Christiana Page 5

  "Good boy!" cried Mercy.

  "Hip, hip, hurrah!" shouted Matthew, Samuel and James.

  "Thank God!" whispered Christiana who had watched in fearful trepidation.

  "Whew!" gasped Joseph, glad to be looking down at the surface rather than up at it. "Now what?"

  "Do it again," said Mercy.

  "Which way?"

  "The same way. Always towards the Light."

  "Well, all right," said he as he carefully positioned himself where he could see the Light best. Then with a bit more confidence, he took the next long step, "Ah! Whew!"

  "Hip, hip, hurrah!" shouted the brothers three.

  "Good boy, Joseph!" cried Christiana with a clap of her hands. "Good, good, good!"

  "And now another," said Mercy.

  And so, scary step by scary step, the lad walked in the Light and thus caught him up. "Whew!" he exclaimed joyously as he threw himself into his mother's arms. "Boy, am I glad to be standing up here instead of swimming down there."

  "Good boy, Joseph!" exclaimed Christiana as she clasped her poor, lost lamb close to her heart in a long, clinging embrace. "And thanks be to thee, Mercy, for keeping such a cool head about you."

  "It was a gift from the King, I am sure," she replied. "Shall we press on?"

  "Yes. Forward, pilgrims. Eyes on the Light, everyone!"

  At the Slough of Despond

  And so, in process of time they got themselves over. And that with no more moisture upon them than is to be got from a morning's stroll through a dewy meadow. Now they had no sooner reached the far shore but that they heard words spoken in a voice like seven thunders, saying,

  "Blessed is she that believed;

  For there shall be a performance of those things

  That have been told her from the Lord."

  "Did I hear a voice?" queried Christiana, casting her eyes about in search of the source.

  "I sure did!" exclaimed James. "And maybe I think I heard some pretty music!"

  "I think I did too," added Mercy.

  "Then how glad I am that we chose to go forward," said Christiana.

  "Indeed!" agreed Mercy most wholeheartedly. "But if I may speak frankly, dear Christiana; I think that if I had as much ground to believe in my calling as you do in yours, it would have taken more than the Slough of Despond to bring me to a halt."

  "You chide me for my faithlessness, dear Mercy, and that rightly so. But I'll wager that before our journey's end you will have your time of testing as well."

  "Do you really think so?"

  "Aye. Do you dare to dream that those who hate us will let us pass freely from death unto life? We seek to become the happiest and most highly exalted people on all God's flat earth. And do you dare presume to think that Satan will let us pass from hell to heaven without giving us a run for our money?"

  "Hmmm. I'd never thought of that."

  "Best that you do, for never does one take up the exercises of faith and prayer but that the enemy will oppose her tenfold. Therefore, we can surely expect to be tempted upon our weakest points by those who despise our souls."

  And now, at this point in my dream Mr. Sagacity said, "Well, dear John, we have come to the parting of our ways. Blessings upon you for being such a good listener. Fare thee well."

  "But wait!" I cried. "Wait, wait, wait! What about Christiana? What happens next?"

  "Well," said he, stroking his beard thoughtfully and looking upon me with a merry twinkle in his eye. "Seeing that you have fallen so much in love with Christiana and her happy band, I suspect that the Master of dreams will let you finish out your dream without me in it. Actually, I don't really know why I was here in the first place. Ta! Ta! See thee in the Kingdom."

  CHAPTER VII

  The Wicket Gate

  And so it proved to be, for, as Sagacity faded from sight down the path of my dreams, lo! Christiana and her little troupe took his place. So I watched eagerly for myself as Christiana, Mercy, and the boys kept themselves in the center of the Light and thus made their way up to the wicket gate. Now, when they got up to the foot of that greater gate, into which was set the little wicket gate, they came to a halt to consider what to do next.

  "Wowie," said James, craning his neck to view the top of the wall.

  "Some gate, eh, Jamie?" said Samuel in quiet awe.

  "Aye," agreed the wee one. "But it has no latch-pull on this side, and it is way too high to clamber over. How shall we get in?"

  "That's simple," answered Samuel confidently. "Watch this. Hey! Ahoy in there!"

  "No, Samuel! That is not the proper way," scolded Matthew.

  "And how do you know?" challenged Samuel.

  "Because I can read. Look what's carved into the stone over the arch."

  So Samuel and all the rest looked up again. Sure enough, there, carved indelibly into the stone were these words of hope, which Samuel read aloud: 'Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' Well that's easy enough."

  "Aye," agreed Matthew. "But who shall do the knocking?"

  "Well," suggested Mercy, "your mother is the eldest. And it is her letter and dreams that have brought us thus far."

  "All right," agreed Christiana as she stepped up to the wicket gate. So she gave it a sound rap or two, upon which they heard the thunderous roaring and bawling of a dog - a ferocious-sounding dog whose vicious snarls seemed to come from just within the gate. The beast seemed so near, and his growling so powerful that the pilgrims imagined that he must surely be a cross between a Russian Wolf hound and a bear.

  "I hear a dog!" said Joseph with an obvious tremor to his voice.

  "A big dog!" added Samuel.

  "A gigantic, monster of a dog!" piped up James from behind his mother's skirts.

  Meanwhile the dog continued to scratch and howl, snarl and growl.

  "Did father meet with such a fierce beast when he came to this place?" shouted Matthew above the roar.

  "I don't think so," shouted Christiana in reply. "I hear that he met with fiery arrows from yonder black castle; but I have heard nothing about a giant dog. I'm afraid to knock for fear of the evil cur, but I am more afraid not to knock - for that would mean a return to certain destruction. Oh, what to do?"

  Meanwhile the dog continued to growl, and scratch and snarl.

  "I'm afraid!" cried James. "Let's go back."

  "Nay, my child," answered Christiana firmly. "That, we cannot even consider. We have put our hand to the plow and we cannot look back."

  "Well," declared Matthew above the melee, "we certainly can't spend the night here on this hillside."

  Meanwhile the dog continued to scratch and snarl and growl.

  "What does the sign over the door say?" asked Mercy.

  "It says 'Knock and it shall be opened unto you,'" answered Samuel.

  "Wait!" cried Christiana.

  "What is it?" asked Mercy.

  "A thought has just come flashing into my mind," said Christiana.

  "What thought, Christiana?"

  "That 'those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears, and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all'."

  "Then I say we press forward!" declared Samuel, "for it seems to me that 'the path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path'."

  "Aye," agreed Christiana. "Let us choose to believe the promise of He who sent the words of gold. Let us knock again!"

  "Hurrah! Hurrah!" shouted the boys.

  "Amen!" cheered Mercy.

  In response, the mastiff bellowed out the loudest roar, snarl, and snap ever.

  "Wretched hound!" cried Christiana over the deafening roar. "Matthew! Fetch me the staff called 'faith', please."

  "Here you are, Mother," answered he, placing the stout staff firmly into her outstretched hand.

  "Thank you. Now we shall back our desires with some faith. Stand back, everyone. I shall not be driven back by mere noise in my ears when I can see the promise of God carved in stone
!"

  So they all stood back a few paces and were soon right glad they had; for Christiana commenced to address herself to the door with a right good will. Indeed, she attacked it with such violence that it sounded as if she were wielding a battering ram rather than a mere walking staff.

  Now when He that waited within heard the thundering vehemence of that knocking He smiled and shouted "Away, vile cur!" Instantly there was a weak whimper and then silence. Then the keeper of the door called out, "Who goes there?"

  "Oh! Someone answers," whispered Christiana as she began to fuss with her hair. "Oh, dear! Is my appearance worthy, Mercy?"

  "Uh, yes," answered Mercy as she too began to primp a bit. "At least as best can be expected of a traveling woman. And I?"

  "You look fine, Mercy. Here, you hold the staff."

  "All right."

  "Best you stand off to the side there so the door won't hit you."

  And so Mercy stood to the side and back a bit as Christiana answered, "Uh, weary pilgrims seeking the heavenly country, sir."

  Instantly the door swung wide to reveal Christiana and her boys. But Mercy who had been off to the side was now hid behind the door. "Pilgrims, do you say?" inquired the doorkeeper. "Then do come in! Come in, one and all! Please, please, please."

  "Dear sir," said Christiana, with a low bow, "let not my Lord be offended with His handmaiden for knocking so rudely at His gate, but . . ."

  "Offended!" he exclaimed. "Oh, dear woman, nay, nay, nay. Not at all! Don't you know that '. . . from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force'?"

  "You mean you're not angry with me for adding all those dents to your door?"

  "Oh no! Not at all! God is well pleased, yea, even delighted, to have His pilgrims attack His kingdom with faith that expects an answer. But do tell, dear woman, where do you come from, and what do you want at this door?"

  "We are from the same place as Christian and bound upon the same errand as he."

  "Which?"

  "To be admitted into the way that leads to the Celestial City."

  "Ah. And what be thy name, Madam?"

  "Christiana, sir. I was once the wife of that same Christian that is now got into heavenly places."

  "What! Is she that formerly mocked and derided God's chosen, now become a pilgrim?"

  "Aye, Sir. Thanks only to the tender mercies of God. And these my sweet babes are come along as well."

  "So I see! From a wee young lad of six or eight up to this handsome young man here. Well, the Master of this place has told us to '. . . suffer the little children to come unto Me'. Therefore come in, boys. Do come in. Glad we are to have you. You too, little man. Step right in!"

  "Yes, sir," answered James. "Thank you, sir."

  Then he took Christiana by the hand and brought her in, saying, "Welcome, Christiana; you and yours. Welcome, welcome!" And with that, he shut up the gate.

  This done he called to the trumpeter stationed over the gate and bade he and his fellows to welcome Christiana with joyful shouts and the sound of many trumpets.

  The King's Trumpeter

  So he obeyed and instantly the air was filled with melodious notes and shouts from all the servants.

  Now poor Mercy, who had been hidden by the open door, was left behind when it shut. So she stood alone without the gate all crying and trembling for fear that she had been rejected. But, no sooner had Christiana gotten admittance for herself and her boys than she began to make intercession for Mercy.

  "My Lord," said she, "I have a companion yet standing outside the gate."

  "Indeed?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "And was she invited?"

  "Oh yes! But because the invitation came through me, rather than directly from the King, the poor child doubts it. Therefore is she much dejected in her mind."

  Now while this conversation was being had, Mercy began to be very anxious, for it seemed to her that each passing moment was longer than an hour; wherefore, she decided that she must venture all and take matters into her own hands. Thus it was that she took up the staff of 'faith' and let fly at the wicket gate with such a thunderous blow that all within jumped with surprise.

  "What on earth . . . ?" asked the doorkeeper with a start.

  "Oh! It is my friend!" cried Christiana. "'Tis my friend, Mercy!"

  "Why, she knocks nearly as loudly as you did! We must let her in!"

  With that, he quickly opened the gate and looked out, but there was no one there to greet him. Looking down he saw that poor Mercy was fallen down in a swoon.

  "Mercy was fallen down in a swoon"

  "Ah, poor dear!" sympathized Christiana as she rushed to her side. "She thought she was forever shut out and has fainted for fear. Mercy! Mercy! 'Tis I, your friend Christiana."

  At the sound of Christiana's voice Mercy was a little revived and moaned softly, "Hmmm?"

  Then the Man took her by the hand and said, "Damsel, I bid thee arise."

  "Oh, sir," said she, feebly. "I am faint; there is scarce life left within me."

  "Oh?" answered He with a twinkle in his eye. "One certainly would not have known it from the vigor of your poundings!"

  "I'm sorry to have been so violent, Sir. But you see, I was afraid I might not be let in."

  "No fear for that, lass," said He, looking upon her with tender affection. "In this place it brings joy to our hearts to hear one knock with the softness of a feather. But, oh, my! When someone sets the door to shuddering as you have done, we are especially overjoyed."

  "Overjoyed? For why?"

  "Because such vehement poundings announce the approach of someone who is not afraid to take the Kingdom of heaven by violence. Come now, oh thou maid of great boldness. Stand thee up." And with that He took her hand and gently lifted her to her feet.

  "Thank you, Sir," said she with a bow.

  "It says in the Good Book, Miss, that '. . . when my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thy holy temple'. Thus it has been for you. But do tell, why did you faint?"

  "Why 'tis because I was not invited by the King, as was Christiana. Why, she had a wondrous dream of heaven and a waiting husband. Then there came a royal visitor with an invitation all perfumed and writ in letters of gold. But I am here only upon her invitation. Therefore, I continually fear that I am being presumptuous."

  "Hmmm," murmured the Gate Keeper.

  "And then the door was shut against me. From within I could hear the ringing of bells and blowing of trumpets and all the shouts of joy; but they were not for me. 'Oh,' thought I. 'I have been left behind.' Then, when the delay was so long as to seem like forever, I was at a loss as to what to do. Then, I looked up at the words over the door and took courage. 'If the King has told us to knock,' thought I, 'then knock I shall. And that with all might and main. And, if I perish - I perish.' So I knocked."

  "Ah, and that right soundly too! But do tell, why are you so fearful, oh thou of little faith?"

  "What?"

  "Don't you understand the rules of the Kingdom?"

  "I, uh . . . rules?"

  "Yes, rules - rules as firm as Gibraltar and deep as eternity."

  "Say on, good sir."

  "One of the King's most powerful rules states that '. . . he who comes upon invitation from one of the King's friends, is regarded as coming upon invitation from the King Himself.'"

  "Indeed?"

  "Yea, verily! And with all the rights and privileges that apply thereto."

  "Then dare I believe that there is enough grace and forgiveness left over to cover me?"

  "Dear lassie! There is grace and forgiveness enough for every child of Adam that ever breathed air! And enough besides for a million times more!"

  "Then may I dare hope to partake of the crumbs that fall from my Master's table?"

  "Crumbs! Nay! This table serves no crumbs. Only full banquets! The King of this place is in the business of saving soul
s 'It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom'."