The sun of Syrian afternoon, declined Half-way betwixt the zenith and the west, Burned blinding in the cloudless blue of heaven And fired a conflagration in the copes Of beaten gold hung over the august House of Jehovah, whither Stephen now Tended unconsciously with wonted feet. That spectacle of splendor he, agaze With holden unbeholding eyes, saw not, Or, as but with his heart beholding, saw Only as goal of his obedience due. Down the abrupt declivity with speed, The westward-slanting slope of Olivet, Descending by a path stony and steep-- The same whereon full often to and fro Had fared the Blessed Feet, between the dust And din and fever of Jerusalem, And the sweet purity and peace, the cool, The quiet, of that home in Bethany, His refuge!--so descending, Stephen passed On his right hand Gethsemane, that moved Muse of the Master's agony for men, Crossed Kedron, and thence upward pressing gained Gate Susan, whence the temple nigh in view. 'Perhaps,' thought he, 'perhaps, once more, against My expectation, I am thither brought To preach as when I answered Saul that day. The Lord will show me, in full time, alike What I must speak, and when, and where.' So wrapt In welcome of the will unknown of God, And full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, Stephen with no amazement was afraid When, suddenly and rudely, in the street, A band in service of the Sanhedrim Set on him, and, by their authority, Seized him and brought him prisoner accused Of blasphemy before their council, there To be examined for his words and deeds. Captive in body, he in soul was free, Exulting in that glorious liberty, The sense of sonship to Almighty God. False witnesses, by Shimei suborned, And well their lesson taught by Shimei, Stood forth, who, to the teeth of Stephen, swore: "This person never ceases speaking words Against this holy place and Moses' law; We heard him say that Jesus Nazarene Is going to destroy this place, and change The customs Moses handed down to us." All the assessors in the Sanhedrim, Fastening their eyes on Stephen, saw his face, As it had been an angel's, kindling shine. Saul marked it, and remembered how that day The lightning of that face had blinded him! The high priest now, accosting Stephen, asked, "Are these things so?" and Stephen thus replied: "Brethren and fathers, hearken to my words. With ears that tingle to the echoes yet, Perchance, of that high passionate harangue Which late from Saul ye heard concerning wounds Intended to this Jewish commonwealth, Ye now have heard forsooth again from these-- How temple, law, and well-belovéd ways Bequeathed us by our fathers from of old Are threatened in the message that I preach.