(Continued from page 142.)
One by one the Pilgrims in due course reach the Bridgeless River both weak and strong: These crossed over the water and were let in at the golden gates. It is interesting to notice that Bunyan brings the weak but true pilgrims as well as the strong up to the River and describes their safe crossing. Christiana is there too though she did not start out so early as Christian on the great journey that had such a happy ending. When the time of passing over arrived she called her children and gave
them her blessing and told them that she yet read with comfort the mark that was set on their foreheads, and was glad to see them with her there, and that they had kept their garments so white. When Mr. Honest wished her to get over dry-shod she replied: “Come wet, come dry, I long to be gone.” Though later in coming than her husband, Christian, Bunyan says she entered the gates of the City with all the ceremonies of joy with which Christian had entered.
We come now to the passing over of the weak pilgrims.
- Ready to Halt passes over. The messenger announces to him:—
“I am come from Him whom thou hast loved and followed, though upon crutches, and my message is to tell thee that He expects thee at His table to sup with Him in His kingdom. Ready-to-Halt then calls for Mr. Valiant to make his will for him. He had, however, nothing to leave but his crutches and his good wishes. The crutches were bequeathed to his son with the wish, who would tread in his steps, with a hundred warm wishes that he may prove better than I have been. When he came to the brink of the river he said: “I shall have no more need of these crutches.” The last words he was heard to utter were: “Welcome life!”
Mr. Feeble Mind is the next summoned. He gathered his friends and announced to them as he had nothing to bequeath to any he need not make a will as for his feeble mind he would leave it behind him. He instructed Mr. Valiant for the truth to bury it in a dunghill. His last words as he entered the River were: “Hold out faith and patience!” and so he passed over to the other side.
The next to receive a summons was Mr. Despondency. When his daughter, Much Afraid, heard this she said she would go with her father. Mr. Despondency then addressed his friends: “Myself and my daughter, you know how troublesomely we have behaved ourselves in every company. My will and my daughter’s is, that our despends and slavish fears be by no man ever perceived, from the day of our departure for ever; I know that after my death they will offer themselves to others; for to be plain with you, they are guests which we entertained when we first began to be pilgrims, and could never shake them off after, and they will walk about and seek entertainment of the pilgrims; but, for our sakes, shut the doors upon them.” Despondency’s last words were: “Farewell night! welcome day!” His daughter passed from the brink of the River through the River singing, “but none could understand what she said,” is Bunyan’s comment.
MR. HONEST PASSES OVER.
When his time came to go he called his friends to him. At the time of his crossing the River overflowed its banks in some places. In his lifetime he had spoken to God Conscience to meet him at the River which he did. He also lent him his hand and helped him over. His last words were: “Grace reigns” and with these words on his lips he left the world.
VALIANT FOR TRUTH PASSES OVER.
He called his friends to him and spoke to them in these words: “I am going to my Father’s; and though with great difficulty I have got thither, yet now I do not repent me of all the trouble I have been to
arrive where I am. My sword I give to him that shall succeed me in my pilgrimage and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and my scars I carry with me to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, who will now be my rewarder. When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the river-side; into which as he went 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.
MR. STANDFAST PASSES OVER.
This Mr. Standfast was he that the rest of the Pilgrims found upon his knees in the Enchanted Ground. When he received his summons, to use a favourite phrase of Bunyan’s “he was in a muse.” He called to him Mr. Great-heart and thus addressed him: “Sir though it was not my hap to be much in your good company during the days of my pilgrimage yet since the time I knew you, you have been profitable to me. When I came from home, I left behind me a wife and five small children; let me entreat you at your return for I know that you go and return to your Master’s house, in hopes that you may yet be a conductor to more of the holy pilgrims—that you send to my family, and let them be acquainted with all that hath and shall happen unto me. Tell them, moreover, of my happy arrival at this place and of the present blessed condition I am in. Tell them also of Christian and Christiana, his wife, and how she and her children come after her husband. Tell them also of what a happy end she made and whether she is gone. His legacy to his family were his prayers and tears. Having set things in order he went down to the River. Bunyan says that at this time there was a great calm in the River so that when Standfast was halfway in he stood and spoke to his companions who accompanied him to the bank of the River. This is what he said:—
“This River has been a terror to many; the thoughts of it also have often frightened me; but now methinks I stand easy my foot is fixed on that on which the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the Covenant stood while Israel went over this Jordan. The waters indeed to the palate are bitter and to the stomach cold: yet the thought of what I am going to and of the conduct that awaits for me on the other side, both be as a glowing coal at my heart. I see myself now at the end of my journey; my toilsome days are ended. I am going to see that head that was crowned with thorns, and that face that was spit upon for me. I have formerly lived by hearsay and faith; but now I go where I shall live by sight and shall be with Him in whose company I delight myself. I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth there I have coveted to set my foot too. His name has been to me as a civet box yea sweeter than all perfumes. His voice has been most sweet, and His countenance I have more desired than they that have most deserved the light of the sun. His words I did use to gather for my food and for antidotes against my faintings. He hath held me, and hath kept me from mine iniquities. Yea, my steps hath He strengthened in His way.” While Standfast was thus speaking his countenance changed and after saying: “Take me I come to thee,” he ceased to be seen of those he was addressing.