Innocent—A Tribute to Joseph Smith, Jr.

Verse I
Twenty years’ time, line upon line
Preached truth to a ruined world
Commanded an army, raised up a city
Helped God’s kingdom unfold
Twenty years’ time, pure of any crime
Calm as a summer’s morning he went,
Thirty-eight years, tried through all fears
He died—his soul innocent.

Chorus
His innocent blood is a seal on the floor
Proof that the truth is on the earth once more
Under the altar and crying for justice from the Lord
Touching the hearts of men everywhere in the world
He left us a work, the gospel of heaven restored
And a name that cannot be slain.

Verse II
Twenty years’ time, with love for mankind,
It was he whom God had sent
It can’t be ignored, the truth he restored
—In the end, he was innocent.

Repeat Chorus

Bridge
Killed because you were called a fraud
But you cried to your Lord, your God
Died for the cause that men might be free
And I know, had I been there,
I’d rush to your side, I’d dare
To look in hell’s eyes and cry,
“No—you’ll have to go through me.”

Repeat chorus riff once

Done more save Christ only, the best blood of the century
Is what the truth cost us
What the truth cost us.

Joseph's innocent blood is a seal on the floor
Proof that the truth is on the earth once more
Under the altar and crying for justice from the Lord
Touching the hearts of men everywhere in the world
You've left me a work and glory, a gem and a story,
A testament in force I cannot impeach or reject or ignore...

And a name that cannot be slain
No, it cannot be slain
A name and fame
That cannot be slain.



Lyrics by Matthew A. Jonassaint, President John Taylor (1808—1887)
Adapted from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, Section 135