THE SACRED CODEX OF LEGACY: CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

¹And it came to pass, when the voice of the Lord was withdrawn into the Heavens, and the chalices yet stood before them, that the hearts of the three kings were troubled within them.
²For though the gifts were great and the promise sure, yet the weight of their choosing lay heavy upon their souls, as the burden of the law upon the shoulders of a priest.
³And the sun stood still over the plain, and no shadow moved, and time itself was hushed, as if all creation held its breath to behold the choosing of men.
⁴Then Loras, King of the Delmarians, withdrew from his brethren, and sat beneath the tree that burned with the fire of God. And he spake in the counsel of his soul, saying:
⁵“Lo, I am but a man, and the days of my years are as a vapor. What is my strength, that I should presume to drink of a cup from the hand of the Most High?”
⁶“Yet is it not written in the stars, and whispered among the leaves, that the Lord desireth not ignorance in His people?”
⁷“Hath He not given the tongue to the wise, and the eye to the learned, and shall not they who search out His works be called blessed?”
⁸“From my youth have I loved the book and the scroll, and my delight hath been in the study of that which was, and that which is, and that which shall be.”
⁹“I have sat in the dust of the scribes, and written their sayings upon tablets of clay. I have pondered the courses of the Heavens, and the movements of the moon.”
¹⁰“Yet all is as a mirror dimly seen. What I know is as a drop in the sea; and the more I learn, the more the veil remains upon my eyes.”
¹¹“If this chalice shall lift the veil, and open that which is sealed, then shall I know the Lord in His glory, and declare His wonders among men.”
¹²And his spirit was quieted, and he bowed himself toward the chalice of knowledge, and wept.
¹³Now Baltrain, King of the Kezrethites, tarried not with the others, but went a little way apart into the shadow of a great stone, and laid his hands upon his sword. And he spake, saying:
¹⁴“What is power, that it should be accounted a gift? And what is dominion, if it be not ruled by justice?”
¹⁵“I have broken the arm of the oppressor, and overturned the altars of false gods. I have delivered the widow from the hand of the creditor, and restored the fields to the orphan.”
¹⁶“Yet the heart of man is stubborn, and the peoples are as the sea, tossed and stirred. The wicked increase in wealth, and the poor are forgotten.”
¹⁷“When I raise the scepter, they obey; when I cast down the rod, they scatter. But when I am gone, who shall restrain them?”
¹⁸“Shall not the Lord establish a line of kings, who love mercy and hate iniquity, and shall He not arm them with strength to guard the innocent?”
¹⁹“Let not my zeal be counted as pride, O Lord. I seek not glory for myself, but the good of Thy people.”
²⁰“If power be the fire that burns away injustice, then let it burn in me, and in my sons, and my sons’ sons.”
²¹And the stone upon which he leaned grew warm beneath his hand, and the sword at his side shimmered with light, though no sun touched it. And he rose, his face set like flint.
²²But Cadra, King of the Avarites, remained still upon the place where they first stood, and he looked neither left nor right, nor moved from his station.
²³And a great stillness was upon him, and it was as if he were listening to a voice none else could hear.
²⁴Then he lifted up his eyes to the Heavens and spake softly, saying:
²⁵“Thou knowest me, O Lord, for Thou hast formed my inward parts. From the womb of my mother, Thou hast known my frame.”
²⁶“I am slow to speech, and swift to doubt. My thoughts are as the dust of the field, and my ways are unclean before Thee.”
²⁷“I have judged small matters with care, and wept over great ones. I have walked among my people and heard the cry of their hearts.”
²⁸“I know not what is good for them. I know not what is good for me. The way is dark, and the days are short, and many snares lie along the path.”
²⁹“Shall I take power, and err in strength? Shall I take knowledge, and become proud in mine own conceit?”
³⁰“Let me not be lifted up, lest I forget Thee. Let me not be wise in mine own eyes, lest I stumble.”
³¹“If there be a cup of wisdom, that I may discern the right, and guide my people in peace, then give it unto me, not for mine own sake, but that I may walk uprightly before Thee.”
³²“And if Thou givest it not, I shall yet praise Thee, for Thy judgments are true and righteous altogether.”
³³And when he had thus spoken, he fell upon his knees, and laid his hand upon the plain chalice. And a great peace came upon him, and the burdens of many years passed away.
³⁴And so the kings each returned to the place of choosing, and they looked upon one another and knew that the hour was at hand.
³⁵And they spake not, for their souls had been laid bare, and each had seen himself in the light of Heaven.
³⁶But they were steadfast in heart, and gave no heed to fear; for the Lord had spoken, and His word endureth forever.
³⁷Thus ended the meditation of the three kings.

▷THE SEVEN SCRIPTURES OF THE CHURCH OF GLABADOS
    ▷THE FIRST TESTAMENT
        ▷THE SACRED CODEX OF LEGACY
            ▶1—2—3—4—5

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