THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH. Sl

the more put to it; for when he sought, in the dark, to shun the ditch on the one hand,
he was ready to tip over into the mire on the other; also when he sought to escape
the mire, witnout great carefulness he would be ready to fall into the ditch. Thus he
went on, and I heard him here sigh bitterly, for besides the danger mentioned above,
the pathway was here so dark, that ofttimes, when he lifted up his foot to go forward,
he knew not where or upon what he should set it next.

About the midst of this valley I perceived the mouth of hell to be, and it stood also

 

hard by the wayside. Now, thought Christian,
what shall I do? And ever and anon the
flame and smoke would come out in such
abundance, with sparks and hideous noises
(things that cared not for Christian’s sword,
as did Apollyon before), that he was forced to
put up his sword, and betake himself to another
weapon, called “ All-Prayer.”" So he cried
in my hearing, “O Lord, I beseech Thee, de-

“tt Thus he went on a great

liver my soul.
while, yet still the flames would be reaching
towards him; also he heard doleful voices, and
rushings to and fro, so that sometimes he
thought he should be torn in pieces, or trodden
down like mire in the streets. This frightful
sight was seen, and those dreadful noises were
heard by him, for several miles together, and,

 

coming to a place where he thought he heard

“A coinpany of fiends.”

a company of fiends coming forward to meet
him, he stopped, and began to muse what he had best to do. Sometimes he had half
a thought to go back; then again he thought he might be half-way through the valley.
He remembered, also, how he had already vanquished many a danger, and that the
danger of going back might be much more than going forward. So he resolved to eo
on; yet the fiends seemed to come nearer and nearer, But, when they were come even
almost at him, he cried out with a most vehement voice, “I will walk in the strength
of the Lord God.” So they gave back, and came no farther.

One thing I would not let slip: I took notice that now poor Christian was so con-
founded that he did not know his own voice; and thus I perceived it: just when he

was come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind
I