The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #7870 Message #1184679
Posted By: masato sakurai
13-May-04 - 09:09 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Add: The Holy City (Jerusalem)
Subject: RE: The Holy City (Jerusalem)
From African Methodist Episcopal Church Review, Vol. 28, Num. 1 (10/1911), pp. 620-21:
"THE HOLY CITY."
Thirty men, red-eyed and disheveled, lined up before a judge of the San
Francisco police court. It was the regular morning company of "drunks
and disorderlies." Some were old and hardened, others hung their heads
in shame. Just as the momentary disorder attending the bringing in of
the prisoners quieted down, a strange thing happened. A strong, clear
voice from below began singing:
"Last night I lay a-sleeping,
There came a dream so fair."
Last night! It had been for them all a nightmare or a drunken stupor.
The song was such a contrast to the horrible fact that no one could fail of
a sudden shock at the thought the song suggested.
"I stood in old Jerusalem,
Beside the temple there"
the song went on. The judge had paused. He made a quiet inquiry. A
former member of a famous opera company, known all over the country,
was awaiting trial for forgery. It was he who was singing in his cell.
Meantime the song went on and every man in the line showed emotion.
One or two dropped on their knees; one boy at the end of the line, after a
desperate effort at self-control, leaned against the wall, buried his face
against his folded arms, and sobbed, "O mother, mother!"
The sobs, cutting to the very heart of the men who heard, and the song, still
welling its way through the court room, blended in the hush. At length
one man protested.
"Judge," said he "have we got to submit to this? We're here to take
our punishment, but this--" He, too, began to sob.
It was impossible to proceed with the business of the court, yet the judge
gave no order to stop the song The police sergeant, after a surprised
effort to keep the men in line, stepped back and waited with the rest. The
song moved on to its climax:
"Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Sing, for the night is o'er!
Hosanna in the highest! Hosanna for evermore!"
In an ecstacy of melody the last words rang out, and then there was
silence.
The judge looked into the faces of the men before him. There was not
one who was not touched by the song; not one in whom some better impulse
was not stirred. He did not call the cases singly-a kind word of advice,
and he dismissed them all. No man was fined or sentenced to the work-
house that morning. The song had done more good than punishment
could have accomplished.