King's Business - 1947-07

knows every inch of the trail. He offers to take you up free if you will trust His judgment, obey orders, and follow Him.” After some hesitation, the traveler turned about and decided to join them if he could scale the low rock wall which bordered the road on the side next to the trail. During his hesitation, the wall seemed to have grown higher, and although he strove desperately to get a footing, to his dismay he was unable to get even a toe hold in the loose rock. He was about to give up in despair when a gentle voice bade him, “Look up! Give me your hand!” and the strong bronze arm of the Guide reached out to him and lifted him easily over the wall. Immediately he was taken to a tiny cottage near­ by, where he discarded his old and threadbare garments and was given more suitable clothing, shoes, and food for the day. The Guide was tall and strong, and His hands were very tender as He helped a child over a large rock. His hands, the traveler noticed with a start, had been pierced with some­ thing sharp and bore deep, cruel scars on the palms like the print of nails. His face was youthful, but in His eyes was the wisdom of the ages. “I knew your grandfather,” He said softly. “He called this spot the place of conversion. Some people stop here, but this is only the be­ ginning.” Then the traveler saw that there were some who, after climbing over the wall at the edge of the trail, sat down upon it and were content to stay there, enjoying the view from that place, but growing weaker and weaker from lack of nourish­ ment. They could not be persuaded to go on and they became an ob­ stacle to those who had to climb past them—but the traveler went on. He found if he followed his Guide closely, the path was pleasant and fairly easy. The Guide frequently gave him His hand, and He also pointed out interesting sights and they talked as they walked, and he was happy. Lagging behind he found to be dangerous. Once he loi­ tered while the group went ahead; then he noticed the forests on either side looked dark and menacing, and he was afraid. He quickened his pace, slipped on a loose rock and began falling. Looking down, he saw the highway far below, and he cried out for help. Even as he called, the Guide reached down, painfully pulled him back up, and set his feet in the middle of the path again. “Keep your eyes on the Guide,” whispered a companion, “there are thorns and sharp rocks in places, but He knows this trail and w ill help us. It is, after all, the hard places that make us strong, and give us T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S

Mt. Rainier as seen from the highway at Marmot Point, Paradise Valley, Rainier National Park. O NCE, in the morning of life, a traveler was strolling aim­ lessly along a winding road near the foot of a great mountain. was afraid. The mountain seemed cloaked in mystery and danger; the trail looked very difficult and he was lone. Now the road, he thought, while dusty and not particularly in­ spiring, was easy and required little effort.

A signpost near the road read, “ONE-WAY ROAD—DOWN TRAFFIC ONLY.” He walked slowly, pausing now and then to watch a butterfly drifting by, or a lizard sunning him­ self on a rock. Far above him towered the mighty mountain in all its majesty with its brilliant- hued rocky cliffs, noble pine trees, its snow-crowned summit gleaming in the morning sunlight, a living symphony of light and shadows and ever changing colors. In the distance he heard the singing of birds and the song of a waterfall, and he heard the voice of the mountain calling, “Come up higher.” Below him lay the valley shrouded in clouds of dust, smoke, and fog. He glanced down uneasily at the swirling clouds not far below and wished he were beside the singing waterfall, but he PAGE TWELVE

Suddenly at a turn in the road, a small group of hikers appeared toil­ ing single file up a narrow trail. They greeted the traveler gaily and invited him to join them and climb to the top of the mountain. Eagerly they assured him that the flowers were lovelier, the air better, birds and animals more interesting, and the view from the summit simply marvelous. “We promise you,” they said, “toil and trouble, but m o r e than enough joy and satisfaction to balance the hardships.” They seemed so very happy the traveler felt a great longing to go with them. “ At the head of the group,’’they explain­ ed, “is our capable Guide who has frequently made the trip and who

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