Her companion became alarmed at the new turn. “Be not so fool-hardy,” he warned. “Your eyes are being needlessly ruined. Quickly replace those glasses lest you become totally blind.”
She obeyed promptly and thus the intensity of conviction passed. Had her spiritual ears been open, she might have heard an angel sadly singing:
“Oh, hear the song of love that fills the air!
Oh, heed the voice that pleads in touching prayer!
Both fall upon your conscience now in vain,
Through vile deceit your nobler self is slain.”
In this vale she heard the word of God preached powerfully, and the calling of the Holy Spirit in unmistakable sweetness, but how could it affect one who wore such treacherous glasses and who considered her condition so favorable?
She passed through the valley with her faithful friend without being lured from the Broad Highway.
On the verge of the valley I saw a curiously shaped building and read these words over it:
TONS OF LAUGHTER: CHEAP ADMISSION.
A man with a strong voice stood along the path and cried out: “Whoa! Whoa! Ye travelers of this way! Come hither and drive away your cruel cares. Here is the greatest exhibition in the world. Smile and walk lightly, laugh and grow fat!”
Mr. World and his associate, however, did not enter this place, but passed on through the entire Merry Village. On each side of the way they saw an endless variety of gaudy advertisements, each one setting forth some leading feature of some frivolous, indecent, or gay performance.
Miss Church-Member was not tempted as was her companion to spend time at such places. So he, in order to hold her company, sacrificed his desires and passed on without complaint.