Mr. World and Miss Church-Member: A Twentieth Century Allegory

e two great Highways

live with Satan's schemes to entic

of Christian forc

f Apathy, Mr. World and Miss Church-Member proceeded on the

he valley which we are

hurch-

of Temptation," he

the King's Highway some one would caution: 'Be courageous, for you must go through t

ng the way." I saw the whole valley in one view. It was very wide and more than a thousand experiences long and, from one end to the other, t

the agents of Satan, and by numerous rescue bands and

if they will heed his words and step not from the path upon any pretence. He has also placed, in plain view, countless signs of warning to keep his pilgrims

e stationed along the Narrow Path at close intervals, and were endeavoring, by all kinds

asp this bait. Then did the agents of Satan pull gently. The man seeing a clue to wealth in his hand would not let it go, and so was drawn slowly and unconsciously over into the territo

kill without ceasing, and so have drawn la

ty. It inspired him with inward hope, and he became so engaged in thinking of his golden future that he followed whither the gentle drawing led him,

wing it to the edge of the King's Highway. In bold letters it bore the t

e book would have examined it h

e thus engaged the invisible strands of influence drew the captive from the Narrow Way until he found a se

pages and saw its evil tendencies. Although drawn by the invisible chord, she did not step from the

ot to te

elding

t'ry wil

ther t

y became more determined than ever to co

tractive to some passing pilgrims. Here the enemy reaps a continual harvest notwithstanding all the preaching, advice, and

atch with snares, many of which I saw in operation, each

Highway as Satan could place them, while glaring signs informed the pilgrims that they could here obtain knowledge upon any subje

ution to some mystery would step into one of these

faithful to his Master, stop and read the sign over thes

rls of thought which more inviting waters never yielded to me." He st

ery solved here?"

nfident response of a dignified

he origin of sin?"

ce to move as the professor commenc

n until the building was moved, by the secret process, to the brow of the moun

o fully satisfy your mind. Go now from the rear door to the

, gladly consented and, to his great surprise, found a b

eavy bundle of opinions on his back, and failed to find the Old Way. After wandering and stumbling about on thi

ters and professors, that the King of Glory has here placed special signs of wa

ge students about to en

ged pilgrim near

nare of the Devil, or ye will be

esitated long enough to discern that the

nd not to turn to the right hand nor to the left, nor even to step from the path, lest

o catch men unawares. It was invented in the Wizard City a

that the arms were uplifted and the heart plainly visible, making the cu

rds were written: "Touch this magic

g and old, in passing over this way of life,

t, and ere his eyes could look into the face of the

owers of sensual joy. There he remained to breathe its

moved away. At first he was doubtful whether to test it or not, and as he stood in consideration he r

ld from the Narrow Way depart; For if you touch a secre

o to ruin by not heeding this warning. Nevertheless he was urged by curiosity and carnality, and being hardened b

f this woman," was his beseeching cry, not lon

g and old, were enticed; many of whom could not have been caugh

atan employed a company of expert men who were trained to use a lasso. I saw certain men and women of the King's Highway who became so inflated with their own vanity and imaginations that they rose head and shoulder above their humbler

erefore, easily caught by a lasso called Conceit. Good friends came to his rescue and told him to realize at once

and he succeeded by still further struggling to remain a very brief time on the King's Highway; but

n exceeding great army, mighty in battling against the

man is trampled under foot in uncivilized lands, and in lands of light she is ostracized by sections of the Christian church and despised in the civil realm. And yet, with a

e will not die, but live eternal; And woman shall, some h

th of woman so hard to travel, he has discovered that he can not di

rden and still raises, on the broad uplands of Hell, forbidden fru

ind, is provided abundantly on each side of the King's Highway along the whole

of this fiendish work, seeing young women and those of rip

alley, what sad sights of intemp

rable and filthy hovels of lowest resort, while inebriates, in finer array, entered the apartments which were decorated and

the same gutter or the same Hell receiving all w

lery and the saloons, and therefore they were endeavoring to kill the traffic at the head. This movement at first created laughter in the ranks of the foe, but the women have continued patiently and have built a thousand batteries from

upon Heaven for help; therefore they declare that no flag will be lowered, and no gun will be silent until the great wall