I thank thee I am not as other men, Saying God be merciful to me a sinner! (The boy utters a loud cry of pain, and That doth exalt himself shall be abased, Bystanders then lies still.) How motionless Christus. Suffer little children | But unto God all things are possible! To come unto me, and forbid them not; Of such is the kingdom of heaven; and their angels Look always on my Father's face. false witness; Peter. Behold, we have left all, and What shall we have therefor? IX. AT BETHANY. Eternal life. MARTHA busy about household affairs. Martha. She sitteth idly at the Master's And troubles not herself with household cares. 'Tis the old story. When a guest arrives She gives up all to be with him; while I Must be the drudge, make ready the guest-chamber, Prepare the food, set everything in order, Honour thy father and thy mother; and And see that nought is wanting in the me, And thou shalt have thy treasure in the heavens. John. Behold, how sorrowful he turns away! Christus. Children! how hard it is for them that trust house. hungry; And only when I hear thee am I happy, And only when I see thee am at peace! Stronger than I, and wiser, and far better In riches to enter into the kingdom of In every manner, is my sister Martha. God! 'Tis easier for a camel to go through John. Ah, who then can be saved? You see how well she orders everything and goes, Careful and cumbered ever with much serving, While I but welcome thee with foolish words! Whene'er thou speakest to me, I am | And now he sees. happy; When thou art silent, I am satisfied. Martha. Lord, dost thou care not that Hath left me thus to wait on thee alone? I pray thee, bid her help me. Christus. Martha, Martha, Careful and troubled about many things Art thou, and yet one thing alone is needful! Thy sister Mary hath chosen that good part, Which never shall be taken away from her! Jesus Hath healed him. He says a man called We know this is our son. Pharisees. Rabboni, yea; Was he born blind? The Parents. He was born blind. Pharisees. Then how doth he now see? The Parents (aside). What answer shall we make? If we confess It was the Christ, we shall be driven forth Out of the Synagogue! We know, Rabboni, This is our son, and that he was born blind; But by what means he seeth, we know not, Or who his eyes hath opened, we know not. He is of age; ask him; we cannot say ; He shall speak for himself. Pharisees. Give God the praise! We know the man that healed thee is a sinner! The Beggar. Whether he be a sinner I know not; One thing I know; that whereas I was blind, I now do see. Helen. Happier was I in Tyre. O, I remember now the gallant ships Came sailing in, with ivory, gold and silver, And apes and peacocks; and the singing sailors; And the gay captains, with their silken dresses, Smelling of aloes, myrrh, and cinnamon! Simon. But the dishonour, Helen! Let the ships Of Tarshish howl for that! Helen. And what dishonour? Remember Rahab, and how she became The ancestress of the great Psalmist David; And wherefore should not I, Helen of Tyre, Attain like honour? Simon. Thou art Helen of Tyre, And hast been Helen of Troy, and hast been Rahab, The Queen of Sheba, and Semiramis, And Sara of seven husbands, and Jezebel, And other women of the like allurements; And now thou art Minerva, the first Æon, The Mother of Angels ! Helen. To tramp about the dirty villages Simon. He who knows himself, Knows all things in himself. I have charmed thee, Thou beautiful asp; yet am I no magician. I am the Power of God, and the Beauty of God! I am the Paraclete, the Comforter! Helen. Illusions! deceived! From the elements of Fire and Earth and Water, And the all-nourishing Ether! It is written, Look not on Nature, for her name is fatal! Yet there are Principles, that make apparent The images of unapparent things, I take this orange-bough, with its five leaves, Each equidistant on the upright stem; Now if from these five points a line be traced To each alternate point, we shall obtain The Pentagram, or Solomon's Pentangle, A charm against all witchcraft, and a sign, Which on the banner of Antiochus Drove back the fierce barbarians of the North, Demons esteemed, and gave the Syrian King The sacred name of Soter, or of Saviour. Thus Nature works mysteriously with |