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Philippians 3:10
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Philippians 3:10
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John Bunyan's insightful remarks ( first
published in 1684 ) on the
age-old thinking behind the currently popular prosperity
doctrine.
The following
is an excerpt from an updated and abridged
version of John Bunyan's classic The Pilgrim's Progress
— © 2000, Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, OH, pp.
44-47 —
As Christian fled Vanity, he was joined by a man named Hopeful. And hopeful he was, made so by beholding the words and behavior of Christian and Faithful in their sufferings at the fair. Thus, one died testifying to the truth, another rose from his ashes to accompany Christian in his pilgrimage. Hopeful told Christian many more people at the fair would follow on the pilgrimage, but it would take time.
The two pilgrims soon overtook a man. "How far do you go this way? And where are you from?" they asked.
"I'm going to the Celestial City. I'm from the town of Fair-Speech. I have many rich relatives there. In particular Lord-Turn-About, Lord Time-Saver and Lord Fair-Speech himself. Also, Smooth-Man, Facing-Both-ways and Two-Tongues. And my wife is a very virtuous woman from a very honorable family. It's true we differ in religion from those of a stricter sort, yet only on two small points. First, we never strive against wind and tide. Secondly, we are most zealous when religion goes in his silver slippers. We love to walk with him in the street, if the sun shines and people applaud him."
Christian asked, "Is not your name By-Ends?"
"That is not my name. It is a nickname given to me by those who cannot stand me. I must be content to bear that reproach. I never gave an occasion to earn the name. I have always been lucky, that's all.
"If you go with us, you must go against wind and tide. And you must be loyal to religion in rags as well as silver slippers."
"You must not impose your faith," said By-Ends, "nor lord it over my faith. Let me go with you in freedom."
"Not a step further," said Christian.
[By-Ends said] "I won't desert my principles. I'll wait until someone comes along who will be glad of my company."
[He then] asked innocently, "Suppose a minister or tradesman had an opportunity to get the good blessings of life, but only if he had to become very zealous on some point of religion he never bothered with before. May he not get the blessings and still remain an honorable man?"
Money-Love, who, along with Mr. Hold-the-World and Mr. Save-All, had followed Mr. By-Ends, spoke right away. "Let's take the minister first. If he can benefit from such a small alteration of principle, I see no reason why he can't do it and still be an honest man. After all, the desire for blessings is lawful and the opportunity is set before him by Providence. Besides, his desire makes him more studious, a more zealous preacher. His people won't mind if he desires to serve them some of his principles. That will prove he has self-denying temperament. Now as to the tradesman, suppose such a one has a poor business, but by being religious, he can improve his market, maybe even get a rich wife. I see no reason why this is not lawful. To become religious is a virtue. Nor is it unlawful to get a rich wife. By becoming good himself, he gets a good wife and good customers and good profit." The others applauded Money-Love.
"What do you think, Christian?" asked Hold-the-World.
"A babe in religion could answer that. Only heathens, hypocrites, devils, and witches would make Christ and religion a stalking-horse * to get worldly riches."
With that reprimand, the four men grew sullen and fell behind.
"If they cannot stand before a man, how will they stand before God?" asked Christian.
———————————————
* stalk·ing-horse (stôkng-hôrs) n.
1. Something used to cover one's true purpose; a decoy.
2. A sham candidate put forward to conceal the candidacy of another or to divide the opposition.
3. a. A horse trained to conceal the hunter while stalking.
b. A canvas screen made in the figure of a horse, used for similar concealment.http://www.thefreedictionary.com/stalking-horse
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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