<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/em><\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>More Setbacks in Christian\u2019s Way.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDad, can we go round to Uncle Jeff\u2019s place this afternoon?\u201d Bobby asked one Saturday. \u201cWell, you\u2019ll have to make sure you get all your chores done this morning then\u201d, Dad said, \u201cAnd as it turns out, Mum and I want to go shopping this afternoon so we can drop you off on our way and pick you up when we get back\u201d. \u201cOoh, goody!\u201d said Betty who had been listening, \u201cI want more story!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So later on when they were left at Uncle Jeff\u2019s place, they all settled down nibbling at some nuts that Uncle Jeff had on his little table by the couch. \u201cWell, we left Christian and Faithful walking along together enjoying chatting as they went. They were talking about the goodness of the King, and what they expected to find when they got to the Heavenly Land. They were so busy talking as they went that they didn\u2019t see the tall man coming up behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Hoho,\u2019 he said as he caught up with them, \u2018How is the travelling going?\u2019 \u2018Where are you off to?\u2019 Christian asked, \u2018We are going to the Celestial City\u2019. \u2018So am I!\u2019 said Talkative ( that was his name, and also what he was) Come and walk with us then\u2019, said Christian \u2018and we can enjoy talking as we go along\u2019. \u2018Nothing would suit me better\u2019, said Talkative, \u2018I can talk about all sorts of things you like to bring up\u2019. \u2018We\u2019ve been talking about the Celestial City\u2019, said Faithful, \u2018and the things that we will find there\u2019. \u2018There are better things to talk about than that\u2019, said Talkative, \u2018Why no-one has ever come back from there to tell us what it\u2019s like. Now I prefer to talk about things I can see around me\u2026.\u2019 and he kept on talking and talking as they went along. Christian strode along ahead and the other two started to lag behind, as Talkative was so busy talking, he started walking slower. Finally, Faithful caught up to Christian and said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you join in with us back here?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I don\u2019t think so\u2019, Christian said, \u2018I remember what he was like when I knew him back in the city of Destruction. Wherever he was, he talked to suit those who were there. You should have heard what he was like in the pub! People said he was a saint when he was out and a devil when he was at home!\u2019 \u2018Really?\u2019 said Faithful, \u2018How can we get rid of him then?\u2019 \u2018Just ask him what made him want to come to the Celestial City, and tell him how good God is to have called us like He did!\u2019 Faithful began to talk to him about these things, and it wasn\u2019t long before Talkative said, \u2018I\u2019ve just remembered something, I\u2019d better go back and attend to it!\u2019 and he turned around and went back where he had come from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s funny that,\u201d Sarah said, \u201cThe kids at school who don\u2019t go to Youth Club don\u2019t like to hear us talk about things we do there either. They say we are sissies for taking notice of that sort of thing!\u201d \u201cSilly things!\u201d said Betty, \u201cThey don\u2019t know much do they?\u201d \u201cWhat happened next, Uncle Jeff?\u201d Bobby asked. \u201cThe path was going through a dry rough place where nothing much was growing, in fact it seemed like a wilderness with no green grass and nothing very nice to look at. Just like Talkative\u2019s talk was, dry and pointless. As they were about to leave this area, another person was hurrying up behind them. Christian turned around, and exclaimed, \u2018Oh look, here comes our old friend Evangelist, he\u2019ll have something worthwhile to say to us!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so it was. \u2018 Peace be with you!\u2019 Evangelist said as he caught up with them, \u2018May the Lord be with you\u2026.how are you doing now you are this far on your trip?\u2019 \u2018We were just saying that if it weren\u2019t for your encouragement back in the city of Destruction, we might never have started on this journey. We are so thankful for your preaching and teaching in past days! By the way, did you see anything of Twisty after he got back to city of Destruction? I thought he was going to stay and be a good friend to me on the way, but he said the road was too hard\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yes, he is back where he started from, and harder than ever. He is saying now that it was all a big mistake and he found that it was just a load of rubbish! I think he was one of those people who start off with great enthusiasm and then when hard things happen, they change their minds and turn away from the things of God\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI know a girl like that at school\u201d, Sarah said, \u201cShe seemed really keen at the Easter Camp, and went forwards to talk to the leader, and even got up at the testimony time, but to listen to her now, she has changed right back again\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, you find that happens sometimes\u201d, said Uncle Jeff, \u201cWell, while they were walking along, Evangelist started to look very sad. \u2018What\u2019s wrong, Evangelist?\u2019 Christian asked. \u2018The King has given me a message that as you pass through the next town called Vanity Fair, one of you is not going to get past there, but will die\u2019. Christian and Faithful looked at each other with sad faces at this news. Evangelist said, \u2018I know this is very sad news, but the one who will be taken will be better off than the one that is left because he will reach the Celestial City first, and will be saved from many hard times in this world before the other one gets there. But for the one who is left, let me say in the words of our Master, \u2018Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world\u2019. And now I must leave you and go back to continue my work of pointing more pilgrims to this way\u2019. With that, he turned around and sadly walked away, while the others carried on forward towards this town of doom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uncle Jeff got up and stretched. \u201cI think that will do for today\u201d, he said, \u201cIt won\u2019t be long before your Mum and Dad come back\u2026.let\u2019s go outside and fill the wheelbarrow up with firewood for tonight\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" More Setbacks in Christian\u2019s Way. \u201cDad, can we go round to Uncle Jeff\u2019s place this afternoon?\u201d Bobby asked one Saturday. \u201cWell, you\u2019ll have to make sure you get all your chores done this morning then\u201d, Dad said, \u201cAnd as it turns out, Mum and I want to go shopping this afternoon so we can … Continue reading Pilgrim’s Progress (7)<\/span>