Editing Danite (section)

== Expanding role ==

The Danites' role shifted from internal enforcement to external defense when the non-Mormon Missourian majority asked the Mormons to leave, at first making a request without threat of force. In coming months, hostilities between Mormons and Missourians would grow to the point that the Missouri State Militia drove most of the Mormons out of Missouri. Governor [[Lilburn Boggs]] issued [[Missouri Executive Order 44]] on October 27, 1838, which expelled the Mormons from Missouri.

However, conflict developed between Smith and the Danites' leader, Sampson Avard. In Smith's account, Avard, while a new member to the Church, formed a "[[Secret combination (Latter day Saints)|secret combination]]", an allusion to a nefarious society as discussed in the Book of Mormon. Smith further stated that Avard's pride and zeal prompted him to organize the group contrary to the will of Smith and the other leaders of the Church. According to this view, Avard illegitimately claimed to be the Lord's agent, and according to a quote Smith attributed to Avard, he wanted to profit from vigilantism by taking "spoils of the goods of ungodly Gentiles [non-Mormons]."<ref>{{Harvnb|Gentry|1974|p=4}}</ref><ref name="HotC3:180-181">''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'', Vol. 3, pp. 180-181.</ref>

Joseph Smith soon took action against Avard in the name of the church, removing him from all military duties and establishing him as a surgeon to help with the wounded; Avard mentions this demotion himself.<ref>''{{Harvnb|Document|1841|pp=99}}''</ref> Avard was eventually excommunicated. Smith's ''[[History of the Church (Joseph Smith)|History of the Church]]'' states: "When a knowledge of Avard's rascality came to the [[First Presidency|Presidency of the Church]], he was cut off from the Church, and every means proper used to destroy his influence, at which he was highly incensed and went about whispering his evil insinuations, but finding every effort unavailing, he again turned conspirator, and sought to make friends with the mob."<ref name="HotC3:180-181" />

With the opposition leaders ousted and the hostilities increasing, the Danite group took on three additional primary functions, (1) enforcement of the [[Law of Consecration]], (2) political activities, and (3) militia activities.<ref>Anderson, pp. 28-30, 34-35, 61-64{{full citation needed|date=October 2013}}</ref><ref>Johnson pp. 42{{full citation needed|date=October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Baugh|2000|pp=37–40}}</ref>

===Enforcers===
The [[law of consecration]] was a commandment given to the church to establish a kind of communitarian program whereby the saints were to give or "consecrate all their money and property to the Church" and lease it back, so that the church could purchase lands for settlement by the destitute converts continually pouring into northwestern Missouri. Corrill recalled that "shortly after the Danites became organized, they set out to enforce the Law of Consecration, but this did not amount to much".<ref>{{Harvnb|Corrill|1839|p=46}}; {{harvnb|Lee|1877|pp=64–66}}</ref>

===Political activities===
In the realm of politics, the Danites were called upon to distribute tickets containing the names of candidates approved by the Presidency for the election which was held on August 6. Church leader John Corrill was the approved candidate and consequently won election to the [[Missouri House of Representatives]], but he conceded, "Many saw that it was taking unfair advantage of the election and were extremely dissatisfied".<ref>{{Harvnb|Corrill|1839|p=33}}</ref> Except for 15 or 20 votes, the election was nearly unanimous.<ref>{{harvnb|Quinn|1994|p=96}}</ref>

A second outpost of Danites had been organized in Daviess County under the leadership of [[Lyman Wight]], who was also a colonel in the state militia.  The Danites in Daviess County took part in the [[Mormon War (1838)#The Election Day Battle at Gallatin|Gallatin Election Day Battle]], when a group of non-Mormons attempted to prevent any Mormons from voting.<ref>{{harvnb|Lee|1877|pp=60–63}}</ref>