. Uncle Jeff was just visiting his young friends again, and Betty said, “You were going to tell us more of that story, Uncle”. That’s right”, he said, “Exactly where did we get up to in it?” “I remember,” said Bobby who had just come into the room, “Weren’t his friends wanting him to come back to them instead of going to the gate in the distance?” “That’s right,” said Uncle Jeff. “Yes, and he was a very worried man,” chimed in Sarah who came in then too, “What happened next, Uncle Jeff?”
“Well, let’s see,” said Uncle Jeff, “His two friends ran after him and tried to get him to turn around. One was called Twisty, and the other one was Obstinate. ‘No, no!’ Pilgrim said, “I’m not going to listen to you. I’ve come from the City of Destruction and I want to find the City of Life where I’ll be safe”. As he turned to carry on, Twisty said to him, “I’ve a good mind to come with you’, and he started to go with him. “Well, I’m going home’, said Obstinate, ‘I’m not going to be seen with you two crack-pots’, and he went back home. ‘Tell me more of what you expect to find’, Twisty said as they carried on. ‘Well it’s a wonderful place’, Pilgrim said, ‘And I know it’s true because the One Who wrote this book cannot tell a lie’.
“I know who that is”, Bobby said, interrupting Uncle Jeff, “I bet it is meaning that it’s God!” “That’s right Bobby”, said Uncle Jeff, and carried on with the story….
“Pilgrim got quite excited as he was walking along talking to Twisty. ‘It’s an awfully long way’, Twisty said after a bit, and he began to slow down. ‘Oh, but it’s worth it when you get there’, said Pilgrim, and he carried on telling him all about what to expect. The next thing they knew was that the ground had got very wet and slippery and before they knew it, they were up to their middles in a swampy bit of ground. ‘Oh, this is the Swamp of Despair’, Pilgrim said, ‘I’ve heard of it. It’s so easy to caught in this’ ‘This is dreadful’ cried Twisty, ‘I didn’t know it was going to be this hard. Yuk!’ and he spat some of the mud out of his mouth. ‘Why didn’t you watch where you were going?’ he snapped at Pilgrim, ‘If I ever get out of this, I’m going right back home!’ He heaved himself out of the slimy mud and splashed his way back to solid ground. ‘You can carry on by yourself’, he called out to Pilgrim, ‘I’m off!’ And Pilgrim didn’t see him again.”
“Why did he give up so easy?” Betty wanted to know, “I wouldn’t have! I’d have kept going!” “Well, you see some people don’t like trouble and they go back where they’ve come from when things get hard”, Uncle Jeff said. “That’s right,” Bobby chimed in, “and Pilgrim kept on going, slipping and sliding in the mud. So how did he get out?” Uncle Jeff carried on, “Well, as he got to the other side, a man called Help came and pulled him out onto solid ground. “What a horrible place that swamp is!” said Pilgrim, “Why is it like that?” ‘Well, it’s like this,” Help said, “People keep throwing all their good deeds in here to make a solid path through it, but nothing works, it all keeps getting more mucky all the time. All peoples’ good deeds just keep sinking deeper and deeper into the filth. The King has put down stepping stones to get through safely, but most people don’t see them, and they just fall in thinking the good things they do will keep them clean. It doesn’t work,’ said Help. ‘Well, it’s well named Swamp of Despair’, Pilgrim said, ‘I nearly gave up, but I’m going to carry on now you helped me get out’, and he waved goodbye to Help as he carried on. So Pilgrim carried on his journey towards the Light in the distance.
“What happened then?” Bobby asked. “We’ll leave that for next time,” Uncle Jeff said, “I don’t want you to forget the lessons in this part of the story.” “I guess the lesson this time is that our good works don’t help us when we get to the end of this trip through our life,” Sarah, “We have to trust in Jesus instead”.
“That’s right Sarah,” Uncle Jeff said, “Now I really must go. See you all next time!”