W. H. D. Rouse
speaker
684 appearances
1 recordings
1 series
first heard Aug 2026
last heard 1 Aug
W. H. D. Rouse’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 1 in all, peaking in Aug 2026 with 1.
Appearances
Let us beg for compassion and help.
Let us pray for his life.
yes that was what he wanted that was the only thing that could bring relief to pray to pour out his sorrow somewhere to find a greater strength than his own and cling to it and plead for mercy and help to leave that undone was to be false to his manhood it was to be no better than the dumb beasts when their young perish how could he let his boy suffer and die without an effort a cry a prayer
he sank on his knees beside athenus out of the depths out of the depths we call for pity the light of our eyes is fading the child is dying oh the child the child spare the child's life thou merciful
not a word only that deathly blank the hands of hermes stretched out in supplication touched the marble table he felt the cool hardness of the polished stone beneath his fingers a book dislodged by his touch fell rustling to the floor
through the open door faint and far off came the footsteps of the servants moving cautiously the heart of hermas was like a lump of ice in his bosom he rose slowly to his feet lifting athenaeus with him it is in vain he said there is nothing for us to do
long ago i knew something i think it would have helped us but i have forgotten it it is all gone but i would give all that i have if i could bring it back again now at this hour in this time of our bitter trouble
a slave entered the room while he was speaking and approached hesitatingly master he said john of antioch whom we were forbidden to admit to the house has come again he would take no denial even now he waits in the peristyle
and the old man marcian is with him seeking to turn him away come said hermes to his wife let us go to him for i think i see the beginning of a way that may lead us out of this dreadful darkness in the central hall the two men were standing marcian with disdainful eyes and sneering lips taunting the unbidden guest to depart
john silent quiet patient while the wondering slaves looked on in dismay he lifted his searching gaze to the haggard face of hermes my son i knew that i should see you again even though you did not send for me i have come to you because i have heard that you are in trouble
it is true answered hermes passionately we are in trouble desperate trouble trouble accursed our child is dying we are poor we are destitute we are afflicted in all this house in all the world there is no one that can help us i knew something long ago when i was with you
a word a name in which we might have found hope but i have lost it i gave it to this man he has taken it away from me forever
he pointed to marcian the old man's lips curled scornfully a word a name he sneered what is that o most wise and holy presbyter a thing of air an unreal thing that men make to describe their own dreams and fancies who would go about to rob any one of such a thing as that it is a prize that only a fool would think of taking
besides the young man parted with it of his own free will he bargained with me cleverly i promised him wealth and pleasure and fame what did he give in return an empty name which was a burden servant of demons be still the voice of john rang clear like a trumpet through the hall there is a name which none shall dare to take in vain
there is a name which none can lose without being lost there is a name at which the devils tremble depart quickly before i speak it
marcian had shrunk into the shadows of one of the pillars a bright lamp near him tottered on its pedestal and fell with a crash in the confusion he vanished as noiselessly as a shade john turned to hermas and his tone softened as he said my son you have sinned deeper than you know the word with which you parted so lightly is the key word of all life and joy and peace
without it the world has no meaning and existence no rest and death no refuge it is the word that purifies love and comforts grief and keeps hope alive forever it is the most precious thing that ever ear has heard or mind has known or heart has conceived
it is the name of him who has given us life and breath and all things richly to enjoy the name of him who though we may forget him never forgets us the name of him who pities us as you pity your suffering child the name of him who though we wander far from him
seeks us in the wilderness and sent his son even as his son has sent me this night to breathe again that forgotten name in the heart that is perishing without it listen my son listen with all your soul to the blessed name of god our father
the cold agony in the breast of hermes dissolved like a fragment of ice that melts in the summer sea a sense of sweet release spread through him from head to foot the lost was found the dew of a divine peace fell on his parched soul and the withering flower of human love lifted its head again the light of a new hope shone on his face he stood upright and lifted his hands high toward heaven
Showing 401–420 of 684 · page 21 of 35
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