A mien of something more than majesty In Stephen as he spoke, transfiguring him; Conscious authority loftier than pride; Deep calm which made intensity seem weak; Slow weight more insupportable than speed; Passion so pure that its effect was peace, Beatifying his face; betokened power Beneath him that supported him, behind Him that impelled, above him and within That steadied him immovable, supplied As from a fountain of omnipotence; An air breathed round him of prophetic rapt Solemnity oppressive beyond words And dread communication from the throne, Moved near, of the Most High, which only not Thundered and lightened, as from the touched top Of Sinai once in witness of the law-- Such might, not Stephen's, wrought with Stephen there And laid his hearers subject at his feet. Saul saw the grasp secure that he had laid Upon his brethren's minds and hearts--to hold, He proudly, confidently deemed, against Whatever counter force of eloquence-- This tenure his he saw relaxed, dissolved, Evanishéd, as it had never been. Perplexed, astonished, but impenetrable, Though dashed and damped in spirit and in hope, Angry he stood, recoiled upon himself. But Rachel had a different history. She felt her inmost conscience searched and known; Sharper than any sword of double edge, The Word of God through Stephen pierced her heart, And there asunder clove her self and self. She heeded Stephen's warning words; she looked Within, she pressed her hand upon her heart And prayed, "O God, my God, my fathers' God, Thy kingdom--grant that _I_ may find it _here_!" So praying she listened while farther Stephen spoke: "That such a Ruler should be such as He Whom we proclaim, the Man of Nazareth, The Carpenter, the Man of Calvary, Affronts your reason, tempts to disbelief-- Doubtless; but all the more shown absolute His sovereignty, transcendent, passing quite Limit of precedent or parallel, As nothing in Him outwardly appears To soothe your pride in yielding to His claim. Always the more offended pride rebels, Is proved his triumph greater who subdues. Deep is our human heart, and versatile Exceedingly, ingenious past our ken, Inventive of contrivances to save Fond pride from hurt. But here is no escape; Pride must be hurt and bleed, unsalved her wounds. She may not conquer crouching, she must crouch Conquered; nor only so, she must be glad To be the conquered, not the conqueror; Thus deeply must the heart abjure itself, Thus deeply own the mastership of Christ. Christ will not practise on your self-conceit And lure you to obey illusively. Obedience is not obedience Save as, obeying, you love, loving, obey-- The chief of all obediences, love."