Books: Mr. World and Miss Church Member
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W. S. Harris >> Mr. World and Miss Church Member
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"None as yet. We are waiting for certain developments before placing
this device on the market. The agents of our Secret Service will inform
us when the time is ripe."
The manager then offered to conduct them to another floor which was
devoted to the interests of the Prayer Meeting, but Miss Church-Member,
having lost her interest in such kind of services, expressed a desire
to visit some other part of the city.
CHAPTER XVII.
THE WIZARD CITY.
1. The weird city of inventors described.
2. Its ultimate overthrow predicted in a realistic climax.
I saw that Miss Church-Member was anxious to visit the vast tower in
the central part of the city. So Mr. World, in deference to her wishes,
and agreeably to his own desires, escorted her in that direction.
Standing away at some distance, they were soon gazing upward at the
awe-inspiring spectacle. Its grandeur and proportions now appeared to
be greatly increased.
They could see, with more distinctness, circling around the massive
wizard cone, the aerial boulevards, ever alive with private conveyances,
and the trolley cars each carrying a variety of passengers.
"Will you accompany me on the trolley to the first series of hangings
gardens?" cheerily invited Mr. World.
"If we are permitted, and you think it safe to ascend," she answered
in a tremulous voice. He calmed her fears and led her to the central
passenger room at the base of the tower. Here they saw a system of
interior elevators carrying throngs of people to the numerous stations
between the base and the highest dizzy view-point.
Leading off to the right ran the double trolley system, and to the
left the equally wide boulevard, each on the exterior of the massive
tower.
I saw the obliging Mr. World, with more than usual courtesy, conduct
his friend to a seat on a trolley car bound for the aerial gardens.
The ascent was smooth and afforded delightful opportunities to view,
at every desirable angle, the surrounding city and its suburbs.
"This is the most exhilarating ride of my life!" triumphantly cried
Miss Church-Member as they circled higher and higher so gradually that
more than ten miles were traveled ere the objective point was reached
one thousand feet from the base.
Here lay the variety gardens, suspended from the rigid side of the
tower by a feat of architectural engineering surpassing anything in
the natural world.
Around the gardens the boulevards and the trolley lines circled
horizontally, and also passed through some of the huge corridors which,
on this level, diverge from the interior elevators toward the exterior
gardens.
When the trolley car reached this height Miss Church-Member at once
fixed her eyes on the ponderous pillars on each side of the converging
corridors, for she knew that more than four thousand feet of the tower's
amazing weight rested on these defiant granites.
Mr. World and his pleasing friend meandered amongst the multitude from
one to another of the hanging gardens, drinking in all the vain glories
that this aerial world afforded. At last, wearied by the endless
succession of extraordinary sights, they stole away to a quiet retreat
on the outer edge of a garden farthest from the tower's center.
Reclining in hammocks, they conversed of all the greatness of the
world.
Looking upward they saw, fifteen hundred feet above them, the next
series of hanging gardens; and during the lull in the music near by,
they caught the strains falling from the upper orchestras like music
from Heaven.
"Will you go with me still higher to taste the sweetness of a more
ethereal level?"
Intoxicated with the charms already felt, Miss Church-Member was ready
for any height. Upward they went on the venturesome trolley, admiring
the phenomenal ride and the scenery it opened to their view in panoramic
splendor. Their course wound round and round until they came to the
horizontal circle twenty-five hundred feet above the base.
This was a place of more refinement and beauty. The touch of the finer
artists was seen in all the arrangement and style of the terraces and
hanging gardens, but especially in the rich variety of flowers and
plants that added their wealth to the novel combinations.
Mr. World carefully guarded his much esteemed friend during their
sight-seeing from garden to garden, for at times they encountered
throngs of people.
I saw them eventually seek rest on rustic chairs where their
conversation deepened into the relations they sustained one to the
other, succeeded at last by a tender, thoughtful silence.
In the midst of their reveries they noticed a little spider, swinging
on its silken thread, floating in the air between them.
"You rude little creature! Why do you come, at such a time, between
my friend and me?" said Miss Church-Member in a half humorous mood.
"It may be for a purpose, dear. Perhaps the little insect poses here
to remind us that we can never escape the foe that seeks to separate
us."
"Quite an ingenious explanation," she said with deepening seriousness.
"But who is that lurking foe who seeks our separation?"
"'Tis better to learn to know your enemies than to be told of them.
Hence look through your eyes askance."
Just at this instant Miss Church-Member raised her hand and caught the
little intruder, placing it alive into a locket which she had secretly
carried ever since she had visited the Pawn Shop.
"What can be the meaning of that?" queried Mr. "World as he saw, through
the glass of the little lid, the struggling insect.
"So may it be to any foe that seeks to separate us," she explained.
"Then let me carry the locket," he suggested. "You have captured the
foe; allow me to keep him imprisoned."
There was a happy exchange of glances as she pressed the little prison
into his hand. "It is yours forever," she pledged under the sway of
her rising emotions.
And he, accepting it with a warm heart, spoke thus in glowing words:
"I accept the endless task and also pledge to the utmost of my power
to keep any foe imprisoned that seeks to rob your life of any passing
happiness."
"Shall we go still higher?" he soon asked as he fixed his eyes on the
dizzy terraces two thousand feet above them.
"In your presence I fear no height," was her confiding response.
The trolley cars ascended no higher, so they proceeded to the interior
elevators. But they were told that no visitors were allowed above that
point that privilege being reserved alone for the inventors.
"Are we permitted to visit the interior apartments of this tower, even
below us?" asked Mr. World wistfully.
"They are all doubly sealed. No one but an expert inventor, true and
tried in our master's service, ever passes through these secret
chambers."
"May we know what particular branch of work is done in this tower?"
"It is devoted alone to the invention and testing of weapons of warfare
for the armies of our master, especially for the sharp-shooters
stationed along the so-called King's Highway."
Miss Church-Member trembled at this announcement and urged Mr. World
to conduct her to the base of the tower that they might visit other
parts of the city.
As I was looking at all these things, a flash of light, coming from
one side, blinded my vision, and as I turned I saw a heavenly messenger
in a blaze of glory.
"Hither, hither!" beckoned the sweet-faced angel.
I was instantly at his side without effort, except an act of volition.
He transported me almost instantaneously to the apex of the great tower
in the Wizard City.
There I stood without fear under the sweet charms of my angel guide
who floated gently about me in the air.
"O mortal man," calmly spoke the angel, "thou shalt now be privileged,
for a brief space of time, to gaze upon this Wizard City as angels do.
Thy memory shall be strengthened so that thou shalt not forget the
vision of these carnal things."
Then, in a manner surpassing all things human, scales fell from my
eyes, and I was struck with horror at the awful sight that lay before
me.
"Look thou first into the interior of this tower," bade the angel, as
he pointed downward. All things were open to my view, and I saw many
of the bright geniuses of the world in league with the imps of darkness,
all busily engaged in the secret service of Satan.
I saw how Satan used the ingenuity of man to carry forward his infamous
schemes. Instead of the old rifles used in the earlier days of
Christianity I saw in this tower almost numberless kinds of fatal
weapons which send forth their poisonous and deadly discharges without
smoke or sound, so that the wounded, not knowing whence the missiles
come, might imagine that they were smitten of God.
The angel informed me that every year this fiendish tower puts out
into the hands of its agents many new devices, either for poisoning
or wounding the disciples who travel on the King's Highway, and who
by any kind of negligence come within reach of Satan's forces. "Seest
thou," continued my guide, "with what cunning Satan hath builded this
tower? By its exterior beauty he gaineth the confidence of the unwary,
and thus winneth countless thousands to his cause. And seest thou the
depth to which it reaches, not six thou sand feet below us, but ten
times six thousand feet, into the bowels of the earth?"
Then could I see, at a glance, the whole under-ground dominions
stretching their borders far, wide, and deep. There was a small empire
of groveling imps, each bent on the work of his particular branch.
"Look thou now into the apartments of those ponderous wheels," directed
my glorious guide.
Neither metal nor granite obstructed my vision. I saw delicate and
complex machinery, and half-human creatures in league with mortal man,
all bending to their tasks.
"They all work in league with the Devil's Optical College. The inventive
genius of Hell hath contrived, in these graded departments, all the
modern lenses that are so terribly warping the vision of an alarming
number in the church and the world.
"And seest thou," continued the angel, as he pointed to a far section
of the city, "those inventors plying their ingenuity in behalf of
Satan's Medical Colleges and Hospitals?
"And also witness, in that nearer section, the viler groups at work
inventing snares and traps for Satan's allies to use in catching
Heaven-bound pilgrims.
"Also behold," he continued, turning to another part of the city, "that
special class of geniuses who work for Satan's general emissaries as
they journey far and wide to do exploits. How terribly they influence
the weaker servants of our King!"
Then I stood gazing, as the angel continued his interpreting, until
I had seen the foul workings of this whole city.
I was so filled with a mixture of grief and indignation that I cried
out in painful anguish: "Why does not God send thunderbolts from his
eternal throne, and smite this city to fragments?"
Then the sweet angel calmly answered: "Not until the worm ceaseth to
crawl, and thistles no more infest the ground. Till then the patience
of God endureth and his sunshine falleth on the temples of Virtue and
of Vice."
"And what comes at the end of patience?"
"Then shall the taint of sin be purged from the earth, for every temple
and pest-hole of Satan, including this whole Wizard City, will be
consumed by an awful fire whose lurid light will glimmer long after
the metals and granites of this great Tower shall have been reduced
to ashes amidst the general ruin."
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FESTIVAL.
1. The whole scheme of merchandising in the church is laid bare as
Satan explains the origin of the word "Festival."
Looking once again through the open door, I saw that Mr. World and
Miss Church-Member, after leaving the Wizard City, had gained admission
to the auditorium where the Ways and Means Committee was in session.
Miss Church-Member at once retired to the waiting-room in the rear,
and sat quietly perusing a book while her companion remained in the
large hall and listened to the proceedings.
An agent of Satan occupied the chair. He was dressed in pleasing
costume, and controlled the assemblage with parliamentary dignity.
When Mr. World took a seat the large committee was engaged in a warm
debate over a certain piece of ground occupying a space midway between
the King's Highway and the Broad Highway. This eligible site had been
used for holding church-festivals to raise funds for the maintenance
of gospel work. A few wealthy friends of Satan wanted this location
to erect on it a club-house wherein they might revel and carouse as
they wished.
The question arose among the members of the committee as to which of
the two uses would best subserve the purpose of their master who held
a claim on the land.
The chairman arose, after listening to the arguments at length, and
addressed the audience with great coolness and deliberation: "Most
worthy members of this committee," commenced he, "you have spoken many
words of truth this day. Your interest in this matter only shows your
loyalty to our cause. 'Club-House or Festival?' that is the question.
Surely we cannot dispense with either, but rather must we maintain
both at any cost. As for this place in question, I am decidedly in
favor of holding it for the use of the church. The Club-House will
find a location elsewhere, but this ground is so favorably situated
for church-merchandising that I urge you to hold it for such purposes.
Have we not seen how eagerly the two classes mingle here? This place,
being so accessible to all parties, makes it possible for the church
to gather larger numbers and thereby reap greater financial results--
which is the principal object of the church in holding these delightful
affairs. Since the church is well supplied with everything it needs
except money, let us do it a favor by rendering some assistance in
that direction. Then we may reasonably expect that the church will,
in return, do us a favor by being less hostile to our methods of
operation, which, as you will admit, are highly honorable."
This speech had the desired effect. A resolution was quickly passed
in harmony with the opinion of the chairman.
The curiosity of Mr. World was now satisfied, for he had seen this
famous committee in session. Therefore he repaired to the waiting-
room, and while conducting Miss Church-Member from the building their
attention was arrested by this announcement written in bold letters
near the exit:
ANY ONE WISHING REFRESHMENTS CAN FIND THEM AT THE FESTIVAL ON THE
CHURCH GROUNDS.
"How does that announcement suit you?" interrogated Mr. World.
"It comes at an opportune time," she answered, her face brightening,
"I had been hoping that we might soon have lunch."
They had gone but a few steps from the door when they heard cheery
voices and strains.
Here the Church receives money for souls from the Devil, while the
Devil gets souls for money from the Church of music lending attractive
life to the festival. Urged on by the thought of a pleasant hour, they
quickened their pace unconsciously and were soon within sight of the
grounds.
I saw the multitude gathering in the grove. The mingling of the church
and the world was so complete that one could scarcely tell from which
path many had come.
On this intervening ground everything appealed to the appetite, and
the patrons knew that the more they ate or purchased the greater would
be the success of the festival. Therefore some ate even unto gluttony
for the benefit of the church, while the agents of Satan with skillful
aim were sending poisoned arrows into the heart of true benevolence,
and also endeavoring to arrest the minds of Christians so that they
might pursue the Broader Path after their routine at the festival was
ended.
Thus I saw, falling into the coffers of the church, filthy lucre not
sanctified by prayer or sacrifice, and from this seed the church hoped
to reap a holy harvest.
Mr. World and his companion spent a delightful season with the company
and, thanks to Mr. World's plethoric purse, proved themselves pleasingly
generous in their patronage. Finally Miss Church-Member excused herself
from Mr. World and joined a company of young ladies who were engaged
in joyous pleasures.
Mr. World, now alone, was walking leisurely about the grounds when
Satan appeared and sauntered at his side "Are you not fearful," asked
Mr. World in the midst of a conversation, "that many of your subjects
will be led into the Narrow Path by tarrying at this place and
associating with so many Christians?"
"Not in the least," he replied, "for at such places as this I gain
more subjects than I lose. So I expect to encourage forever
sacred-merchandising all along my route. The churches are glad to use
this ground even though it belongs to me, for I concede to them all
the money. Naturally I prefer souls to money."
"How did this word 'festival' originate?" queried Mr. World after a
brief pause in the conversation.
"With pleasure I will explain. Once upon a time I called together my
generals to determine upon new methods of winning converts to our
cause, and promised to confer upon the one who should suggest the best
plan, the honorable title 'Fast Devil.'
"A long intermission was granted to give my aids time to use their
ingenuity in planning. All Hell was filled with students, each one
striving to win the title.
"At a given signal my cohorts re-assembled. Thus before me lay a vast
army of anxious faces. I gave each one, who desired, an opportunity
to speak. The sun revolved on his axis seven times ere the argument
was finished. During this debate there was comparative peace on earth."
"Pray tell me," further asked Mr. World, "What was the trend of their
suggestions?"
"I could relate it all, for I have every word recorded, but I shall
not weary you."
"But at least give me a general idea."
"Willingly. One of my generals arose and said: 'We can change some of
our tactics without loss to our cause. The sword and torture only
strengthen our enemies. We should resort more to the 'wolf-
in-sheep's-clothing method.'
"He could speak no more. A thundering sound of voices drowned his
utterances. Thousands of my loyal leaders seconded his plans.
"At last one of the speakers, who indeed won the prize, earnestly
proposed a grand scheme, and the vast multitudes listened with rapt
attention. His speech was short but fiery, and, rising to the occasion,
he demanded that all his comrades should unite to destroy the simple
voluntary spirit of Christian benevolence so that the church might go
begging before the world and even resort to all manner of mercantile
business for its support. The speaker declared that if the church could
be induced to adopt such measures it would tend to divert her mind
from interfering with the work to which he and his auditors were all
loyally pledged.
"This speech had a marvelous effect, and there was a deafening roar
of voices in the applause which continued for a long space of time.
"Then followed an animated discussion in which a host of trusted leaders
engaged. Each one commented on the winning speech and offered
suggestions how to awaken a trading interest in the church. It was
conceded that first of all the church must feel the necessity of
resorting to business. Accordingly a large committee was appointed to
work systematically amongst the churches on earth, inducing their
members to depart from the customs of the early church.
"This committee did yeoman service and shrewdly prepared the way for
the more complete work in harmony with the views of Fast Devil. Through
the ages it succeeded in gradually influencing the church to engage
in all manner of performances and trading schemes to gain support. The
work of this committee is not yet at an end, for nearly every week we
hear of some innovation which has crept into the church, or some new
form of merchandising into which it has fortunately entered.
"It is indeed gratifying that the church is casting off her unsightly
spiritual robe and putting on the costume of merriment and trade. I
hope the day will soon come when the church will have still less of
the spiritual nonsense and more of these up-to-date methods to secure
funds for its support."
As Satan spoke his last words he bid a brief adieu to Mr. World and
hastened away to the side of a young man who was almost persuaded to
yield to some elevating influence. I suddenly looked at Blackana whose
presence I had well-nigh forgotten.
"Have you been taking your ease in sleep?" I asked as an involuntary
shudder shook my frame.
"I never sleep. Suns may wax and wane, nations rise and fall, peoples
live and die, but I am awake forever."
"Did you hear the conversation between Satan and Mr. World?"
"Every word of it."
"Were you present when Satan held that great convocation to devise
plans for more efficient work against the church of Jesus Christ on
earth?"
"I attended every session."
"And did you hear the speech of Fast Devil?"
"I heard every word."
"And did Satan give to Mr. World a true account of the address?"
"He gave only a condensed and garbled rendering of it."
"Then I command you, O Blackana, to give me a full reproduction of
Fast Devil's speech as far as you are able to translate the language
of Hell into words that are intelligible to me. Can you remember each
thought?"
"I must remember, for I have not the power to forget," and Blackana
groaned aloud. "Oh, that I could bury in oblivion the myriad thoughts
that sting me with remorse!" He paused a moment. "Am I to give you the
whole--speech as Fast Devil delivered it originally?"
"Thought for thought, and gesture for gesture," I answered with
authority.
Ere the last syllable fell from my lips Blackana was suddenly
transformed into a more terrifying creature than he was himself. I was
paralyzed at the sight of the weird monster which I learned was the
image of Fast Devil.
There he stood, tall and erect, seven times the height of man, with
sinews like iron-rope and with a face defying human description. His
eyes were fiery with life, and determination marked every movement as
he stepped forward to speak.
Notwithstanding my consciousness of being sustained by supernatural
power, I trembled as Blackana reproduced this noted speech of Fast
Devil:
"Most honored chief and glorious master," he commenced, "be thou
indulgent as I speak to thee and unto these my comrades who lie in
anxious posture over this vast expanse of Hell. I am here to state an
issue of which we have heard murmurings for many an age. To prepare
for this hour I have taxed my ingenuity to its utmost."
Then with striking gestures of his awful arms he passionately continued:
"Hope is no more crushed within me as I view the wide and measureless
field of our possibilities, for I see empires within our reach if we
but cease brooding over our dismal past and let this bright prospect
kindle its flames within us. What spur need we to move us on but to
look up and see the resplendent regions whence we fell, till hatred
starts afresh within our beings and our every passion moves to its
control."
With an outward swing of his great right arm he asked in strong
appealing tones: "How can we best succeed against the church in which
our enemy glories so unceasingly? What inroads can we make? In what
manner shall we advance?"
He vigorously seized a book. "Here is a Bible, borrowed from a saint.
I turned its pages over and over that I might learn what pained the
heart of Christ most grievously, vexing his inmost soul with
indignation. What was it?" vociferously interrogated Fast Devil as he
flung the book to the scorching winds of Hell. "'Twas that which
hindered the cause of Christ most efficiently--_prostituting the house
of God to worldly purposes_. Have we forgotten the vehemence with which
this arch-enemy drove the money kings from His sacred abode, saying
unto them: 'My house is a house of prayer, but ye have made it a den
of thieves,' and how we like sneaking cowards crawled away, and thus
our glorious scheme went by default?"
Then Blackana uttered his final appeal with all the swing of his mighty
body and the low vibrant thunder of his voice. "Back to your forts!
Oh, back! ye dormant hosts around me! Not in the strength of arms, but
with the subtlest webs that Hell can weave, and with the snares of
silent treachery. We need no stronger weapons, and for our dress we
will don sheep's clothing of the finest wool. Thus who amongst the
church can tell that we are not seeking her highest good? _Then as we
strike at the heart of voluntary offering in the church, so shall we
kill the spirit that gives it birth. The carcass of this dead spirit
unburied we shall drag through the church for ages, and the germs of
disease arising therefrom will bring more death into the ranks of our
foes than all our weapons of warfare ever did."_
Blackana instantly resumed his former shape, and "while I was musing
the fire burned." I then looked out toward the festival ground and saw
that Satan had returned to Mr. World and was explaining to him how
helpful these festivals were to Christians.
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