Part 2 (1/2)
With quick insight Miss Church-Member saw that the By-Path was a blessed one and that it led directly to the King's Highway.
”Let us follow this s.h.i.+ning path,” she hopefully suggested. ”I know it leads to the way of light and glory.”
”Not such a path, my friend,” hastily replied Mr. World. ”Do you not see the terrible hill to which it leads, and those who are even now struggling to climb its arduous heights?”
”I clearly see it all,” she calmly admitted, ”but they who struggle most are endeavoring to carry many idols with them. If one will forsake his idols, he can, with ease and pleasure, mount to the s.h.i.+ning summit which is but the edge of the King's glorious Highway. Come, Mr. World, hesitate no more. Let procrastination end, and go with me even to the hill, and I will help you to the summit--while Another will help you more.”
”Very true, very true,” he said, though somewhat irritated, ”but we have not yet come to the place where I may wisely follow your advice.
This path turning away to the right leads to a place that may seem bright from this point, but nevertheless I know it to be a narrow, rugged way, whereon a few of your friends are trudging, eking out a miserable existence. Urge me not to go thither. If you leave me, I can neither accompany you nor give you my a.s.sistance. Surely you have learned, ere this, that your needs are of such a nature that you must inevitably suffer embarra.s.sment without my little help.”
Miss Church-Member, with eyes but partly open to her own folly, was grievously perplexed and not a little disappointed. She fell on her knees and wept. Looking up pleadingly into his eyes, she faltered:
”Twice have I yielded to you since we entered into companions.h.i.+p. You well remember the solemn promise you made, but at each time you deferred its fulfillment, and now I must again hear your vain excuses. I have suffered much for your sake, and have now the enmity of many a former friend, and even my pilgrim robe is becoming stained with the filth of this way.”
”Come, come, my friend, be a woman and not a sickly suppliant. The portion of the King's Highway which we would reach from this point is too rough for my feet to travel. We will shortly come to a more convenient place; then I can think more seriously of leaving this way.”
”Ah!” sighed Miss Church-Member, ”you say that in your folly. I can testify, from knowledge, that the way is most delightful and leads to mansions incorruptible in the Celestial City.” ”Let us cease debating,”
interrupted Mr. World, with ill-concealed impatience. ”If you have sacrificed so much through my fellows.h.i.+p and imagine that you can find better company, you may leave, but you cannot expect me to accompany you on so th.o.r.n.y and rough a path as this which you have so foolishly proposed.”
Strengthened by the remnants of Christian virtue yet within her, she sprang to her feet and was about to execute her n.o.ble purpose of leaving him. But a number of Mr. World's friends quickly rallied and complimented Miss Church-Member on the good she had already done. ”Mr.
World is a better man since he has known you,” said one. ”If you will continue walking with him on his own level, no one can estimate the amount of good you will yet do for him,” hopefully spoke another.
These unexpected testimonies aroused anew her missionary spirit and changed her thoughts to these yielding sentences:
”No sacrifice is too great, if victory but comes at last. If there is hope that Mr. World will cease deceiving me and walk in the path of truth, I will consent to be his companion still a little farther.”
”There is every hope of that,” smilingly returned Mr. World as he suavely bowed to her and to the little group of companions who had given him such timely help.
As I saw Mr. World and Miss Church-Member moving on, in closer fellows.h.i.+p than ever, I waxed warm with indignation, and addressed Blackana who was still lying at my side as motionless as the strata of the rock-ribbed earth:
”Will you explain to me this folly of Miss Church-Member, who has not only disgraced her cause before the fiendish Mr. World, but who also continues with him in such unseemly intimacy?”
”Miss Church-Member is not walking in folly. She is engaged in a n.o.ble work, endeavoring to elevate Mr. World to a higher Christian life,”
was the answer from the lips of Blackana in a low, heavy voice.
”Ah,” said I, with a feeling of suspicion, ”she is s.h.i.+ning from the wrong lighthouse. The rays of truth will never reach him as long as she is in that position.
”Perhaps they might in a miraculous way,” suggested Blackana.
”No good miracle is ever done in the steps of the Devil or in his dominions,” I answered with boldness.
Then did Blackana enlarge himself, and as he replied he looked down upon me significantly. ”O puny mortal, instruct me not in the miracles of my master. More great things are done under the canopies of h.e.l.l than mortals ever know.”
At first I was filled with alarm, but under the voice of One invisible I rose as with superhuman strength, and I looked at him unflinchingly.
”O horrible creature! I fear you not in any of your pa.s.sions. You would even destroy me if you could, but you are forever restrained by the Power that holds authority over all!”