That man so told the story of Christian and his travels
that my heart fell into a burning haste to be gone after him, nor could
my father and mother stay me, so I got from them, and am come thus far on
my way."

1. A very plain and practical lesson is already read to us all in
Valiant-for-truth's explanation of his own pilgrimage. He tells the
guide that he was made a pilgrim just by having the story of The Pilgrim
told to him. All that Tell-true did was just to recite the story of the
pilgrim, when young Valiant's heart fell into a burning haste to be a
pilgrim too. My brethren, could any lesson be plainer? Read the
_Pilgrim's Progress_ with your children. And, after a time, read it
again till they call it beautiful, and till you see the same burning
haste in their hearts that young Valiant felt in his heart. Circulate
the _Pilgrim's Progress_. Make opportunities to give the _Pilgrim's
Progress_ to the telegraph boys and errand boys at your door. Never go
on a holiday without taking a dozen cheap and tasteful copies of _The
Pilgrim_ to give to boys and girls in the country. Make sure that no
one, old or young, of your acquaintance, in town or country, is without a
good copy of _The Pilgrim_. And the darker their house is, make all the
more sure that John Bunyan is in it.

"Now may this little book a blessing be,
To those that love this little book and me
And may its buyer have no cause to say
His money is but lost or thrown away."

2. But the great lesson of Valiant's so impressive life lies in the
tremendous fight he had with three ruffians who all set upon him at once
and well-nigh made an end of him. For, when we put by the curtains here
again, and turn up the metaphors, what do we find? What, but a lesson of
first-rate importance for many men among ourselves; for many public men,
many ministers, and many other much-in-earnest men. For Valiant, as his
name tells us, was set to contend for the truth. He had the truth. The
truth was put into his keeping, and he was bound to defend it. He was
thrown into a life of controversy, and thus into all the terrible
temptations--worse than the temptations to whoredom or wine--that
accompany a life of controversy. The three scoundrels that fell upon
Valiant at the mouth of the lane were Wildhead, Inconsiderate, and
Pragmatic. In other words, the besetting temptations of many men who are
set as defenders of the truth in religion, as well as in