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Book of Mormon
Revelation

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Lyrics: Scene Two - Night <br/> <br/> ALMA: (holding a book of metal plates) <br/>God's word, and Abinadi's words to us <br/>This is the light I desire, as I would know <br/>That which God would say to me. How strange it seems, <br/>That a book should contain my salvation: <br/>A book heavy with the promise of future years, <br/>Of prophecies to come, of prophets yet unborn. <br/>Will God speak to me now? <br/>Then let it be through these words! <br/> <br/> (He opens the book) <br/> <br/>Abinadi! Though he is dead, his words live; <br/>They enter my heart, and I am born again. <br/>That words could be so powerful, I might doubt, <br/>Knew I not the power of this record. <br/>I feel urged to write, but know not what to say. <br/>Oh, God! Is this thy answer, that I be struck dumb, <br/>And have not utterance before thee? How shall I console <br/>Thy people? What hope can I give them? <br/> (He reads aloud) <br/>"Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places <br/>Of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, <br/>He hath redeemed Jerusalem." <br/> <br/> (He closes the book and places it on the ground) <br/> <br/>Abinadi, did you also see our salvation? <br/>My heart is heavy as the stormclouds <br/>That cover this land. When will come the dawn? <br/> <br/> (Exit. Enter PRIESTCRAFT) <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>Night is full upon us, and the waves of terror that we stirred <br/>On a sea of rage, spread farther and reach their shore. <br/>All things are in commotion, for men's hearts fail them, <br/>And they fall. No light shines from barred shutters <br/>To reveal a land filled with fear. The Prince of Night <br/>Rides in his shadowy chariot, a scourge of darkness <br/>To a world now dark. <br/> <br/> (Exit. Enter AMULON, wearing a sword) <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Is this where Alma worships? This the temple to his god? <br/>Where is the pulpit? Where are the gold, the jewels, <br/>The outward symbols of God's glory? I see nothing here <br/>But an empty room. Then is his God also empty? <br/> <br/> (He sees the plates and picks them up) <br/> <br/>Is this his book of doctrine, his scripture? <br/>Gold, most precious metal. <br/>A book, nothing more. <br/> <br/> (He reads aloud.) <br/> <br/>"The words of Abinadi, which he spake before the king." <br/>Abinadi: he returns to confront me once more, <br/>And his words remain. <br/> <br/> (He reads silently. Enter - as each voice sings - the CHORUS as VOICES OF NIGHT, standing behind AMULON; no one on stage sees them) <br/> <br/> VOICES OF NIGHT: <br/>Abinadi, prophet of God! Abinadi, doomed to fire! <br/>The words of Abinadi, his words! <br/>Abinadi, who still lives and speaks! <br/>Slain by fire, he walks the earth! <br/>His words remain when he is dust! <br/>Prophet of God, slain for sin and iniquity! <br/>Abinadi! <br/> <br/> AMULON: (dropping the plates) <br/>No, he is dead, he is dead! <br/>I killed him, he lives no more! <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi, Abinadi, prophet of God: <br/>He speaks from the dust. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>He is dead; why does he torment me? <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>His words, his prophecies remain. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>I killed him, I burned him; his ashes are gone, <br/>Scattered by the wind. He is no more. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi! <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Yet the wind speaks: his ashes stir to life, <br/>To words of power and punishment upon me; <br/>He walks from the grave, to live again. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>He speaks from the dust, and lives. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>No, he is dead; let him die! <br/>I could not kill him with fire; <br/>Let me now kill him with my sword, <br/>As I draw it on his spirit! <br/> <br/> (Brandishes the sword) <br/> <br/>I thrust, and he is slain! <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi, Abinadi. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>No; he is not here. I am alone. <br/>He is gone; I sheathe my sword. <br/> <br/> (Sheathes it) <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>He lives: Abinadi! <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>He is dead, but is with me still. <br/>He roams the darkness of my mind, <br/>To surprise me in my weakness, <br/>And bring remorse at his death. <br/>No, I will not yield to him. He will not <br/>Have power over me, from this moment. I will <br/>Control him, force him to my own strong will. <br/>Abinadi! Hear me as I address you! <br/> <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>He will not hear you, nor answer your words. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>He must listen when I speak! He shall not mock me <br/>As does Alma, for I will forbid it! <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>No man can give you respect. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>I will demand and receive it, for my word is law. <br/>Now will Alma and his people tremble at my wrath! <br/>This temple I will destroy, that they may have <br/>No place to practice their mockery of religion. <br/>I will work them; I will raise temples to the true God, <br/>And praise his might. Though Alma shudders at my commands, <br/>He will obey them, or I will slay him. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>The wind rises, carrying cruel destruction with it, <br/>And none shall stop its onward rush across this land, <br/>Until it ravages all it meets, flesh and stone, <br/>Crumbling all beneath its onslaught of judgment. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Earth too will rise, and sea, and fire, all things <br/>Proclaim the might of him who rules above all! <br/>I will cleanse this land with fire, purify it of all <br/>Evil deeds and doctrines. None will dare stray <br/>From the path I establish. Be with me, my people! <br/>Together we will find a new world of hope, <br/>Better than this one of sordid fear, and we will live <br/>In those halls of light that beckon me onward, <br/>Until I reach that end I have seen and desired <br/>From the first. My people! I will lead you to your land <br/>Of promise; not Zarahemla, but a land far better <br/>Than an earthly one. <br/>There is no one to stop me, save only Alma <br/>Who is blind, and cannot see the truth I would give him. <br/>He will not oppose me then; no one can oppose <br/>That which all would have come to pass. <br/> <br/> (Draws the sword) <br/> <br/>Come, sword, to my hand: by sword and fire shall I triumph, <br/>In a new day of life, <br/>Of unending rewards. And I will achieve it. I will! <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi, Abinadi. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Abinadi, you also threaten my goal. <br/>But I will stop you and will win. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>His words remain. Abinadi! <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Yes, his words, his words, these words; this record. <br/>It is all that is left of you, Abinadi, <br/>All that still lives. But I will destroy you <br/>And your words. Nothing will exist when I finish, <br/>Not a trace of your lies! <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Stay your hand: he speaks from the dust, from the dust. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>And his ashes too are dust. The dust of the earth <br/>Moves in obedience to God's will; Abinadi sleeps, <br/>And his tongue is now stilled. Why should I fear <br/>A dead record? I have killed Abinadi; his words <br/>Will die of themselves. Were I to destroy this record, <br/>Worlds yet unborn would revere it as scripture. <br/>I leave it to be passed on as scripture <br/>And none will heed its message, <br/>But will view it from afar, and say, <br/>"It is too ordinary for God's word." <br/>I leave the record for Alma. <br/>Men cannot read a closed book; <br/>They will not read an open one. <br/> <br/> (Enter PRIESTCRAFT) <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>The night is dark, Amulon; what leads you here, <br/>That you shed your light against the darkness? <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>I fear danger from this people, and arm myself. <br/>If they rise they will be as a wave of the sea, <br/>And I will be powerless to stop them, unless I prepare. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi! <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>What is that I hear? <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>Only the wind; no more. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>The wind rises in the hearts of this people, <br/>And they are moved to wrath against me. <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>You have the King's decree: if the people rise, <br/>Let his armies judge them. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>I too am judged, but not of the King. <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>Whose hand is raised against you, God's servant? <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>A dead hand, whose form is not swayed by the light <br/>Of reason: even Abinadi, who is dead, who now walks <br/>Before me, to my destruction. <br/> <br/> PRIESTCRAFT: <br/>A dead hand? Then let it die! Cease these fears, <br/>These midnight groanings of your spirit, <br/>And Abinadi will depart with the dawn. <br/> <br/> (Exit) <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi! The voices of night echo your words, <br/>And your spirit stirs the wind of fear in men's souls. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>And that which I feel is not from God or Satan. <br/>My own soul is the source of this fear, <br/>And I know not the depth of the night within me. <br/> VOICES: <br/>Such a night can have no dawn. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>Nor can I ever know the extent of my fear: <br/>For if I search it closely, I will know the agony <br/>Of seeing myself mirrored there. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>The sword of selfdoubt lodges in our hearts, <br/>Killing what is good within us <br/>Until death of spirit is the only reality. <br/> <br/> AMULON: (stares at his sword) <br/>My sword, herald of my own dark future! <br/>I thought to be supreme, to rule over Alma. <br/>Yet now I find life a burden, worth as little as the pain <br/>Of selfslaughter. <br/> <br/> (Points the sword at himself) <br/> <br/>This sword, sharp as the word of God, <br/>Would of itself seek to end my agony. <br/> <br/> (Pushes the sword point away with his free hand) <br/> <br/>I stay it with my hand; I feel compelled to live, <br/>As if my life has still some unseen goal for my ambition, <br/>That would bring all to the dust before it. <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>Abinadi speaks from the dust. <br/> <br/> AMULON: <br/>And where I once was dust, there shall I again be, <br/>With no gain from the cycle. The kings of the earth <br/>Are gone, and will go. My ambition is my better half, <br/>For I have slain the inner soul that once was my heart. <br/>My ends disappear, as too my glory; like a wave driven <br/>Before the wind, I slip through the sea of life. <br/>Abinadi, you have escaped me. I cannot see your shadow, <br/>For it covers me, blinding me to the light <br/>I no longer know. My sword, away from me! <br/> <br/> (Casts it aside.) <br/> <br/>I know it not! Vanity; it is vanity. My pride <br/>Has brought me to this, that I stand alone <br/>In a deserted temple, and commune with the night. <br/>There is no solace here. Now is my path unsure, <br/>For my wandering steps to explore. Abinadi! <br/>I am dead, not you. Your flames were my pyre; <br/>Your ashes have scattered, as my will. <br/>The lightning I called upon you <br/>Has struck me instead, and I knew it not, <br/>But indulged my pity in selfdespair <br/>For not knowing the truth about you. <br/>Abinadi! My hand was not unsure when I threw the torch <br/>On your pyre; how am I now palsied, unable to hold a torch <br/>Aloft against the soaring darkness? <br/> <br/> (He sinks to the ground. During the final chorus, the light shifts from him to the plates.) <br/> <br/> VOICES: <br/>The sun will rise, and we will see that which was hidden <br/>Our souls will stand naked before heaven, <br/>And no clouds will blot our sins <br/>From before the face of God. <br/> <br/> (Curtain)

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