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DEAD AND RISEN 
 
 THE 
 
 EASTER STORY 
 
 DRAMATIZED 
 
 ^« •*• **• 
 
 IN SEVEN SCENES 
 BY 
 
 J. H. KUHLMAN 
 
 V* V v> 
 
 COPYRIGHT 1918 BY J, H. KUHLMAN 
 
 Neither the Whole of this Drama, nor any Portion thereof can L* 
 Presented without Permission- 
 

 <o 
 
 /9p 
 
 Published By 
 
 J. H. KUHLMAN 
 
 Loudonville, Ohio. 
 
 FEB 18 1918 
 
 ©CI.D 48946 
 
 "H*3 ■ . f 
 
PROLOGUE. MARY OF BETHANY 
 
 MARY — (Enters, carrying a broken vase). 'Tis nigh 
 unto the place called Gabbatha, the pavement, where is 
 the judgment hall of Pilate. Is't here they have taken 
 Him? (Looking right and left.) Have you seen aught 
 of my Master? — Today, they say, He must die; and I, 
 not knowing it, I anointed Him unto His burial. 
 
 Never can I forget that night in Bethany, the night 
 after the Sabbath. 'Twas in the house of Simon the 
 leper — Simon, whom the Lord had healed on the Jericho 
 road, saying to him, "Be thou clean!" and, lo, his flesh 
 came again, like unto the flesh of a little child — In Si- 
 mon's house we made the Lord a supper. Martha serv- 
 ed, and Lazarus was there, Lazarus, my brother, newly- 
 risen from the dead. Seeing him and Simon sitting at 
 meat together, I remembered the word the Master sent 
 to the Baptist — 'Twas Matthew told me — "Behold, the 
 lepers are cleansed and the dead are raised up.." 
 
 As I sat and pondered these things, these things that 
 He had done for me and mine — Ah, then the fire burned 
 in my breast, the fire of love. I fetched (going through 
 motion) my precious box, my Alabaster box of spike- 
 nard. Softly I came behind the Master, and, breaking 
 the box, I poured the ointment on his Head, till it ran 
 down upon his locks, like the dew that cometh down upon 
 Hermon. Then was the house filled with the odor of the 
 ointment, and my soul was poured out with the love of 
 Him, so that I annointed His feet also, and loosing these 
 braids, (goes through motion) I did wipe His feet with 
 the hairs of my head. — 'Twas as Solomon says: "While 
 the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth 
 its fragrance." 
 
 Then spake that son of perdition, Judas: "To what pur- 
 pose is this waste? Why was not this ointment sold for 
 three hundred pence and given to the poor?" "This he 
 said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was 
 a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein." 
 — To the end shall I remember, how the Master turned 
 and looked at me — His eyes like the twin pools of Hesh- 
 bon, deep and dark: "Let her alone," He said, "Why 
 
trouble ye the woman? She hath wrought a g-ood work 
 upon me. Ye have the poor always with you, but me ye 
 have not always. For in that she hath poured this oint- 
 ment on my body, she did it for my burial." And then 
 He said — Master, I am not worthy — then He said, 
 'Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole 
 world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done,, 
 be told for a memorial of her." 
 
 Lord, I am not worthy, but Thou, Thou shouldest re- 
 ceive glory and honor. If the whole world were an Al- 
 abaster box of ointment, and all the perfumes of Araby 
 contained therein, yet would I break it, (motion) and 
 pour it all upon Thee, Thee only, for Thou hast ravished 
 my heart, O my Master, Thou hast ravished my heart 
 with Thy love! — And now they say ? He must die. — Even 
 now His words are made true, "Me ye have not always." 
 "Lord, I would have Thee always, always!" — Alas! 
 I sought Him and could not find Him. I called r 
 but He gave me no answer. — Do ye know where my be- 
 loved has gone? (Commotion back of curtain, cries, 
 tramping- of feet) Harkf Is this the hour of His enemies? 
 What meaneth the tumult and the shouting? — O Master! 
 Master! (Curtain rises on Scene I.) 
 
 SCENE I. BEFORE PILATE. 
 
 (Pilate on the Judgment Seat, a soldier at either side. 
 Annas, Caiphas, Levi, people at left. Peter and John 
 at right. Also Mary and Mary Magdalene. While the 
 curtain rises, priests and people cry, Crucify Him, cru- 
 cify Him!," but John and Peter, and all His friends cry r 
 "Hosanna! Hosanna!") 
 
 JOHN — (To Peter) They have taken Him into the 
 Judgment Hall. God grant that He be safe there. 
 
 LEVI — (To the priests) Let us follow after into the 
 palace, that we may accuse Him. 
 
 ANNAS — Nay, nay, we cannot enter, lest we be defiled 
 and may not eat the Passover. 
 
 PETER — None so defiled as I. Come not near me. I 
 am unclean — unclean! I have denied Him! 
 
 PILATE — (Rises and proudly steps forward) (Points 
 
toward interior) What accusation bring ye against this 
 man? 
 
 CAIPHAS — If this man were not an evildoer, we 
 would not have delivered Him up unto you. 
 
 PILATE — 'Tis well. Take ye Him then, and judge 
 Him according to your law. 
 
 ANNAS — (With a snarl) Thou knowest, O Pilate, that 
 it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. 
 
 CAIPHAS — We found this fellow perverting the na- 
 tion and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that 
 He Himself is Christ a king. 
 
 PILATE — What sayest thou? This Nazarene— this 
 carpenter's son — standing yonder with bound hands and 
 torn garments — He a king — the king of the Jews? — Ha, 
 ha, hah! — The king of the Jews! 
 
 ANNAS — Nay, not our king. Away with Him! We 
 will not have this man rule over us. 
 
 (Cries of "Away with Him! Crucify Him!") 
 
 PILATE — Peace, ho! Pilate speaks. (They are silent) 
 Priests and scribes, ye witness against this man, but I 
 find in Him no fault at all. 
 
 CAIPHAS — He stirreth up the people, teaching 
 throughout all Jewry, beginning from Gallilee to this 
 place. 
 
 PILATE — Ye have brought Him unto me as one that 
 perverteth the nation, and, behold, I, having examined 
 Him before you, have found no fault in this man touch- 
 ing those things whereof ye accuse H\m. No, nor yet 
 Herod, for I sent you to him, and, lo, nothing worthy 
 of death was found. I will therefore chastise Him and 
 release Him. 
 
 LEVI — Most noble Governor, hear me! Wilt thou 
 this year also release at the feast one prisoner, whom- 
 soever we desire? 
 
 PILATE — (Aside) Ah, that may help me out. (To 
 Levi) It shall be as thou sayest. (To soldier) Bring in 
 hither the prisoner, Barabbas. (To the people) Ye have 
 a custom that I should release unto you one at the Pass- 
 over. Ye shall choose him this day. (He resumes his 
 seat) (Aside) Surely, they will prefer their Messiah to 
 this murderer. 
 
 5 
 
\Poppaea enters quickly, kneels before Pilate, extend- 
 ing tablet with uplifted hands) 
 
 PILATE — Poppaea? What wilt thou? 
 
 POPPAEA — A message, my lord, a message from my 
 mistress. (Hands him tablet) 
 
 PILATE — Tis well. Get thee gone. (Poppaea bows 
 low and backs out) A message from Claudia at this 
 hour? (Rises, steps aside and reads) "My husband: 
 Have thou nothing to do with that just man, for I have 
 suffered many things this day in a dream because of 
 Him. I adjure thee, Pontius, by all the gods, save Him! 
 Save Him! — Ever thine. Claudia Proculla. (Pilate 
 walks back and forth, saying) "Have thou nothing to do 
 with that just man." (Continues to pace back and forth) 
 In the morning hours when dreams are true. — 'Tis like 
 the dream of Caesar's wife — Calpurnia's dream — 'Twas 
 an evil omen — That day was mighty Julius done to death 
 — (Looks at tablet again) "Have thou nothing to do with 
 that just man." — (Barabbas, bound, is brought in) Bar- 
 abbas, knave, stand forth! (Soldier pushes him forward) 
 There he stands. Look at him. The other is yonder 
 in the hall. Whom will ye that I release unto you? 
 This one, this fellow, Barabbas, or Hun, (Pointing tow- 
 ard interior) Jesus, the King of the Jews, which is called 
 Christ? 
 
 (Annas takes a pouch of money and offers it to the 
 people, bribing them to choose Barabbas.) 
 
 CAIPHAS — Away with this man and release unto us 
 Barabbas! 
 
 PILATE — Silence, priest! Let these others speak. 
 
 ANNAS — (Passing from one to another, offering 
 coins) Say, "Barabbas," say "Barabbas." He comes to 
 Peter, passing coins into his hand) say, "Barabbas!" 
 
 PETER — (Flinging the money down with a violent 
 gesture) Thy money perish with thee, false priest! 
 
 ANNAS — Aha! Thou art a Galileean! Thy speech 
 betrayeth thee. Perchance thou, too, wast with Him. 
 
 LEVI — Aye, this fellow was also with Jesus of Nazar- 
 eth. 
 
 ANNAS — Thou art one of His disciples? 
 
 PETER — Thou sayest it. I am. God forbid that I 
 
 6 
 
should again deny Him! 
 
 ANNAS— Death to Him! 
 
 PILATE — Choose ye now. Whether of the twain will 
 ye that I release unto you? 
 
 THE PEOPLE — Away with this man! Release unto 
 us Barabbas! 
 
 PETER — (Addressing the people) Men of Israel, I 
 beseech you, do not deny the Holy One. Do not ask 
 that a murderer be granted unto you. 
 
 JOHN — Has He not fed you, when you were hungry? 
 Did He not multiply the loaves and fishes for you? Did 
 He not heal your lepers with His touch? Did He not 
 give sight to your blind and raise up your dead? For 
 which of these works do ye conspire to kill Him? 
 
 PEOPLE — Away with Him! Barabbas! Barabbas! 
 
 PILATE— What shall I do then with Jesus, which is 
 called Christ? 
 
 PEOPLE — Crucify Him! Crucify Him! 
 
 PETER and JOHN — Hosanna! Hosanna! 
 
 PILATE— What evil hath He done? I have found 
 no cause of death in Him. I will therefore chastise 
 Him and let Him go. 
 
 PEOPLE — (Louder than before) Crucify Him! Cru- 
 cify Him! Loose unto us Barabbas! 
 
 PILATE — Take ye Him and crucify Him, for I find 
 no fault in Him. 
 
 CAIPHAS — We have a law, and by our law He ought 
 to die, because He made Himself the Son of God. 
 
 PETER — (Stepping forward and raising his right 
 hand) We believe and are sure that He is Christ, the 
 Son of the living God. 
 
 PILATE — Son of God? — Son of God?— By great Ju- 
 piter! but this man hath all the bearing of a God. — 
 '" Whence art thou?" I asked Him, but He gave me no an- 
 swer. — Are the gods come down again in the likeness of 
 men? Is He perchance a son of Jove or Phoebus-Apollo? 
 And I, I had Him scourged — Even now the pavement is 
 red with the blood of His footprints — And always the 
 voice speaks — the voice of Claudia — and that other voice 
 in my breast: "Have thou nothing to do with that just 
 man!" (Renewed cries of "Crucify!") (aside) Aye, 
 
howl, ye jackals! (To the people) Shall I crucify your 
 king? 
 
 ANNAS — We have no king. 
 
 CAIPHAS — We have no king but Caesar, Caesar, who 
 is thine overlord. If thou let this man go, thou art not 
 Caesar's friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king, 
 speaketh against Caesar. 
 
 PILATE — (Starting back in consternation and aside) 
 Not Caesar's friend? — Not Caesar's friend? — O dark and 
 terrible name of Caesar! — Not for a thousand talents 
 of gold would I have it whispered even in the palace of 
 Tiberius, that I, Pilate, am not Caesar's friend — It 
 meant torture for thee, Sejanus, my patron, torture and 
 death — what may it not mean for me? — (After a pause 
 and turning to the people) Priests, men of Israel, at- 
 tend! (Seating himself on throne) This day release I 
 unto you (pointing) Barabbas, that for sedition and 
 murder was cast into prison, whom ye have desired. 
 (To soldier) Loose him! — But this Jesus, which is call- 
 ed the Christ, Him I deliver unto you, that He may be 
 crucified. (To other soldier) Ibis ad crucem! To the 
 cross with Him! (Pointing to interior) 
 
 (Priests dance up and down for joy. Others clap 
 their hands together above their heads, crying, "Eia! 
 Eia!") 
 
 MARY — (Running forward and prostrating herself at 
 foot of throne) Mercy, Pilate, mercy! Low at thy throne 
 I kneel. Spare Him! His mother prays, His stricken 
 mother. — What evil hath He done? — Never, since the 
 world began, was there such a Holy One as this — white 
 and undenled — The Prince of Glory — Christ Immanuel! 
 
 PILATE — Take her away; she is beside herself! 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — (Leading Mary away) Let be, 
 Mary, let be! They could have no power at all against 
 Him, except it were given them from above. 'Tis the 
 Father's will. This cup may not pass away except He 
 drink it. 
 
 PILATE — (Clapping his hands as signal) Poppaea, 
 bring water! (Poppaea enters with a silver basin, kneels 
 and holds it high with both hands) (Pilate, rising, very 
 
 8 
 
solemnly and ceremoniously washes his hands) Men of 
 Israel, bear witness! By the high gods, I am innocent 
 of the blood of this just person, see ye to it! 
 
 CAIPHAS — His blood be on us and on our children! 
 
 PEOPLE — Yea, on us and on our children! 
 
 PETEE — Great God, what a curse! 
 
 JOHN — (With uplifted hands, as curtain drops) Lord 
 Jehovah, not in wrath, not in wrath, but in mercy be His 
 blood on them and on their children! 
 
 SCENE II. THE WAY OF SORROWS. 
 
 (Street scene. People pass back and forth. Enter 
 
 Levi, Eli, Ishmael and others.) 
 LEVI — Ho, men, have ye heard the news? The Naz- 
 arene must die! 
 ELI— God forbid! 
 
 LEVI — 'Tis so. With mine own ears heard I Pilate 
 command the Centurion, "I, miles, expedi crucem!" — 
 Go, soldier, hasten the cross! Even now they lead Him 
 forth to the Place of Skulls. 
 
 (A trumpet sounds. Two soldiers, Antonius and Lu- 
 cius, enter. They hold their spears in horizontal 
 position and press back the people.) 
 ANTONIUS — Peace, ho! Pilate's captain comes! 
 LUCIUS — Make way! Make way! 
 ANTONIUS— Give back! Back! Back! 
 (Trumpet sounds again. Two other soldiers, Flavius 
 and Publius, enter, holding trumpets to lips, be- 
 tween them the Centurion, who is bearing a scroll. 
 They form in line rear of stage. Centurion steps 
 forward.) 
 CENTURION — I charge you, all ye people, hear the 
 decree of the most noble governor: (Reads from scroll) 
 "In the year seventeen of the reign of Tiberius, and on 
 this fourth day after the Ides of March, I, Pontius Pilate, 
 governor, condemn Him, who is called Jesus of Nazareth, 
 to be nailed to the cross, Quintius Cornelius to lead Him 
 forth to the Place of Skulls. With Him, to die the 
 death, I condemn the two thieves, Dismas and Gestes. 
 The other, Barabbas, I this day release, because of the 
 feast of the Jews. Thus it is appointed. In the name 
 
 9 
 
of Caesar. Pontius Pilate, sixth Procurator of Judea. 
 
 (Trumpet sounds. Centurion steps back. Soldiers 
 fall in line, face about and march out.) 
 
 LEVI — At last, at last, Pilate hath decreed the death 
 of the Nazarene prophet. 
 
 ISHMAEL — Because of that came I with haste, lest 
 I be too late to see the accursed Galileean die. 
 
 LEVI — (Stepping to side and pointing) The dust rises 
 above the palms! A multitude is coming, as if to keep 
 holiday. 
 
 ISHMAEL — Meseems, all the tribes of Israel this day 
 go up to Calvary. (Peter and John enter) 
 
 PETER — Master — Master — I have denied Thee — and 
 Thou must die — Thou must die — My sin! My sin! 
 
 JOHN — Let us also go, that we may die with Him. 
 
 PETER — Yonder, in the palace, when the cock crow- 
 ed, He turned and looked on me — My God, that look! 
 Lord, give me a coward's strength to face His enemies ! 
 Ordain Thine arrows against His adversaries! 
 
 JOHN — Last night, at the supper, I lay upon His 
 breast, and His love to me was wonderful, passing the 
 love of- women. 
 
 PETER — And He prayed for me, there in the upper 
 room, where we ate the Passover, He prayed for me, 
 that my faith fail not — 
 
 (Cries in the distance, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!") 
 
 LEVI — (Rushing to side and pointing, while all face 
 in that direction) Behold, they come! They come! 
 Yonder out of the Damascus gate! 
 
 ELI — I see Him! I see the Rabbi of Nazareth! 
 
 ISHMAEL — What doth He bear upon His shoulders? 
 Two heavy beams of wood, one athwart the other — 
 
 ELI — O God! It is the wood for His cross! 
 
 JOHN — Even so bore Isaac the wood for the burnt- 
 offering unto the mount of sacrifice. 
 
 PETER — He goeth forth bearing His cross. 
 
 JOHN — Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried 
 our sorrows, but even thus shall the government be upon 
 His shoulder. 
 
 PETER — I see two others, thieves, malefactors, led 
 with Him to be put to death. 
 
 10 
 
JOHN — Thus the Scripture is fulfilled which saith, 
 "He was numbered with the transgressors. " 
 
 (Distant cries, "Hail, hail king of the Jews!") 
 
 ELI — They mock Him — they buffet Him with their 
 hands! 
 
 PETER — (Drawing his sword) I will go and smite 
 them with the sword! 
 
 JOHN — (Restraining him) Nay! Nay! Hath not the 
 Master forbidden it? Hath He not said, "Simon, Simon, 
 put up thy sword into the sheath? The cup which the 
 Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" 
 
 (Peter puts up his sword) 
 
 ISHMAEL — (While distant voices cry, "Crucify!") 
 They draw nearer. I can hear the noise of their shout- 
 ing. 
 
 PETER — (Pointing) I see Him. I see Him, my Mas- 
 ter! — The crown of thorns is pressed down upon His 
 head — the outer garment is almost torn away — His face 
 is stained with blood — But what is that I see around His 
 neck? — A scroll with an inscription? (Turning to John) 
 Canst read it, John? 
 
 JOHN — Aye, 'tis Pilate's writing, "Jesus Nazarenus, 
 Rex Judaeorum," which is, being interpreted, "Jesus of 
 Nazareth, King of the Jews." 
 
 ELI — He stops — A woman wipes His brow with her 
 kerchief. 
 
 PETER — 'Tis Veronica, our sister, Veronica! 
 
 JOHN — I can see His back — Oh, so marred — His back 
 that was given to the smiters — I can see the wounds — 
 wounds that will not cease to bleed. 
 
 PETER — Look! Why is the great concourse halted? 
 — He can go no farther — He is sinking down under the 
 weight of the cross — He is falling — Father in heaven, 
 He is dead! 
 
 ELI — Nay, nay, He hath but fainted! 
 
 JOHN — I see a man passing by! They are laying 
 the cross upon him, that he may bear it after the 
 Master. Look, Peter, thou knowest the man. 'Tis the 
 Phenician merchant, Symon of Cyrene, the father of 
 Alexander and Rufus — dost remember? — those young 
 Greeks, who came to us and said," We would see Jesus." 
 
 11 
 
PETER — Why was not I there? — why not I— to bear 
 it after Him — the cruel cross? 
 
 (Cries of, "Hail, King of the Jews!") 
 
 CAIPHAS — (Entering with Annas, and scornfully 
 waving his arms) Make way for the King of the Jews! 
 Ha, ha, hah! Bend the knee! Bend the knee! Hail 
 Him, the king of fishermen! — What, fellows, Israelites, 
 bend ye not the knee before this mighty king? 
 
 ANNAS — Away with Him! Away with Him! It is 
 not fit that He should live ! 
 
 LEVI — Bah! He is an utter fool! To the cross with 
 the false prophet! 
 
 ELI — (To Levi) Thou hast a demon's heart! Hell 
 burns within thee ! 
 
 ISHMAEL — Lo, the women come! They are bewail- 
 ing and lamenting" Him! 
 
 JOHN — The holy women of Galilee, Mary Magdalene, 
 Mary, the mother of James, and Salome; and with them 
 I see some of the daughters of Jerusalem. 
 
 PETER — And His mother, John, His mother walks 
 with them. mother of many sorrows! 
 
 (Enter Mary Magdalene, Mary James, Salome, Mary 
 the mother, and Veronica. They are weeping and 
 wringing their hands) 
 
 SALOME — Alas, He is too good, too pure, too holy 
 to die! 
 
 MARY JAMES — Oh, that my head were waters and 
 mine eyes a fountain of tears! 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — Ye clouds, ye floods, ye rains, 
 dwell in mine eyes! Oh, that I might weep rivers of 
 tears ! 
 
 VOICE — (From side) Daughters of Jerusalem, weep 
 not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your chil- 
 dren ! 
 
 MARY — (Running forward and lifting her hands) O 
 God, Father, Jehovah! Spare Him! Save Him! Give 
 Him now Thine angels, the more than twelve legions! 
 Send forth the shining host to fend Him with their 
 wings ! 
 
 (Veronica, drying her tears, displays a kerchief with 
 
 12 
 
the blood-red image of the Savior in His crown of 
 thorns.) 
 
 SALOME — (Pointing) Behold, His image! 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— The Master's face! 
 
 MARY JAMES — His thorn-crowned head! 
 
 WOMEN and DISCIPLES— His face! His face! 
 
 VERONICA — (Holding up kerchief) I used my ker- 
 chief — yonder by the gate — to wipe the blood-drops 
 from His brow — and then 'twas as you see, His face im- 
 printed on the cloth. 
 
 MARY — Thus are the lines of His dear face impressed 
 upon my heart indelibly. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — (Steps forward and faces au- 
 dience.) 
 
 O bleeding head and wounded, 
 And full of pain and scorn, 
 In mockery surrounded 
 With cruel crown of thorn. 
 
 (Cries from side, "Hail King of the Jews! Crucify 
 Him!") 
 
 MARY — Is it nothing to you — is it nothing to you all, 
 that they break a mother's heart? — Behold and see, if 
 there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow! 
 
 JOHN — (To Mary) Hush, Mary, 'tis the Father's will. 
 
 LEVI — (Pointing to side) They take Him aside to es- 
 cape the throng! They take Him by the street called 
 "Crooked!" But Simon of Cyrene, bearing the cross, 
 cometh hither! 
 
 (Enter Simon with cross, accompanied by the two 
 soldiers, Flavius and Publius) 
 
 SIMON — Behold, here I am; witness against me be- 
 fore the Lord! Whose ox have I taken, or whom have 
 I defrauded? What evil have I done, that I should bear 
 this load of shame — this gibbet — this gallow's tree? 
 
 FLAVIUS— Silence ! 
 
 PUBLIUS— Hold thy peace! 
 
 PETER — Be of good cheer, Simon of Cyrene! That 
 which thou deemest an indignity, shall become a badge 
 of honor. 
 
 JOHN — blessed Simon, thou dost bear the banner 
 of our kingdom! 
 
 13 
 
PETER — All the Christian ages shall envy thee; and 
 forever thy name shall be linked with that Name which 
 is above every name. 
 
 JOHN — For He hath said, "Whosoever will be my 
 disciple, let him take up the cross and follow me." 
 
 FLAVIUS — (Prodding- Simon with his spear) On, fel- 
 low, on! 
 
 PUBLIUS— On to old "Baldhead," the Place of Skulls! 
 
 (They move on. Cries in distance, "Crucify Him!") 
 
 MARY — (Facing audience with hands uplifted) The 
 heavens are clothed with blackness, and sackcloth is their 
 covering! Lord, Jehovah, my prayer is unto Thee! How 
 long, O Lord, how long! Out of the depths I cry! Save 
 Thine anointed, O Lord! Grant not the desire of the 
 wicked! I stretch forth my hands unto Thee! Where 
 is now Thy loving kindness, which thou swarest unto 
 David? Oh, turn again unto us and save the son of Thy 
 hand-maiden! Father, Abba, Father, for His sake, for 
 Christ's sweet sake! Amen. 
 (Curtain) 
 
 SCENE III. ON CALVARY. 
 
 (Three crosses. Drop lowered from above, so that 
 
 only lower part of crosses shows. Ladder leaning 
 
 against middle cross, only foot of ladder showing. 
 
 Soldiers, priests, women, people, John and Peter. 
 
 Hammer blows are heard.) 
 
 MARY — (Shrieking) God! They are piercing His 
 
 hands with the nails! His hands! His feet! Help! 
 
 Help! They murder Him! They murder Him! (More 
 
 hammer-blows) 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) Father, forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do! 
 
 JOHN — great Highpriest of love, who makest in- 
 tercession for the transgressors! 
 
 PETER — Had they known it, they would not have 
 crucified the Lord of Glory. 
 
 (Soldier comes down from ladder, having hammer and 
 nails. Another soldier assists in removing ladder.) 
 ELI — With wicked hands they have taken Him — with 
 wicked hands — and crucified Him! 
 
 14 
 
ANTONIUS — (Enters bearing garments) Ho, com- 
 rades, behold our spoil — the king's garments — ha, ha, 
 hah! the royal robes! 
 
 FLAVIUS — (Taking up one of the garments) Here 
 is the tallith. Let us make four parts: To every one 
 a part. 
 
 LUCIUS — Thy knife, Flavius! I will part the seams. 
 (The knife is passed. They divide the cloak) 
 
 PUBLIUS — And now the coat. (Holding it up) By 
 Hercules, 'tis fine! Without seam, woven from the top 
 throughout. 
 
 MARY — (Aside) My son's coat! — I made it for Him 
 — I spun the wool — I wove the cloth — I put it on Him 
 that day in Nazareth when He went forth never to re- 
 turn. 
 
 ANTONIUS — Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, 
 whose it shall be. 
 
 (The four soldiers throw the coat on the ground and 
 crouch down around it.) 
 
 JOHN — (Aside) That the Scripture might be fulfilled, 
 which saith, "They parted my raiments among them, 
 and for my vesture they did cast lots." 
 
 FLAVIUS — (Displaying Dice box) Here are dice. 
 Come, who will cast first? Down, fellows, and throw 
 them on this coat for which we hazard. 
 
 LUCIUS — (Seizing box) Ye gods of chance, smile up- 
 on me while I cast! (Throws dice on coat) 
 
 PUBLIUS — Ha, ha, hah! a poor cast — ten! too low 
 — too low! 
 
 ANTONIUS — (Waving box up toward middle cross) 
 Hello, up there, thou Nazarene, give me good luck! 
 (casts) Twelve! What say ye, is it enough? 
 
 FLAVIUS — Nay! Nay! Tis poor dicing — My cast is 
 better. (Casts) Fifteen! The coat is mine! 
 
 PUBLIUS — Wait, brother, not so hasty! (Waving 
 dice box toward sky) Ye fates, conspire to give me vic- 
 tory! (Casts) Three sixes! Eighteen! By all the gods, I 
 win! (Grabs the coat) 
 
 FLAVIUS — Not so, rascal! Thou didst turn the dice! 
 'Tis mine, mine! (Grabs other end of coat) 
 
 PUBLIUS — Thou liest, Phrygian dog! Let go! (Draws 
 
 15 
 
knife, as does Flavius. Their knives clash) 
 
 CENTURION — (Interfering) Peace, knaves, peace f 
 The coat belongs to Publius. He hath won it fairly. 
 
 ANTONIUS — Come, friends, come hither, and let us 
 cast to see who buys the second bottle of goodly Roman 
 wine. (They continue dicing, while the bottle circulates 
 freely) 
 
 (During this time Mary, the mother, presses nearer 
 the cross, until she stands beneath it, and the blood, 
 dropping down, stains her white head-dress. One of 
 the other women supports her, and John draws near) 
 
 SALOME — (Pointing to Mary's head-dress) His blood! 
 His blood! 
 
 JOHN — (With folded hands and uplifted eyes) The 
 blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— (Half to cross and half to 
 audience) 
 
 See! From His head, His hands, His feet, 
 Sorrow and love flow mingled down! 
 Did e'er such love and sorrow meet? 
 Or thorns compose so rich a crown? 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) Woman, (Mary looks 
 up) behold thy son! Son, (John looks up) behold thy 
 mother! 
 
 PETER — (Aside) Having loved His own, which were 
 in the world, He loved them unto the end. 
 
 JOHN — (Taking Mary by the arm and leading her 
 toward front of stage) Mother! — 'Tis a holy charge the 
 Beloved hath given me — Mother — My home shall be thy 
 home, till death us part, my mother! 
 
 (Jews pass by reviling the middle cross, making faces, 
 putting out their tongues, shaking their fists) 
 
 LEVI — Ha, Thou, Thou that destroyest the temple 
 and buildest it in three days, save Thyself! 
 
 ANNAS — If Thou be the Son of God, come down 
 from the cross! 
 
 LEVI — He saved others, Himself He cannot save! 
 
 ISHMAEL — Let this Christ, this King of Israel de- 
 scend now from the cross, that we may see and believe! 
 
 ANTONIUS — Prophet of Nazareth, if Thou be the 
 King of the Jews, save Thyself! 
 
 16 
 
LUCIUS — Aha! Is this a king? Is this the son of 
 David? 
 
 FL A VIUS— (Holding up the bottle) Wilt have a drink, 
 Nazarene? There's no myrrh in this, but rare wine 
 from the hills of Italy. 
 
 VOICE — (From right-hand cross) If thou be the 
 Christ, save thyself and us! 
 
 VOICE — (From left-hand cross) Lord, remember me, 
 when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom! 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) Verily, verily, I say un- 
 to thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise! 
 
 ELI — (As trumpet sounds faintly in distance) Hark! 
 The sixth hour is sounded from the temple by the trump- 
 ets of the Levites. 
 
 ISHMAEL — 'Tis high noon — and yet the day grows 
 strangely dim. 
 
 ELI — A dullness overspreads the sky — Look! The 
 sun yonder! 'Tis red, red as blood! — It grows darker — 
 as though 'twere eventide. (Light on stage growing very 
 dim) 
 
 ANNAS — By the rod of Aaron! saw ye ever such a 
 threatning sky? 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— 
 
 Well might the sun in darkness hide, 
 And shut his glories in, 
 When God, the mighty maker, died 
 For man, the creature's sin. 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) Eli, Eli, lama sabach- 
 thani! My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? 
 
 ANNAS— He calleth for Elias! 
 
 MARY — (Runs forward. Sinks on one knee. Hands 
 uplifted) God — Thou who art the Father — Spare Him 
 — He is the Son — He is the Son! 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) I thirst! 
 
 (Soldier dips small sponge in vessel, puts it on a reed, 
 and holds it up to middle cross) 
 
 LEVI — (Stepping forward) Let alone! Let us see 
 whether Elias will come to take him down. 
 
 ISHMAEL — The darkness grows apace. 'Tis thick as 
 midnight. 
 
 17 
 
ELI — And well it may. This day have ye darkened 
 the face of God! 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) It is finished! 
 
 JOHN — (Looking up) Father, to this end hast Thou 
 sent Him into the world, that He might finish Thy work, 
 and give His life as a ransom for many. 
 
 VOICE — (From middle cross) Father, into Thy hands 
 I commend my spirit! 
 
 (Thunder and lightning) 
 
 MARY — (Running to the cross and throwing her arms 
 around it) He is dead! He is dead! 
 
 PETER — (Casting himself down at foot of cross) I 
 have lost my Savior! I have lost my God! 
 
 CENTURION— (With right hand uplifted) Truly, 
 this was a righteous man and the Son of God! 
 
 (Priests smite upon breast, strew ashes, rend gar- 
 ments) 
 
 PETER — (Addressing priests) He is a murdered man. 
 and ye are the murderers! 
 
 (Thunder and lightning) 
 
 LEVI — God have mercy on us! 
 
 ISHMAEL — (Running) Away, away from this ac- 
 cursed hill! 
 
 CENTURION — (Having quit the stage a moment, he 
 returns with a tablet in his hand) Pilate hath ordered 
 the Crurifragrium. Flavius, and thou, Publius, take 
 mallets and break their legs. (They take mallets and 
 beat on right and left-hand cross. Mary shrieks.) 
 
 FLAVIUS — (Under middle cross) The Nazarene is 
 dead! 
 
 CENTURION— What sayest thou? Dead? Already? 
 'Tis well. Break not His legs. 
 
 JOHN — That the Scriptures should be fulfilled, "A 
 bone of Him shall not be broken. " 
 
 CENTURION — To make sure, Antonius, thrust a spear 
 into His heart. 
 
 ANTONIUS— (After thrusting spear) He is dead. 
 There cometh forth blood and water. 
 
 JOHN — And again another Scripture saith, "They 
 shall look on Him whom they pierced. " 
 
 (Mary is kneeling on one side of middle cross, Mary 
 
 18 
 
Magdalene on the other. Beside each stands one 
 of the other women. Soldiers back of them in a 
 row with grounded spears. Peter and John step 
 forward and face the audience.) 
 
 PETER— Tis finished, all is finished! The long day's 
 task is done! The loving heart is broken! 
 
 JOHN — Greater love hath no man than this, that a 
 man lay down his life for his friends. But Christ died 
 for us, while we were yet sinners. 
 PETER— 
 
 Lamb of God without blemish! 
 On Calvary slain and suspended; 
 Always patient and lowly, 
 However vile scoffers offended; 
 All sins hast Thou borne for us, 
 Else would despair reign o'er us: 
 Have mercy on us, Jesus! 
 
 ALL: — Have mercy on us, Jesus! 
 
 (Curtain) 
 
 SCENE IV. IN THE GOVERNOR'S PALACE. 
 
 PILATE — (On his seat. A soldier with spear at either 
 side.) How strangely still are the streets today — and 
 that, too, when the feast of the Jews is nigh. Is all 
 Jerusalem gone out to Golgatha? — A curse on the whole 
 wretched business! — I cannot get that Galileean's face 
 out of my mind. 
 
 ANTONIUS — (Enters, bowing low) Most noble gov- 
 ernor, the Chief priests would have speech with thee. 
 
 PILATE — Bring them in! (Soliloquizing) Ah, He 
 had a kingly air! 'Twas as if Jove spake, when he said, 
 "My Kingdom is not of this world." 
 
 (Soldier enters with Annas and Caiphas) 
 
 CAIPHAS — (Bowing) Great Procurator, we have 
 somewhat to say unto thee. 
 
 PILATE — Priests, say on. 
 
 CAIPHAS — Thou hast written the superscription of 
 this fellow's accusation, and the writing was, "Jesus of 
 Nazareth, King of the Jews." 
 
 19 
 
ANNAS — Tis that title we would have thee change, 
 Pilate! Write not "The King of the Jews — 
 
 CAIPHAS— But that He said, "I am the King; of the 
 Jews/' 
 
 PILATE — Priests of Judah, have ye the impudence to 
 enter my palace and tell me what I must do and what 
 not? Out of my sight, ere I forget myself! What I 
 have written, I have written. Begone! (Antonius leads 
 them out) (Soliloquizing) Never man spake as this man 
 — this Christ of the Jews — (Antonius Brings in Levi and 
 Ishmael) Now, by all the Gods, whom have we here? 
 
 LEVI — Most mighty governor, thou knowest, it is the 
 season of our preparation — 
 
 ISHMAEL — Therefore it is not fit that the bodies of 
 these malefactors should remain upon the cross on the 
 Sabbath day — 
 
 LEVI — This Sabbath is is a high day, and we beseech 
 thee, O Pilate, command that their legs be broken, and 
 thus their death be hastened. 
 
 PILATE — (Takes tablet and writes) It shall be as 
 ye say. (Hands tablet to Antonius) Send word to 
 Quintius to have their legs broken! — and now begone! 
 (They go out bowing) (Trumpet in distance. Lights 
 grow gradually dimmer until it is quite dark) 'Tis the 
 trumpet sounding the sixth hour — noonday — and yet a 
 dimness creeps through all the room — (Stepping to one 
 side, as if looking out of window) A darkness over- 
 spreads the sky — 'Tis 'not yet night — whence then the 
 shadows^ — whence the unnatural gloom, as black as any 
 raven's wing? — Ho! bring lights! Bring candles! (Thun- 
 der and lightning) Ye gods of Olympus, stay me, what 
 is this? — Jupiter thunders — all the heavens mourn — Was 
 this then, indeed, a son of the gods? — (Claps his hands. 
 Stamps his foot) Lights! Candles! (Poppaea enters 
 with a candelabrum filled with lighted candles. She 
 places it on the table and departs bowing) 
 
 (Pilate's wife, Claudia, enters) 
 
 PILATE — Claudia? Thou comest to see me? (Goes 
 to meet her and leads her forward) By the gods, but 
 I am glad of thy company this day, this fateful hour! 
 (To soldiers) Leave us alone! (They go out bowing) 
 
 20 
 
CLAUDIA — Pontius, my Lord, it is in truth a fearful 
 hour. (Thunder and lightning) Who ever knew the 
 skies to menace so? (Lightning) Look, the breast of 
 heaven is cleft with darts of lightning! 
 
 PILATE — Pray to the gods, Proculla, pray to the gods 
 to stay their hand! 
 
 CLAUDIA — I verily believe, 'tis not the gods, but 'tis 
 the Son of God on whom we need to call! 
 
 PILATE — Thou sawest Him in a dream? 
 
 CLAUDIA — Yes, my Lord, in a dream — in a vision of 
 the night. — I thought! was in Rome — in the Forum — ; 
 Black darkness fell — the earth trembled — the palaces, 
 the temples of the gods, crashed into ruin — and above 
 the chaos arose a cross — and upon it I saw this One — 
 this man or God, I know not which — Thorns were around 
 His brow — a deep wound in His side — and above — above, 
 in the thick darkness, I heard a voice, as if it were the 
 voice of an angel, crying, "Woe, woe to the world, 
 which hath crucified its King!" — Thereupon I awoke, and 
 forthwith I called for my tablets and stylus, and I sent 
 thee the message whereof thou knowest. 
 
 PILATE — For thy sake, and for His sake, too, I 
 would have saved Him, but those madmen, those priests 
 foiled me at every turn. 
 
 CLAUDIA — And thou gavest Him up to those jackals? 
 
 PILATE — What else could I do? They dared to 
 threaten me with Caesar's displeasure. Thou knowest 
 what that means; Tiberius the terrible. 
 
 ANTONIUS — (Enters with the Centurion) Quintius 
 Cornelius, my Lord! 
 
 CENTURION — Thy sentence, noble Pilate, has been 
 executed. They are crucified and dead. 
 
 CLAUDIA— Alas! Alas! that He should die, that 
 Holy One and Righteous! 
 
 PILATE— The Galileean? Dead already? Tell me, 
 Quintius, how did He die? 
 
 CENTURION — Like a god, Pilate, like a very god! 
 Ah, but He was brave, brave and noble to the end! We 
 nailed Him there — aloft between the thieves — and the 
 voice which we strove to quench in death, was uplifted 
 for us, His executioners. God! shall I ever forget that 
 
 21 
 
cry, that prayer, as the nails pierced His hands, "Father, 
 forgive them, for they know not what they do!" — Then 
 it grew dark — the light of the sun failed — the thunder 
 rolled — the earth trembled, and midnight shadows wrap- 
 ped the barren hill. 
 
 CLAUDIA — When malefactors die, no signs are seen, 
 but all the heavens weep, when dies the Son of God. 
 
 ANTONIUS — (Entering) The counsellor, Joseph of 
 Aramathea ! 
 
 CLAUDIA — I will withdraw, my lord, and await thy 
 coming in the inner court. 
 
 PILATE — (Gallantly accompanies her out, kissing her 
 hand) Farewell, gentle wife, my lady Claudia! (Exit 
 Claudia) (To soldier) Bring in the counsellor! (As 
 Joseph enters) Greetings, most noble counsellor! 
 
 JOSEPH — And to thee, governor! Grant me, I 
 pray thee, a favor. I crave of thee, Pilate, the body 
 of the Nazarene, Jesus, which is called the Christ. 
 
 PILATE — His body? What wouldst do with it? 
 
 JOSEPH — Near the place where He was crucified, I 
 have a garden, in which is a new sepulchre, hewn in 
 stone. There I would bury Him. 
 
 PILATE — Thy purpose doth thee honor. Most gladly 
 do I grant thy wish. (Exit Joseph, led by Antonius) A 
 good man and a just. Verily, an Israelite in whom 
 there is no guile. 
 
 ANTONIUS — (Reentering) The prTests, my lord, 
 would have speech with thee. 
 
 PILATE — Now, by all the gods of Rome, what can 
 this pack of hellhounds want again? (Enter Annas and 
 Caiphas.) 
 
 ANNAS — Sir, we remember, that that deceiver said, 
 while He was yet alive, "After three days I will rise 
 again." 
 
 PILATE — What have I to do, priest, with your 
 stupid superstitions? 
 
 CAIPHAS — Command, that the sepulchre be made 
 sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night 
 and steal Him away, and say to the people, "He is risen 
 from the dead!" 
 
 22 
 
ANNAS — So the last error shall be worse than the 
 first. 
 
 CAIPHAS — We would have thee put Caesar's seal 
 upon the sepulchre. 
 
 PILATE — Caesar's seal? What folly is this? A seal 
 to keep a dead man dead? The plague upon you priests! 
 Do ye fear this Galileean even when He is dead? — Yet 
 it shall be as you say. (Turning to Centurion) Quintius, 
 place the watch and seal the stone. Make it as sure as 
 you can. And now, priests, it is enough. Withdraw 
 your feet from my door, lest I be weary of you and so 
 hate you: Begone! (Centurion, soldiers and priests ex- 
 eunt) 
 
 PILATlE — (Alone) Ever His image is before mine 
 eyes — Ever a voice within me cries, "Ecce homo!" "Be- 
 hold the man!" Doth He come for vengeance — Ven- 
 geance, too, for His kinsmen, those other Galileeans, 
 whose blood my soldiers mingled with their sacrifices? 
 — Oh, that the pomp of this Paschal feast had not tempt- 
 ed me to quit my residence in Caesarea, or that I had 
 not permitted that fox, Herod, to send the prisoner back 
 to me! — Hark! Who is it that calls? I hear a tongue 
 shriller than all the tongues of men — He is calling from 
 the tomb — He is coming — His brow is gashed — The 
 blood is spurting from His side — Back, Galileean! Back 
 into the sepulchre! — I have washed my hands — I am in- 
 nocent of Thy blood — but the blood — (Looks at his 
 hands) the blood is still there — it will not wash away! — 
 Lo, what is it I see — written there — there above the fir- 
 mament of all the years? — His name coupled with my 
 name — my name handed down to eternal execration: 
 "Suffered under Pontius Pilate — Suffered under Pontius 
 Pilate!"— 
 
 (Curtain) 
 SCENE V. THE RETURN FROM THE CROSS 
 
 (John and Mary enter. John supporting her.) 
 
 MARY — (Looking back) Yonder is Golgatha, and 
 He still hangs there — on the cross — on the accursed 
 tree — ■ 
 
 JOHN — God forbid that I should glory, save in the 
 cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 23 
 
MARY — There He hangs — so high — where I cannot 
 reach Him. Oh, that I could hold Him again as in other 
 days — hold Him in my arms — have Him with me always 
 — with me in our home at Nazareth, Nazareth, the sweet 
 mountain village — I would never let Him go, never! 
 
 JOHN — Oh, thou afflicted, tossed with a tempest of 
 sorrow, God comfort thee! 
 
 MARY — And they called me "Blessed among women" 
 — Lo, I taste nothing but the gall of bitterness — But 
 what is my agony compared with His? — Ah, His back! 
 Didst see His back, where the lash of the scourge had 
 torn its way into the poor, quivering flesh? How is it 
 that such a horror must be borne? And the thorns — 
 the sharp thorns around His head — 
 
 JOHN — Gideon taught the men of Succoth with thorns 
 — shall not his thorny chaplet teach us, teach the world? 
 
 MARY — My King, the King of men ! The King of 
 martyrs! They set upon Him from every side, but He 
 answered never a word. They put into His hands a 
 mock sceptre, but He did not turn it into a sword to 
 cleave them asunder. He endured the contradiction of 
 sinners. He trod the wine-press of wrath all alone. 
 Tell me, did ever before so brave a heart beat in human 
 breast? 
 
 JOHN — By His own blood He entered into the Holy 
 Place, and hath obtained an eternal redemption. In 
 truth, He could say with the prophet: "I come this day 
 from Bozrah, with garments dyed red from Edom." 
 
 MARY — Why need the priests have put Him to all this 
 torture? Was it not enough that He must die? Where- 
 fore these inventions of cruelty, such as I deem the world 
 has never seen? But, ah, brave witness, Thou didst not 
 quail — Thou didst bear it all as the very Son of God. — 
 I, His mother, stood there beneath Him — and He smiled. 
 Didst mark it, John, how He smiled upon me in the midst 
 of His agony — smiled down upon me from the cross as 
 if to say, "Weep not, my mother !" 
 
 JOHN — Yea, while we gazed upon the cross, all 
 heavenly, holy things abounded in our hearts. 
 
 MARY — Once, when He was a little lad, weary with 
 
 24 
 
His play in Joseph's carpenter shop, He stretched out 
 His arms like this, (Motion) and in the shadow that He 
 cast on the wall, I saw it, I saw yon (Pointing) ghastly 
 tree. 
 
 JOHN — Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine 
 eyes from tears. I verily believe He shall come again 
 from the dead, as He hath promised, 
 
 MARY — John, what sayest thou? Hast thou, too, 
 that sweet hope burning in thy breast? John, John, 
 can it be? Can such a wondrous thing be? 
 
 JOHN — I believe that God Jehovah will not suffer His 
 
 Holy One to see corruption. But come, mother, let 
 
 us seek our home and there await the Father's will, 
 ""Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the 
 morning.' ' 
 
 MARY— God grant that it be so! 
 
 (They go out as Judas enters) 
 
 JUDAS — (Enters with rope. Looks around furtively) 
 His mother! She did not see me — God! what a meeting 
 'twould have been, Judas and His mother! Rather face 
 a thousand furies of hell than His mother! — In black 
 despair I fled, I know not whither — Back to those devils, 
 the priests, I carried the silver — I said to them, "I have 
 sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood" — They 
 laughed — may Jehovah smite them — they laughed and 
 jeered, "What is that to us? See thou to that!" — I cast 
 the money down in the Holy Place — ha, ha, hah! Thirty 
 shekles of silver, and for what? To buy a potter's field 
 — 'Tis well named "Aceldama," the "Field of blood" — 
 Blood — blood — blood — upon my hands — upon my soul — 
 
 Oh, that I were again as in the days past — when the 
 morning light fell upon the hills of Kerioth — When He 
 called me — When I left my home and followed Him. — 
 How did that accursed council ever tempt me to sell my 
 Lord, sell Him for the price of the meanest slave? Sa- 
 tan entered my heart. Twas then the Master said, 
 "Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a 
 devil?" 
 
 Ha, ha, hah! Priests, what will ye give me, and I will 
 deliver Him unto you? I kept the evil covenant. As 
 Joab took Amasa by the head with his right hand, to kiss 
 
 25 
 
him, but with his left plunged the sword into the cap- 
 tain's heart — even so I kissed the Master, while piercing 
 Him through with the dart of treachery. My God! How 
 was it possible? Hell kissed heaven, there in the garden 
 
 of the oil-press! (Starting back) Away from me! 
 
 I am a leper! — The name of Iscariot is branded to ever- 
 lasting time with a mark a thousandfold more shameful 
 than the mark of Cain — Better for me that I had never 
 been born — Black horror is in my soul — Unclean wings 
 of foulest spirits flap around me — 'Tis best to end it all, 
 and plunge at once into the yawning chasm, where Ge- 
 henna is ablaze with quenchless fire. — There! There! Do 
 ye see them? The devils — the little devils — they are 
 piling up the fagots of hell — for me — for me — cursed 
 forever in the black pit of Hades — down — down — down 
 — there is no bottom — "Aha!" shrieks Satan, "There 
 he comes! There he comes! One of the twelve! Ha, 
 ha, hah! The holy apostle, who sold his Master! — down 
 with him — down — down — into the hell of hells!" 
 
 God! Those eyes — those eyes of the sinless One upon 
 me — Everywhere I see those eyes — Look! What is 
 that? Yonder (pointing up) above the deeps of despair 
 — above earth and sky — I see a throne arise — and upon 
 it — upon it I see Him — Him with the scars in His hands 
 and feet — and Oh, the eyes of Him — the eyes of Him — 
 (Shields his face) they search and sear and shrivel soul 
 and body! Ye mountains, fall upon me — ye hills, cover 
 me, and hide me from the eyes of Him that sitteth on 
 the throne. 
 
 (Curtain) 
 
 SCENE VI. THE BURIAL. 
 
 (Nicodemus and Joseph of Aramathea enter from op- 
 posite sides.) 
 
 NICODEMUS — Whither away, honorable counsellor? 
 
 JOSEPH — To take the body of our Master, Jesus, 
 down from the cross, that I may bury it. Where goest 
 thou, Nicodemus? 
 
 NICODEMUS — I came with that same purpose, 
 though, verily, I knew not how it might be carried out. 
 
 26 
 
JOSEPH — I craved His body from Pilate, and 'twas 
 granted. 
 
 NICODEMUS— Thou didst ask a great thing, Joseph 
 — that holy body, which for more than thirty years has 
 been the tabernacle of "the Word made flesh. " 
 
 JOSEPH — Alas, that it should be nailed unto the bit- 
 ter tree! 
 
 NICODEMUS — 'Twas for our advantage. Now I un- 
 derstand it, this thing He said to me that night long- 
 ago, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, 
 even so must the Son of Man be lifted up." 
 
 JOSEPH — My garden is hard by. In it I have a rock- 
 hewn sepulchre. There let us lay Him away. 
 
 NICODEMUS — I know the place. 'Tis a pleasant 
 garden, far from the hum of Jerusalem. 
 
 JOSEPH — Lo, here is fine linen for His windingsheet. 
 
 NICODEMUS — And I have brought sweet spices to 
 embalm Him-^Arabian gum, myrrh and aloes, about a 
 hundred pounds. 
 
 JOSEPH — Let us hasten, lest haply the sun go down 
 before 'tis done, and the Sabbath come. (They go out) 
 
 (Enter Mary Magdalene, Salome, Mary James, Mary 
 the mother, and Eli) 
 
 MARY — (To others) Ye saw Him die — my Son, my 
 beloved — What think ye, shall He live again? 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — He shall rise again in the res- 
 urrection of the last day. 
 
 ELI — Nay! Nay! I heard Him say, "In three days." 
 Shall He who cried, "Lazarus, come forth!," not bid 
 Himself arise? He who hath the keys of death and hell? 
 
 SALOME — (Pointing) Look! Joseph, the counsel- 
 lor, and Nicodemus, the night-disciple! 
 
 MARY JAMES — Peter and John are with them, and 
 soldiers with torches. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — They are bearing His body to 
 the tomb. 
 
 ELI — Up the slopes of Olivet, where so often He walk- 
 ed with His disciples. 
 
 MARY — Come, let us go, that we may weep with them. 
 (They go out. Immediately singing is heard, a funer- 
 al dirge drawing nearer. The procession appears. 
 
 27 
 
The Centurion leads. Two soldiers with torches. 
 Peter, John, Joseph and Nicodemus bearing a black 
 covered bier. Mary and Mary Magdalene, Salome 
 and Mary James. Two soldiers with torches and 
 Eli. They sing dirge: Tune: "Crusader's Hymiu") 
 DIRGE— 
 
 Our dear Lord Jesus, 
 
 To the tomb we bear Him 
 
 Who bore the sorrows of us alL 
 
 Now He is sleeping, 
 
 Bitter our weeping, 
 
 While darker still the shadows falL 
 
 Ye, who are mourning 
 
 Dear, dead hearts, departed, 
 
 Ye, who must pass beneath the rod — 
 
 Our grief is greater, 
 
 Our anguish keener: 
 
 Lo, we lament the death of God! 
 
 Lay Him down gently; 
 
 Oh, He is so tired 
 
 Of earth where He was but a guest; 
 
 He, the forsaken, 
 
 Outcast and homeless, 
 
 At last hath found a place to rest. 
 
 (They enter tomb. Women remain outside, though 
 Salome and Mary James look in) 
 
 MARY JAMES — Dost mark the place where they lay 
 Him, Salome? 
 
 SALOME — Aye, yonder in the rock-hewn niche. (Mo- 
 tions) Here His head, and there His feet. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— It is well. We shall find Him 
 again, when the Sabbath is past. 
 
 MARY — Now, for Him, indeed, the Sabbath is begun. 
 
 (Men reappear from tomb. Soldiers place stone 
 against opening.) 
 
 CENTURION— In the name of Caesar I close this 
 tomb forever. (Sealing stone) Let no man's hand be 
 lifted against the seal of great Tiberius. 
 
 28 
 
ELI — But who shall seal the tomb against the hand 
 of the Almighty who rendeth the rocks in pieces? 
 
 MARY — (Leaning her head against tomb) I shall 
 never, never again find peace, until I am as He is now. 
 (Two soldiers on either side of tomb. Centurion in 
 middle, in front of sealed stone. John, Mary and 
 Joseph on one side, Peter, Nicodemus and Eli on 
 the other. Three Marys advance and sing a song 
 of lamentation.) 
 
 (Curtain) 
 
 SCENE VII. JOSEPH'S GARDEN. 
 
 (Dim light. Soldiers guarding tomb. Three Marys 
 
 enter with vessels of ointment, sing song of Easter 
 
 morning, and then pass out) ) 
 
 ANTONIUS — Comrades, is not the night nearly gone? 
 
 LUCIUS — Surely, the dawn is breaking, yonder above 
 
 Olivet. 
 
 FLAVIUS — (As thunder is heard) Thunder? And 
 the sky full of stars? 
 
 PUBLIUS— What was that? It seemed as if the 
 earth trembled — 
 
 ANTONIUS — And the whole mountain side were 
 aquiver! 
 
 (More thunder. Stone of tomb topples over. Bright 
 light. Angel emerges from sepulchre, rolling the 
 fallen stone aside. Soldiers fall down) 
 ANGEL — (With uplifted hand) The Lord is risen, 
 Hallelujah! The Lord is risen, indeed! (Reenters tomb) 
 (Soldiers rise, throw away their spears and run in all 
 directions. Publius meets the Centurion, just en- 
 tering. Centurion draws his sword. — Publius falls 
 on his knees before him.) 
 CENTURION— Coward, knave! Why hast left thy 
 watch? 
 
 PUBLIUS — Captain — My captain! There's something 
 — something that lives — (looking over his shoulder) in 
 yon tomb — A vision came and said, the Jew is risen! 
 
 CENTURION — (Runs forward and looks into tomb) 
 I knew it! I knew it! Said I not, the man is God Him- 
 self? He arose as men wake from slumber, and walked 
 
 29 
 
forth spite of seal and stone! Henceforth the God of 
 Israel is my God! — But come, let us hence and report to 
 Pilate. In truth, he'll tell me I am lying! (They go 
 out) 
 
 (Red light. Soft bird notes. Three Marys enter) 
 
 SALOME — How beautiful is the garden at the break 
 of day! 
 
 MARY JAMES— Like the garden of Solomon, "The 
 flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of 
 the birds is come. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — And the voice of the turtle- 
 dove is heard in our land." 'Tis Easter day and spring 
 has come. 
 
 SALOME — Would to God 'twere spring in our hearts 
 also! Oh, that He, the Prince of Glory, had not died! 
 
 MARY JAMES — And we trusted that it had been He 
 which should have redeemed Israel. 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— Who knows what God may 
 yet do? (Red light) 'Tis the third day. Lo, the Eastern 
 sky is dyed with the rosy tints of morning! 
 
 SALOME — Here are sweet spices to anoint Him, but 
 how may we enter the tomb? 
 
 MARY JAMES — (As they approach tomb) Who shall 
 roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— Look! Look! The stone is 
 rolled away! 
 
 SALOME — The grave is open! 
 
 MARY JAMES — (Looking in) The tomb is empty! 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— Wait here! I will run and 
 tell Peter and John the body is gone! (Runs off stage. 
 Thunder. Bright light. Two angels emerge from tomb. 
 Women start back and fall on their knees) 
 
 FIRST ANGEL— Be not affrighted! Rise and re- 
 joice! (They rise) Ye seek Jesus, of Nazareth which 
 was crucified? 
 
 SECOND ANGEL— He is not here! Behold, He is 
 risen! 
 
 FIRST ANGEL — Why seek ye the living among the 
 dead? 
 
 SECOND ANGEL — Come, see the place where the 
 Lord lay. (They look into the tomb) 
 
 30 
 
FIRST ANGEL— He is not here. Remember, how He 
 spake unto you, saying, the Son of man must be deliver- 
 ed into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified. But 
 the third day He shall rise again. 
 
 SECOND ANGEL — But now go your way, tell His 
 disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee. 
 There shall ye see Him. 
 
 (Women hurry out. Angels enter tomb. Peter and 
 John come running in. John outruns Peter) 
 
 JOHN — (Looking into tomb) 'Tis true, the place is 
 empty! I see the cloth rolled up, but Him I see not. 
 
 PETER — (Enters tomb. Then appears in doorway, 
 displaying linen) Here are the linen wrappings — Here 
 is the napkin that was about His head — I thought the 
 women were telling idle tales — but 'tis so, 'tis so ! 
 
 JOHN — Peter, have they taken the body of Jesus 
 away, or is He risen from the dead? 
 
 PETER — Come, let us seek Joseph, who owns the 
 garden. Perchance he knows what has come to pass. 
 (They go out) 
 
 (Mary Magdalene enters. Approaches tomb, weeping. 
 Does not see angel) 
 
 ANGEL — (Standing in doorway of tomb) Woman, 
 why weepest thou? 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — Because they have taken away 
 my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him. 
 (Turns to side) Hark! A foot-fall! What means this 
 strange sweet thrill of holy fear? — Is't the gardner? 
 — Gardner, sawest thou Him whom my soul loveth? 
 
 VOICE — (From side) Woman, why weepest thou? 
 Whom seekest thou? 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— (Aside) That voice?— That 
 speech? — (Facing toward side) Sir, if thou have borne 
 Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will 
 take Him away! 
 
 VOICE— (From side) "Mary!" 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE — (Running toward side, then 
 sinking on one knee) Rabbi, Rabboni! Master, my Mas- 
 ter! 
 
 VOICE — (From side) "Touch me not, for I am not 
 yet ascended to my father; but go to my brethren and 
 
 31 
 
say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, 
 and to my God and your God." 
 
 (Peter, John, Eli and women enter. Mary Magdalene 
 runs to meet them) 
 
 MARY MAGDALENE— I have seen the Lord! I have 
 seen the Lord! 
 
 SALOME — God be praised! We, too, have seen Him 
 He lives and met us on the way! 
 
 MARY JAMES— "All hail!," He cried, "All hail!" 
 
 SALOME — And we fell at His feet — His pierced feet 
 — and worshipped Him! 
 
 MARY JAMES— But He said unto us, "Fear not!" 
 
 SALOME — And we saw angels — two angels — at the 
 tomb! 
 
 MARY JAMES— One on either side, like the Cheru- 
 bim % at the ends of the Mercy Seat! 
 
 SALOME — Their faces were like lightning, and their 
 raiment white as snow! 
 
 MARY JAMES — Truly, the door of His tomb was like 
 the gate of heaven! 
 
 PETER — As Sampson rose up early and bore away the 
 gates of Gaza, post and bar, even so rose our Master in 
 the morning, and carried away the gates of death! 
 
 MARY — He lives! He lives! Blessed be the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which hath begotten us 
 again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus 
 Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible 
 and undefiled, that fadeth not away! 
 
 ELI — (As if speaking to some one on side) Aha! 
 Scribes, Pharisees, priests, ye could not hold Him! Un- 
 done is all your work — He is risen! Come hither ye that 
 derided Him, ye that scourged Him — bring now your 
 thorns, your lash, your gallow's tree, and see what ye 
 can do in this day of His glory! 
 
 PETER — Father of Lights, make Him to be the Light 
 of men, as Thou hast made the sun to be the light of 
 the earth ! 
 
 ELI — Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reign- 
 eth! 
 
 JOHN — Now is brought to pass the saying that is 
 written, "Death is swallowed up in victory!" 
 
 32 
 
PETER — death, where is thy sting? 
 
 JOHN — O grave, where is thy victory? 
 
 PETER — Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ! 
 
 (While the rest of the characters enter, the three 
 Marys step forward and sing a song of Easter tri- 
 umph) 
 
 MARY — (Steps forward toward audience) And now, 
 ye people all, we ask your company. — Come with us and 
 see the place where the Lord lay. — We speak to those 
 that mourn and would be comforted. — Oh, ye weary 
 ones, ye who are sad and disconsolate, come hither and 
 see the place where the Lord lay — Ye have lost your 
 loved ones, too, many of you — Ye have planted flowers 
 on their graves — ye bedew the green mound with your 
 tears. Why seek ye the living among the dead? The 
 stone is rolled away — He lives, and ye shall live also — 
 and your beloved shall live. — Come and see the place 
 where the Lord lay. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in 
 the dust! Hallelujah! Unto Him be glory and honor 
 and power! Hallelujah! 
 
 (All characters join in singing Hallelujah song, wav- 
 ing evergreen branches in time to music) 
 
 (Curtain) 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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