'But yonder is his monument,' he said,
They stepped across to see, and thus they read,— "Hard by here was a battle fought,
"Most strange, and yet most true; "Christian and Apollyon sought,
"Each other to subdue.
"The man, so bravely played the man,
"He made the fiend to fly;
"Of which, a monument I stand,
"The same to testify."
Then pressed they on;-but now a valley drear
And longer than the present, they drew near.
The Vale of Death. That name might well confound,
But daylight shone upon their path around.—
They thought they heard the groans of some one here;
Which made the young ones quake, and women fear:
They saw a fiend too, but when now to fight
Their Guide stept on,-it vanished out of sight.-*
Refreshed at this deliverance, they went on;
But only now a little way they'd gone,
When Mercy thought she heard a lion's tread,
Coming behind, and turning round her head,
She saw indeed, what she had heard before;
And then the lion gave a dreadful roar.
But this their Guide feared not; they had the right
He knew, and so prepared himself to fight.—
* Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.
On seeing this, the lion slack'd its
Paused, and then finally gave up the chase.*
Then they went on again, but now no more
Light shone around their path, as heretofore;
A pitfall too, across their pathway lay;
So all with one accord began to pray.-
And quickly light o'er all their way was shed,
Till through the valley they were safely led.
The snares, and traps, they cautiously passed through,
And the dark valley's end was now in view.
Pleased at the prospect, full of hope, were all :
When! from his cave stepped forth the giant Maul!
He called to Great-Heart-Tell me how you dare
Without my leave take these beneath your care?' Great-Heart replied, My Master is on high:
By his command it is, that here am I.
'I am resolved my Master's work to do, 'If
you resist it, we'll at once fall to.'
And so they did,—the Giant gave a thrust, And Great-Heart rather staggered back at first; But soon recovering, fell on him with power, And kept the conflict on for full an hour.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist. 1 Pe. 5. 8, 9.
The battle going against Great-Heart, at first represents that sophistry may, for a time, appear to triumph over truth; but true Christian courage (which Great-Heart represents) will continue the
Then they sat down, the Giant resting there,—
While Great-Heart gave the time to earnest prayer.
Oh! how the pilgrims trembled at the sight,
And stood and wept, throughout the deadly fight!
Again the conflict raged, and now once more
Great-Heart was almost vanquished, as before:
But truth was on his side, he must prevail,
Though sophistry might skilfully assail.
Pierced by his sword, the Giant now gives way,
And Great-Heart in God's armour, wins the day.
Then did the women and the children raise
A grateful song to their deliverer's praise.
With zeal recorded by the road the deed,-
Beneath the Giant's head;-that all might read.
"He that did wear this head, was one
"That pilgrims did misuse;
"He stopp'd their way, and spared none,
"But did them all abuse.
"Until that I, Great-Heart, rose
"The pilgrims guide to be;
"Until that I, did him oppose
“That was their enemy."
Then, sitting down to rest, awhile they stay,
And get refreshment on their weary way.
fight through, (as he did), not in its own strength. His also allowing Maul to rise again when once down shews, that, a Christian, when opposing the arguments of an unbeliever, never need take any unfair advantage; the battle is the Lord's, and He will give victory.
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