Mr World and Miss Church-Member | Page 6

wicked woman fly into a rage. "You need no more
concern yourself about me. I have two eyes--as many as you have.
Look to your own future, not mine; at your own steps, and not at
another's!"
"Come," impatiently spoke Mr. World, as he drew her by the arm, "it is
just as I expected; let us get away from this sickly atmosphere." But
Miss Church-Member lingered only to see the heedless woman step to
the last extreme and sink hopelessly, while her piteous cries for help
came too late for any to rescue her.
[Illustration: "Let us follow this shining path." hopefully urged Miss
Church-Member. But it is too rough and steep for Mr. World.]

CHAPTER II.
THE BY-PATH.
1. In their journey Mr. World and Miss Church-Member come to the
By-Path leading to the King's Highway; on this Miss Church-Member
urges Mr. World to travel. He defers so decisive a step and defends his
attitude by the use of sophistry.
2. Miss Church-Member, still hoping to win Mr. World to a better path,
forsakes the King's Highway and continues in his company.
3. A tilt with Blackana who defends Miss Church-Member for traveling

on the Broad Highway.
The highway of the world was so broad that one could walk thereon as
loosely as he wished without fear of stepping from it. Along the way
there were so many things to attract the attention that the farther Miss
Church-Member journeyed with Mr. World, the less frequently she
looked toward the King's Highway. However, her face brightened and
her hopes waxed strong as they suddenly came to a place where two
ways met.
With quick insight Miss Church-Member saw that the By-Path was a
blessed one and that it led directly to the King's Highway.
"Let us follow this shining path," she hopefully suggested. "I know it
leads to the way of light and glory."
"Not such a path, my friend," hastily replied Mr. World. "Do you not
see the terrible hill to which it leads, and those who are even now
struggling to climb its arduous heights?"
"I clearly see it all," she calmly admitted, "but they who struggle most
are endeavoring to carry many idols with them. If one will forsake his
idols, he can, with ease and pleasure, mount to the shining summit
which is but the edge of the King's glorious Highway. Come, Mr.
World, hesitate no more. Let procrastination end, and go with me even
to the hill, and I will help you to the summit--while Another will help
you more."
"Very true, very true," he said, though somewhat irritated, "but we have
not yet come to the place where I may wisely follow your advice. This
path turning away to the right leads to a place that may seem bright
from this point, but nevertheless I know it to be a narrow, rugged way,
whereon a few of your friends are trudging, eking out a miserable
existence. Urge me not to go thither. If you leave me, I can neither
accompany you nor give you my assistance. Surely you have learned,
ere this, that your needs are of such a nature that you must inevitably
suffer embarrassment without my little help."

Miss Church-Member, with eyes but partly open to her own folly, was
grievously perplexed and not a little disappointed. She fell on her knees
and wept. Looking up pleadingly into his eyes, she faltered:
"Twice have I yielded to you since we entered into companionship.
You well remember the solemn promise you made, but at each time
you deferred its fulfillment, and now I must again hear your vain
excuses. I have suffered much for your sake, and have now the enmity
of many a former friend, and even my pilgrim robe is becoming stained
with the filth of this way."
"Come, come, my friend, be a woman and not a sickly suppliant. The
portion of the King's Highway which we would reach from this point is
too rough for my feet to travel. We will shortly come to a more
convenient place; then I can think more seriously of leaving this way."
"Ah!" sighed Miss Church-Member, "you say that in your folly. I can
testify, from knowledge, that the way is most delightful and leads to
mansions incorruptible in the Celestial City." "Let us cease debating,"
interrupted Mr. World, with ill-concealed impatience. "If you have
sacrificed so much through my fellowship and imagine that you can
find better company, you may leave, but you cannot expect me to
accompany you on so thorny and rough a path as this which you have
so foolishly proposed."
Strengthened by the remnants of Christian virtue yet within her, she
sprang to her feet and was about to execute her noble purpose of
leaving him. But a