Act 1 Summary

The play opens on a stage set up as a church with an attached apartment. As the curtain rises, members of the congregation begin singing a lively gospel tune. When the song ends, Margaret Alexander, the pastor of the church, begins speaking amid shouts of Amen and Hallelujah. She opens her sermon by mentioning King Hezekiah, who, upon hearing the decree "Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live," sent for the prophet Isaiah to give him guidance in spiritual matters. Margaret points out to the congregation that, despite the king's access to his whole kingdom, he chose Isaiah, a holy man of God. The king, Margaret preaches, probably never spent any time with Isaiah; he did not invite him to parties because devout people make others uncomfortable. However, when trouble comes, the king went to a man of...