And in the midst Of all these supernatural threats and warnings Doth Heresy uplift its horrid head; A vision of Sin more awful and appalling Than any phantasm, ghost, or apparition, As arguing and portending some enlargement Of the mysterious Power of Darkness! EDITH, barefooted, and clad in sackcloth, with her hair hanging loose upon her shoulders, walks slowly up the aisle, followed by WHARTON and other Quakers.

The congregation starts up in confusion.
EDITH (to NORTON, raising her hand).
Peace! NORTON.
Anathema maranatha! The Lord cometh! EDITH.
Yea, verily He cometh, and shall judge The shepherds of Israel who do feed themselves, And leave their flocks to eat what they have trodden Beneath their feet.
NORTON.
Be silent, babbling woman! St.Paul commands all women to keep silence Within the churches.
EDITH.
Yet the women prayed And prophesied at Corinth in his day; And, among those on whom the fiery tongues Of Pentecost descended, some were women! NORTON.
The Elders of the Churches, by our law, Alone have power to open the doors of speech And silence in the Assembly.

I command you! EDITH.
The law of God is greater than your laws! Ye build your church with blood, your town with crime; The heads thereof give judgment for reward; The priests thereof teach only for their hire; Your laws condemn the innocent to death; And against this I bear my testimony! NORTON.
What testimony?
EDITH.
That of the Holy Spirit, Which, as your Calvin says, surpasseth reason.
NORTON.
The laborer is worthy of his hire.
EDITH.
Yet our great Master did not teach for hire, And the Apostles without purse or scrip Went forth to do his work.

Behold this box Beneath thy pulpit.

Is it for the poor?
Thou canst not answer.