Christiana

by Jim Pappas

  "But it's hard to memorize, Great-heart."

  "Only at the first. Like anything else, it grows easier with practice. Carry a small portion of Scriptures with you at all times. Then, when you're waiting in a line, or delayed by something, you can deposit a few more words into your mine of truth."

  "I'll do it! Maybe I can become mighty in the Word."

  "No reason not to. You are beginning with the same amount of time and talent as our Lord Jesus had. Only use your talent of time well."

  "So then, when I've begun to build my sword, how do I use it?"

  "Like this, James. And the rest of you listen up as well. When a moment of temptation sweeps in upon you, you must first turn quickly to God and wing up a prayer for help; secondly, you must choose to resist the devil; and third, draw out the Sword of the Spirit and stick the old snake a good one in the gizzard!"

  "Like my father did!"

  "That's right, Sonny. And also your Lord, and the apostles, and all others who have won the victory before us."

  "Where'd the old scorpion flap off to?" queried James, searching nervously among the cliffs and nearby trees.

  "He limped on tattered wings down into the Valley of The Shadow of Death, James. No doubt he will attack us there. But we need not fear."

  "Hey! Look!" cried Joseph. "Another monument."

  "Let's go see what it says!" cried James.

  So the little band rushed over to the monument and read these words:

  "Hard by here was a battle fought,

  Most strange, and yet most true;

  Christian and Apollyon sought

  Each other to subdue.

  The Man so bravely played the man,

  He made the Fiend to fly;

  Of which a monument I stand,

  The same to testify."

  So the pilgrims paid tribute to he who had gone before. And, within the secret chambers of their souls each of the young men resolved to conduct himself as befits the son of a hero. Then they turned and resumed their march.

  CHAPTER XVI

  Valley of The Shadow of Death

  Now it was not long before the pleasant greens of Humility began to give way to the sooty grays of the Valley of The Shadow of Death. Now no one knows how long this valley really is. Some say it is quite short while others have called it the journey of years. But, in either case, because it is so thickly haunted with evil sights, sounds, and smells, it always seems longer than it really is. So they began the descent into its depths. But because it was day, and because they had Great-heart as their conductor, they had a much easier time of it than did Christian. Yet remember that 'easier' is a relative term and is not the same as 'easy'. Yea, indeed! They found enough trials therein to bend their faith nearly flat with the ground.

  The first thing to come upon them were the moans and groans and roars of demons impersonating voices of the damned. Oh, you would not believe realism of the shrieking, the squeaking, and the shredding of vocal chords that accompanied those exhibitions of deception! So I paused a moment to ponder the reason why. I concluded that perhaps it seems so real because, to the demons it is real. They know right well what lies in store for them and are anticipating the pains of their punishment.

  There were, moreover, ghostly whisperings speaking privately into the ear of each pilgrim in their own voice. These brought out memories of thoughts and feelings of sins long ago confessed and put away.

  Now, at all this noise and commotion, the boys began to quake. The women also began to be pale of countenance and to look about them nervously. But their guide bade them be of good comfort, saying:

  "Fear not, dear hearts. We must not delay at the mere sounds of demons impersonating torment."

  "Sounds pretty real to me!" commented Joseph.

  "Sure does!" agreed James nervously. "Hip, hip . . . "

  "Shhh!" commanded Joseph. "Not now!"

  "Oh. S . . . sorry," stammered James. "I thought a rousing cheer might cheer us up or something."

  "Later, Jamie," said Samuel. "Time enough to cheer when we crawl out the other end of this spooky place."

  So they resumed their marching. Now they had gone on only a little farther when they thought as if they felt the ground begin to shake beneath them.

  "It's an earthquake!" cried James.

  "I think it's worse than that," observed Matthew nervously. "It sounds hollow to me. Like we're walking over some huge cavern or something."

  "Maybe the ground will open up and we'll get swallowed up by a sinkhole!" exclaimed Joseph.

  "Like Korah, Dathan and Abiram!" cried James as he fearfully cast about for any signs of a crack.

  "And I hear snakes!" yelled Samuel in a quaking voice. "Big giantish-sounding ones!"

  "I think they're down in the cavern," surmised James. "If we crash through, they'll gobble us up!"

  "Don't be afraid of mere noises, children," advised Great-heart. "'Tis more important to watch where you place your feet, for this is the place of many snares. In fact, this might be a good time to light our lantern."

  So amid all the quaking and shaking Great-heart struck a flint and soon had Prudence's mysterious lantern shining bright. Then they continued on into a wall of sound that drowned out all but the loudest of shouts.

  "My, dear conductor," called Christiana nervously, "are things always this fearful in these parts?"

  "Yes, more or less - depending upon our faith," he answered. "Therefore, choose to trust much that your fears may be few. Keep a move on now."

  "Great-heart?" shouted Samuel, finally overcome by curiosity. "Why did Prudence give you her lamp? And why do we need it in the daytime?"

  "A good question, Samuel," answered their guide. "This lamp is a very special one. We call it a snare-lamp."

  "A what?"

  "A snare-lamp. Whether by night or day, it sends its beams ahead of us and causes snares, traps, gins, and triggers to glitter and shine."

  "What is its fuel?"

  "It draws its warmth from the oil of the Holy Spirit."

  "And the light?"

  "The light is the illumination of the Word of God."

  "'Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet' as Prudence would say," put in Matthew.

  "Aye. Very good, Matthew. And, as for how well it actually works, that we shall no doubt see soon enough."

  Now, because of the shaking of the earth and all the strange and powerful noises, James began to feel a bit queasy. But, upon noting a greenish pallor to his skin, his mother quickly administered three of the pills gotten from Dr. Skill and had him wash them down with some fresh wine. Thus the boy soon perked up. Yea, in fact, so much so that he was soon up at the front helping Great-heart hold his lantern.

  Thus they went on till they came to about the middle of the valley. There Christiana came to a sudden halt and said, "I see something on the road before us!"

  "Mother, what is it?" cried Joseph.

  "An ugly thing, child! An ugly, monstrous thing!"

  "But mother, what is it like?" he insisted.

  "I cannot tell. 'Tis a thing of such a shape as I have never seen. And its coming closer! Great-heart!"

  "Let any that are fearful gather round," commanded he. So it was that in an instant all but Matthew were clustered about him tight as bees around their queen.

  "What is it, Mother?" asked Samuel in a trembling voice.

  "A horrid thing, child."

  "But what is it, Mama?" squeaked James, peeking out from behind her skirts.

  "I cannot tell."

  So even though Great-heart stood his ground with sword at the ready, the fiend came oozing yet on - all the while hissing and snarling in relentless fury. "Stand back!" shouted Great-heart. But on it yet came - utterly mindless of sword or command. With its claws, it tore gaping gashes in the earth whilst lashing tentacles swept the air in search of a victim. Great-heart stood in advance of the group, ready to lay down his life for them. Yet was he puzzled at the futility of his commands and sword. By his side stood Matt
hew, staff of "Faith" in his hand. As the monster came creeping closer they felt the icy moisture of its frigid breath and it seemed that in a few more moments they would all be torn to pieces. Then Matthew shouted, "Great-heart. Your lamp!"

  "Grand idea!" declared he as he turned the blinding light of truth full into the yellow, glowing eyes of the apparition. The beastly eyes blinked stupidly a few times and then began to shed tears. Few at first and then in a copious flow that soon turning into an eggwhite-ish slime that oozed from empty sockets. Then came a choking, gurgling sound as the beast itself began to dissolve and melt into the thirsty earth. In deathly desperation, it flung out sucker-tipped tentacles which only hissed into steam in the brilliant beam of the Word. The fearsome crab-like claws clicked a few last threats and then clattered uselessly to the ground. The melting creature gurgled one last attempt at a death roar and then dissolved into a vaporous apparition.

  The ghostly spirit of a fallen angel, all chagrined and ashamed at having its nakedness exposed, gathered itself into a ball of light and, whoosh, like a shooting star streaked into the darkness and was gone. "My!" said Matthew. "'Resist the devil, and he will flee from you'. It really works!"

  "Yah!" agreed Joseph and Samuel in quiet awe.

  "Wow!" exclaimed James. "This could be kinda' fun if it weren't scary so bad."

  So after their hearts had slowed down a bit, they resumed their journey. But they had not gone far before Mercy, looking behind her, saw what appeared to be a lion - a great, tawny creature with flowing mane and eyes that glowed bright in the long shadows of the place. Slinking down in stalking mode it padded noiselessly behind them. "Oh, no!" cried Mercy. "A lion!"

  At this, everyone came to a halt as Great-heart whirled about with drawn sword. Upon being discovered, the beast slowed to a crouching creep and began to roar - and that with such power as to make the valley echo and resound. Moreover, before one echo was half faded away, he would roar again until the air was filled with echoes speeding this way and that. They careened off canyon walls and collided with each other so that it seemed there were lions before and lions behind, lions left and lions right; even here, there and everywhere. Rocks broke loose from the cliffs above and came bounding and smashing into the valley and buried themselves in the earth. Yea the very ground seemed alive beneath them. The intense noise deafened their ears and made their chests to ache. Indeed, it was only their confidence in their conductor that kept them from bolting off like panicked lambs.

  "Oh, my heart, my heart!" groaned Mercy. "I don't know if I can take any more of these terrible frights."

  "Here, Mercy," said Christiana, producing several of Dr. Skill's marvelous pills. "Wash these down with some of your juice."

  This Mercy did - and as the pills went down her courage rose up till she was relieved of all her pains and fears. Yea, so emboldened was she that she came up alongside Great-heart to face off the lion with him.

  "Feeling better, Miss Mercy?" asked he.

  "Yes, thank you. In fact, I feel bold enough to face off this fierce feline all by myself."

  "As well you might," he answered proudly. "But there is no need. He is not real."

  "What? Not real?" asked Samuel.

  "Nay, Samuel. Here in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, everything is an attack upon your imagination."

  "Well, he's closing in for the attack," shouted Samuel. "He's real enough to scare me."

  "Me too," whimpered James, beginning to cry.

  But Christiana, as a true mother in Israel, began to pass out her marvelous pills and 'ere long all had passed from fear to fearless. Now when the lion saw what Christiana was doing, and perceived that even the younger boys were picking up sticks and stones wherewith to resist him, he came to a halt.

  "Ho! Vaporous lion!" challenged Great-heart. "Come against the Sword of the Spirit, if you dare."

  In reply the lion put his mouth near the ground and roared its mightiest roar.

  "Well?"

  At this, the lion again put its mouth near the ground and produced another, albeit not quite so mighty, roar.

  "That's all you can do, isn't it, defeated foe! You go about like a roaring lion seeking whom you may devour. But if you meet with a weak child who hides himself under the shadow of the Almighty, you turn tail and flee. Therefore, in the Name of the Lord of the Hill, I command you depart!"

  At this, the lion winced and cowered back with a coughing spit of a snarl.

  "Away, in the name of the Lord!"

  Then, like the fearsome monster before him, the lion began to choke and tremble before finally enfolding in upon itself and melting away. "Wow! Did you see that?" exclaimed Samuel.

  "He just melted away, Great-heart," exclaimed James.

  "Aye," nodded Great-heart with a wry smile. "Remember, in this valley not everything is what it seems. We might better call this place the 'Valley of Illusions'. Come, lads. After me!"

  Then the lads fell one and all into proud lock step behind him chanting, "Hut, two, three, four . . . hut, two,three, four . . . hut, two, three, four . . . "

  "Watch out for your feet, boys," warned Great-heart. "Snares be many about these parts."

  "Great-heart?" queried Joseph as they marched on.

  "Yes, Joseph?"

  "If so many things hereabouts are illusions, why must we take such care for our feet? Are not the snares also illusions?"

  "Not exactly, Joseph."

  "Please explain, sir. Aren't they the same as the apparitions we have seen?"

  "The sights and sounds that plague us are illusions unless we give in to them. Then they become real. But snares and triggers are part of this world and are quite real. Therefore, watch your feet."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Tell us more about illusions, Great-heart," requested Matthew. "I'm not sure I totally understand."

  "Well, take that lion just now. Under God's Word, he melted away. But, had we yielded to his blustering roarings by giving him the back, he would have devoured us."

  "I am confused," confessed Samuel, accompanied by nods of agreement from his three brothers. "If they're not real how can they can destroy us? How does that work?"

  "Paper giants, lads! Vapourish lions! Overmastering temptations. They are only real to he who gives in to them. To the eye of faith, they are nothing."

  "Say more, Great-heart," requested Matthew, still a bit confused.

  "Well," began their guide thoughtfully, "it is just like Satan himself. The believer knows that he is a defeated foe and fear is cast away. But to the unseeing eye, he is a powerful warrior."

  "Why?" asked Matthew.

  "Because if a man believes him to have great power, he treads softly, gives him a wide berth, and treats him as if he were indeed some mighty one. And so, to this man, he is a mighty one. But, if by faith we can drag him from the shadows into the blazing sunlight of Christ's victory, then his power over us melts away."

  "Just like the monster and that growlish 'ole lion!" piped up James.

  "Aye, lad. Just like."

  "Hmmm, I think I understand," nodded Matthew.

  "Then should we treat all of these apparitions as mere illusions?" asked Samuel.

  "As very dangerous illusions, Samuel. Remember, they are only illusions to the eye of faith."

  "So, if our faith in God grows dim . . ." began Matthew.

  "Aye," finished Great-heart. "Then, we once again begin to believe our senses. We perceive the illusion as real and it becomes as deadly as if it were. Or, on the other hand, we think there are no real snares or triggers and we become careless. Therefore, watch your feet."

  So they marched on for a time through the gray mists of the valley, till they came to a place where the ground gave way to a great chasm with no apparent way to cross over. At this, Great-heart came to a stand and knew not what to do. Coming to his side Matthew surveyed the scene and asked, "Hmmm. What now, Great-heart?"

  "Well, 'tis certain that we must cross it - somehow."

  "'Tis mighty
deep, sir," observed Samuel, straining his eyes to see the bottom.

  "Aye. I do wish we had some rope with us."

  "We do have our anchor and chain," observed Matthew.

  "Hmmm...yes." murmured Great-heart, deep in thought.

  "Can we cross it, dear champion?" asked Christiana.

  "Oh yes - somehow. For every temptation has a way of escape built into it somewhere."

  "How, Great-heart?" asked Samuel.