Related song categories are:
Book of Mormon
Prophets
Revelation
Testimony

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Lyrics: Scene Three - Dawn

PROPHECY:
The sun walks forth from its councilchamber:
With hands trailing fire it brings us God's truth,
And we rejoice in the warmth of heaven's testimony.

(Enter ALMA with the plates)

ALMA:
I come early to this place, to join you in your bright vigil.
What say the vanishing stars?

PROPHECY:
That they bow to their sovereign, even he who outshines them
In the glory of truth.

ALMA:
And where are the shadows that grasped my mind
In the night, that held me with despair?

PROPHECY:
They are gone, as the night itself.
Now are all things made plain by God,
And we may rejoice in our freedom of spirit.

ALMA:
Yes, I rejoice! For the burden that crushed me
Has left my mind, and I stand now in peace,
Awaiting the will of God, of that which will come.

(Enter PRIESTCRAFT)

PRIESTCRAFT:
Thus do you gather, to conspire against Amulon so early?

PROPHECY:
Why need conspiracy, when God's power
Shines so brightly?

PRIESTCRAFT:
Let your God appear,
That I may see his power!

PROPHECY:
He stands before you;.
Look at the sun, and see his face.

PRIESTCRAFT:
The harsh light! It pains me.

ALMA and PROPHECY:
This is his glory, this light that moves the world.
He banishes darkness; the night has gone;
The armies of men will perish,
But when will the sun's fire be dimmed,
And who shall put out the eyes of God?
He sees the works of men who perish in the midst
Of his light, and he grieves that they reject him.
Fire and light will destroy the enemies
Of righteousness. The flames of justice burn higher,
Covering mountains and every shadowed place.
Soon the world will revolve into a glory of truth,
And all men will acknowledge the source of their light!

(Enter AMULON; he stumbles blindly around the stage as the others avoid him)

AMULON:
Is this the manner of my dawn, that sight fails me,
And I stumble? The day is cold around me;
How shall I be warmed?

PROPHECY:
The sun that shines on us cannot warm your heart,
For you have closed your inward eyes.

AMULON:
Why do you judge me? I judge myself;
And if I condemn myself,
Then, that is just.

PRIESTCRAFT:
Are you a ghost, a spirit who moves
Without inner substance? Has your torment eaten you,
That you walk as one dead, and stand condemned?

VOICES OF NIGHT: (offstage)
Abinadi, Abinadi!

AMULON:
No, I am not a ghost, but I see one.
The garish morning does not hide him from me,
For I see him still, as he stalks this land,
Seeking to kill me with fire, even as I killed him.

PRIESTCRAFT:
The fire of God could not be so evil as this torment
That you feed with your own heart and soul, consuming life
Until death is the only answer.

VOICES: (offstage)
Death of spirit. Abinadi!

AMULON:
I am dead, but I live, as he does:
Dying in life, and living in death.

PRIESTCRAFT:
No, you are ill, and need medicine.

AMULON:
Where is the medicine to cure me from myself?
Yes, I am ill; but Abinadi infects me,
A worm within me, toiling through me,
Devouring my brain, my eyes, my heart.
And he is an avenging fire, the hand of God.

PRIESTCRAFT:
Amulon, do not speak like this!

AMULON:
I speak, and these are my words:
Abinadi, you live, and I die!
Let me have peace, even if it be in Hell.
The torment there is cooling water on my brow,
And I would have it soon.

(He looks around wildly and sees the plates)

The record! Those words, his words!

VOICES: (offstage)
Words and prophecies! Abinadi!

AMULON:
Can I hear his words, and live?


VOICES: (offstage)
He speaks, and you must listen!

AMULON:
No, I cannot bear it! Go away, Abinadi,
Let me die, alone and unmourned.
The light is too strong for me, and the fire burns
Without mercy, without mercy.

(He sinks to the ground and covers his face; PRIESTCRAFT huddles by him)

(VOICES come onstage behind the others)

ALMA, PROPHECY, and VOICES:
The record is safe. We have God's word,
And it is the sun to us, dispelling doubts and shadows,
Sending its rays to every hidden crevice of our lives,
That we may clearly see what we must do.
God has spoken to us, and will speak again;
And our testimonies become a beacon
To the future, that men may know of us,
What we hoped, and lived, and what we became.
There will yet be many trials; our backs must be strong,
For the burdens of life do not push us to the dust,
But lift us unto the stars.
We speak from the dust, and our words are the sky.

(Curtain - End of Opera)

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