Mr. World and Miss Church-Member Part 10

THE VALLEY OF TEMPTATION.

1. In this valley the two great Highways run almost parallel.

2. The intervening ground is all alive with Satan's schemes to entice, entrap and discourage Christians.

3. The operation of Christian forces in this valley.

After leaving the Hill of Remorse and the pleasure grounds of Apathy, Mr.

World and Miss Church-Member proceeded on the Broad Highway which now gradually sloped toward a deep valley.

"What is the name of the valley which we are now entering?" inquired Miss Church-Member.

"'Tis but the Valley of Temptation," he carelessly answered.

"Ah! I have heard of this valley," she replied. "Whenever I was tempted or tried on the King's Highway some one would caution: 'Be courageous, for you must go through the Valley of Temptation.' I am thankful, as I come to it, that I am on a Broader Way."

"Many call this valley 'Entanglement,'" further continued Mr. World, "because of the large numbers who are here caught by the devices all along the way." I saw the whole valley in one view. It was very wide and more than a thousand experiences long and, from one end to the other, there were constant scenes of activity. The King's Highway and the Broad Highway ran almost parallel throughout the whole length of the valley.

The entire s.p.a.ce between the two paths was occupied by the agents of Satan, and by numerous rescue bands and missionary organizations of the King's Highway Church.

I was informed that no traveler, who knows the experiences of life, ever escaped this valley. But the King of Glory gives his children a.s.surance of no harm if they will heed his words and step not from the path upon any pretence. He has also placed, in plain view, countless signs of warning to keep his pilgrims from yielding to temptation, as it presents itself, with or without mask; and they who pa.s.s these testing-places in triumph are counted stable in their ways.

I saw in the first part of the valley some of Satan's shrewdest agents at work. They were stationed along the Narrow Path at close intervals, and were endeavoring, by all kinds of schemes, to attract the attention of Christians as they journeyed through the valley.

From one point they threw a hook baited with wealth over to the edge of the King's Highway way. I saw an ambitious Christian, contrary to the signs of warning and all advice, eagerly grasp this bait. Then did the agents of Satan pull gently. The man seeing a clue to wealth in his hand would not let it go, and so was drawn slowly and unconsciously over into the territory of the World. He did not see the strand that drew him, for it was invisible, nor was he conscious of being thus drawn, having his mind so fixed upon the object of his earnest pursuit.

Thus do these agents ply their nefarious skill without ceasing, and so have drawn large numbers away from their original faith.

Another agent I saw near-by throwing out a hook baited with fame. An ambitious youth let go all he had and seized the baited hook with singular avidity. It inspired him with inward hope, and he became so engaged in thinking of his golden future that he followed whither the gentle drawing led him, until he also reached the questionable ground of the World. There he became still further entangled until he was utterly under the sway of the tempter.

Close by I saw an agent of the Devil fastening a book to a line and throwing it to the edge of the King's Highway. In bold letters it bore the t.i.tle, "Forbidden Fruit," and under this t.i.tle there was an impure picture.

Many, in pa.s.sing by, who saw the book would have examined it had it not been for their modesty.

But one man, whose curiosity was stronger than his judgment, took the book and commenced perusing it. While thus engaged the invisible strands of influence drew the captive from the Narrow Way until he found a series of books and ill.u.s.trations to enchain his attention, and Satan succeeded in totally winning his heart.

I saw another book thrown to the edge of the Pilgrim's Path. This was taken by a woman who opened its pages and saw its evil tendencies.

Although drawn by the invisible chord, she did not step from the path, but threw the book as far to one side as she could, and proceeded on her journey happily singing:

"Yield not to temptation, For yielding is sin.

Each vict'ry will help you Some other to win."

This only enraged the wily foes, and they became more determined than ever to continue their work of deception and ruin.

From one point or another I saw this dreadful work progressing. Each station used a different kind of bait, pleasing or attractive to some pa.s.sing pilgrims. Here the enemy reaps a continual harvest notwithstanding all the preaching, advice, and influence brought to bear upon pilgrims to induce them to eschew all attractions not plainly found upon their own pathway.

Some, whom Satan could not attract by a bait, he would catch with snares, many of which I saw in operation, each guarded continually by trusted servants of the Evil One.

One of the subtlest of these snares consisted of a series of small, curiously shaped buildings. They stood as near to the King's Highway as Satan could place them, while glaring signs informed the pilgrims that they could here obtain knowledge upon any subject. Each building was so constructed that, at the will of a secret operator, it could be moved noiselessly from its resting place.

Many an unsuspecting traveler who craved for a solution to some mystery would step into one of these neat rooms, and meet with a most cordial reception.

I saw a man of more than usual intelligence, who had been faithful to his Master, stop and read the sign over these buildings: "Bureau of Information: All Mysteries Solved."

"Here," thought he, "in this humble place I can perhaps find some pearls of thought which more inviting waters never yielded to me." He stepped in, not noticing that he thereby stepped to one side of the way.

"Can I have a mystery solved here?" asked the visitor.

"Without doubt, sir," was the confident response of a dignified professor who was in attendance.

"Can you tell me the origin of sin?" asked the visitor.

Just then I saw the building commence to move as the professor commenced to explain the difficult question.

The professor talked so interestingly to the visitor that he held his attention until the building was moved, by the secret process, to the brow of the mountain, and over to the great building known as the "Devil's Theological School."

"Perchance, my words," said the speaker, "are insufficient to fully satisfy your mind. Go now from the rear door to the College where all such perplexing questions are made clear."

The visitor seizing, as he thought, a golden opportunity, gladly consented and, to his great surprise, found a building of magnificent proportions into which he entered.

After listening a very short time to Satan's teaching on the origin of sin, he emerged from the school with a heavy bundle of opinions on his back, and failed to find the Old Way. After wandering and stumbling about on this summit of human learning, he finally found the Broad Highway whereon he could carry his vain burden with ease.

These bureaus of information have ensnared so many learned men, including ministers and professors, that the King of Glory has here placed special signs of warning to all travelers; these have saved many men from the snare of "the fowler."

I saw three young college students about to enter one of the bureaus.

There stood an aged pilgrim near by who shouted:

"Come! ye young men, out of the snare of the Devil, or ye will be taken captive by him at his will!"

The voice sounded so friendly that they hesitated long enough to discern that the building did not touch the King's Highway.

Then they remembered that they had been told long before to go by the King's Highway, and not to turn to the right hand nor to the left, nor even to step from the path, lest they should slip and fall to their hurt. So they pa.s.sed on about their Father's business.

Near the edge of the King's Highway I saw another device to catch men unawares. It was invented in the Wizard City and had been successfully used by Satan for many centuries.

It was an _artificial woman_, dressed in modest apparel, and so constructed that the arms were uplifted and the heart plainly visible, making the curious image just unnatural enough to attract the attention of all pilgrims.

Over the head of the image these words were written: "Touch this magic heart for the charms that follow."

It was ridiculous to see how many of the young and old, in pa.s.sing over this way of life, stepped from the path and tried the experiment.

One man I saw who ventured to touch the mystic heart, and ere his eyes could look into the face of the image its arms embraced him in a tightening grasp.

Away the image moved with graceful ease into Elysian bowers of sensual joy. There he remained to breathe its poisoned air and feed upon the husks of such a clime.

I also saw a man of riper years who looked curiously at another image similar to the one that had just moved away. At first he was doubtful whether to test it or not, and as he stood in consideration he raised his eyes and saw these words plainly written over the King's Highway:-To ALL DESCENDANTS OF ADAM:

Beware, O pilgrim, of this woman's heart, Lest you should from the Narrow Way depart; For if you touch a secret chord within, You're borne away to wider fields of sin.