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 Iddo, though outwardly satisfied with this argument, was inwardly
anxious. The thought of her mother would intrude upon her even in
the midst of some pleasurable excitement, with which they were well
provided in the town. It is true at times a kind of lethargy crept over
her and she would laugh with the rest, as if she had not a care or
trouble. But she began to wonder why it was that her enemies apparently
left her alone. Her sword was very rusty and the rest of her armour
dim, but Adin assured her that they were not needed in this place.
But Iddo was unhappy. She began to pine for the sight of the Radiant
City and for travellers who were definitely walking there, and above
all things she grew home sick for the conscious Presence of the King
Himself.
It is true that she had not enjoyed much of His Presence at any time,
for she had depended so much upon what her mother had told her of
Him, that she had not sought earnestly enough to know Him herself.
But now she began to long for Him, and looked eagerly at the faces of
passers-by, hoping that she might find at least one who was bound for
the Radiant City.
But again and again she was disappointed. The Land of Indifference
was the most unlikely of any place to come across those who had made
any definite decision to go to the Radiant City, and many whom she
questioned had really not thought about the matter at all.
"The subject does not interest me," they said, looking at her eager
upturned face with surprise. "We are here to enjoy ourselves, and have
no time to think of such matters." Others would answer her questions
with the words, "'Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.'"
Iddo began to wonder if she could possibly persuade Adin to leave the
crowded town in search of their paths to the Radiant City. She felt
she had not the courage to make the step alone, besides which she
found Adin's companionship very attractive, and knew that unless she
could take her friend with her she might never see her again. But Adin
was far too engrossed with all she saw and heard to wish to leave her
present quarters.
"There is plenty of time," she said, when Iddo timidly tried to
persuade her that the only right and wise course to take was to leave
the Land of Indifference. "Of course I suppose we shall eventually have
to go, but I don't mean to go yet."
"I cannot feel at home here," sighed Iddo.
"Not at home?" cried Adin, "why what do you want? After all, you are
not my sort, I fear. You are naturally dependent on others, and do not
rejoice in your freedom. You should not have left your mother. I would
try and find her if I were you, and then follow her step by step. You
will never be happy if you don't," and Adin gave a somewhat scornful
laugh.
"I dare not go and I dare not stay," murmured Iddo.
"That is just what I say," said Adin, "you have no courage to carve out
a line for yourself."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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