The Celestial Railroad.

I love the works of John Bunyan. I've read Pilgrim's Progress, Christiana's Progress, and the Holy War. Pilgrim's Progress is one of the best books you can read. I think, though, for anyone who has read Pilgrim's Progress, that Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story "The Celestial Railroad" is a must-read, particularly in our day. I first read as part of my junior year of high school English. I have read it a couple of times since. Grandpa has made several mentions of it in his sermons and related parts of it to illustrate some of his points. Hawthorne was a professing Christian; I don't know for sure whether he was or not, but when you read this story, you quickly realize that he understood more truth than the average evangelical pastor today probably does. Hawthorne had already written books like "The Scarlet Letter" to show the folly of Pharisaical religion.

But what he d even more was the liberalism and easy-believism that was starting to come on strong in his day (I wonder what he would say if he was alive today!) "The Celestial Railroad" starts off with him as a man in the City of Destruction who just decides one day to make a journey to the Celestial City. Rather than having to carry his baggage (burden), it is stored in the baggage car of the train, and he, along with others kick back and relax. During the journey, Hawthorne writes that changes have been made since Bunyan's time: a bridge has been built over the Slough made out of philosophy books and other works of man, the train tracks bypass the wicket gate, the Interpreter's house, cut through the Hill Difficulty, etc. Hawthorne in his character is joined by a man named Mr. Smooth-It-Away, who works to erase all of Hawthorne's doubts about going to Heaven in this way. One of his first concerns was when he first got on and saw that the engineer was none other than Apollyon. All along the way, Hawthorne sees and meets two men who "stubbornly hold to the old method of the hard journey by foot" and who try to convince him that he will not attain Heaven by taking the easy journey by train. Mr. Smooth-It-Away comes and discredits them and convinces Hawthorne to continue on. When the train finally stops at the river of , there is a steamboat to take them across. They all pile on, except Mr. Smooth-It-Away. When Hawthorne asks him why he isn't coming, Smooth-It-Away replies that he never goes across. Then Hawthorne notices that the boat is not heading across the river, but rather downstream. The two men who had followed the old road are being welcomed by angels. He looks back and there is Smooth-It-Away laughing. Hawthorne concludes with "Then I awoke. Thank God it was only a dream!"

The sad thing is that for those who try to take the easy road, they will reach the end one day. Smooth-It-Away will be laughing and Apollyon too, the boat will head downstream, and it won't be a dream. Christ never said that following Him would mean an easy road; in fact, He promised the contrary. But those who follow that road will have their reward. You can either choose earthly comfort and eternal torment, or earthly trials and eternal bliss.