spondency's daughter, Much-afraid, said she would go with her father. Then Mr. Despondency said to his friends, "Myself and daughter have been rather troublesome to our companions, but our will is, that no one shall receive or entertain our desponds and slavish fears. It is true they will walk about and seek entertainment from Pilgrims, but for our sakes, shut the doors upon them." The last words of Mr. Despondency were, "Farewell night! Welcome day!" His daughter went through the river singing, but none could understand what she said. The dealings of the Lord are here represented as gentle to the feeble, trembling, humble believers, and the circumstances of their deaths comparatively encouraging and easy. Readyto-halt, through infirmities, makes his forward way on crutches, is at last welcomed into the Heavenly City. Feeble-mind and Despondency and his daughter, when passing through their last trial, are unexpectedly comforted, and, notwithstanding all their fears, pass the river joyfully and enter the Celestial City. Honest, Valiant-for-truth, and Standfast pass the River. When Mr. Honest received his summons to pass the river, he called his friends and said unto them, "I die, but shall make no will. As for my honesty, it shall go with me; let him that comes after be told of this.' The river, at the time he made his passage, overflowed its banks in some places, but Mr. Honest, in his lifetime, had spoken to one Good Conscience to meet him there. He was found on the spot at the time, and he lent Honest his hand and helped him over. The last words of Mr. Honest were, "Grace reigns!" and so he left the world. Valiant-for-truth, when called for, said to his friends, "I am going to my Father's, and though with great difficulty I got hither. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me, and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought his battle who now will be my Redeemer." As he entered the river, he said, "Death where is thy sting?" and as he went down deeper, he said, "Grave where is thy victory?" So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side. When Mr. Standfast was called for, he sent for Mr. Great-heart, the guide; he told him he had left behind a wife and five small children, on whom he entreated him to call and inform them of his happy arrival at the river, and the blessed condition he was in; he also requested him to tell them about Christian and Christiana, his wife, what a happy end they had made, and whither they were gone. IIe added that he had little or nothing to send to his family, except his prayers and tears for their salvation. When Standfast came down to the river, a great calm was prevailing; he therefore stood awhile when half-way in, and talked to his companions who came with him to the river. He said, "This river has been a terror to many, and it also has frightened me, but now I stand easy. The waters indeed are to the palate bitter, and to the stomach cold; yet the thoughts of what I am going to, and of the conduct that waits for me on the other side, is as a glowing coal at my heart. My toilsome days are ended. I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of. Lord spoken of. His voice to me has been most sweet, and his countenance I have more desired than they that have most desired the light of the sun. He has kept me from mine iniquities, and my steps have been strengthened in his way." While he was thus speaking, his countenance changed, and after he had said, "Take me, for I come unto thee," he ceased to be seen of them. Glorious it was to see how the region was filled with horses and chariots, with trumpeters and pipers, with singers and players on stringed instruments, to welcome the Pilgrims as they went up and followed each other into the Celestial City. It may be stated at this concluding scene, that Bunyan has represented all his Pilgrims as relying solely on the mercy of God, through the righteousness and atonement of his Son, for our salvation. Notwithstanding this, many devoted Christians, when recollecting their conscious integrity, their boldness in professing and contending for the truth, love to the cause, example and words of Christ, obedience to his precepts, may feel that they are indeed the children of God, and as such entitled to the promises. There is no doubt but there are many Christians who, without any want of humility, can say with St. Paul, "I have fought a good fight, 1 have kept the faith." It is also observable that while the Pilgrims here are represented as leaving their infirm ities behind, they take their graces along with them, and that "their works would follow them." THE END. THE BIBLE LOOKING GLASS: REFLECTOR, COMPANION AND GUIDE TO THE GREAT TRUTHS OF THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, AND ILLUSTRATING THE DIVERSITIES OF HUMAN CHARACTER, AND THE QUALITIES OF THE HUMAN HEART. CONSISTING CF SIX BOOKS IN TWO PARTS. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED BY OBJECT TEACHING PICTURES Showing the PAIN and MISERY resulting from VICE, and the PEACE and HAPPINESS arising from VIRTUE. By JOHN W. BARBER and OTHERS. PART B. Christian Similitudes-Sunday Book of Pleasing and Comforting Literature- |