Christiana Read online

  "But why then is there a rumor bandied about that paints the King as stern, and pleased to make the way to His City difficult?"

  "Bah!" snorted the Keeper angrily. "'Tis not the King, but the enemy of souls who hedges up the way with such lies as that! But simply believe and you may come off as more than conqueror."

  "'Lord, I believe. Only help thou my unbelief'."

  "It has been done. Now, dear one, do come in." And with that, he took her by the hand and escorted her in. "Sound the trumpets twice over!" he commanded. Then the trumpets blared with such enthusiasm as had not been heard in many a day. "Ring the bells!" he shouted - and every bell within miles began to peal. "Lift up your voices!" he ordered - and every servant and waiter, every gardener and farmer, and every man, woman and child in that country shouted so loudly as to nearly drown out the trumpets! "Bring forth a bundle of myrrh that this maiden may smell it and not faint again," he called. And so was it done.

  "Christiana, look!" exclaimed Mercy. "I have been let in! I am in!

  "I knew He would accept you!" squealed Christiana as she gave Mercy a great hug of joy. The older boys looked on with huge grins while young James clapped his little hands and giggled.

  "Glad we are to have you along with us, dear Mercy," said Matthew, a bit shyly.

  "Why, thank you, Matthew," she answered with a curtsy. "Glad I am to be along. Glad indeed!"

  Then said Christiana, "Sir, we are all sorry for our past sins, and do beg of our Lord His pardon."

  "Fear not, dear Christiana," said He, "for pardon I freely bestow - by word and deed."

  "What do you mean by that?" asked Christiana. "Please explain how you pardon by word."

  "The pardon by word lies in accepting the promise of forgiveness. Thus the pardon is yours if you choose to believe it. Accept it from my lips as by a holy kiss."

  "I shall, sir. And what about pardon by deed? What deed?"

  "The deed by which I obtained it."

  "And what deed is that?"

  "A deed that shall soon be revealed."

  "Thank you, sir," answered Christiana gratefully. "Thank you very much."

  "Yes, bless you, sir," added Mercy.

  "And thank you," said the Gate Keeper with a low bow.

  "For what do you thank us, dear Gate Keeper? We have done nothing worthy of thanks."

  "Oh, but indeed you have," replied he. "You have brought us much joy."

  "Joy? How can we bring you joy?"

  "Because there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents. And here we have not just one, but six! Oh, dear woman, you have indeed set heaven's bells a ringing this day!"

  Now I saw in my dream that he spoke many other kind words unto them, by which they were greatly cheered. He then took them to the top of the wall from whence they could see, afar off, a skull-shaped hill. Atop it was a cross and hanging thereon a Man. "This is the deed by which you have been made right with God," said he, reverently.

  "Oh, My Lord. Is it for such as we that He suffers so greatly?" asked Christiana, with tears flowing down her cheeks.

  "Aye. This is the ransom that was paid for thy soul, for thou art precious in His sight."

  "Oh, bless Him. Bless Him!"

  "You will find that this skull-shaped hill is set on such a height as to be visible from any place along your journey," said the Gate Keeper.

  "Oh? Why?"

  "Because 'pride and self-worship can never take root in the soul that keeps fresh in mind the scenes of Calvary'."

  "Ah," answered Christiana with a nod of understanding.

  "But now, do come rest in our little arbor while we prepare refreshments."

  So He had them to the little arbor which seemed to them like the gateway to heaven itself! There were flowering vines on all sides, and hanging from the arbor were grapes and other fruits that delighted the senses and tempted the appetite.

  "My! How lovely!" declared Christiana. "It seems that heaven itself could be no finer than this."

  "Ha, ha," chuckled the Gate Keeper merrily. "Nay, but this arbor is but the smallest foretaste of what lies ahead for you. There, at the marriage supper of the Lamb, you shall be served by the King Himself. You shall dwell securely and never more go out. Do help yourselves to some of the grapes that hang over heaven's wall for your encouragement. And now, if you will excuse me, I shall see how dinner is coming along."

  Then said Christiana to the others, "Oh, how grateful I am to feel welcome in such a place as this."

  "I'll wager that you are not near so glad as I," ventured Mercy.

  "Why do you say that, Mercy?"

  "Oh! To have seen you all taken in so freely and yet to be utterly locked out was like to have stopped my heart. There came rushing to my mind the verse that says, 'Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left'."

  "Ah," answered Christiana softly. "I understand now, for certainly the appearance looked none too good for you."

  "Oh, you cannot know! It was all I could do to keep from crying out, 'Undone! Oh, all lost and undone!' So there I stood listening to the cheering and the trumpets and all those lovely bells - while I myself seemed to be cast out and forsaken. I was afraid to knock, but I was more afraid not to knock. Then I saw what was written above the door and had conceived within me the hope that it might be written for me. Then I knew that I must either gain admittance or die trying. And so I took your stout staff and knocked. At least I think I did; for at that moment my spirit did faint within me. I did knock, did I not?"

  "Did you knock? Oh my! I have never heard such a pounding in all my days! The door seemed to be breathing in and out from the force of your blows. Talk about taking the Kingdom of heaven by violence! My!"

  "What else could I do? You were in and I was out. You were safe but somewhere hounding about was some great vicious dog seeking to devour me. I had no choice."

  "Ah, I see your point."

  "But do tell, when I pounded so rudely was my Lord angry with me?"

  "Oh, to the contrary. When he heard that vehement pounding upon the door, His face lit up with joy and He smiled a wonderful and innocent smile."

  "What? A smile?"

  "Yes! It seems as if it pleases Him to have His gates attacked with such faith as that."

  "Hmmm. Then perhaps it is true that 'the violent take the Kingdom by force'."

  "Aye, I think it a true saying. But now we are all in and I am happier than I have been in all my days!"

  Then Christiana fetched her grandmother's violin, tightened up the bow, and played such a merry jig that it set everyone to dancing for joy. When the song was ended, Matthew raised his arm and shouted, "Hip, hip . . ." and all answered with a triumphant shout, "Hurrah! Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!" This set all the servants and gardeners to cheering again and clapping with undisguised delight.

  "Praise God! We are in!" shouted Matthew.

  "Yes! In!" cried James.

  "Praise the King!" hollered Joseph and Samuel together.

  "But we must remember, children," warned Christiana, "that 'in the way' is not the same as 'in the Kingdom.' There lie ahead trials enough and to spare."

  "But Christiana," answered Mercy, "has not the King promised that '. . . there shall no temptation come upon thee, but that there shall, with the temptation, be made a way of escape'?"

  "Aye. "Tis a word come direct from the mouth of God."

  "Then I, for one, am determined to press forward towards the mark of my high calling. I intend to make my hope and election sure."

  "As do we all!" cried Samuel, with a determined set to his jaw.

  "Christiana? Why do you suppose the Gatekeeper keeps such a vicious dog in his yard?" queried Mercy.

  "I have no idea," answered Christiana. "But I'll tell you one thing: if I had known we would be meeting such a monster as that, I'd have had second thoughts about setting out."

  "Perhaps that is why God does not show us what lies ahead."

  "I suppose. But now we are in
. We are in! And I am glad with all my heart!"

  After a moment's thought, Mercy asked, "Do you think the Gatekeeper would be upset with me if I were to ask him why He keeps such a vicious cur right here in His yard?"

  "I wouldn't think so. What about you, children?"

  "Aye, do," answered Samuel.

  "Yes, do," urged James. "He might bite us when we leave."

  "I think we should catch the beast and hang him," urged Matthew. "It would be an honor to our father's name to make the way easier for those who follow after."

  "Aye. At least ask," agreed Joseph.

  So, when the Doorkeeper came out to them again Mercy knelt before Him and said, "Let my Lord accept the sacrifice of praise which I now offer with my lips."

  "Peace be unto thee, Mercy," said He gently. "Please, stand up."

  "Nay, not yet, my Lord; for I have a question to ask of Thee."

  "Oh?"

  "Yes, my Lord. My question is this. Since this is the beginning of the way that leads to the Celestial City, why do you keep such a cruel dog in your yard? Why, at the sight of him we were nearly ready to flee back towards Destruction."

  "Oh? And what did he look like?

  "Well, he was . . . uh, . . . Christiana?"

  "I didn't get a look at him actually. Boys?"

  "He was a giant shaggy black beast with huge long fangs that dripped white slobbery stuff down his beard," declared James.

  "Indeed!" answered the Gate Keeper with an amused smile. "And did any of the rest of you see him?"

  "Uh . . . " said Matthew.

  "Ummm . . . " said Joseph.

  "Er, uh . . " said Samuel.

  "Well, no. Not exactly," admitted Christiana.

  "And where did you see this befanged monster, little man?"

  Then James looked all about in a vain search for the ugly cur. Upon seeing nothing but a few honking geese and a cat playing with a ball he said, 'Ummm, I'm not sure, Sir. Maybe in a circus somewhere?"

  "But not here?"

  "Ummm, maybe not. Maybe it just sounded like he was here, I guess."

  "That dog, which you have yet to lay eyes upon, has a different master than I."

  "He does?" asked Mercy.

  "He does. He belongs to the owner of the dark castle that lies not far without the gate."

  "Oh."

  "And, since his property joins to mine along the stone wall, he hopes to discourage young pilgrims by keeping that vicious hound tied there. But I assure you, Miss; had you but the tiniest hint of the glories that await you, you would gladly face down dog, demon or dungeon rather than turn back."

  "I am sorry, My Lord," confessed Mercy. "From the sound of him we imagined him to be some great beast."

  "And suppose that were true? Would you have turned back for that? Do not the beggars that go from door to door brave the hazards of bawling, barking and even biting dogs in the hope of a mere crust of bread?"

  "Yes, I confess my ignorance and shame, my Lord," answered Mercy. "I spoke according to appearances rather than reality. I am sorry."

  "'Tis a common mistake, dear Mercy," answered the Keeper gently. "My enemy hopes, by the barking and bawling of his cur to send pilgrims packing back to their death. But, more often than not, he shoots himself in the foot by causing many pilgrims to knock all the louder."

  "It certainly did that for us!" declared Christiana.

  Then the Gate Keeper washed their feet and had them all to a simple but delicious repast. After dinner He, with ill-disguised eagerness, asked if they had any requests to make of Him. When they assured Him that they felt need of nothing, His face, for a brief moment wore an expression of sadness. Then, with a sigh He reminded them to keep their eye on the Light and sent them out into a lovely spring day.

  CHAPTER VIII

  The Mysterious Fruit

  And so it was that the little troupe set out. With bellies pleasantly full, hearts merry as a fiddler, and eyes bright as a pup, they felt ready for any adventure that might greet them around the next turn.

  Then Christiana began to sing, saying:

  "Blest be the day that I began

  A pilgrim for to be;

  And blessed also be that man

  That thereto moved me.

  'Tis true, 'twas long 'ere I began

  To seek to live for ever:

  But now I run fast as I can -

  'Tis better late, than never.

  Our tears to joy, our fears to faith,

  Are turned, as we see:

  Thus our beginning (as one saith)

  Shows what our end will be."

  As they traveled along the strait and narrow way, they saw that along one side was a high stone wall. And here and there, over that wall, there hung down the branches of a certain tree that bore fragrant blossoms and a delicious looking fruit. Now Christiana would have passed right on, as she had purposed in her song. But the boys, as boys are apt to do, paused to admire the fruit. As they beheld it they 'saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes'.

  "Mammy, look!" called James. "Such pretty fruit."

  "'Tis not ours, boys. Best we keep on our way."

  "But, Mama! It smells so good!" exclaimed Joseph.

  "Here, Matthew" directed Samuel, as he began climbing the wall and bending the branches down. "If I can bend a branch down you can reach a bunch of fruit."

  "The boys eat of the enemy's fruit"

  "All right," answered he as Samuel turned his words into actions.

  "Boys!" scolded Christiana.

  "Can you reach it, Matty?" asked Samuel, ignoring his mother (for such is the way of children who have been raised in the city of Destruction).

  "Sure can, Sammy. Boy, does it smell good! Here, Jamie. I'll hand them down to you till you have a hat full."

  "All right."

  "Hand me some too, Matthew," called Joseph.

  "Hey, back up!" protested James with a shove. "I'm the one with the hat!"

  "So? Who needs an 'ole hat when he's got pockets as big as mine?" countered Joseph as he shouldered James aside and reached for some of the fruit.

  "Now, now," teased Matthew, "there be enough for both of you. Here you go, boys."

  "Look, mother!" said Joseph, holding forth a lovely piece of fruit. "Isn't it pretty?"

  "Hmmm," said Christiana, eying it suspiciously. "'Tis such fruit as I have never seen at market. Best leave it be, lads."

  "But 'tis already picked," protested Samuel. "Is it not a sin to waste?"

  "No more than to steal," countered Christiana.

  Now, unbeknownst to Christiana, the owner and dresser of said tree was none other than the prince of the power of the air. The very one who dwelt with his minions in distant dark castle. 'Twas also he who kept on his grounds that fierce-sounding dog. But of this Christiana was blissfully unaware; but I'll warrant you that if she had known - she would have been ready to die for fright.

  "Mmmm, tastes good!" mumbled Matthew through a mouthful. "Want some, Mother?"

  "Not I, thank you. We have just eaten our fill at the King's table. Therefore, what you eat is for pleasure and not need."

  "What's wrong with that?" queried Samuel.

  "The wise man has said, 'Blessed art thou, O land, when thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness'."

  "Moreover, boys," added Mercy, "That tree is growing in the orchard where the dog of the dark castle prowls."

  "Oh, oh! Here, Matthew," said James, handing back his share. "You can have your fruit back."

  "What's the matter, Sonny?" asked Matthew as he crunched off another crispy bite.

  "I don't want nothin' what grows in that garden!" declared wee James.

  "Me neither," seconded Joseph. "Here, Matthew."

  "Bosh!" scoffed Matthew. "You are both cautious overmuch. But I'll warrant you that his fruits are sweeter to the tongue than was his dog to the ear."

  "Did not Eve reason the same?" countered Christiana.

 
"I see no connection," answered he.

  "No matter if you do," stated Christiana firmly. "The fruit is not ours to eat."

  "If you ask me, the owner of that vile dog owes us some as payment for the fright his dumb dog gave us!" declared the undecided Samuel as he shined a piece of fruit on his frayed coat.