Christiana and the Weak Pilgrims

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. ISAIAH 40:11

Some years after the First Part, Bunyan published a Second Part of The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is a different kind of book: gentler, slower, more crowded, more domestic. Christian is gone over the river. Now his wife Christiana, who had hardened her heart against him, repents and sets out after him with her four boys and her young neighbour Mercy. They walk the same road, past the same places, but they travel in company, with a strong guide, and they gather up on the way a remarkable collection of weak, frightened and disabled pilgrims. If the First Part is Bunyan’s book for the struggling soul, the Second Part is his book for the church — and especially for its weakest members.

Christiana’s turning

Christiana’s conversion begins with grief and remorse. After her husband has gone, she remembers his groans and tears, and how she hardened her heart against all his entreaties. It returns upon her like a flash of lightning. Then a messenger named Secret brings her a letter from the King inviting her to come, and she sets out. Her neighbour Mercy comes with her, first only to see her a little way, then for good.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 PETER 3:9

For every reader who has prayed long for a husband, a wife or a child, the Second Part is a comfort. Christian ran with his fingers in his ears while his family called him back. Years later, the family came. At the gate, Mercy, who has no letter of invitation, is so afraid of being refused that she faints outside; the keeper takes her by the hand and bids her arise, and lets her in. No one who knocks is turned away.

Great-heart the guide

At the Interpreter’s house Christiana’s company is given a guide: a servant named Great-heart, armed with sword, helmet and shield. He walks before them, answers their questions, explains the places Christian passed, and fights for them — against Giant Grim, Giant Maul, Giant Slay-good and at last Giant Despair himself.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account. HEBREWS 13:17

Great-heart is Bunyan’s portrait of the pastor as protector. He is strong, patient, cheerful and above all careful of the weak. Here, though, the honest caution belongs. The Second Part assumes, as a matter of course, that women travelling need a man to guide and guard them, and some of its remarks about women reflect the assumptions of seventeenth-century England more than anything Scripture requires. Christiana and Mercy are among Bunyan’s most lovely characters — Christiana’s repentance, Mercy’s tender conscience and cheerful industry are drawn with real warmth, and the book honours women’s faith. But readers should enjoy the portrait without treating its social arrangements as a pattern for today. What remains timeless is the picture of a guide who fights for those in his care.

Mr Fearing

The most memorable of the weak pilgrims is one we never meet directly. As the company walks, an old man named Honest asks Great-heart whether he knew Mr Fearing. Great-heart knew him well: he was his guide. Honest sums him up: “He was a man that had the root of the matter in him; but he was one of the most troublesome pilgrims that ever I met with in all my days.”

Great-heart tells his story. Mr Fearing lay roaring at the Slough of Despond for above a month, and would not venture over, though many offered him their hands; yet he would not go back either. At the gate he stood back and let others go in before him, afraid to knock. At the Interpreter’s house he lay in the cold outside for days. He loved those houses but durst not be so bold as to ask. The Hill Difficulty and the lions did not trouble him, for his fear was not about hardship but about his acceptance at the last. In the Valley of Humiliation, strangely, he was better than anywhere else; he would lie down and kiss the very flowers. In the Valley of the Shadow he cried out that the hobgoblins would have him — and Great-heart noticed that the valley was as quiet then as he ever knew it, as if the enemies had a special command not to meddle till Mr Fearing had passed. And at the river, where he feared he would drown, the water was lower than Great-heart had ever seen it, so that he went over not much above wet-shod.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. ISAIAH 42:3

Was he well at last? “Yes, yes,” says Great-heart; “I never had doubt about him.” He was a man of a choice spirit, above many tender of sin, only always kept very low. And then Great-heart explains, in a lovely image, that some must pipe and some must weep; Mr Fearing played upon the bass, whose notes are more doleful than others — but the bass is the ground of music, and God plays upon that string first when He sets the soul in tune for Himself.

Feeble-mind, Ready-to-halt, Despondency and Much-afraid

The company gathers others. Great-heart rescues Mr Feeble-mind from Giant Slay-good. Feeble-mind begs to come behind, lest his many infirmities burden the others; he is offended by what others can bear, and troubled when he hears others rejoice. Great-heart answers that it is his commission to comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak, and that the company will be made all things to him rather than leave him behind. Then Mr Ready-to-halt comes by on crutches, and lends Feeble-mind one of them.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:14

When the company comes to By-path Meadow, they go over the stile, kill Giant Despair, and demolish Doubting Castle. In it they find Mr Despondency, almost starved to death, and his daughter Much-afraid. And then comes one of the most joyful scenes in the book. Christiana plays the viol and Mercy the lute, and Ready-to-halt takes Much-afraid by the hand, and they dance in the road. He cannot dance without one crutch in his hand, but, says Bunyan, he footed it well, and the girl answered the music handsomely. Despondency, meanwhile, is for feeding rather than dancing, and Christiana gives him food.

A church for the weak

The Second Part teaches something the First Part could not. A pilgrim does not go alone. The strong carry the weak; the guide adapts his pace; the fearful are given special care; the disabled dance. Bunyan’s church in Bedford was full of poor, unlettered, anxious people, and he loved them. The Second Part is his picture of what a congregation should be: not a company of spiritual athletes, but a household that brings everyone home.

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ROMANS 15:1

FOR REFLECTION AND ACTION

1. If you have prayed long for a family member to follow Christ, take heart from Christiana. Write their name and keep praying.

2. Are you a Mr Fearing? Hear Great-heart’s verdict: the root of the matter is in you, and God will make allowances on the road.

3. Who are the Feeble-minds and Ready-to-halts in your church? Choose one to walk beside this month.

4. How could your congregation better welcome people with disabilities, anxieties or weak faith, so that infirmity is no block to their entertainment?

5. Find a reason to rejoice with someone who has come out of Doubting Castle — and if you can, dance.

A PRAYER

Lord Jesus, You gather the lambs in Your arms and gently lead the weak. Thank You for Your patience with fearful pilgrims like me.

For those I love who have not yet come, be longsuffering, and bring them after me as You brought Christiana.

Make me a Great-heart to the feeble and a friend to the disabled; let no infirmity be a block to our welcome.

And bring all Your company home — the strong and the weak, the fearful and the bold — together into Your city. Amen.