Chapter XI: The Dark Forest

"'What time I am afraid, I will trust.'"

These words were continually in Amer's mind during the next part of his journey, for he found his way led him into a gloomy forest, and looking down its long dark avenues, for a moment he hesitated.

It was indeed so dark that he wondered if it could be the way intended for him to tread; he wondered still more as on entering it fearfully, he found he could not see any distance before him, but looking down at his feet he saw that there was no mistake about it. His path lay before him, though he could only see one step at a time. He buckled his sword tighter around him and made sure that all his armour was in the right position, and with a brave heart walked boldly into the still deeper recesses of the forest.

For a short time he was comforted by the fact that far, far away, he caught a faint glimmer of light which he knew must come from the Radiant City; but after a time even this faded, and he felt himself in total darkness.

A terrible silence pervaded the place. Not even the flutter of a bird among the trees nor the sound of the faintest breeze. It was as if he were in a dead world.

The perspiration stood out on his forehead and his hands trembled as he gripped his sword. So appalled was he at the darkness and silence, that he dared not even call aloud, on the chance that there might be someone near who could come to his aid. The sense of utter loneliness amazed him. He had experienced nothing like it before. Loneliness and darkness appalled him, fearfulness and trembling came upon him, and horror overwhelmed him.

Suddenly, as faint with forebodings, he slowly and painfully made his way, seeing only one step at a time, some words from his Guide Book flashed across his mind like a sunbeam from the Radiant City.

"'Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.'"

"'What time I am afraid, I will trust,'" he cried, and the very fact of breaking the silence by that cry, gave him courage and comfort.

Many a time after this, during that dark journey, he called aloud to his King, and when he did so, he was conscious of a Presence quite near to him, of a Companionship that made his heart burn within him, and in the consciousness of which he was able to face the horrors of darkness that seemed likely to overwhelm him.

But at times even the sense of the Presence seemed to be hidden from him, and he had but to find comfort in the fact, that, the King had promised to be with his servants unto the end, that though unseen and unfelt, He could not be far off, so he cried out in the words of the Guide Book, many of which he knew by this time, by heart,

"'Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, for His Presence is salvation.'"

At last, as he neared the end of this part of his journey, he became aware that a glimmering of light could be seen in the distance, and that with every step he took it became brighter, till at last, through a vista among the trees, he caught sight again of the Radiant City, looking brighter and more dazzling than it had ever looked before. At the sight of this he fell on his knees and worshipped his King Who had brought him safely through the darkness.

Then he rose and looked around him. Surely now his path was to lead him on and upwards, higher and higher; surely for him the darkness was past and over. He looked about eagerly for his pathway, and to his amazement found it led into the forest again, though by another way.

"Alas!" he cried, "my strength will fail me. I dare not encounter the horror of darkness again." So depressed was he that he sat him down under the shadow of a rock, and hiding his face in his hands he groaned aloud. For a long time he sat there, and as he rested, he fell asleep and dreamt.

The King stood before him; not as he had often thought of Him, radiant in power and might, with a beauty unspeakable and dazzling in its glory: but with a crown of thorns on His head, with pierced and bleeding hands and feet, with a face marred by suffering and sorrow. But, notwithstanding His bleeding feet and hands and His pierced brow, His eyes were directed towards a little wandering lamb who had strayed beyond the fold, and lay bleating on a thin ledge overhanging a precipitous cliff; and as He looked He moved towards it, though the thorns and prickly bushes at His feet opened the wounds afresh. Although the cliffs were almost impassable and the danger great, the King never hesitated; leaning over the awful abyss, He reached down till He grasped with His bleeding hands the little lamb, and lifting it up, sheltered it in His bosom.

Then Amer awoke.

Had it been a dream or had it been a vision? Whatever it was, it contained a lesson for him which changed his whole view of his journey. He was filled no longer with his own dangers and difficulties, but recognized that he had been saved to serve, and that the very reason of many of his experiences through which he had passed, was not merely to make him more fit for the Radiant City, but that he might be able to sympathize with other travellers and help them on the way.

On learning this he rose. But for him the darkness was lightened by many a glimpse of the Radiant City, and he found the forest silent no longer.

As he made his way along his path he constantly met other travellers, faint with fear or oppressed by the enemy Depression, or Despair, and he cheered them so that they had the courage to meet their foes in battle, and to overcome them.

To Amer's great surprise he met the last person whom he would have expected to meet in such a place.

He came upon a man lying prone upon the grass. At his first look at him he thought there was no life in him, but on coming closer he discovered that it was Chisleu, faint and weary. His face had lost its energy, and he had no words even with which to greet Amer. He looked at him with sad and dreary eyes, so unlike his former self, that the lad almost doubted if it could be he.

"Chisleu," he exclaimed, "is it you?"

But Chisleu did not answer, he still looked wearily up at Amer without a word. Then, noticing compassion written large across his friend's face, he groaned.

"Friend," said Amer, "are you in pain?"

"Aye, aye," answered Chisleu, "I'm in pain of body and mind. I'm in the dark, friend, in the dark."

"And not only in the dark," said Amer, glancing about him, "but in the hands of Despondency, Depression, and Despair."

"What, what," cried Chisleu, excitedly, awakened out of his torpor, and aroused to action, "do you mean to say it is the work of the enemy?"

"Surely, what else could it be?"

"I thought," said Chisleu, "the King had forgotten me."

"It is not the King who has forgotten you, but the enemy who has thought of you. The King never forgets His own. Had you been looking around you instead of giving up as if all were lost, you would have recognized it as the work of the three enemies which I now see hidden among the trees."

"Ah!" sighed Chisleu, "you do not know the terrors of this forest, I am overwhelmed by them."

"Friend, I know even too well," answered Amer, "I have been in it a long time."

"It is a place of horror and the darkness of death," said Chisleu.

"And I should be in the same state as you at this present moment," said Amer, "had it not been for the help of my King."

"And yet," said Chisleu, raising his head to look more earnestly at him, "you look as if you were upheld. Have you really experienced such horror as I have?"

"Such darkness that even now I scarcely dare to think of it. But since then I have seen a vision of the King which has turned my darkness into light. I think I can even thank Him now for the lessons He taught me in the darkness. But come! I will help you to rise, and if the enemies attack you again, I will add my sword to yours. I do not wonder that they met you by the way, Chisleu, and were so determined to overcome you. It was only natural that such a good brave soldier, who is always on the look-out for those who are in sorrow or need, should be attacked by the enemy. You have done too much good for him to forget you, or to leave you alone. As for me, I have only just learnt that I am saved to serve."

"Ah, friend, you little know me," sighed Chisleu, "the mistakes I have made! and the way I have judged far better people than myself, and have tried to set them right according to my own judgment! Nay, I felt sunk so low and that I was of so little good on the road, that I feared my King had forgotten me, when I found myself in such a dark place. But," he added, rising, "if you are right, and this misery comes from the enemy, and is not that I am forgotten in the Radiant City on account of my sins, I will take courage."

"I understand now," said Amer, "why my way led me again into the forest. The King was thinking of you, friend, and sent me to help one who in the past has helped me."

"Helped you!" exclaimed Chisleu, astonished, "nay, lad, I remember nothing of the kind. I am a good-for-nothing fellow who meddles with every one I come across, thinking to do them good. I am the fool who steps in where angels fear to tread."

"Had it not been for you," persisted Amer, "I might still be in the City of Achshaph. You were the one who first tried to arouse my conscience and to make me see my danger. But come, we must not linger."

So these two brave soldiers buckled their swords closer and set out side by side, as long as their path lay together, to fight the enemy and to help the wounded. And many a one had to thank their King for them, and called them both by the name of Ahiezer—Brothers of Assistance.

At last the forest came to an end, and their ways parted.

Once again in the broad sunshine Amer breathed in the fresh air with delight and gratitude. His way led through fields full of brightly coloured flowers. The air was laden with their scent, and vibrated with the song of birds. Having so lately emerged from such a dark and dreary passage, the sunshine, the sounds, and the scents, filled him with delight, and that which rejoiced him still more was the fact that his path lay up the side of a hill, and every step he took found him higher, in fresher air, with a clearer view of the Radiant City. He had the joy also of meeting his old friends Belthiah and Iddo, who, after welcoming him, looked earnestly in his face.

"Amer," they said, "you have grown into a man since last we saw you. There are marks of victory and strength on your face. You have passed through some great experience."

"I have been in the dark forest," he answered gravely, for even now the remembrance was painful to him, "and I found light in the darkness."