Pilgrim Meets Evangelist

"...I looked then, and saw a man named Evangelist coming to him, who asked:


EVANGELIST: Wherefore dost thou cry?

PILGRIM: Sir, I perceive by the Book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgement (Hebrews 9:27); and I find that I am not willing to do the first (Job 16:21-22), nor able to do the second (Ezekiel 22:14).


EVANGELIST: Why no willing to die, since this life is attended with so many evils?


PILGRIM: Because I fear that this burden that is upon my back will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall fall into Tophet (Isaiah 30:33). And, sir, if I be not fit to go to prison, I am not fit to go to judgement, and from thence to execution, and the thoughts of these things make me cry.


EVANGELIST: If this by thy condition, why standest thou still?


PILGRIM: Because I know not whiter to go.


Then her gave him a parchment roll, and there was written within, "Flee from the wrath to come" (Matthew 3:7)


The man therefore read it, and, looking upon Evangelist very carefully, said:


PILGRIM: Whither must I flee?


EVANGELIST: (Pointing with his finger over a very wide field), Do you see yonder wicket gate? (Matthew 7:13-14.)


PILGRIM: No.


EVANGELIST: Do you see yonder shinning light? (Psalm 119:105; 2Peter 1:16.)


PILGRIM: I think I do. 


EVANGELIST: Keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate; at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do.


So I saw in my dream that the man began to run. Now he had not run far from his own door, when his wife and children. perceiving it, began to cry after him to return; but the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, "Life! life! External life!" (Luke 14:26). So he looked not behind him (Genesis 19:17), but fled toward the middle of the plain.


The neighbours also came out to see him run (Jeremiah 20:10), and as he ran, some mocked, others threatened, and some cried after him to return; and among those that did so, there were two that resolved to fetch him back by force..."

Key Legend:

Evangelist - A bearer of Good news.

I strongly encourage you to read once through, and then read it with the references from the Bible, which I had already done the search at biblegateway.com and link it for you so you dont have to search..

At this point, the PILGRIM has found his direction given by the EVANGELIST, and he's leaving all things behind, despite what people say, to pursue it.