Mr. World was keenly delighted at her concession and loyalty to him. He seemed to be willing to go to any sacrifice that might add to her comfort or increase her happiness. His many companions could readily see that Miss Church-Member felt “out of place.” But she justified her own course by what she was aiming to do.
He saw that her dress of righteousness was in wide contrast with the filthy rags that covered his own soul, and so he preferred to look upon the garments that adorned his outer person, and the gaudy scenes on either side of the way.
I beheld this wide path along a great length, and I shuddered as I saw the masses thereon who were engaged in the frivolities of life as found in the swiftly passing pleasures of sense and sight. The thoughtless throngs were seemingly unconscious that underneath the whole length and breadth of the path there were strata of fire, and they were apparently blind to the sulphurous flames which, here and there, issued from openings into which many an unsuspecting traveler fell.
Sad to relate, of all the moving multitudes there were but few, indeed, who took warning and fled toward the King’s Highway. Many, like Miss Church-Member, were walking on the forbidden path for no other reason than some weak apology.
“What mean these lurid openings?” nervously asked Miss Church-Member, for their flames excited her terror. Mr. World replied, with a look of surprise: “Have you never heard that these are to give light to pilgrims, such as we? Without them the way would prove very dark and dreary.”
“What a contrast,” she exclaimed, “between these lights and those that illumine the King’s Highway! They shine from above, with increasing splendor, while these cast forth, from below, their uncertain lights. It seems to me that the farther we go the darker becomes the way, and its lights the more inconstant,—so fitful is their gruesome glare.”
“Ah! I see what ails you,” responded Mr. World. “Your eyes are at fault. We will presently meet the expert who will correct your vision ere your eyes are totally ruined.”
The attention of Miss Church-Member was suddenly attracted by seeing a man who was just sinking out of sight into the fire of destruction. As soon as he disappeared the flames burst forth in fury through the newly-made opening. Instantly a servant of Satan covered the breach so that observers could no longer hear the wails of the poor man, nor smell the fumes from the burning strata.
Then did I look and, behold, I saw such places in countless variety, each attended by a servant of the Black Prince. Each opening made by an unfortunate victim was promptly sealed so that others, in passing along, would the more readily be ensnared in one of these fatal fissures.
Miss Church-Member was more than alarmed at these sad endings of human life which now came to her attention more vividly than when she traveled on the King’s Highway.