THE TOWER OF TEMPTATION.
1. The tower affords the most advantageous view of the world and a
most discouraging view of the King’s Highway.
2. The triumphant flight of Mrs. Discouraged from the tower’s top to
a place on the King’s Highway called “Victory by Faith.”
3. Mr. World and Miss Church-Member ride from the tower’s top in Satan’s
new air ship.
Mr. World and Miss Church-Member continuing on the Broad Highway,
entered the Valley of Temptation with all its gaiety and outward
happiness. This valley is known by the pilgrims of the King’s Highway
as the Devil’s Heaven, for here the tinsel of the world, the pomp of
society, and the wealth of material grandeur are manifested in all
their glory.
“An exceedingly pleasant valley,” said Mr. World as they drew nearer
to the scenes of activity on each side of the way.
“Beyond my anticipation, indeed. Our journey is growing more and more
delightful,” she joyously replied.
As they journeyed on Miss Church-Member came into agreeable fellowship
with some of her former Christian associates who, by looking over into
the territory of the World, coveted its ways and were snared by one
or another of Satan’s devices to catch the unwary. The larger portion
of these new recruits were firmly convinced that they were still
traveling on the road to Heaven, even though they had fully left the
Narrow Way.
Miss Church-Member congratulated her comrades of earlier years on their
happy choice of a wider and more pleasant path, and they accepted her
invitation to spend a season together in the valley.
These new associates were welcomed most cordially by Mr. World who
left nothing undone that might add to their comfort or pleasure.
The merry company passed down the valley and paused at a magnificent
temperance saloon which occupied nearly the whole space between the
two Highways. Into this place of attractive rooms I saw many enter
from the King’s Highway, much to the displeasure of their great Master.
In this infernal guise Satan seduces many an unsuspecting traveler to
take one more step downward toward the lowest service of his kingdom.
Mr. World courteously offered refreshments and conducted his friends
into the “Ladies Parlor” where they drank alleged unfermented wines,
and admired the sculpture and works of art which adorned the place.
They were then offered their choice of porter, sweet cider, root beer,
hot punch (special for a cold), or eggnog for a weak heart. Thus each
one was enabled to find a beverage directly suited to his need or
taste, for some had contracted a cold, while others were suffering
with cardiac troubles.
Not far from this respectable place, and connected secretly therewith,
stood a group of buildings patronized by the lower order of criminals
and inebriates. These haunts bore a black reputation.
Mr. World and his joyous companions, by reason of their refined natures
and good standing in the church, would not so much as look at such
despicable resorts, but continued their journey until they came to a
wider section of the valley where they saw numberless rescue bands at
work, but especially a great army of Endeavorers presenting a formidable
front.
“Whence came this company so great that it cannot be numbered?” asked
Mr. World in a state of nervous agitation.
One of the new companions quickly answered: “They come from the King’s
Highway and are trying to capture the kingdom of this world and bring
it into subjection to God. I know all about them and can testify that
they are a mighty and glorious band.” The regiments of this great host
were marching on, each soldier equipped with the full panoply of his
station. Many of the pilgrims on the Broad Highway trembled at the
presence of so powerful an army. It has caused the enemy much concern
how to meet and, if possible, conquer this foe. This army of Endeavorers
constantly grows and, according to the claims of the enemy, the most
successful plans to oppose it are not yet matured. Satan has promised
his forces that he would utterly rout these daring legions as soon as
some new inventions of war can be perfected.
The merry companions, not being moved with anger, endured the gigantic
display of this host without chagrin.
Mr. World quieted his rising fears and urged his comrades onward past
the Tobacco Station until they reached the centre of the valley where
the King’s Highway was the roughest, and the Broad Highway the
smoothest.
Here was built the most remarkable structure of the valley. A high
tower of imposing strength occupied the whole space between the two
highways. Its foundations were broad and totally covered the King’s
Highway with a massive arch.
This was known amongst Christians as the Devil’s Tower, or Tower of
Temptation. It was built by Satan, and was said to afford the finest
view of the world to all who would consent to take a ride upward in
its electric carriage.
The location of the tower was perfectly adapted to the purpose intended.
Scarcely any pilgrims _en route_ for Heaven passed by without taking
a view of the sights.
Before this mountain was built, a high mountain-cliff, on one side of
the valley, was used by the agents of darkness for the same purpose.
Thereon David ascended and saw the prosperity of the wicked until envy
filled his soul, and his “steps had well-nigh slipped.” Had it not
been that by faith he looked to a mountain far away, and understood
the end of the prosperous worldly minded, he might have there fallen
to his death.
Upon this mountain Satan took Christ, the Son of God, and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said unto
him: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and
worship me.”
From this tower Judas saw the wealth of the world, and there was
begotten within him an inordinate craving for earthly gain which at
last dragged him down to a miserable end.
As time rolled on, Satan erected this magnificent tower higher than
the loftiest crag of the mountain. I saw that Mr. World and his
companions were looking at the exterior finish of the tower, after
which they stepped to the base and spent some time in watching the
many schemes that were employed to induce disheartened Christians to
take the Broad Highway after descending the tower.
They saw that one of the most successful of these schemes was a series
of little offices occupied by fortune tellers of reputed ability. In
one of these they saw an old woman with a mysterious face. She professed
to be able, by her strange conjuring, to reveal the future of any life.
A certain Mr. Downcast, who was a church-member and had just come from
the top of the tower, visited this fortune teller, and by her
descriptions of his happy future on the Broad Highway he was induced
to travel thereon at once.
Mr. World and his companions decided to get the benefit of the broad
view which could be had from the top of the tower. They entered a car
at the base and were delighted by the gentle ascent toward the clouds.
Upon reaching the top of the tower they were approached by an obliging
attendant and furnished with spy glasses of great power with which
they could see more distinctly the beauty and greatness of the world,
and the roughness and inconvenience of traveling the King’s Highway.
_To each one was also given an ingenious pocket mirror in which could
be seen, at any time, the inconsistencies of church-members._
I saw throngs of people circling the top of the tower, and many evil
agents busily engaged in the interest of their master.
There had just come from the King’s Highway a group of church-members
upon whom the scenery had a doleful effect. Some were filled with
melancholy, and some were sullen, while despondency sent germs of slow
death into other minds.
These conditions enabled Satan to destroy more easily all hope within
them of ever succeeding on a way that appeared more rugged than ever,
and also made them more desirous to taste the joys of this present
life which now lay before them in such a winning way.
I then saw one called Mrs. Discouraged who had never before seen so
much of the world at once. She stood on the edge of the tower not far
from Mr. World and his companions, and listened to one of the polite
attendants who had given her also a spy glass.
Mrs. Discouraged looked down upon the natural comforts of life which
were here seen to best advantage. She saw, with ease, the Broad Highway
presenting a picture of happiness as far as the glass could reach.
Then did one of the smooth-tongued attendants speak to another group
of pilgrims who also had just come from the King’s Highway.
“Witness the glory of the Broad Highway and see how it goes down this
valley ever into finer stretches of country. See on yonder distant
elevations that magnificent University of the World built at an enormous
cost and sacrifice for the accommodation of all travelers. Each one
of you who reaches the lower end of this valley should take the Mountain
Trolley and spend a season at those schools. They occupy some of the
grandest buildings in the world. Focus your glasses and behold the
great sight.”
Continuing he said: “The path you see leading down there, in this other
part of the valley, is called King’s Highway, very rough indeed, as
you all can see. Thereon it is hard to travel and difficult to stand
still. It is so narrow that if a traveler should stand still, he is
constantly harassed or pushed about by those who wish to pass on. The
other highway furnishes a marked contrast, for there a person may stand
still without annoyance to himself or anyone else. The way is so wide
that he can even sit on an easy chair and yet not be in the way of
others who wish to hasten on. The one who built this Wider Way kept
in mind the convenience and comfort of travelers.
“The so-called King’s Highway,” still continued the attendant, “is
beset with many dangers, and passes through many places similar to the
one far down the valley.” They all looked through their glasses and
saw the Meshes of Doubt on each side of the Narrow Way.
“Those are the sorts of places,” concluded the speaker, “that one must
constantly pass through in the service of an imaginary king.”
Mrs. Discouraged saw all these things and heard all these words. She was
so disheartened that she knew not what to do.
“Have I served my God in vain?” she questioned inwardly. “Must all my
testimonies fall to the earth? Surely the way of the world seems to
be an easy way, and more suited to a person in trouble.”
She suddenly fell on her knees, as she was wont to do in such
emergencies, and, behold, I saw her, on wings of prayer, fly in triumph
from the tower’s top, down the valley, over the Meshes of Doubt, and
land on the King’s Highway in a most glorious place called Victory by
Faith. She thence went on her way rejoicing.
[Illustration: The great victory of Mrs. Discouraged who, on wings of
prayer, escaped from he Tower of Temptation to a place called Victory
by Faith.]
Then did the attendant on the tower speak of her in ridicule. “The
poor mortal, in her insanity, has descended to a bad level and must,
of necessity, climb yonder terrible hill which, as your eyes bear
testimony, is the last part of the Narrow Way visible from this tower.”
“She went, however, in a miraculous way. Those wings were sure and
steady, and I was pleased with the swiftness of her flight,” said Mrs.
Diligence who was also a pilgrim from the King’s Highway.
“Without doubt,” answered the attendant, “but she went with heavy labor
of her wings. Had she told me that she wished to take a flight, I could
have given her a finer trip in one of the aerial ships lately invented
by the experts of the Wizard City. I will summon one. Look no more at
Mrs. Discouraged with wings, but fix your eyes toward the east, and
you will soon witness the floating car whereon thousands go out daily
from this tower into pleasant places.”
As he said this he gave a signal, and soon the strangely shaped airship
came in sight, to the delight of all who saw it.
“It must be far better,” said one of the spectators, “to travel in a
car like that, than to be working your wings in the air.”
“A thing of beauty.” “The greatest invention of the century.” “It moves
as easily as a bird,” were some of the various sentences that were
spoken enthusiastically as the object drew nearer.
“Shall we ride in it?” quickly asked Mr. World as he turned to the
little group at his side.
The new companions who so recently came from the King’s Highway
timorously fell back at his abrupt suggestion, but Miss Church-Member
offered to accompany him.
As the aerial machine was stopping at the tower Mr. World and Miss
Church-Member speedily exchanged words of farewell and prepared for
the new ride.
They were soon numbered with a host of expectant passengers on board.
The lines were loosened and the weird airship cut the wind like a large
bird on wing, and sped away to the pleasure grounds along the Broad
Highway where most of the passengers, being blinded by sin, found such
delightsome fellowship that they refused thereafter to travel on any
other than the Wider Way.