THE DEVIL’S PAWN SHOP.
1. Miss Church-Member with her new glasses looks upon her attire and,
not being satisfied with her pilgrim’s robe, exchanges it for up-to-date
apparel.
2. The similar action of Mr. Deacon and Mr. Elder described.
Miss Church-Member, having closed her Bible, was engaged in a close
scrutiny of her attire. By the aid of her glasses she realized very
keenly that her garments were out of harmony with her environments.
“Will you answer a frank question?” she modestly asked Mr. World. “Do
you think my pilgrim’s robe becomes me as it should?”
“A very delicate question. I should never have ventured a criticism
without your invitation to do so. Sincerely, your whole attire is
somewhat antiquated. It is just as faulty as the Bible. So I would
advise you to wear apparel more suited to your natural charms.”
“But where can such be found?” she blushingly asked, offering no comment
upon Mr. World’s aspersion upon the Holy Scriptures.
[Illustration: A Scene in the Devil’s Pawn Shop. “Her beautiful pilgrim
robe was drawn through the dust and relegated to the rear.”]
“At numberless places along the way. In the distance I see an exchange
store, duly authorized to do business along this Highway. If you so
desire, we will proceed thither.”
She assented gratefully, and soon the vehicle stopped. The two alighted
and stepped into the place known along the King’s Highway as the Devil’s
Pawn Shop.
This establishment was easily accessible from either Highway, and had
been in operation for thousands of years, carrying on an extensive
business.
In such a place our parents pawned a glorious inheritance for a taste
of forbidden fruit, and Esau exchanged a legitimate birth-right for
a mere mess of pottage.
In another similar place Judas sold his Lord and Master for thirty
dirty pieces of silver; and Ananias and Sapphira pawned their natural
and spiritual lives for a little worldly profit which was held but for
a few hours, and that in guilt and pain.
Satan has a Pawn Shop, or an exchange store, for every phase of desire
that can enter into an unsatisfied heart, or a soul unduly ambitious.
This one, into which Mr. World escorted Miss Church-Member, is intended
for those who become dissatisfied with the dress of righteousness, or
for any who wish a change in any part of their apparel. It proved
intensely interesting to Miss Church-Member, with her new-found
ambitions, to walk through the aisles of this great department store,
each department being used for a separate kind of apparel.
The entire Pawn Shop was full of old curiosities which had never been
redeemed. These, and more recent specimens, told the story of many a
faithless pilgrim. In the footwear department I saw many a “preparation
of the gospel of peace” which had been pawned for shoes of worldliness,
and elsewhere I saw the garments of truth which had been girt about
the loins of the saints, but which had been exchanged for robes of
vanity.
There were also many antiquated pilgrims’ robes which had been given
for more fashionable attire.
Miss Church-Member became more and more ashamed of her own robe as she
saw how many already had effected the exchange which she was now
contemplating.
One of the shrewd attendants, observing the impatience of Miss
Church-Member and the significant look of Mr. World, approached her
and offered to render such assistance as she might desire.
“I am feeling wretchedly out of place and out of style in my present
condition. Can I not be dressed in a way more consistent with my
station?”
“We can readily and easily supply all your fancies,” answered the
attendant with a graceful bow and a smile which gave re-assurance to
Miss Church-Member.
The sad transformation was effected in a manner well pleasing to the
Prince of Darkness. Her beautiful pilgrim’s robe was drawn through the
dust and relegated to the rear.
My own heart saddened as I beheld the changed appearance of Miss
Church-Member, who had just taken one more step in her downward course,
and who was still vainly imagining that she was on the road to Heaven.
I saw, with disgust, her fantastically feathered hat of conceit, her
broad sleeves of self-righteousness, her ruby bracelets and necklace
of vanity, her flowing garments of personal liberty, and her shoes of
fashionable infidelity.
Then they made a strong effort to induce her to pawn her Bible, but
to no purpose, for she had clung to it so long that it had become a
precious souvenir with which she declared she would never part. Thus
I saw how some worship the Bible who do not worship God.
Finally they emerged from the Pawn Shop, and glided along in their
mysterious carriage more rapidly and smoothly than ever. The two happy
companions, free from their former embarrassment, now enjoyed the
scenes of life along the way with increasing pleasure. The moving
masses, in their diversified employments, yielded constant
entertainment.
Miss Church-Member was soon agreeably surprised to see Mr. Deacon and
Mr. Elder, who served in the same church to which she belonged. The
carriage overtook them in a rather isolated place and stopped at their
side, in obedience to the will of Miss Church-Member.
“Can it possibly be that I meet two of my church officers at this
unexpected time and place? How came it about that you also have chosen
this ‘Broader and Better Way’ to Heaven?”
The two men were slightly abashed at first and stood speechless as if
in doubt what to say, or as if they were unable to recognize her.
“Ho! ho!” cried Mr. Deacon, “here is Miss Church-Member who sits in
one of our front pews.”
“Her appearance is wonderfully improved however,” added Mr. Elder in
an undertone.
“How came you to adopt this dress and be in such close fellowship with
Mr. World?” asked Mr. Deacon.
“I am now in the midst of my missionary work, endeavoring to lead Mr.
World into church membership,” were her glib words of explanation,
though, somehow, they were unsatisfying to her ear; but she was rapidly
learning to stifle such unpleasant qualms of conscience.
“She is doing a grand work,” said Mr. Deacon to Mr. Elder with gestures
of approbation.
“Are you any better than you were since such an elevating influence
has been thrown about you?” asked Mr. Elder, as he turned to Mr. World.
“Happy for me that Miss Church-Member ever undertook my case, for I
am now nearer joining the church than ever before.”
The two church-officials offered their hands to Mr. World in warm
congratulation, and then praised Miss Church-Member for her timely
efforts which they felt sure would terminate in his conversion.
“What more is required of me in order that I may join your church?”
inquired Mr. World in a voice of deepening earnestness.
“Nothing more than to express your willingness,” responded the two.
Your morality is beyond suspicion, and your fulfillment of the duties
of citizenship has always been praiseworthy; therefore your religion
is quite exemplary. It lacks but your admission into the church.”
“I would have joined before now had it not been for a radical element
potent in the councils of the church, and especially for the narrow
views entertained by your minister. If you had another pastor, one of
more liberal cast of mind, it would not only influence me to join, but
many of my wealthy and honorable friends would do so as well.”
“It certainly is a sad state of affairs,” sighed Miss Church-Member.
“We are losing heavily by reason of such narrowness. I thought
differently at one time, but these glasses have given me a wider and
clearer range of vision.”
“Your words indicate a sound judgment,” commented Mr. World, and the
two church officials listened eagerly. “Why should the church compel
a man to journey on a path so narrow that he can scarcely make any
progress?”
[Illustration: Mr. Elder, unable to push through the narrow pass of
Consecration, was compelled to take the “Shorter and Broader Way to
Heaven.”]
“A sensible view of it,” said Mr. Elder, “for I have learned by
experience that it is impossible to travel far in the way you mention.
I tried it until recently, when I gave it up in disgust. I patronized
an old established exchange store, disposed of a part of my outfit,
and got in exchange something up-to-date, as you see from my appearance.
I then endeavored to walk on the old path, but soon came to an
especially narrow place called Consecration. I could not squeeze
through. I struggled hard and long until one came to me and said: ‘Let
go what thou hast under thine arms and belted to thine heart, and thou
shalt go through with ease and rejoicing.’ That was asking too much
of me, for I paid a high price for these things and was minded to hold
to them at all cost. I then endeavored more earnestly to push ahead,
but found that I could not. As I looked around me, in despair, I saw
a path leading to the left, under a beautiful arch, whereon I read
this inscription:
A SHORTER AND BROADER WAY TO HEAVEN.
“This path I took and have been traveling comfortably thereon,
especially since I found this still Broader Way into which it led. If
only all church-members would know the comforts and advantages of this
way, they could no longer refuse to travel it.”
“They are finding it out more and more every age,” said Mr. World
with a complacent smile. “The church and the world ought to be one
and, according to the teaching of the Bible, how could this be better
accomplished than by having the church come down to the level of the
world, and from that point lift the world upward. That was Christ’s
method and example. The church of to-day should not wish to be greater
than her Lord.”
The two church-officials looked at each other in surprise. “Without
doubt that is broad-minded theology,” first spoke Mr. Deacon.
“It is indeed refreshing in contrast with what we must hear repeatedly
from the troublesome element in the church,” added the other.
“Will you not tell us how you also came to reach this favored place?”
inquired Miss Church-Member, as she gave her attention momentarily to
Mr. Deacon.
“It came about in a very odd manner. I had been wearing an old-style
robe of righteousness, and gradually came to see that it was totally
out of harmony with the higher thought of the age; so much so that I
became odious to many liberal-minded people. A sharp struggle ensued
between my conscience and my judgment. In the midst of this conflict
I came to a place which offered to accept my old garments in exchange
for seasonable attire. ‘Anything for peace,’ thought I; so I entered
the establishment and selected this apparel, and these additional
advantages. It cost me nothing but the mere willingness to exchange,
and would I not have been foolish to refuse so much at so small a
price?”
“Without a doubt,” quickly answered Miss Church-Member. The others
forcibly confirmed her answer.
“After I had completed my bargain I continued my diligence in the work
of the church and in traveling on the good old Narrow Way. I came to
a place called God Praise, and got through with little difficulty; but
voices from unseen creatures spoke terror to my soul. In this
unhappiness I trudged along until I came to a narrow pass known as
Sacrifice. Through it I could not go. I struggled again and again. I
also heard a voice saying unto me: ‘If thou wilt wear the garments of
salvation, and cast off these things of earth, then thou mayest pass
through all thy sacrifice with ease and sweet delight.’
“The voice troubled me much, for I feared it spoke the truth. There
did I spend a long season in mortal dread and doubt, and thought I
would rather die than suffer thus. Suddenly, as if blind to it before,
I saw a sign apparently moving in circles about me. It settled to my
left and thus it read:
TO HEAVEN WITHOUT SACRIFICE.
“At once a smooth path opened to view, and I chided myself for having
been blind to it so long. I entered upon it and hastily pursued my
journey, and soon from thence passed upon this Broad Gauge Road. I
traveled hereon for a long time when, to my delight, I came across Mr.
Elder. I assure you we have had companionable seasons. We are on our
road to Heaven and expect eventually to reach that place. Many persons
of the Narrow Gauge Road have told us that we are wrong, deceived, and
would be hopelessly lost if we do not change our course, but methinks
that those people are disregarding the Bible where it saith, ‘Judge
not that ye be not judged’; and ‘Thou hypocrite, first cast out the
beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly.’”
“Ah! Mr. Deacon,” quickly complimented Mr. World, “you must be a
champion in the use of Bible truth. How can these bigots expect to
stand when such Scripture condemns them? It will be a joyful time for
all of us when these self-righteous critics shall have pulled the beams
out of their eyes and be able to see us in our real innocence.”
While Mr. World was speaking these words he assisted Miss Church-
Member into their strange vehicle and, when his last sentence was
ended, they bade a hearty farewell to the two acquaintances and smoothly
glided on, not tarrying to hear the words of commendation which each
church-official was speaking simultaneously.