The Radiant City : $b An AllegoryGarratt, Evelyn R.
Religion
The Radiant City : $b An Allegory
Garratt, Evelyn R.
Allegories; Christian fiction; Christian life; Christian pilgrims and pilgrimages -- Fiction
"But," said Iddo, perplexed, "I thought every one who journeyed there
had to put on armour. And you have none."
"This is such a peaceable place my dear, that we do not need armour.
Indeed, some time ago a man passed through this town fully armed, he
would not turn to the right hand or to the left. His path he said lay
right across, and though we could not but respect and reverence him, as
the light of the Radiant City was full on his face, when he had gone,
we could not help smiling. What good was his armour to him here? No
enemy was likely to attack him. We told him this, and his answer was,
'It is written in the Guide Book, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your
adversary the devil, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."' We
asked him what guise the enemy was likely to put on to entrap unwary
travellers."
"What did he say?" asked Iddo.
"He told us the name of our land would answer that question, and then
opening his Guide Book as he walked, he read aloud, '"I know thy works,
that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So
then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee
to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; . . . .
Behold, I stand at the door and knock."'"
"Do you know the name of this man?" said Iddo, "it sounds like my
friend Heman."
"I do not know his name, as he would not stop; even while he was
consulting his Guide Book he was moving on for fear the enemy should
attack him and keep him longer in the land. One could not but admire
him as he was in such deadly earnest, and one could not but reverence
him as he walked, as his whole bearing made one recognise that his King
was great, and that the King's business required haste, as he told us.
Moreover he had much tact, and those who spoke to him always listened
respectfully, and indeed such was his influence as he passed through,
that more than one followed him out of the town. I felt sure he would
never be content to go out of it alone. In fact he was in it but not
of it. But on thinking about it afterwards one could not but wonder
that he thought it all of such vital importance. There are other ways
of getting to the City besides his. As for me I prefer moving slowly.
Enthusiasm does not appeal to me."
"Then the pilgrim did not think it right to linger here?" asked Iddo.
"His path lay right across you see," answered Adin quickly. "We are
looking for our path and are as likely to find it in the town as out of
it," for Adin had got imbued with the spirit of the land and felt it
mattered little that they should find their path at once; why need they
worry?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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