The Children's Hour Volume V Part 5

_Hope._ Indeed our present condition is dreadful, and death would be far more welcome to me than thus for ever to abide; but yet let us consider, the Lord of the Country to which we are going hath said, Thou shalt do no murder, no not to another man's person; much more then are we forbidden to take his counsel to kill ourselves. Besides, he that kills another can but commit murder upon his body; but for one to kill himself is to kill body and soul at once. And moreover, my Brother, thou talkest of ease in the Grave; but hast thou forgotten the h.e.l.l, whither for certain the murderers go? For no murderer hath eternal life, _&c._ And let us consider again, that all the Law is not in the hand of Giant _Despair_. Others, so far as I can understand, have been taken by him as well as we, and yet have escaped out of his hand. Who knows but that G.o.d that made the world may cause that Giant _Despair_ may die? Or that at some time or other he may forget to lock us in? Or but he may in short time have another of his Fits before us, and may lose the use of his limbs? And if ever that should come to pa.s.s again, for my part I am resolved to pluck up the heart of a man, and to try my utmost to get from under his hand. I was a fool that I did not try to do it before; but however, my Brother, let's be patient, and endure a while; the time may come that may give us a happy release; but let us not be our own murderers. With these words _Hopeful_ at present did moderate the mind of his Brother. So they continued together (in the dark) that day, in their sad and doleful condition.

Well, towards evening the Giant goes down into the Dungeon again, to see if his Prisoners had taken his counsel; but when he came there he found them alive, and truly, alive was all; for now, what for want of Bread and Water, and by reason of the Wounds they received when he beat them, they could do little but breathe. But, I say, he found them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that seeing they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born.

At this they trembled greatly, and I think that _Christian_ fell into a Swound; but coming a little to himself again, they renewed their discourse about the Giant's counsel, and whether yet they had best to take it or no. Now _Christian_ again seemed to be for doing it, but _Hopeful_ made his second reply as followeth:

_Hope._ My Brother, said he, rememberest thou not how valiant thou hast been heretofore? _Apollyon_ could not crush thee, nor could all that thou didst hear, or see, or feel in the Valley of the _Shadow of Death_. What hardship, terror, and amazement hast thou already gone through, and art thou now nothing but fear? Thou seest that I am in the Dungeon with thee, a far weaker man by nature than thou art; also this Giant has wounded me as well as thee, and hath also cut off the Bread and Water from my mouth; and with thee I mourn without the light. But let's exercise a little more patience; remember how thou played'st the man at _Vanity Fair_, and wast neither afraid of the Chain, nor Cage, nor yet of b.l.o.o.d.y Death: wherefore let us (at least to avoid the shame, that becomes not a Christian to be found in) bear up with patience as well as we can.

Now night being come again, and the Giant and his Wife being in bed, she asked him concerning the Prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel. To which he replied, They are st.u.r.dy Rogues, they chuse rather to bear all hardship, than to make away themselves. Then said she, Take them into the Castle-yard to-morrow, and shew them the Bones and Skulls of those that thou hast already dispatch'd, and make them believe, e're a week comes to an end, thou also wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows before them.

So when the morning was come, the Giant goes to them again, and takes them into the Castle-yard and shews them as his Wife had bidden him.

These, said he, were Pilgrims as you are, once, and they trespa.s.sed in my grounds, as you have done; and when I thought fit I tore them in pieces, and so within ten days I will do you. Go get you down to your Den again; and with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay therefore all day on _Sat.u.r.day_ in a lamentable case, as before. Now when night was come, and when Mrs. _Diffidence_ and her Husband the Giant were got to bed, they began to renew their discourse of their Prisoners; and withal the old Giant wondered, that he could neither by his blows nor counsel bring them to an end. And with that his Wife replied, I fear, said she, that they live in hope that some will come to relieve them, or that they have pick-locks about them, by the means of which they hope to escape. And sayest thou so, my dear? said the Giant, I will therefore search them in the morning.

Well on _Sat.u.r.day_ about midnight they began to pray, and continued in Prayer till almost break of day.

Now a little before it was day, good _Christian_, as one half amazed, brake out in this pa.s.sionate speech: What a fool, quoth he, am I, thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a Key in my bosom called _Promise_, that will, I am persuaded, open any Lock in _Doubting_ Castle. Then said _Hopeful_, That's good news; good Brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.

Then _Christian_ pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the Dungeon door, whose bolt (as he turned the Key) gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and _Christian_ and _Hopeful_ both came out.

Then he went to the outward door that leads into the Castle-yard, and with his Key opened that door also. After, he went to the iron Gate, for that must be opened too, but that Lock went d.a.m.nable hard, yet the Key did open it. Then they thrust open the Gate to make their escape with speed, but that Gate as it opened made such a creaking, that it waked Giant _Despair_, who hastily rising to pursue his Prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, so that he could by no means go after them.

Then they went on, and came to the King's High-way again, and so were safe, because they were out of his Jurisdiction.

Now when they were gone over the Stile, they began to contrive with themselves what they should do at that Stile, to prevent those that should come after from falling into the hands of Giant _Despair_. So they consented to erect there a Pillar, and to engrave upon the side thereof this sentence, _Over this Stile is the way to_ Doubting _Castle, which is kept by Giant_ Despair, _who despiseth the King of the Coelestial Country, and seeks to destroy his holy Pilgrims_.

Many therefore that followed after read what was written, and escaped the danger. This done, they sang as follows:--

"Out of the way we went, and then we found What 'twas to tread upon forbidden ground; And let them that come after have a care, Lest heedlessness makes them, as we, to fare; Lest they for trespa.s.sing his prisoners are, Whose Castle's _Doubting_, and whose name's _Despair_."

THE DELECTABLE MOUNTAINS

_By John Bunyan_

They went then till they came to the _Delectable Mountains_, which Mountains belong to the Lord of that Hill of which we have spoken before; so they went up to the Mountains, to behold the Gardens and Orchards, the Vineyards and Fountains of water; where also they drank, and washed themselves, and did freely eat of the Vineyards. Now there was on the tops of these Mountains _Shepherds_ feeding their flocks, and they stood by the High-way side. The Pilgrims therefore went to them, and leaning upon their staves (as is common with weary Pilgrims, when they stand to talk with any by the way) they asked, _Whose Delectable Mountains are these? And whose be the sheep that feed upon them_?

_Shep._ These mountains are _Immanuel's Land_, and they are within sight of his City; and the sheep also are his, and he laid down his life for them.

_Chr._ Is this the way to the Coelestial City?

_Shep._ You are just in your way.

_Chr._ How far is it thither?

_Shep._ Too far for any but those that shall get thither indeed.

_Chr._ Is the way safe or dangerous?

_Shep._ Safe for those for whom it is to be safe, _but transgressors shall fall therein_.

_Chr._ Is there in this place any relief for Pilgrims that are weary and faint in the way?

_Shep._ The Lord of these Mountains hath given us a charge _not to be forgetful to entertain strangers_; therefore the good of the place is before you.

I saw also in my Dream, that when the Shepherds perceived that they were way-fairing men, they also put questions to them, (to which they made answer as in other places) as, Whence came you? and, How got you into the way? and, By what means have you so persevered therein? For but few of them that begin to come hither do shew their face on these Mountains. But when the Shepherds heard their answers, being pleased therewith, they looked very lovingly upon them, and said, Welcome to the Delectable Mountains.

The Shepherds, I say, whose names were _Knowledge_, _Experience_, _Watchful_, and _Sincere_, took them by the hand, and had them to their Tents, and made them partake of that which was ready at present.

They said moreover, We would that ye should stay here a while, to acquaint with us; and yet more to solace yourselves with the good of these Delectable Mountains. They told them that they were content to stay; and so they went to their rest that night, because it was very late.

Then I saw in my Dream, that in the morning the Shepherds called up _Christian_ and _Hopeful_ to walk with them upon the Mountains; so they went forth with them, and walked a while, having a pleasant prospect on every side. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Shall we shew these Pilgrims some wonders? So when they had concluded to do it, they had them first to the top of an Hill called _Errour_, which was very steep on the furthest side, and bid them look down to the bottom. So _Christian_ and _Hopeful_ lookt down, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top.

Then said _Christian_, What meaneth this? The Shepherds answered, Have you not heard of them that were made to err, by hearkening to _Hymeneus_ and _Philetus_, as concerning the Faith of the Resurrection of the Body? They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds, Those that you see lie dashed in pieces at the bottom of this Mountain are they; and they have continued to this day unburied (as you see) for an example to others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near the brink of this Mountain.

Then I saw that they had them to the top of another Mountain, and the name of that is _Caution_, and bid them look afar off; which when they did, they perceived, as they thought, several men walking up and down among the Tombs that were there; and they perceived that the men were blind, because they stumbled sometimes upon the Tombs, and because they could not get out from among them. Then said _Christian_, _What means this_?

The Shepherds then answered, Did you not see a little below these Mountains a Stile, that led into a Meadow, on the left hand of this way? They answered, Yes. Then said the Shepherds, From that Stile there goes a path that leads directly to _Doubting_ Castle, which is kept by Giant _Despair_; and these men (pointing to them among the Tombs) came once on Pilgrimage, as you do now, even till they came to that same Stile; and because the right way was rough in that place, they chose to go out of it into that Meadow, and there were taken by Giant _Despair_, and cast into _Doubting_ Castle; where after they had been awhile kept in the Dungeon, he at last did put out their eyes, and led them among those Tombs, where he has left them to wander to this very day, that the saying of the Wise Man might be fulfilled, _He that wandereth out of the way of understanding, shall remain in the Congregation of the dead_. Then _Christian_ and _Hopeful_ looked upon one another, with tears gushing out, but yet said nothing to the Shepherds.

Then I saw in my Dream, that the Shepherds had them to another place, in a bottom, where was a door in the side of a Hill; and they opened the door, and bid them look in. They looked in therefore, and saw that within it was very dark and smoaky; they also thought that they heard there a lumbring noise as of Fire, and a cry of some tormented, and that they smelt the scent of Brimstone. Then said _Christian_, _What means this?_ The Shepherds told them, This is a by-way to h.e.l.l, a way that Hypocrites go in at; namely, such as sell their Birthright, with _Esau_; such as sell their Master, as _Judas_; such as blaspheme the Gospel, with _Alexander_; and that lie and dissemble, with _Ananias_ and _Sapphira_ his Wife.

_Hope._ Then said _Hopeful_ to the Shepherds, I perceive that these had on them, even every one, a shew of Pilgrimage, as we have now; had they not?

_Shep._ Yes, and held it a long time too.

_Hope._ How far might they go on Pilgrimage in their day, since they notwithstanding were thus miserably cast away?

_Shep._ Some further, and some not so far as these Mountains.

Then said the Pilgrims one to another, We had need to cry to the Strong for strength.

_Shep._ Ay, and you will have need to use it when you have it too.

By this time the Pilgrims had a desire to go forwards, and the Shepherds a desire they should; so they walked together towards the end of the Mountains. Then said the Shepherds one to another, Let us here shew to the Pilgrims the Gates of the Coelestial City, if they have still to look through our Perspective-Gla.s.s. The Pilgrims then lovingly accepted the motion; so they had them to the top of an high Hill, called _Clear_, and gave them their Gla.s.s to look.

Then they a.s.sayed to look, but the remembrance of that last thing that the Shepherds had shewed them, made their hands shake, by means of which impediment they could not look steddily through the Gla.s.s; yet they thought they saw something like the Gate, and also some of the Glory of the place. Then they went away.

THE PILGRIMS WANDER FROM THE WAY

_By John Bunyan_

Christian and Hopeful went then till they came at a place where they saw a way put itself into their way, and seemed withal to lie as straight as the way which they should go: and here they knew not which of the two to take, for both seemed straight before them; therefore here they stood still to consider. And as they were thinking about the way, behold a man black of flesh, but covered with a very light Robe, came to them, and asked them why they stood there? They answered they were going to the Coelestial City, but knew not which of these ways to take. Follow me, said the man, it is thither that I am going. So they followed him in the way that but now came into the road, which by degrees turned, and turned them so from the City that they desired to go to, that in little time their faces were turned away from it: yet they followed him. But by-and-by, before they were aware, he led them both within the compa.s.s of a Net, in which they were both so intangled, that they knew not what to do; and with that the white Robe fell off the black man's back: then they saw where they were.

Wherefore there they lay crying some time, for they could not get themselves out.

_Chr._ Then said _Christian_ to his fellow, Now do I see myself in an errour. Did not the Shepherds bid us beware of the Flatterers? As is the saying of the Wise man, so we have found it this day, _A man that flattereth his Neighbour, spreadeth a Net for his feet_.

_Hope._ They also gave us a Note of directions about the way, for our more sure finding thereof; but therein we have also forgotten to read, and have not kept ourselves from the Paths of the Destroyer. Here _David_ was wiser than wee; for saith he, _Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the Paths of the Destroyer_. Thus they lay bewailing themselves in the Net. At last they espied a Shining One coming towards them with a Whip of small cord in his hand. When he was come to the place where they were, he asked them whence they came? and what they did there? They told him that they were poor Pilgrims going to _Sion_, but were led out of their way by a black man, cloathed in white, who bid us, said they, follow him, for he was going thither too. Then said he with the Whip, It is _Flatterer_, a false Apostle, that hath transformed himself into an Angel of Light. So he rent the Net, and let the men out. Then said he to them, Follow me, that I may set you in your way again: so he led them back to the way which they had left to follow the _Flatterer_.

Then he asked them, saying, Where did you lie the last night? They said, With the Shepherds upon the Delectable Mountains. He asked them then, If they had not of them Shepherds a Note of direction for the way? They answered, Yes. But did you, said he, when you was at a stand, pluck out and read your Note? They answered, No. He asked them, Why? They said they forgot. He asked moreover, If the Shepherds did not bid them beware of the _Flatterer?_ They answered, Yes; but we did not imagine, said they, that this fine-spoken man had been he.