How
beautiful
the world is!
Longfellow
CHRISTUS.
What wilt thou
That I should do to thee?
BARTIMEUS.
Good Lord! my sight--
That I receive my sight!
CHRISTUS.
Receive thy sight!
Thy faith hath made thee whole!
THE CROWD.
He sees again!
CHRISTUS passes on, The crowd gathers round BARTIMEUS.
BARTIMEUS.
I see again; but sight bewilders me!
Like a remembered dream, familiar things
Come back to me. I see the tender sky
Above me, see the trees, the city walls,
And the old gateway, through whose echoing arch
I groped so many years; and you, my neighbors;
But know you by your friendly voices only.
How beautiful the world is! and how wide!
Oh, I am miles away, if I but look!
Where art thou, Chilion?
CHILION.
Father, I am here.
BARTIMEUS.
Oh let me gaze upon thy face, dear child!
For I have only seen thee with my hands!
How beautiful thou art! I should have known thee;
Thou hast her eyes whom we shall see hereafter!
O God of Abraham! Elion! Adonai!
Who art thyself a Father, pardon me
If for a moment I have thee postponed
To the affections and the thoughts of earth,
Thee, and the adoration that I owe thee,
When by thy power alone these darkened eyes
Have been unsealed again to see thy light!
VI
JACOB'S WELL
A SAMARITAN WOMAN.