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
When Iddo, whose path had led her with Chisleu and the other singing
pilgrims into the City of Despair, went up and down its streets singing
of the King, Amer would look up and smile, adding his voice to hers.
But when alone, the words most often on the lips of this good soldier,
were those telling of his need and of the King's power to supply the
need.
"My Saviour I have nought to plead
In Earth beneath or Heaven above;
But just my own exceeding need,
And Thine exceeding love."
Those who were with Amer noticed how full of love and patience he now
was: how the enemy, Irritability, which had so often given him a blow
on his lips, was silent: how he never judged unkindly or spoke ill of
people, but like his Master and King was filled with a consuming pity
for them.
But if his friends had had eyes to see, they would have been aware of
a crowd of evil spirits on the watch for him, who would surely have
worked him ill had he not been in such constant communion with his
King. As it was they could never get near him, for the Presence of
his King was around him like a wall of fire, and a shadow of a Cross
enveloped him.
Amer remembered at times his question to the Ambassador when he had
started on his journey, as to whether it was the lot of every soldier
to be harried at the end, as was Heman the Brave; and every now and
then, when for a moment he lost sight of his King, Fear crept up,
hoping to gain possession of him; but so used was he now to confide his
thoughts to his King, that Fear could get no more than a sudden look
at the man he hoped to conquer. Indeed, the enemies that had crowded
so hopefully around him when they were aware of how near Amer was
to crossing the River, had to be content with looking at him from a
distance, and gradually, as they noticed that the nearer he drew to the
River, the brighter and more peaceful grew the expression of his face,
they lost hope.
Then it was, that while in the act of cheering a fellow pilgrim, Amer
heard his name called, and, with the light of the Radiant City on his
brow and his King's name on his lips, he plunged without fear into the
cold waters to fall at the feet of his King.
Then Chisleu and Iddo, who had seen his passing, burst into a
triumphant song:
"The saints of God, their conflict past,
And life's long battle won at last,
No more they need the shield or sword,
They cast them down before their Lord:
Oh happy saints, for ever blessed,
At Jesus' feet how safe your rest."
And the pilgrims on the hill above, caught up the words and sang again:—
"Oh happy saints, for ever blessed,
At Jesus' feet how safe your rest."
But some there were who fell on their knees and wept, for they loved
him so.
And Iddo, seeing them, turned away with tears in her eyes, for he had
been as a brother to her. Then, after a moment, she stood erect and
strong, while the light from the Radiant City fell on her face.
"It is only till He come," she said.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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