From Jewish Stories and Hebrew Melodies, p. 136-138

Disputation – 

a poetic account of a religious dispute between a Friar and a Rabbi. Here continues the Friar’s argument:

 

“Tremble, Jews,” the friar thundered…

“Save your souls as Jesus showed,

Flee the synagogue of evil,

Fly to Jesus’ blest abode,

 

“To the light of Love’s cathedral,

Where the fount of grace flows fair

Into Heaven-hallowed basins–

Stick your sinful heads in there–

 

“Then you’ll wash out the old Adam

And his vices black as coal,

All your ancient spite and rancor–

Wash its mould from heart and soul!

 

“Don’t you hear the Saviour calling

Your new name to glory in?

Get deloused on Jesus’ bosom

From the vermin known as Sin!

 

“Oh, our God is love incarnate,

Jesus Christ his gloried name;

To reflect His humble meekness

And His patience is our aim.

 

“Hence we too are calm and gentle,

Never wrangling, ever mild,

Like the Lamb of Peace, our model,

Sunny-tempered as a child.

 

“We will one day walk in Heaven

With the holy angel bands,

In a bliss that’s beatific

With white lilies in our hands.

 

“No more monkish cowls for us then,

But the finest-looking clothes

Of brocade and silk and muslin,

Golden tassels, ribboned bows.

 

“No more tonsures! Golden locks will

Wreathe our heads, and lovely maids

Will be busily adorning

Our coiffures with handsome braids.

 

“Up there, all the wine cups will be

Of much bigger, better shapes

Than the goblets here below that

Hold the juice of earthly grapes.

 

“But contrariwise a lady’s 

Mouth will be much more petite

Up in Heaven than the earthly

Ones we’re now more apt to meet.

 

“Drinking, kissing, laughing, we will 

Have Eternity to spend

Singing glory-hallelujahs

And hosannas without end.”

 

Thus the Christian closed. The friars,

Sure that no remaining doubt

Could becloud a single bosom,

Dragged baptismal basins out.

 

… Check back to find out how the Rabbi of Navarre responds!