Standard of Freedom
STANDARD OF FREEDOM:
This song comes from Alma 46-50 with emphasis on chapter 46 when Captain Moroni creates and lifts the Title of Liberty among all the Nephites. We are now halfway through the Book of Mormon and we enter the war chapters. Captain Moroni was the lead captain of the Nephite army. He only answered to the chief judge, Pahoran. Mormon named his own son after this great captain. It is clear from his writings that he greatly admired this man.
Mormon wrote the following about Moroni (see Alma 48:11-13,17) -
"11 Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and slavery;
12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ, and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights, and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.
17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."
I wanted to capture this portrait of Moroni in the words of this song. But this song was not going to be about Moroni, so I had to find another way.
In chapter 46, Moroni becomes angry with the wealthy and powerful men of the people who were not willing stand and fight for their freedom. He tore the cloak from his back and wrote upon it, "In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children." Then he put his armor on and prayed before hoisting it on a pole and parading it around the city.
This simple act revived the hearts of the Nephite people and Moroni was able to raise an army to defend his people from the attacks of the Lamanites. The flag that he raised high became known as the Title of Liberty. I renamed it Standard of Freedom which is basically a synonym.
I see Moroni as the great patriot of the Nephite people. He would've been the first generation to be raised under the judge system and he wholeheartedly believed in liberty. I wanted his song to sound like an anthem to the Nephites while retaining the energy and conviction that Mormon used to describe his hero. Following the line of musical development and the merging of cultures, the song, Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen was the only song to choose from.
