"They are all doubly sealed. No one but an expert inventor, true and tried in our master's service, ever pa.s.ses 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 s.p.a.ce 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 surpa.s.sing 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 G.o.d.

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 h.e.l.l 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 cla.s.s 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d 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 a.s.semblage 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 s.p.a.ce 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 cla.s.ses 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 princ.i.p.al 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 a.s.sistance 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 pa.s.sed 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 mult.i.tude 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 appet.i.te, 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 a.s.sociating with so many Christians?"