Half darkling in a torpid shroud, Half shining free: Ah, Wind of God! When wilt thou rend the cloud (From his place among the PROPHETS, ISAIAH makes answer to the PILGRIM, in kindling tones.) ISAIAH Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander of the people. Even so the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit. But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand; I, even I, am he that comforteth you. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee; The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed; For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; So shall my Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void; For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Therefore, awake, awake, stand up, O captive! Break forth into joy, for the Lord hath comforted his own! (At these words, ALL THE PEOPLE break forth into singing, during which ISAIAH, DAVID, and MOSES approach the place of the PILGRIM, where ISAIAH looses the Chain which binds him to the stake, and he rises in their midst to his feet. There MOSES restores to him his Cloak, and DAVID his Staff.) HYMN V (Sung by ALL, to the tune of Handel's Christmas) Awake, my soul; stretch every nerve A cloud of witnesses around Ꭰ NINTH ACTION (The Shackles Loosed) S the Music ceases, the PILGRIM, standing amid the THE PILGRIM Now are my shackles loosed, O gracious Lord! And ye, dear elder brothers of the Book, My cloak and staff, and took My chain away. Henceforward, come what may, Now can I go my path alone And have no fear of life. (AS MOSES, DAVID, and ISAIAH are returning to their places,* the voice of SATANAS is heard calling low-this time from the shadow on the right beyond the Pulpit.) THE VOICE *Here the organ begins again very softly to play, continuing till it swells to a crescendo at the burst of radiant light and reappearance of REVELATION. (Startled, the PILGRIM draws slightly back. While he hesitates to answer, he is approached, left, from behind, by a DARK ANGEL with locks of white, who carries a BAND OF BLACK CLOTH. The PILGRIM speaks toward the right:) I will not go that path. THE VOICE Ye have no choice. There is no way that leads not to the wrath To come. THE PILGRIM My staff it is restored: I see My goal, and have no fear. THE VOICE Of life!-But what of death? S (Fear of Death) UDDEN, from behind, the DARK ANGEL blindfolds the PILGRIM, who drops his staff with a cry of dismay. THE PILGRIM Lo, I am overtaken here Ah me! By Fear of Death.-Now is there none shall free SATANAS (Appearing, from the right, in front of the blindfold PILGRIM) Nay, evermore shall ye be shut within The dark of your own soul, to share with Sin A charnel of the blind, and grope in vain To escape the creeping hand of Death, his clutch About thy heart. Lo, now His fever-breath is on thy brow, And on thy hand-his icy finger-touch! (Reaching, with pointed fingers, SATANAS touches the hand of the PILGRIM, who draws it back with a faint scream.) THE PILGRIM Ah, Lord, my shepherd! Death himself is nigh: |