The tumult grew a tempest when Saul ceased: No single voice of mortal man might hope, Though clear like clarion and like trumpet loud, To live in that possessed demoniac sea Of vast vociferation whelming all, Or ride the surges of the wild uproar. What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thy mad mind So suddenly was soothed? Did 'Peace, be still!' Dropping, an unction from the Holy One, Softly as erst on stormy Galilee, Wide overspread the summits of the waves And sway their swelling down to glassy calm? Stephen stood forth to speak, and all was still. Before he spoke, already Rachel felt A different power of silence there, and sense, Within, other than sympathetic awe; This felt she, though she knew it not, nor dreamed It was the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven! "Brethren"--so Stephen spoke, beyond his wont Now, under awe of grave occasion, calmed From God with power--"God's thoughts are not our thoughts, Neither our ways His ways; for as the heavens Are than the earth more high, so than our ways More high are His, and His thoughts than our thoughts. Our valued wisdom folly is to God Full oft; then most, when folly seems to us God's wisdom. Have ye yet to learn that God Rejoices to confound the vain conceit Of man? The Scriptures, then, search ye with eyes Blinded so thick? It is Isaiah's word: 'Jehovah, yea, hath poured upon you all The spirit of deep sleep, and hath your eyes, Those prophets of the soul that might be, closed, Also your heads, meant to be seers, hath veiled; And vision all is now to you become Even as the words of a shut book and sealed. Therefore Jehovah saith, For that this people Draw nigh to Me in worship with their mouth, But have their heart removed from Me afar, While all their fear of Me is empty form Enjoined of men, and idly learned by rote-- Behold, a thing of wonder will I do Among this people, wonder passing thought, And perish shall the wisdom of their wise And prudence of their prudent come to nought!' "Brethren, that was man's wisdom which just now Ye heard, and were well pleased to hear, from Saul. Hearken again, and hear what God will speak."