| |
I
(Bass drum beaten loudly)
BOOTH 1 led boldly with his big bass drum— | |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | |
| The Saints smiled gravely and they said: “He’s come.” | |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | |
| Walking lepers followed, rank on rank, | 5 |
| Lurching bravoes from the ditches dank, | |
| Drabs from the alleyways and drug fiends pale— | |
| Minds still passion-ridden, soul-powers frail:— | |
| Vermin-eaten saints with mouldy breath, | |
| Unwashed legions with the ways of Death— | 10 |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | |
| |
(Banjos)
Every slum had sent its half-a-score | |
| The round world over. (Booth had groaned for more.) | |
| Every banner that the wide world flies | |
| Bloomed with glory and transcendent dyes. | 15 |
| Big-voiced lasses made their banjos bang, | |
| Tranced, fanatical, they shrieked and sang:— | |
| “Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” | |
| Hallelujah! It was queer to see | |
| Bull-necked convicts with that land make free. | 20 |
| Loons with trumpets blowed a blare, blare, blare, | |
| On, on upward thro’ the golden air! | |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | |
| |
II
(Bass drum slower and softer)
Booth died blind and still by Faith he trod, | |
| Eyes still dazzled by the ways of God. | 25 |
| Booth led boldly, and he looked the chief, | |
| Eagle countenance in sharp relief, | |
| Beard a-flying, air of high command | |
| Unabated in that holy land. | |
| |
(Sweet flute music)
Jesus came from out the court-house door, | 30 |
| Stretched his hands above the passing poor. | |
| Booth saw not, but led his queer ones there | |
| Round and round the mighty court-house square. | |
| Yet in an instant all that blear review | |
| Marched on spotless, clad in raiment new. | 35 |
| The lame were straightened, withered limbs uncurled | |
| And blind eyes opened on a new, sweet world. | |
| |
(Bass drum louder)
Drabs and vixens in a flash made whole! | |
| Gone was the weasel-head, the snout, the jowl! | |
| Sages and sibyls now, and athletes clean, | 40 |
| Rulers of empires and of forests green! | |
| |
(Grand chorus of all instruments. Tambourines to the foreground)
The hosts were sandalled, and their wings were fire! | |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | |
| But their noise played havoc with the angel-choir | |
| (Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?) | 45 |
| O, shout Salvation! It was good to see | |
| Kings and Princes by the Lamb set free. | |
| The banjos rattled and the tambourines | |
| Jing-jing-jingled in the hands of Queens. | |
| |
(Reverently sung, no instruments)
And when Booth halted by the curb for prayer | 50 |
| He saw his Master thro’ the flag-filled air. | |
| Christ came gently with a robe and crown | |
| For Booth the soldier, while the throng knelt down. | |
| He saw King Jesus. They were face to face, | |
| And he knelt a-weeping in that holy place. | 55 |
| Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? | |
