This was the wild man's crime. THE LORD GOD He erred in ignorance. As yet he was not Man. Naught but his form was Man's. SATAN Well had he so remained. Lord God, thou thoughtest then To perfect him by grace, among the sons of men To choose a worthiest man. "If he should know," saidst Thou "The evil from the good, the thing We do allow "From that We do forbid! If We should give him shame, "The consciousness of wrong, the red blush under blame! "If he should walk in light beholding truth as We!" Thou gavest him Conscience, Creed, Responsibility, The power to worship Thee. Thou showedst him Thy way. Thou didst reveal Thyself. Thou spakest, as one should say Conversing mouth to mouth. Old Adam and his Eve Thou didst array in aprons Thy own hands did weave. Enoch was taken up. To Noah Thou didst send Salvation in Thine ark. Lord Abraham was Thy friend. These are the facts recorded, facts--say fables--yet Impressed with the large truth of a new value set Upon Man's race and kind by Thy too favouring will. Man had become a "Soul," informed for good and ill With Thy best attributes, Earth's moral arbiter, Tyrant and priest and judge. Woe and alas for her! Think of the deeds of Man! the sins! No wilding now, But set in cities proud, yet marked upon his brow With label of all crime. THE LORD GOD The men before the Flood? We did destroy them all. SATAN Save Noah and his brood. In what were these more worthy? Did they love Thee more, The men of the new lineage? Was their sin less sore, Their service of more zeal? Nay. Earth was hardly dry Ere their corruption stank and their sin sulphurously Rose as a smoke to heaven, Ur, Babel, Nineveh, The Cities of the Plain. Bethink Thee, Lord, to-day What their debasement was, who did defile Thy face And flout Thee in derision, dogs in shamelessness! THE LORD GOD Nay, but there loved me one. SATAN The son of Terah? THE LORD GOD He. SATAN I give Thee Thy one friend. Nay, more, I give Thee three-- Moses, Melchisedec. THE LORD GOD And Job. SATAN Ay, Job. He stands In light of the new Gospel, Captain of Thy bands, And prince of all that served Thee, fearing not to find Thy justice even in wrong with no new life behind, Thy justice even in death. In all, four men of good Of the whole race of Shem, Heaven's stars in multitude. I speak of the old time and the one chosen Nation To whom Thou gavest the law. THE LORD GOD