The Land of Darkness: Along with Some Further Chapters in the Experiences of the Little PilgrimOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
General
The Land of Darkness: Along with Some Further Chapters in the Experiences of the Little Pilgrim
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Future life -- Fiction; Purgatory -- Fiction
‘Look for yourself then!’ I cried, flinging his hand from me. I was
angry with a rage which had no cause. I turned from him, though I loved
him, with a desire to kill him in my heart; and hurriedly took the
other way. The waste was wild: but rather that than to see the man who
might have shaken earth and hell thus turning, turning to madness and
the awful journey. For I knew what in his heart he thought, and I knew
that it was so. It was something from that other sphere--can I tell you
what? a child perhaps--oh, thought that wrings the heart! for do you
know what manner of thing a child is? There are none in the land of
darkness. I turned my back upon the place where that whiteness was. On,
on, across the waste! On to the cities of the night! On, far away from
maddening thought, from hope that is torment, and from the awful Name!
The above narrative, though it is necessary to a full understanding
of the experiences of the Little Pilgrim in the Unseen, does not
belong to her personal story in any way, but is drawn from the
Archives in the Heavenly City where all the records of the human
race are laid up.
II
THE LITTLE PILGRIM
IN THE SEEN AND UNSEEN
The little Pilgrim, whose story has been told in another place, and who
had arrived but lately on the other side, among those who know trouble
and sorrow no more, was one whose heart was always full of pity for the
suffering. And after the first rapture of her arrival, and of the
blessed work which had been given to her to do, and all the wonderful
things she had learned of the new life, there returned to her in the
midst of her happiness so many questions and longing thoughts that They
were touched by them who have the care of the younger brethren, the
simple ones of heaven. These questions did not disturb her peace or joy,
for she knew that which is so often veiled on earth, that all is
accomplished by the will of the Father, and that nothing can happen but
according to His appointment and under His care. And she was also aware
that the end is as the beginning to Him who knows all, and that nothing
is lost that is in His hand. But though she would herself have willingly
borne the sufferings of earth ten times over for the sake of all that
was now hers, yet it pierced her soul to think of those who were
struggling in darkness, and whose hearts were stifled within them by all
the bitterness of the mortal life. Sometimes she would be ready to cry
out with wonder that the Lord did not hasten His steps and go down again
upon the earth to make all plain; or how the Father himself could
restrain His power and did not send down ten legions of angels to make
all that was wrong right, and turn all that was mournful into joy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account