart”.  

William had four main complaints which he articulated in the Expositor:
1.	He did not believe in the doctrine of eternal marriage.
2.	He did not believe in the doctrine of eternal progression.
3.	He did not believe in the doctrine of plural marriage.
4.	And he did not like the fact that Joseph was simultaneously President of the Church; Prophet of the Dispensation; Mayor of Nauvoo; Commander of the Nauvoo Legion; and Chief Magistrate.  He felt that Joseph had consolidated too much power to himself.

So, William Law started his own church.  He called it, “The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” with himself as President.  His church followed all the teachings of Joseph’s church, except for those that William didn’t like (including the law of chastity and word of wisdom.  William liked both women and alcohol too much).   William’s church quickly became the preferred church for excommunicated Mormons in Nauvoo.

After William published the Nauvoo Expositor on June 7th, the Nauvoo City Council met on June 8th to discuss what, if anything, they should do about it.  They decided to postpone any decision until the following Monday, June 10th.  It was in this meeting that they decided to declare the Expositor a “Public Nuisance” for the contention it created in the city.  This then gave them the legal right to destroy the press, which they did that night.  

This decision set in motion a series of events which culminated in the murder of Joseph and his brother, Hyrum, 17 days later in Carthage Jail, where they were being held pending a hearing on their actions following the destruction of the press.

The song begins with William Law speaking then singing to Joseph Smith.  Soon, his apostate followers/collaborators join him in song.  All the words they sing and speak are taken either directly from the Expositor or inspired by what they wrote in the Expositor.

By the third verse we hear members of the City Council as they meet on June 10th and express their concerns over the paper.  The song builds until it breaks into seven parts as the singers attempt to convince the audience of the virtue of their opinions.

As the music subsides we hear the council express their support for Joseph and disdain for the paper.  All the voiceover dialog is taken directly from the Nauvoo City Council minutes as recorded on June 10th.

ACT III - Song 08 - Set The Score

ACT III - Song 14 - FINALE

Music for the curtain call after the end of the show.  During the instrumental the cast present themselves and take their bows, then the cast sing a quick reprise of the chorus from "I Love the Lord!" from Act I.

ACT III - Song 15 - Curtain Call

This is the first song of the second Act of the show.  It features Ezra Booth's fall into apostasy.  

In the song, Ezra sings directly to the audience as he attempts to convince himself (and the audience) of the righteousness of his position regarding the restored Church of Jesus Christ.  Most of the words, spoken and sung, are taken directly from letters he published in the Ohio Star.

In the show, we move pretty directly from this song to Ezra's last song, "Make the Prophet Bleed"

ACT II - Song 01 - Dangerous Game

A fun 19th century women's suffrage song of sorts used to introduce Emma Hale (eventually Emma Smith) to the show.  In the song Emma and her sisters make fun of a popular 19th century Lady’s magazine called “Godey’s Lady’s Book”.  Through the song we are reminded of the social order of 19th century America and begin to develop an understanding that Emma is a strong, independent woman, and a progressive thinker for her day (attributes she would later share with her husband, Joseph).

ACT I - Song 09 - Mr. Godey's Lady's Book

Composer of songs about Jesus Christ and the restoration of His Gospel

ACT III - Song 15 - Curtain Call

Gunnar Michael Andersen

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