eal, and kept carefully wrapped up;
and while they were forward enough to complain of the other part of
their burdens, few said a word about this, though in truth it was
the pressing weight of this _secret packet_ which served to render
the general burden so intolerable. In spite of all their caution, I
contrived to get a peep at it. I found in each that this packet had
the same label--the word SIN was written on all as a general title,
and in ink so black that they could not wash it out. I observed that
most of them took no small pains to hide the writing; but I was
surprised to see that they did not try to get rid of the load but
the label. If any kind friend who assisted these people in bearing
their burdens, did but so much as hint at the _secret packet_, or
advise them to get rid of it, they took fire at once, and commonly
denied they had any such article in their portmanteau; and it was
those whose _secret packet_ swelled to the most enormous size, who
most stoutly denied they had any.

I saw with pleasure, however, that some who had long labored
heartily to get rid of this inward packet, at length found it much
diminished, and the more this packet shrunk in size, the lighter was
the other part of their burden also. I observed, moreover, that
though the label always remained in some degree indelible, yet that
those who were in earnest to get rid of the load, found that the
original traces of the label grew fainter also; it was never quite
obliterated in any, though in some cases it seemed nearly effaced.

Then methought, all at once, I heard a voice, as it had been the
voice of an angel, crying out and saying, "Ye unhappy pilgrims, why
are ye troubled about the burden which ye are doomed to bear through
this valley of tears? Know ye not, that as soon as ye shall have
escaped out of this valley the whole burden shall drop off, provided
ye neglect not to remove that inward weight, that secret load of SIN
which principally oppresses you? Study, then, the whole will of the
lord of this valley. Learn from him how this heavy part of your
burdens may now be lessened, and how at last it may be removed
forever. Be comforted. Faith and hope may cheer you even in this
valley. The passage, though it seems long to weary travelers, is
comparatively short, for beyond there is a land of everlasting rest,
where ye shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; where ye
shall be led by living fountains of waters, and all tears sh