The king's cupbearer; an historical morality play in twelve canticles

Front matter

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' 1 1 ! 1 i JONG'S

AGNES CHALMERS

Introduction

This play is designed to give to the world a simple lesson in honest building. No more appropriate words of introduction could be offered than Montaigne has given in describing the value of the honest motive which should accompany all constructive work. " ? Tis an exact life," writes Montaigne, "that maintains itself in due order in private. Every one may juggle his part, and represent an honest man upon the stage; but within, and in his own bosom, where all may do as they list, where all is concealed, to be regular — there's the point. The next degree is to be so in his house, and in his ordinary actions, for which we are accountable to none, and where there is no study nor artifice. And therefore Bias, setting forth the excellent state of a private family, says: 'of which the master is the same within, by his own virtue and temper, that he is abroad, for fear of the laws and report of men/ And it was a worthy saying of Julius Drusus, to the masons who offered him for three thousand crowns to put his house in such a posture that his neighbors should no longer have the same inspection into it as before: 'I will give you/ said he, 'six thousand to make it so that everybody may see into every room/ "

If this play furnishes an opportunity to look more closely into our dwellings, and if, even in a degree, it enables "everybody" to "see into every room," "The King's Cupbearer" shall thus have aided — somewhat — in the ultimate liberation of the human race.

Agnes Chalmers Grand Rapids, Michigan, Thanksgiving, 1916.

THE CAST

Canticle I

(In the order of their appearance) Hanani, brother of Nehemiah First Jew Second Jew Third Jew

Nehemiah, the King's cupbearer Artaxerxes, King of Babylon (Military Aid) Hearinc — Wakefulness Sight — Intuition Taste — Discernment Touch — Faith Smell — Understanding

Canticle II (Previous Characters)

Canticle III

Eliashib, the High Priest Several Priests Men op Jericho

THE CAST (continued) Zaccur

Sons of Hassenaah Meremoth, Meshullam, and Zadok Several Tekoites Jehoiada and Meshullam Melatiah and Jadon Uzziel and Hananiah Rephaiah, Jedaiah and Hattush Hashub Shallum

Daughters of Shallum Hanun Malchiah

Benjamin and Hashub Binnui and Palal The Nethinims and Tekoites Priests

Zadok and Shemaiah Hananiah, Hanun and Meshullam Malchiah (the goldsmith's son) Goldsmiths and Merchants Eldest Daughter of Shallum

THE CAST (continued)

Canticle IV

First Messenger

Sensuality or Personal Attraction

Geshem

Second Messenger

Shame or Condemnation

Creeds of Men

Sleep

Canticle V (Previous Characters)

Canticle VI Groups of Jews Shemaiah Wife of Shemaiah Hashub Binnui Previous Characters

Canticle VII (Sanballat's Messengers) Pride of Achievement Prejudice Human Goodness and his and her dual self,

Self-Pity Shiftlessness

THE CAST (continued)

Human Will and his two children, Greed and Dishonesty

Personality

Human Ease

Jealousy

Idolatry

Self-Righteousness

Hurry

Persecution

Enemy

Love of Money and his dual self, Limitation

Canticle VIII

Human Birth

The Twelve Tribes of Israel, or Silent

Approbation Maturity Discouragement Death Desire-to-be-Alone, or Human Goodness,

whose better self is Understanding

Canticle IX Imps

Ezra, the Scribe Tobiah Previous Characters

THE CAST (continued) Canticle X (Previous Characters) New Cupbearer

Canticles XI and XII (Previous Characters)

Historical Sketch

The word, Nehemiah, is derived from the Hebrew, nek-hem-yaw, meaning "comforted of God." The word, Jerusalem, is from the Hebrew, yer-oo-shaw-lame, meaning founded peacefully, or, habitation of peace. "To be safe in mind, body and estate," one authority adds in defining Jerusalem.

Nehemiah, the Jewish patriot, was Cupbearer in the royal palace of Shushan during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus. During Nehemiah's term of service in the Persian Court, word came of the unfortunate condition of the children of Israel, the remnant, or returned colony, who dwelt unprotected in the unfortified city of Jerusalem. In this connection, it is of interest to recall that in the year 588 B. C, Nebuzar-adan, a lieutenant under Nebuchadnezzer, razed to the ground the city of Jerusalem, its Tempie and protecting walls. Moses had earlier predicted that, if in the land of their captivity the children of Israel repented of their evil, the Holy City would again be restored to them and that they would then be able to rejoice in peace and safety within the protection of its rebuilt fortifications.

Nehemiah's sincere concern for the welfare of the captive Jews within the devastated "City of David" led him earnestly to request the King to give him a commission to go to Jerusalem and repair the demolished walls of the city. Having obtained this royal commission, the King's Cupbearer left the Persian Court, accompanied by a military escort, and reached Jerusalem B. C. 444, remaining there until B. C. 432.

During the first fifty-two days of the Prince's sojourn in Jerusalem, he rebuilt the city's wall, and although he was beset on all sides with discouragements and doubts, he faithfully continued his work until the fortifications were finished. During the process of the work on the walls, Nehemiah was persecuted unceasingly by the jealous governors of Samaria and the Plain region, Sanballat and Geshem and their accomplice, Tobiah. In order to defeat the purpose of his scheming enemies, Nehemiah set a watch "against them day and night." He supplied his workers with both tools and weapons so that they might work with one hand and with the other fight against the foe.

This earnest Prince not only bore the mockery and abuse of those outside of the city but he likewise endured the condemnation of his own workmen who rebelled against the heavy tithes and cruel oppression of their rulers and nobles.

After the completion of the wall, the people joyously realized that they truly understood for the first time the Law, when they heard the Bible read by Ezra, the Scribe.

Although a solemn covenant had been made to "walk in God's law" by observing brotherly love, supporting the Temple, and avoiding inter-marriages with the heathen, after Nehemiah was called back to Babylon, all of these sacred vows were broken. In this connection it is interesting to note that historians give two views of this absence of Nehemiah from Jerusalem. Some writers are of the opinion that Nehemiah was called back to Babylon for punishment because of the accusatory letters Sanballat and Geshem sent to Artaxerxes regarding the Cupbearer's desire, or ambition, rather, to become King of Jerusalem. Other writers are of the opinion that Nehemiah returned to the Persian Court in fulfillment of the promise he gave before leaving Jerusalem. The view is here taken that Nehemiah was punished as a convict slave, doomed to hard labor in the quarries of Persia during his nine years' absence from Jerusalem.

After this sojourn Nehemiah again returned to Jerusalem. He witnessed the ejection of Eliashib and Tobiah from the Temple because of their attempt personally to own the Church which is destined to serve impersonally all mankind. This royal Cupbearer beheld the separation of the mixed tribes from Israel, arranged for the reward of the singers and the Levites who had actually performed the work of reconstruction, and made provision for the perpetual care and support of the Temple. The view is here taken that these reforms which followed Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem were actually accomplished through the Cupbearer's surrender of all human power, which left him in possession of divine authority.

In all these ways, Nehemiah, "The King's Cupbearer," acted much as all others act today whose desire is to build rather than to destroy. He knew that the practical and the ideal, the male and the female, must be forever united in the individual consciousness.

Possibly history will not bear out the license taken when the daughters of Shallum are made to appear as actual workers on the walls of Jerusalem. The appearance of the daughters of Shallum as builders; and the five women, representing Wakefulness, Intuition, Faith, Discernment, and Understanding, coincides with the tender womanly traits "The King's Cupbearer" manifested in the loving, motherly care he showed at all times for the welfare of the children of Israel. In his consistent desire to rebuild the waste walls of Jerusalem, and thus safeguard the remnant of the house of Israel, Nehemiah was, in reality, re-establishing for all time that quality of thought which Bernard Shaw designates as "an eternal womanly principle in the universe." Nehemiah's fearless denunciation of crafty malice in his fight against the governors of the Plain shows forth the courageous masculine traits of this Prince's noble character. Nehemiah fully realized that strength and courage, patience and intuition must be truly manifested by one who would become an honest, construetive builder, and therefore stood earnestly by his work day by day.

In quoting the Psalms in this play, it is with the thought that possibly some of these constructive songs of gratitude came into being when the waste walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt as a protection to the city and its temple.

No more fitting tribute was ever given than that which history has recorded of Nehemiah, "The King's Cupbearer:" "His character seems almost without a blemish."

History confirms the fact that Great Britain, like Nehemiah, has throughout the centuries consistently continued to build the world's wall, rarely, if ever, leaving the scene of action. It is undeniable that the United States of America, likened here to womanly intuition or spiritual understanding, finally came to the world's rescue in the latter days of the first phase of Armageddon. Thus

another act of the long conflict between the flesh and the spirit was ended.

In the same manner, America's hand must again steady the world's wall until the four sides of the Holy City are rightly reconstructed. These four equal sides are here represented as Capital, Labor, Nation and Church.

In the final phase of Armageddon, all of those who see face to face shall have the joy of beholding the final defeat of human goodness through the mighty power of spiritual understanding. To this end, all men, nations and creeds, in this reconstruction period, are building together for good.