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.
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?”
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
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.
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