Chapter X: The Passing of Heman

The next time that Amer came across Heman he was struck by a new expression on his face: there was a brightness that he had not noticed before. "I am drawing near the River," he said in an awed whisper, "but I have the support of my King."

"Not yet, Heman, surely not yet," said Amer sorrowfully.

"Yes, lad. If I am not mistaken the River is near, and the last conflict with the enemy," he added, slowly, and as they turned together the next corner of the road, there loomed before their eyes a dark valley and at the end of the valley a river.

Amer's path lay along the side of the river for a time, but Heman's ended at the brink.

The lad trembled as he walked by his side, but was astonished to notice a joy on the face of his companion not at all in keeping with his own feelings; but looking far away beyond the river, he caught sight of a wonderful shining light from the Radiant City, and noticed that his companion's eyes were fixed steadily upon it.

Then suddenly without warning, what seemed like a dark cloud, came between Heman and the City.

"Ah," he groaned, "it is the enemy; pray for me, for I feel to have no strength for the last conflict. Cry to the King and cry loud for help:" and then Amer saw, as if in a dream, the cloud form itself into an army of dark figures, as if the Devil and his angels were in league to do all in their power to wrest this good soldier from the King, and he remembered the Ambassador's words,

"Some are fighting up to the very end."

As the lad cried aloud to the King for his friend, he noticed that at the edge of the river there appeared a cross which flung its shadow over Heman, and to which again and again he turned and clung. And every time he clung to the cross or got within its shadow, the powers of darkness which were surrounding him drew back as if they had received a wound. At these times Amer became aware, that even nearer than the evil spirits, who were trying to do their utmost to tear the fainting soldier from the cross, there was a band of bright angels supporting him. At last, when he swooned, and would have been drowned in the deep waters, these bright spirits carried him tenderly in their arms to a spot in the river, where a radiant figure stood, with outstretched hands, and the hands had the marks of having once been pierced with nails: while across the river came the sound of music, such as Amer had never heard nor dreamed of, and the song of a multitude of voices welcoming the warrior home.

Then the lad fell on his knees and worshipped.

"Ah," said a voice by his side, "I am too late to see the passing of one of the bravest and best soldiers that I have known," and Amer turned to see to his comfort, the figure of the Ambassador, whom he had never thought to meet again.

"Sir," said Amer, pale and trembling, "does the great enemy always attack the King's soldiers so fiercely at the end?" and he related how harried had been the last moments of Heman and with what a fierce conflict he had had to engage.

"Nay lad," he said, "but it does not altogether surprise me. The braver the soldier the harder the fight, and the enemy made one last effort to do what he has failed to do for so long. But as a rule the passing into the Radiant City is peaceful and bright. I have known soldiers who have sung with joy as they have reached the river, and who have been surrounded with a wall of fire so that the enemy could not reach them. The King knows each one so thoroughly that He will never let anyone be tempted above that he is able, 'but will with the temptation also make a way of escape.' And think of the reward that good soldier is now getting: his affliction was 'but for a moment,' and worketh for him, 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.'"

"I fear the River," said Amer, shivering, for his path still lay through the Valley of the Shadow.

"Nay lad, fear not," said the Ambassador. "The King does not send you help to cross it till the time to cross it comes. Has He not promised to be with you? And how do you know that you will have to pass through the River at all? The King may come in the clouds first to take His people Home. If I'm not mistaken," he added, "Depression is at your side, take out your sword, lad."

And the Ambassador was right, and Amer found that in wielding his sword, Depression departed, and that when his enemy had departed, he began to think of the light of the City on Heman's face, of the song of welcome he had listened to, and looking up to his King, he said, "'What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.'"