Festus · Scene 11

XI

Scene⁠—A ruined temple.
Festus* and Lucifer*.
Festus Here will I worship solely.
Lucifer ’Tis a fane Once sacred to the Sun.
Festus It matters not What false god here hath falsely been adored, Or what life-hating rites these walls have viewed: The truly holy soul, which hath received The unattainable, can hallow hell. Now to the only true and Triune God These walls shall echo praise, if never yet. Bring me a morsel of the fire without; For I will make a sacred offering To God, as though the High Priest of the world. He lacks not consecration at best hands Whom Thou hast hallowed, Lord, by choice; and these, The elements I offer, Thou hast made Holy, by making them.
Lucifer Lo! here is fire. I will await thee in the air.
Festus Withdraw! Thine, Lord! are all the elements and worlds;⁠— The sun is Thy bright servant, and the moon Thy servant’s servant;⁠—the round rushing earth, The lifeful air, the thousand winged winds, The Heaven-kinned fire, the continental clouds, The sea broad breasted, and the tranced lake, Th rich arterial rivers, and the hills Which wave their woody tresses in the breeze, In grateful undulation, all are Thine;⁠— Thine are the snow-robed mountains circling earth As the white spirits God the Saviour’s throne;⁠— Thine the bright secrets, central in all orbs, And rudimental mysteries of life. The sun-starred night, the ever-maiden morn, The all-prevailing day, consummate eve, Confess them Thine through the perpetual world:⁠— All art hath wrought from earth, or science lured From truth, like flame out of the fire cloud, are Thine;⁠—Thine the glory, all belongs to Thee, Finite, indefinite and infinite, As mountains to a world, as worlds to Heaven. The high doomed city and the toilful town And early hamlet⁠—all that live or die, That flourish or decay, that change, or stand Before Thy face, unchanged, exist for Thee, Or are not at Thy bidding; Thine, all souls; Atom and world, the universe is Thine!⁠— Thou canst as easily turn Thy kindest eye From comprehending the bright Infinite, To this crushed temple, where the wild flower decks Its earthquake-rifted walls, and the birds build In corners of its columned capitals⁠— And to this crumbling heart I offer here, As trust Thine own Eternity. Behold! Accept, I pray Thee, Lord! this sacrifice; These elemental offerings simple, pure, Which in the name of man I make to Thee, Formless, save prostrate soul and kneeling heart⁠— In token of Thy perfect monarchy And all comprising mercy. These are they! A flowery turf, a branch, a burning coal, A cup of water and an empty bowl; This air-filled bowl is typic of the world Thou fillest with Thy spirit, and the soul, Receptive of Thy life-conferring truth;⁠— This the symbolic element wherefrom We are to be reborn, wherein made pure; Those whom Thou choosest are to be redeemed Out of the mighty multitudes of men; Yet all as of one nature be redeemed. This coal, torn flaming from the earth, proclaims Thy sin-consuming mercy as of earth; And may our souls ever aspire to Thee, As these pale flames unto the stars; this turf Is as the earthy nature and abode We would subject to Thee; and lieth here, The representative of every star And world-extended matter! Lord! this branch, Which waveth high o’er all, oh, let it sign Thine own Eternal Son’s humanity, Which was on earth, yet ever lives in Heaven, Redemptive of all Being. Golden Branch! Which, in the eld-time, seer’s and sybil’s words, Full of dark central thought and mystic truth, Foretold should overspread the spirit world, And with its fruit heal every wound of Death⁠— Tree of eternal life, Thee all adore. Accept this prayer, O Saviour! that if men Can nothing do but sin, Thou mayst forgive The creature crime, and bring back all to Thee. Thou art the one who made the universe; Yet didst Thou walk on earth; Thou brakest bread And drankest wine with men, betokening so Thine own complete, Divine Humanity. May all obey Thy words and do Thy will! We praise Thee God, our father; whoso would Be saved, let him believe in Thee Triune. Thou doest all things rightly; all are best, Sorrow, or joy, or power, or suffering. Providing, therefore, all things that must be And ought to be, as Thou dost and hast done, From the beginning even to the end, This heart let cease from prayer, these lips from praise, Save that which life shall offer pauselessly. Now go I forth again, refreshed, consoled, Upon my time-enduring pilgrimage. Ho! Lucifer!
Lucifer I wait thee.
Festus Whither next?
Lucifer As thou wilt, apposite or opposite. ’Tis light translateth night; ’tis inspiration Expounds experience; ’tis the west explains The east: ’tis time unfolds Eternity.