A/N: This takes place between Acts III and IV. I used it as a school assignment and got a 93 on it. Personally, I don't think much of it but he must have seen something that I didn't. R&R!
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I do not own.
The Ponderings of Reverend Hale
Dear God, why have you forsaken me? What do you want from me? What is it that you wanted me to do? I did everything I possibly could to help the poor souls and now I have become their murderer instead of their savior. Heavenly Father, forgive me for I knew not what I was doing. Dear, sweet Rebecca Nurse shall hang! Perish the thought! Poor John Proctor, his reputation scattered to the wind all in the name of doing right. I have not been as righteous as he has, and he is the sinner! And why do the ungodly benefit while the righteous are persecuted? Lord, if this is truly Your court placed on earth, why does it believe such lies? Oh, I fear I am to blame for much of this chaos, doing more harm than help. If I had thought those girls were lying I would never have attempted anything, anything at all. Where did I go wrong? Was I too confident in my ability to discover the devil and expel him from his captives? Did I believe no one could match my aptitude of fighting the devil? How foolish I was, then! You, my Lord, possess this skill much greater than I, a mere mortal. I am humbled, and see what I should do now. It is my task to repair what I carelessly ruined. Please Father, tell me how I must proceed.
My Father, come to my aid! I have much need of you. Your eternal servant needs you terribly. I only require that you help me do right in Your eyes. How, Lord? Please,I beg of you, tell me how! I shall wish for nothing else but to have the honor of kneeling before You in paradise one day. I implore you! I have much need of Your guidance! Please, please! I seek your almighty aid and counsel. For previously questioning your glorious works, I apologize, dear Father. It was sinful, and of course you did as you saw fit. Although I have sinned greatly, I want to repent and be saved by your excellent Grace! Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned and thus deserve this, your earthly hell, my life now neighbor to heathens. You called me to this vocation; I am unwilling to think you wish to abandon me. I am losing my faith, Lord. I have no faith in humanity anymore. Please do not give me doubt by deserting me. All I ask is to know what you wish me to do. I would genuflect before you and ask as deferentially as I know how if You, most forgiving and merciful Lord, could possibly show me the way.
Aha! I have it! I know how I can save the wrongly accused from hanging! They must confess. That is the only way to save them from their cruel and needless deaths. Rebecca Nurse will not have to die because I was foolish, presuming to know what I did not. If those girls can deceive the judges, then I am sure that they can be deceived by ones wiser to the ways of the world. So I must convince the accused to confess. This is not an easy task, but it is a way to compensate for what I have done. Thank you, Lord, for coming to my aid. I shall have the honor to remain Your most humble servant.