The Blood of the Lamb

Following the success of 'Spirit', Commissioner Carr commissioned John Gowans and John Larsson to create a new musical for the 1978 International Congress. Gowans recalled hearing Vachel Lindsay's 1912 poem 'General William Booth Enters Into Heaven' recited years earlier during his National Service, which became the musical's inspiration. Lindsay's poem itself was influenced by his experiences witnessing Salvation Army meetings. The musical, titled after the recurring line from Elisha Hoffman's hymn frequently used in the poem, premiered at Wembley Auditorium on 7 July 1978, after a trial run at London's Mermaid Theatre.

Set on 20 August 1912, the day General Booth 'laid down his sword', the musical unfolds in three parts without scene breaks. Part 1, 'The Rallying Point', sees crowds gathering outside International Headquarters intending to march with Booth into Heaven. Part 2, 'Introducing the Marchers', features testimonies from diverse individuals (street-girls, lepers, drunkards, convicts, converts from various nations) whose lives were transformed by Booth's Army. Part 3, 'The March Into Heaven', follows Lindsay's poem as Booth leads the procession. The climax sees the blind Booth meeting Jesus, receiving his sight, and witnessing the transformation of his followers, all 'washed in the blood of the Lamb'.