ulations. These often bewilder the mind and obstruct the progress of those who are journeying heavenward. While carnestly praying or knocking at the Gate, then they may expect more vio

lent opposition from the powers of dark ness, who, like savage beasts, may grow! or bark to frighten away those secking salvation.

The Pilgrims' passage from the Wicket Gate to the Interpreter's House. After being kindly treated by the keeper of the Wicket Gate, Christiana and her companions went on their way. As they were traveling by a garden on the other side of the wall, which separated them from it, some of its fruit-trees shot their branches over it, on which were tempting fruit. The boys, although warned by their mother, picked off some and eat it. This afterward caused their sickness for a time. Christiana and Mercy, when near this place, met two ill-favored men, who came upon their pathway. They endeavored to entice them by fair promises. Christiana rejected their offers with indignation. The men still continued their approaches, until both the women cried out for help. Their cries were heard by the keeper of the Wicket Gate, who sent one named Reliever to their assistance. As he came up, the villains made their escape over the wall into the Garden. The Pilgrims now continued their journey until they came to the house of the Interpreter, where Christian was so profitably entertained when on his journey to the Celestial City.

The evil one has a garden in this world, in which is grown fruit such as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, of which the young and inexperienced are tempted to partake. Parents should use all means to restrain their children from those pleasures "which war against the soul." This fruit grows in Beelzebub's garden, and

should be shunned as poison. The worldly men who made proposals to Christiana and Mercy, however attractive, were really ill-favored to the gra cious mind. These seducers are too often successful. When their proposals are rejected with abhorrence and earnest prayer, the Lord will send Reliever to their aid, and drive off the intruders.

The Interpreter's House. Muck-rake. Christiana and her com. pany were admitted to the Interpreter's house, after their names had been announced by Innocent, a maiden, the door-keeper. The inmates of the Interpreter's house were overjoyed that the wife of Christian, and her children and Mercy, had become Pilgrims, and bid them all welcome to their Master's house. The Interpreter took them into his significant rooms, and showed them what Christian, Christiana's husband had seen before. He then took them into a room where was "a man that could look no way but downward,

with a muck-rake in his hand; there stood also one over his head, with a Celestial Crown in his hand, and proffered him that Crown for his muck-rake; but the man did neither look up, nor regard, but rake to himself the straws, the small sticks, and the dust of the floor."

"This," said the Interpreter, "is a man of this world; his muckrake shows his carnal mind, and, whereas, thou seest him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks and the dust of the floor, than to do what he says that calls to him from above, with the Celestial Crown in his hand; it is to show that heaven is but a fable to some, and that things here are counted the only things substantial. Now, whereas it was also shewed thee that the man could look no way but downward; it is to let thee know that earthly things, when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry away their hearts from God."

Sights in the Interpreter's House. The next thing shown to the company was the spider "that is in King's palaces;" then the hen and her chickens; and when they drank at the trough, they were bid to observe how they lifted up their heads and eyes toward heaven, also how the hen had four calls for her brood. They were taken into the slaughter-house, and bid to observe how patiently the sheep suffered death from the hands of the butcher. They then were led into the garden, and bid look at the flowers, and how they differed in stature, quality, and color. They next entered a field which had been sown with wheat and corn, but produced neither. On their return, they saw a pretty robin with a great spider in his mouth; then they went into the garden again, where they saw a tree with green leaves, the trunk being rotten inside. They then had a supper, with music..

By the hen and her chickens, we are taught to look upward and thank God for the mercies we receive; by the different calls of the hen, the interest of our Heavenly Father in our welfare. We are taught patience and resignation by the sheep, and by the flowers in the garden that there are different degrees among God's people, but all can flourish harmoniously together. The grain-field which produced nothing but straw,

was worthless which would be either burnt up or trodden under foot. It shows that profession merely will not avail, if we produce no fruit. The pretty robin that was seen with a great spider in its mouth, is an emblem of some who profess a great love for genuine Christians and all good things, but when by themselves, as the robin gobbles up spiders, they change their diet, and swallow down sin like water,

Great-heart. The Cross. Simple, Sloth, and Presumption. When the Pilgrims were leaving the Interpreter's house, he called for a

"Now I saw still in my dream that they went on until they were come to the place that Simple, Sloth, and Presumption lay and slept in when Christian went by on his pilgrimage; and behold they were hanged up in irons a little way off on the other side."

man-servant of his, one Great-heart, and bid him to arm himself, and conduct these his children forward on their journey. Christiana and her company were taken into the vestry and clothed in beautiful white raiment, and when thus adorned, each thought the others more beautiful than themselves. The company now passed on with Greatheart for their leader, who went before them, when they arrived at the Cross where Christian lost his burden. Here they made a pause, and blessed God, while Great-heart endeavored to show the wondrous virtues of looking at the Cross. Now I still saw in my dream that they went on until they came to the place where Simple, Sloth, and Presumption lay and slept when Christian went by on his pilgrimage; and behold they were hanged up in irons a little way off on the other side.

The stated pastoral care of a vigilant minister, who is strong in faith and courage, is represented by Great-heart, the conductor of the Pilgrims. The Cross of Christ, in its various bearings, will be an everlasting theme for the contemplation of men and angels. The

dreadful falls and awful deaths of some professors are at times made for a warning to others; and to put them upon their guard against superficial, slothful, and presumptuous men, whe draw aside many from the holy waya of God.

Hill Difficulty. By-ways. Giant Grim. The Pilgrims arrived at the foot of hill Difficulty, where Christian drank of the spring. Its waters were now dirty with mud, which some had thrown in to prevent Pilgrims from drinking it. They were told that if the water was taken up and put into a clean vessel, the dirt would sink to the bottom, and then it would be good to drink. When here, they were shown two dangerous by-ways where Formality and Hypocrisy lost themselves. Some had made an attempt to stop up these roads by putting up chains, posts, and a ditch; yet after all this, there were some who preferred to venture to go on these by-ways than to clamber up the hill. After drinking of the purified waters of the spring, the Pilgrims began to ascend the difficult hill. When they came to the arbor where Christian rested, they were all glad to sit down, being almost overcome by the heat. After being refreshed here, they went forward where Mistrust and Timorous met Christian, and they saw the stage on which their tongues were burnt through with a hot iron, for endeavoring to hinder Christian on his journey. The Pilgrims now passed on until they came in sight off the lions, near the Porter's Lodge. The lions were backed by Giant Grim, or Bloody-man, who swore that the Pilgrims should not pass.

This picture is drawn from the Frontispiece to the second part of the Pilgrim's Progress, from the edition of 1687, the year previous to the decease of the "Immortal Dreamer." Bunyan appears dreaming the second time. Christiana, with her children and Mercy, are leaving the City of Destruction and going toward the Wicket Gate. The enemy who tried to stop their pathway is seen in the distance.