Christian is now out of the Valley of the Shadow of Death. An incline just off the path ahead enables Christian to get a good view of the terrain ahead, and as he looks, he sees another Christian, Faithful, walking ahead. Christian calls out for Faithful to wait, but Faithful refuses to stop, saying, "No! I''m concerned for my life and the avenger of blood is behind me." Christian summons his strength and runs to catch up, but runs so fast that he passes Faithful, stumbles, and is not able to get up until Faithful arrives to give him a hand. The terrain here allows them to proceed in peace and pleasant conversation (though Bunyan does not elaborate on Faithful's previous statement on the 'avenger of blood' -- maybe he was still afraid of the Valley he just escaped from).
It turns out that Faithful left the City of Destruction after Christian. He tells Christian about the fate of Pliable, who turned back after slipping into the Swamp of Despondence. Pliable has lost his reputation and is "seven times worse than if he'd never gone out of the city".
Christian and Faithful then talk about Faithful's journey from the City of Destruction. Faithful successfully escapes falling into the Swamp of Despondence, and arrives at the Gate without danger, but meets with a woman named Wanton, who tempts Faithful with all kinds of contentment if he turns aside with her. Christian says it was good that Faithful escaped her, to which Faithful replies, "No, I don't know whether I completely escaped her or not", and then relates how he remembered an old writing "Her steps lead right to the grave", shuts his eyes and avoids her temptation. She then hurled insults upon him, and he goes on his way.
At the foot of the Hill of Difficulty, Faithful meets up with an old man Adam the First, from the Town of Deceit. Adam offers Faithful employment (the work called Many Delights) and a promise to become his heir if Faithful will live with him. As a further incentive, Adam offers his three daughters for marriage: Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and Pride of Life. Faithful finds himself inclined to take the man up on his offer, but then sees a warning on the man's forehead: "Put off the old man and his deeds", and a burning thought enters his mind, that if he accepts the old man's offer, he will be sold off as a slave. He refuses the offer, and turns to go away, but suddenly the old man grabs him by the back and gives him a good jerk back, so strong that Faithful replies "What a wretched man I am!" Adam threatens to send another individual after Faithful who will make his journey bitter.
As Faithful climbs the Hill of Difficulty, another man comes running up after him, who knocks him down. When Faithful comes to, he asks the man the reason for the violent blow, and the man replies that it was for his inclination to follow after Adam, and then he knocks Faithful flat again. When Faithful recovers a second time, he asks the man for mercy, to which he replies, "I don't know how to show mercy!" and knocks him flat a third time. The man would have made an end to Faithful except for another man who comes up and causes him to stop. Christian asks who the second man was, and Faithful says "I didn't know Him at first, but as He went by, I saw the holes in His hands and in His side. Then I concluded that He was our Lord. After this, I went up the Hill." Christian realizes that the first man is Moses, and Faithful says "I know it very well, it wasn't the first time he met with me. He was the one who came to me when I lived securely at home and told me he would burn my house down on my head if I stayed there."
Faithful does not stop at the palace Beautiful, as Christian has done, because it is daylight, the lions are asleep, and Faithful wants to make good time while the going is good. (This is how Faithful passed Christian, as Christian was in that house for three days) Christian then relates to Faithful how there were many good things to be obtained in the house, but doesn't dwell on it very long, as the conversation then proceeds to the Valley of Humiliation.
In the Valley of Humiliation, Faithful meets up with a person going the wrong way, named Discontent, who claims that the Valley is completely without honor. He also says that to proceed is to "disobey all my friends, such asPride, Arrogance, Self Conceit, Worldly Glory, and others". Faithful dismisses their value as friends and says he would "rather go through this valley to receive honor that was accounted so by the Wisest."
Faithful also meets a man named Shame in the Valley, but Faithful thinks that he is misnamed. Shame objects to religion in general, saying that it is a pitifully low and deceptive business for a man to give attention to religion. He also objects to the inferior and low estate and condition of most of those Pilgrims of the times in which they lived, and objects to their ignorance and understanding of the natural sciences. Shame goes on and on, and Faithful can think of nothing to say in reply, but eventually realizes that Shame is telling him everything about Man, but nothing about God. Also, Faithful realizes, "I thought that at the Day of Doom we will not be sentenced to either death or life according to the domineering spirits of the world therefore, that what God says is best, even though everyone in the world may be against it." Faithful sends Shame away, but not without some difficulty, as Shame is a very persistent talker.
As for the Valley of the Shadow of Death, Faithful relates that his trek through that Valley was not so bad; he walked through it all in broad daylight!
Thoughts on this chapter
Two pilgrims meet, and in order to bring the two pilgrims' tales together, this chapter serves as a catching-up of what happens to Faithful on his trek. Bunyan presents us with several images of our enemies; Wanton, The Old Man-Adam, the Law (represented as Moses), Discontent, and Shame. All of them work to get Faithful off the Path and into a state guaranteeing his destruction. Wanton is sexual immorality. The Old Man is living for the pleasures of the world. Moses is the same threat as was presented to Christian back when he was tempted by Mr. Worldly Wiseman to go off the Path to the town of Morality. Discontent represents those who may claim the name "Christian" for a time, but when humility is required, balk and return to worldly living (I know this one well - I'm glad God gave me a second chance - actually, many of them). I'm sure we've all met a lot of 'Shames' in our lives, especially those who try to witness on a university campus, or have an anti-religious professor for one of their classes.
Faithful misses out on some good things by not stopping at the palace Beautiful. Alert readers will note that he is traveling without armor and without a sword. He would have been in quite a pickle if he had met up with Apollyon!
Faithful's experience in the Valley of the Shadow of Death is not nearly as unpleasant as Christian's. Maybe Bunyan is telling us that each Christian's trial is unique, that they are not equally bad, even though we all have to go through that Valley. In Part 2 of the book, when another set of Pilgrims make their way to Celestial City, we will see more differences in this Valley, as well as other sites along the Way.
Posted by joelfuhrmann at March 20, 2003 12:35 AM