Unto thee, O my Strength, will I sing praises, for God is my high tower, the God of my mercy.
[_Then the people fall silent and do not move. But the great words that they have spoken together have very deeply stirred this single girl who has stood apart and listened. With the last word of the Psalm, she seems of a sudden to grow taller. A smile like light itself spreads over her face. Light seems to grow out of her. She lifts her two arms in a wild abandonment to exaltation and cries out._]
[_The Chronicler looks up in amazement at this sudden shout._
_The girl takes a few tense steps down toward him and the light about her grows ever in whiteness._]
Write more, write more, you Chronicler! Write how the roots Stir in the ground! Write how the sap Stirs in the trees! Write how the thaw Gives breath of life! And write how God Peers through the firmament Upon the continents; for this day is glory!
Men call me different names. God calls me Freedom!
[_Upon this, a gigantic roll of the drums. The girl, Freedom, turns her back slowly upon the audience as Parson Clark begins to address his congregation. She goes up, tensely and superbly, face to face with him._]
It has come now to our turn, Americans, to see what we can do. The indignant spirit of self-government which inspired our ancestors is now pronounced by the Lords and Commons of England to be a spirit of rebellion. The colonies hesitate not a moment, but unite and greatly dare to be free. God who sitteth upon the throne of his holiness, the governor among nations, will know our cause and uphold our right to freedom. Let us pray.
[_The people kneel. Only the girl, Freedom, stands upright. The Parson prays, the people repeating his prayer with him in unison. She walks rigidly up the slope to the edge of the crowd to the Parson’s side. At the end of the prayer she is standing beside him. This is the prayer_:]
O Lord, when dangers surround us and oppressors threaten our rights and enemies invade our homes, we, thy people, look to thee, O Lord, for our refuge and, committing our cause to thy wisdom and justice, we do humbly expect, O Lord, that light will arise in darkness, that the power of the oppressor may be broken, that our enemies will not prevail against us, that our God will maintain our right. Amen.