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Piercing the heart of his friend had struck his own, and had sundered

Once and forever the bonds that held him bound as a

captive,

Wild with excess of sensation, the awful delight of his freedom,

Mingled with pain and regret, unconscious of what he

was doing,

Clasped, almost with a groan, the motionless form of

Priscilla,

915

Pressing her close to his heart, as forever his own, and exclaiming:

"Those whom the Lord hath united, let no man put them asunder!"

Even as rivulets twain, from distant and separate sources,

Seeing each other afar, as they leap from the rocks, and pursuing

Each one its devious path, but drawing nearer and

nearer,

920

Rush together at last, at their trysting-place in the

forest;

So these lives that had run thus far in separate channels,

911-915 Explain in your own words these sensations of John Alden. 917 Look up Mark x. 6-9.

Coming in sight of each other, then swerving and flowing asunder,

Parted by barriers strong, but drawing nearer and

nearer,

Rushed together at last, and one was lost in the

other.

925

IX

THE WEDDING-DAY

Forth from the curtain of clouds, from the tent of purple and scarlet,

Issued the sun, the great High-Priest, in his garments resplendent,

Holiness unto the Lord, in letters of light, on his fore

head,

Round the hem of his robe the golden bells and pome

granates.

Blessing the world he came, and the bars of vapor

beneath him

930

Gleamed like a grate of brass, and the sea at his feet was a laver!

924 What were the "barriers strong"?

927-929 For a partial description of the garments of a Jewish High-Priest, look up Exodus xxviii. 31–38.

981 Laver: look up Exodus xxx. 17-19.

This was the wedding morn of Priscilla the Puri

tan maiden.

Friends were assembled together; the Elder and Magistrate also

Graced the scene with their presence, and stood like the Law and the Gospel,

935

One with the sanction of earth and one with the blessing of heaven. Simple and brief was the wedding as that of Ruth and of Boaz.

Softly the youth and the maiden repeated the words of betrothal,

Taking each other for husband and wife in the Magistrate's presence,

After the Puritan way, and the laudable custom of Holland.

Fervently then and devoutly, the excellent Elder of

Plymouth

940

932 Wedding morn: this was probably the second marriage which took place in the colony.

984 Law and the Gospel: are both represented in a marriage ceremony of to-day? Which is represented by the marriage license? By the marriage certificate? Why must the law be represented? Why the Gospel? (See reference on line 917.)

936 You will find the story of Ruth in Ruth i. 1-8 and 16-18, ii. 1-2 and 15-16. Boaz, her kinsman, was quickly charmed with Ruth and made her his wife.

Prayed for the hearth and the home, that were founded that day in affection,

Speaking of life and of death, and imploring Divine benedictions.

Lo! when the service was ended, a form appeared on the threshold,

Clad in armor of steel, a sombre and sorrowful figure!

Why does the bridegroom start and stare at the strange apparition?

945

Why does the bride turn pale, and hide her face on his shoulder?

Is it a phantom of air, a bodiless, spectral illu

sion?

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Is it a ghost from the grave, that has come to forbid the betrothal ?

Long had it stood there unseen, a guest uninvited, unwelcomed;

Over its clouded eyes there had passed at times an expression

950

941, 942 It is evident that the magistrate performed what we call the wedding ceremony and the minister offered the prayer afterward. With us to-day, the magistrate is not usually present, the minister having charge of the whole ceremony. Are marriages ever performed without the minister?

Softening the gloom and revealing the warm heart hidden beneath them,

As when across the sky the driving rack of the rain cloud

Grows for a moment thin, and betrays the sun by its brightness.

Once it had lifted its hand, and moved its lips, but was silent,

As if an iron will had mastered the fleeting inten

tion

955

But when were ended the troth and the prayer and the last benediction,

Into the room it strode, and the people beheld with amazement

Bodily there in his armor Miles Standish, the Captain of Plymouth!

Grasping the bridegroom's hand, he said with emotion, 66 Forgive me!

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I have been cruel and hard, but now, thank God! it

is ended.

Mine is the same hot blood that leaped in the veins of Hugh Standish,

955 What was probably the "fleeting intention"? (See line 948 of the text.)

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