This was known amongst Christians as the Devil’s Tower, or Tower of Temptation. It was built by Satan, and was said to afford the finest view of the world to all who would consent to take a ride upward in its electric carriage.
The location of the tower was perfectly adapted to the purpose intended. Scarcely any pilgrims _en route_ for Heaven passed by without taking a view of the sights.
Before this mountain was built, a high mountain-cliff, on one side of the valley, was used by the agents of darkness for the same purpose.
Thereon David ascended and saw the prosperity of the wicked until envy filled his soul, and his “steps had well-nigh slipped.” Had it not been that by faith he looked to a mountain far away, and understood the end of the prosperous worldly minded, he might have there fallen to his death.
Upon this mountain Satan took Christ, the Son of God, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said unto him: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”
From this tower Judas saw the wealth of the world, and there was begotten within him an inordinate craving for earthly gain which at last dragged him down to a miserable end.
As time rolled on, Satan erected this magnificent tower higher than the loftiest crag of the mountain. I saw that Mr. World and his companions were looking at the exterior finish of the tower, after which they stepped to the base and spent some time in watching the many schemes that were employed to induce disheartened Christians to take the Broad Highway after descending the tower.
They saw that one of the most successful of these schemes was a series of little offices occupied by fortune tellers of reputed ability. In one of these they saw an old woman with a mysterious face. She professed to be able, by her strange conjuring, to reveal the future of any life.
A certain Mr. Downcast, who was a church-member and had just come from the top of the tower, visited this fortune teller, and by her descriptions of his happy future on the Broad Highway he was induced to travel thereon at once.
Mr. World and his companions decided to get the benefit of the broad view which could be had from the top of the tower. They entered a car at the base and were delighted by the gentle ascent toward the clouds.