THE HILL OF REMORSE.
1. While climbing a steep hill Miss Church-Member is touched by Remorse.
2. Satan’s strategy in keeping her away from the Narrow Path.
3. All her trouble is lost in company with Mr. World on the Mountain Top
of Apathy.
Returning to my former post of observation, and looking again through
the open door, I beheld Mr. World and Miss Church-Member still riding
on the gravity road. They were approaching the Shadowy Vale, and Mr.
World was desirous that his friend should close her eyes until they
had passed through the shadows.
She reclined her head, and soon was resting so comfortably that she
fell fast asleep and opened not her eyes until they had passed beyond
the darker scenes of the miserable valley.
Then did Mr. World engage her with artful and pleasant conversation,
so that she might not fully observe the features that constantly make
this part of the Broad Highway dark and dreary.
Satan, unseen, hovered around them during their conversation which was
well pleasing to him. At length, in partial disguise, he made himself
visible, much to the terror of Miss Church-Member.
“Fear not; no harm will befall you,” said Mr. World re-assuringly as
he laid his hand upon her shoulder.
Satan smiled complaisantly, and spoke in soft tones: “Tremble not at
my presence. I have come only to render you such assistance as may be
especially helpful to you in your journey, and to disabuse your mind
of such false impressions as you have evidently entertained concerning
my character.”
So affable was his manner and so pleasing his address that, to her
mind, he soon lost that shocking hideousness which characterized his
first appearance, and evoked from Miss Church-Member this apology born
of her guilty conscience: “You would not have seen me now on this path
had Mr. World adhered strictly to his promises.”
“Indeed, Miss Church-Member,” replied Satan, “you need have no regret
for being here. You are to be congratulated upon the good judgment
which led you into fellowship with Mr. World. It is your happy fortune
that he has succeeded in preventing you from leaving him. You are an
exception to a host of cranks, who, without investigation, are
prejudiced by what they hear. You are broad-minded, independent, and
will be found wiser and happier than the army of fools you have left.”
These words brought a mixture of pride and shame to her heart, and
threw her mind into a state of great confusion.
But by this time they had come to a long and steep hill called Remorse
up which all pilgrims walked. Mr. World assisted his companion in
alighting, and promised to give her all possible help in her efforts
to climb the hill.
Satan remained with them, and Miss Church-Member, under deepening
remorse of conscience, loitered a few steps in the rear. Her bowed
head indicated the warring of her thoughts. Then I saw that she cast
a longing glance over the rough hills toward the King’s Highway, and
looked for some path by which she might go thither.
Her two wily companions endeavored to allay her fears by offering all
manner of cajolements, none of which either diverted or quieted her
mind.
“O ye friends of mine!” cried Miss Church-Member, “I can find rest
only on yonder King’s Highway. Can you show me the shortest path leading
thereto? I cannot go to the summit of this hill.”
[Illustration: On the Hill of Remorse. Miss Church-Member cast a longing
glance toward the King’s Highway, and looked for some way by which she
might go thither.]
“It so happens,” pleasantly replied the Devil, “that there is no way
of reaching the so-called King’s Highway from this part of our route,
but, if you will have patience, we will conduct you safely to a point
a little farther on where you can conveniently leave this way with all
honor to yourself. In the meantime we will give you all the assistance
that you may need, and every convenience that science can afford.”
Miss Church-Member wept tears of gratitude at this proffered kindness,
and began to feel that this dark intruder was a friend with a rough
exterior but a warm and congenial heart.
“It is quite evident that you have been grossly misrepresented to me,”
she faltered as her voice trembled with emotion. “I was told that you
are the embodiment of envy, malice, and hatred, and vigorously opposed
to everything religious.”
Satan looked at her in well-counterfeited amazement. “How wrongly I
am judged by my enemies! How can I be opposed to all religion when I
attend church and prayer-meeting regularly, and sedulously listen to
the sermons and prayers while many sleep who claim to be better than
I? You will pardon me, Miss Church-Member,” he continued, “but allow
me to bear the light burden you are carrying under your arm, and let
us hasten from this sickly atmosphere to the refreshing air beyond the
summit of the hill.”
“You are very kind, indeed,” she said. “Please carry these books
carefully, as I prize them very highly.”
As they pushed their way up the hill, I looked at Blackana who, with
his eyes fixed upon me, sat as cold and motionless as a statue.
“Tell me,” I asked, “why Satan has falsified so greatly to Miss
Church-Member.”
Blackana, with a show of uneasiness, answered interrogatively: “Wherein
has he falsified?”
“Did he not just inform Miss Church-Member that there is no way of
reaching the King’s Highway from the place where she had been standing?
He well knew that there is a way opened by the Prince of the House of
David. Why did he not tell her?”
Blackana again grinned horribly while my indignation waxed stronger.
Then came his pertinent reply: “My master is about his own business;
that is why he is so successful in his work. It is not his business
to point people away from his kingdom; his delight is rather in leading
them upon his own Highway.”
“Oh! for the voice of a thousand trumpets, that I might reach the ear
of Miss Church-Member, and break unto her the words of truth and life.
See how she walks on between those two fiends, ever nearing an awful
destruction, yet vainly imagining, through the deceitfulness of her
advisers, that she is nearing the place where she can, with greater
ease, leave her present course and join her comrades on the Shining
Path. Oh, that I could send a messenger, good and swift, in her
pursuit!”
“Rest in ease, anxious mortal; she will get all necessary advice from
her two friends,” replied Blackana with a sardonic grin.
I could no longer look into his face, for I was filled with contempt.
I turned my eyes to see poor Miss Church-Member still struggling up
the Hill of Remorse.
When the top was finally reached I heard Mr. World congratulating her:
“Well done, noble woman! You have fought Remorse until you have mastered
it. The pains and pangs incident to this climbing are over, and if you
should come to another hill you will ascend it with more ease. Look
about you at these cool mountain resorts called Apathy, and join me
in a needed recreation as we mingle with the merry multitudes amongst
these shady bowers.”
She needed no second invitation, being glad to seek relief in
forgetfulness of her guilt.
As they went to their pleasures, Satan vanished to give attention to
others who were ascending the same Hill of Remorse, some in a sullen
mood and some with wails of anguish on their lips.
The delightful resorts of Apathy were now quieting the mind of Miss
Church-Member, for the attractions on the mountain top were so numerous
and so ingeniously arranged that, as she gave full attention to them,
she no longer suffered any pangs of remorse.
On this plateau, so full of charms for every sense, I saw bands of
music; gardens of shady retreat where one might while away the weary
hours in gentle dalliance; and cooling fountains throwing forth their
busy sprays.
Artists were painting the scenes of worldly ease, and poets were writing
sweet verses for the singers of the place.
Miss Church-Member, who was a lover of the fine arts, asked Mr. World
to tarry in one of the gardens of the poets where they might hear the
songs of the season just from the pens of their authors.
This was a novel privilege; so he readily consented and accompanied
her into a garden near by. They were greeted by sounds of instrumental
music and charming voices raised in song.
After these harmonies died away a soloist sang a hymn that had been
composed that same day. Her voice rendered each word distinctly:
Remorse is but the foe of all,
The rich and poor, the slave and free
Unfriendly comes its bitter call--
Perchance it comes this day to thee.
Then come, thou troubled seeking peace
From this unkind, intruding foe;
Let anxious cares no more increase;
Go bury all thy pangs of woe.
Forget the things that wake thy mind
To fleeting sorrows of the day;
Oh! come and be forever blind
To all except this Broader Way.
Then followed a fiendish woman, in guise of a light-crowned angel, who
delivered an address entitled “The True Peace of the World.” While the
applause which followed her remarks was dying away, an authoritative
old gentleman arose. After standing a moment in dignified silence, he
continued to carry out the program of the Devil by speaking on “False
Lights from the so-called ‘King’s Highway.’”
Next a quartette beautifully rendered a love song of the world; this
also had been quite recently composed.
Sweet world, so bright and fair,
We would thy pleasures share
While days pass on.
Thou art our truest friend,
On thee our souls depend
Till life is gone.
In life’s perplexing days,
Thou wilt, in every phase,
Be ever near.
While thy sweet, placid charms
Dispel our dread alarms
In times of fear.
Who else can give relief,
When bowed in heavy grief?
No one like thee.
Thou sendest rays of light,
Into our darkest night
Till shadows flee.
The melody of this song and the sentiment of its words had a very
decisive effect on Miss Church-Member. She looked into the eyes of Mr.
World with more than poetry in her glance, for her heart was now
thrilled with the first touches of true love for him.