《高山上的呼喊-go tell it on the mountain》go tell it on the mountain-第14章

y；　trying　to　decide　which　of　all　thesetheaters　he　should　enter。　He　stopped　at　last　before　a　gigantic；　colored　poster　that　represented　awicked　woman；　half　undressed；　leaning　in　a　doorway；　apparently　quarreling　with　a　blond　man　whostared　wretchedly　into　the　street。　The　legend　above　their　heads　was：　‘There’s　a　fool　like　him　inevery　family—and　a　woman　next　door　to　take　him　over！’　He　decided　to　see　this；　for　he　feltidentified　with　the　blond　young　man；　the　fool　of　his　family；　and　he　wished　to　know　more　about　hisso　blatantly　unkind　fate。
And　so　he　stared　at　the　price　above　the　ticket…seller’s　window　and；　showing　her　his　coins；received　the　piece　of　paper　that　was　charged　with　the　power　to　open　doors。　having　once　decided　toenter；　he　did　not　look　back　at　the　street　again　for　fear　that　one　of　the　saints　might　be　passing　and；seeing　him；　might　cry　out　his　name　and　lay　hands　on　him　to　drag　him　back。　He　walked　veryquickly　across　the　carpeted　lobby；　looking　at　nothing；　and　pausing　only　to　see　his　ticket　torn；　halfof　it　thrown　into　a　silver　box　and　half　returned　to　him。　And　then　the　usherette　opened　the　doors　ofthis　dark　palace　and　with　a　flashlight　held　behind　her　took　him　to　his　seat。　Not　even　then；　havingpushed　past　a　wilderness　of　knees　and　feet　to　reach　his　designated　seat；　did　he　dare　to　breathe；　nor；out　of　a　last；　sick　hope　for　forgiveness；　did　he　look　at　the　screen。　He　stared　at　the　darkness　aroundhim；　and　at　the　profiles　that　gradually　emerged　from　this　gloom；　was　so　like　the　gloom　of　Hell。　Hewaited　for　this　darkness　to　be　shattered　by　the　light　of　the　second　ing；　for　the　ceiling　to　crackupward；　revealing；　for　every　eye　to　see；　the　chariots　of　fire　on　which　descended　a　wrathful　God　and　all　the　host　of　Heaven。　He　sank　far　down
Part　2　The　Prayer　Of　The　Saints
THE　PRAYER　OF　THE　SAINTSAnd　they　cried　with　a　loud　voice；saying；　How　long；　O　Lord；　holy　and　true；dost　thou　not　judge　and　avengeour　blood　on　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth1　FLORENCE’S　PRAYERLight　and　life　to　all　He　brings；Risen　with　healing　in　His　wings！
Florence　raised　her　voice　in　the　only　song　she　could　remember　that　her　mother　used　to　sing：
‘It’s　me；　it’s　me；　it’s　me；　oh；　Lord；　Standing　in　the　need　of　prayer。’
Gabriel　turned　to　stare　at　her；　in　astonished　triumph　that　his　sister　should　at　last　behumbled。　She　did　not　look　at　him。　Her　thoughts　were　all　on　God。　After　a　moment；　the　congregationand　the　piano　joined　her：
‘Not　my　father；　not　my　motherBut　it’s　me；　oh；　Lord。’
She　knew　that　Gabriel　rejoiced；　not　that　her　humility　might　lead　her　to　grace；　but　only　thatsome　private　anguish　had　brought　her　low：　her　songs　revealed　that　she　was　suffering；　and　this　herbrother　was　glad　to　see。　This　had　always　been　his　spirit。　Nothing　had　ever　changed　it；　nothing　everwould。　For　a　moment　her　pride　stood　up；　the　resolution　that　had　brought　her　to　this　place　to…nightfaltered；　and　she　felt　that　if　Gabriel　was　the　Lord’s　anointed；　she　would　rather　die　and　endure　Hellfor　all　eternity　than　bow　before　His　altar。　But　she　strangled　her　pride；　rising　to　stand　with　them　inthe　holy　space　before　the　altar；　and　still　singing：
‘Standing　in　the　need　of　prayer。’
Kneeling　as　she　had　not　knelt　for　many　years；　and　in　this　pany　before　the　altar；　shegained　again　from　the　song　the　meaning　it　had　held　for　her　mother；　and　gained　a　new　meaning　forherself。　As　a　child；　the　song　had　made　her　see　a　woman；　dressed　in　black；　standing　in　infinite　mistsalone；　waiting　for　the　form　of　the　Son　of　God　to　lead　her　through　the　white　fire。　This　woman　nowreturned　to　her；　more　desolate；　it　was　herself；　not　knowing　where　to　put　her　foot；　she　waitedtrembling；　for　the　mists　to　be　parted　that　she　might　walk　in　peace。　That　long　road；　her　life；　whichshe　had　followed　for　sixty　groaning　years；　had　led　her　at　last　to　her　mother’s　starting…place；　thealtar　of　the　Lord。　For　her　feet　stood　on　the　edge　of　that　river　which　her　mother；　rejoicing；　hadcrossed　over。　And　would　the　Lord　now　reach　out　His　hand　to　Florence　and　heal　and　save？　But；going　down　before　the　scarlet　cloth　at　the　foot　of　the　golden　cross；　it　came　to　her　that　she　hadforgotten　how　to　pray。
Her　mother　has　taught　her　that　the　way　to　pray　was　to　forget　everything　and　everyone　butJesus；　to　pour　out　of　the　heart；　like　water　from　a　bucket；　all　evil　thoughts；　all　thoughts　of　self；　allmalice　for　one’s　enemies；　to　e　boldly；　and　yet　more　humbly　than　the　little　child；　before　theGiver　of　all　good　things。　Yet；　in　Florence’s　heart　to…night　hatred　and　bitterness　weighed　likegranite；　pride　refused　to　abdicate　from　the　throne　it　had　held　so　long。　Neither　love　nor　humility　hadled　her　to　the　altar；　but　only　fear。　And　God　did　not　hear　the　prayers　of　the　fearful；　for　the　hearts　ofthe　fearful　held　no　belief。　Such　prayers　could　rise　no　higher　that　the　lips　that　uttered　them。
Around　her　she　heard　the　saints’　voices；　a　steady；　charged　murmur；　with　now　and　again　thename　of　Jesus　rising　above；　sometimes　like　the　swift　rising　of　a　bird　into　the　air　of　a　sunny　day；　sometimes　like　the　slow　rising　of　the　mist　from　swamp　ground。　Was　this　the　way　to　pray？　In　thechurch　that　she　had　joined　when　she　first　came　North　one　knelt　before　the　altar　once　only；　in　thebeginning；　to　ask　for　forgiveness　of　sins；　and　this　acplished；　one　was　baptized　and　became　aChristian；　to　kneel　no　more　thereafter。　Even　if　the　Lord　should　lay　some　great　burden　on　one’sback—as　He　has　done；　but　never　so　heavy　a　burden　as　this　she　carried　now—one　prayed　in　silence。
It　was　indecent；　the　practice　of　mon　niggers　to　cry　aloud　at　the　foot　of　the　altar；　tears　streamingfor　all　the　world　to　see。　She　had　never　done　it；　not　even　as　a　girl　down　home　in　the　church　they　hadgone　to　in　those　days。　Now　perhaps　it　was　too　late；　and　the　Lord　would　suffer　her　to　die　in　thedarkness　in　which　she　had　lived　so　long。
In　the　olden　days　God　had　healed　His　children。　He　had　caused　the　blind　to　see；　the　lame　towalk；　and　He　had　raised　dead　men　from　the　grave。　But　Florence　remembered　one　phrase；　whichnow　she　muttered　against　the　knuckles　that　bruised　her　lips：　‘Lord；　help　my　unbelief。’
For　the　message　had　e　to　Florence　that　had　e　to　Hezekiah：　Set　thine　house　in　order；for　thou　shalt　die　and　not　l