University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

The Wilderness, between Bethany and Jericho.
A Voice
(crying in the Wilderness).
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord!
Make His paths straight!
Every valley shall be filled,
And every mountain and hill
Shall be brought low;
And the crooked made straight,
And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see
The salvation of God!”

Enter John, clothed in ragged skins.
John.
The dry dust, bare boughs, and the fruitless thorn—
The scorching sun, sharp rains and howling winds—
Companion this my body; as the wolf,
The stork, the pelican, the lonely owl,
And silent fox, are cherished savagely.
From the same pool or gushing rock we drink,
But differing in our food; they eat whate'er
Of life they can subdue—oft-times each other—
While I in bitter roots find nourishment,
And berries, sweet or bitter. But my soul
Hath other nutriment in noblest dreams,
Visions, and hopes, and inward prophecies,
For I walk here companion'd by my God!
(John seateth himself upon a ledge of rock.)
My father, Zacharias, said of me—
“Thou child—the child of my old age, and hers,
Thy mother, yea my wife Elizabeth—
To whom the Angel Gabriel was sent
To make her know and instantly believe
The Holy Ghost would fructify her womb,
And also glorify her coming child;
Thou,” said my father, “art that holy son.
Thou shalt be fillèd with the Holy Ghost!
Thou shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest;
For thou shalt go before the face of God,
His ways preparing! Knowledge shalt thou give
Unto His people of their sure salvation,
By sins remitted through God's tender mercy,
Whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited
Us in our tears and yearnings—to give light
To them that sit in darkness and the shadow
Of Death, and guide to ways of peace our feet.”
Thus spake my aged father unto me,
Yea, thus spake Zacharias. I am ready.
(John riseth, and taketh his staff.)
The day is come—
After severe probation and seclusion
Of my whole life—when I to Israel
Must show myself—the herald of these things!

[Exit.