"I pray Thee for my brother. Suffer not That he act out his purposed madness. Save, O save him from that dreadful sin he means Against Thee and against Thy holy cause. I cannot bear it, that my brother rage Against Thee like the heathen. Thou art strong, O Christ! I pray Thee--Thee I pray, O Christ, Thee only, for none other can--meet Thou And master Saul! His sister pleads with Thee; I plead for his sake, he being dear to me, But more for Thine own name and glory's sake, And for Thy suffering cause! I thank Thee, Lord, With joyful tears, I thank Thee, gracious Lord, That Thou restrainedst me dumb with silence then When Saul spake evil of me--for Thy sake. Through Thee, Who, when reviled, reviledst not Again, through Thee, through Thee, I, also I, Proud foolish Rachel, then refrained from words! No taunt retorted, no reproach, no blame, Stung him from me to sin; I thank Thee, Lord, For that! "Now is there naught that I may do? May I not warn that prophet Stephen? Saul Wildly foreshadowed harm himself might wreak On him; and what meant Shimei's visit here? Mischief, no doubt of that; collusion strange, Incredible, impossible, such twain, That Shimei and my brother! I will go And talk with Stephen's wife, her, what I can, Without disloyalty to Saul, stir up To fear for Stephen's safety; he need not, Surely, dauntless high prophet of the Lord Although he be, still ready-girt to die, Rush blindfold into danger unforewarned." So to the house of Stephen Rachel went With haste, and there, in darkened words to Ruth, Perturbed her woman's breast with vague alarms: 'Her husband must of stratagem beware, And even of violence, aimed against his life.' Stephen, by Ruth his wife, of all advised, Armed him his heart to face what must befall. Ruth shook him to the centre of his soul With storms of wife's complaints and love and tears: "Nay, Stephen, many a time, bear witness thou, My heart before she came misgave me sore; But now, since Rachel's words, no peace I find Concerning thee, in this thy wilful way Wherein thou goest--whither, I know not, whence, Too well I know, for from a home thou goest Once happy, ere this madness came on thee!" Sharply so Stephen's wife upbraided him. Gravely and gently he admonished her: "Name it not madness, woman, lest thereby Thou sin that sin against the Holy Ghost. No madness is it when the soul of man Is sovereignly usurped by the Most High To be the organ of Almighty Will. I yield myself, nay, Ruth, I join myself, To God--no blind unsharing instrument, But joyful partner of His purposes."