New-York tribune., 1874-09-12

In these verses is the keynote of Davids inspiration
and his fate He has an intense imagination, which has
only itself and the mythical promises and prophecies
of scripture 60 feed upon. He has looked inward ana
upward TILL he become mystic and finding himsen
superior 10 the commonplace minds about him. he be-
Ieves himself called with special call Love, too Is
dawnng in and quickeDng his senses Rhoda
neiebbors daughter has touched his Spring time fancy,
and even while he sings she approaches and he tells
her what she is-a soul in whom Glove is one with
faith" He says:
The trust YOU give means eternal term,
And following through good and Ill report,
And with strong heart sustaining where the NINA
Would stop and question. These were womans gifts
When she bebed the Master and Obeyed;
And they are yours.
And so the two pass OF sight together but pres
emily return tell the father and mother of their
love-
Next comes a revival camp-meeting 10 one of Bay
ard Tayors novels he has vivdly sketohed revival"
and effects. With the same free hand he has drawn
IN this poem revival preacher Of the campmeeting
yet coarse; fierce in his denuneiations
yet with certain magnetic force about him which drew
men weeping TO his feet. AT this camp-meetDg David
Brst dmly reveals his visions. In exhorting him the
preacher has spoken Of the promises OF the Lord and
David cries: ,,
The power Of miracle and prophecy.
And gift Of tOnguesl He promised them to all;
Aud Paul confirmed it. Tel me- then we s,gns'
The heart within me aches from stress OF Ialth'
Which is the seal and covenant Tor them
Whom He has chosen.
There are movements and EXPLANATIONS among the
people: loud reprOaohes from the minister and re-
founders from David who is finally driven away among
cries of "inhdel" and "AntChrist," followed by his
servingman Peter who is quite willing to defend him.
IL need be- with carnal weapons Then comes Rhoda'
10 heal him with her faith in him. His father Is troubled
about the verdict Of the public on this extraordinary
demonstration; but a certain awe-sruck pride
ayakens in the mothers heart. Then, bike other
propbets David betakes himself 10 the Wilderness lie
spends four days in wild. rocky valley between
hills covered with forests. Rhoda dvines that ITO In
trude on him with worldly ministrations were to
anger him. So assisted by Peter, she carries hm food
unseen by him. and spreads it for him on rock; and
finding il there believes hmself-like the prophet OF
old 10 whom the ravens minsteredthe special care OF
God and by this special sealed TO special work
Here IN his solitude Nmrod Kraft his first disciple and
future high priest comes to him with professions OF
faith-acknowledges Davids authority. and asks his
blessing This devotion from another makes David
more OF himself
The rest follows rapidly. His fame spreads through
al the country round People flock 10 him. and, verify
he gives them sign from Heaven. for while he speaks
20 them OF the faith that rend rocks and remove
maintains To- a part of the rock at which he points
crashes down with great noise and reverberaton and
all the people cry, "A prophet aye, prophet ~
With this scene the act OF the tragedy ends. The
next act opens two years later on western prairie
emigrant wagons are scattered
toward the west aud swell Of ground stands one
solitary wagon in which seated David, the Prophet
and Rhoda his wife, with their child in her arms.
Peter faithful servingman is standing at the horses
heads David is sad His faith in himself does not SUI
fee TO upft him above human loves and longngs. He
remembers his mothers farewell words aud is saddened
nv them; and he remembers only too well, a womans
face which he had seen a week previous-a woman who
name 10 hear his message and sitting on the outskirts
of those gathered a dusky hall TO hear him preach,
oxed him with her wonderful eyes He talks Of her TO
Rhoda
At Grst I said 'Tis Mary Magdslen,
Whose sins forgiven still left her virtue sad
But klndled with my words the while drew
picture OF the kingdom sne became tIdn so,,ao
Sne touched the sceptre proud, obedient
Sure Of the end. power came forth from her,
As II OF wings mpdnoning mine own
Can she believe, nor foll0wf
Rhoda bids him think rather OF his faithful flock and
,be fnture glories OF his mission but he sadly
realizing at that light is lonely TO human
soul and thinking that only would have been able
with him 70 all, the gloomy glory OF whose reluctant
eyes he well remembered.
But when they reach the city," which the faithful
have made ready for the coming Of their prophet,
house larger than the rest is hung with garlands and
the people meeting David, who approaches on horse
back cast green branches before hlm And then band
Of singing women approach, and who should lead
them but Livia Romney, the woman OF the prophets
dreams whose dark eyes, reluctant no longer are dan
gerous with welcome She has composed for the prophet
a hyn of praise and triumph and while she sings 10 he
cries aside IL hcrself How beautiful she stands "
The people faithless is Of DID, have clamored for q
sign and David feels within himself no power to give
It, With subtle, wOmsnly instinct Liyia diyines his
need and bowng herself before him Graves his blessing
and asks OF the gift OF tongues He looks in her
face ana answers Take thou the gft - and forthwith
she strange mghtysounding words the meaning
OF which present knows And so the people are
satisfed-the prophet has wrought miracle.
II were long describe what certainly not tedious
n the reading the establishment Of the faithful u this
promised land--the building Of the templethe strife
for power among the twelve and the high priest and
through II aIl the charm aud force of Lvia making
themselves felt She was woman for lesder-a
Miriam Joan OF Arc only less pure, and more selfish
subtly she suggests that women 70 be TO the
true faith through ovethat religion must satisfy heart
and sense, If 1t would seal and save the soul. And
gradually the wish Is father TO the thought ana poyg
amy grows into the creed Of the prophet and hs fol-
lowers. 3d. they think God appoints the wilderness 70
DE peoped-the souls Of women to be saved
Rhoda has believed always in her Prophet-out from
thls new revelation she shrnks In deadly anguish In
shs css she lets David know that was and not