Season 5 Podcast 127 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 38 Chapter 7 F “A Pillar of Salt.”

Season 5 Podcast 127 John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Episode 38 Chapter 7 F “A Pillar of Salt.” 

In last week’s episode, we came upon the plain called Ease and a hill called Lucre and met Demas at a silver mine. Demas tries to lure Christian and Hopeful to interrupt their journey to the Holy City and dig for silver. 

Christian is adamant and will not hearken to Demas’s oily tongue.

“CHRIS. Then Christian roundly answered, saying, "Demas, thou art an enemy to the right ways of the Lord of this way, and hast been already condemned for thine own turning aside, by one of His Majesty's judges; and why seekest thou to have us condemned also? Besides, if we at all turn aside, our Lord the King will certainly hear thereof, and will there put us to shame where we should stand with boldness before Him.”

But Demas does not see himself as an apostate who has left the straight and narrow path. He still sees himself as a ‘fellow laborer.’

“Demas cried again that he also was one of their company, a pilgrim like themselves, and that, if they would tarry a little, he also himself would walk with them.”

This calls to mind the same words of Mr. Money-Love. If you recall there were four companions, Mr. By-ends, Mr. Hold-the-world, Mr. Money-love, and Mr. Save-all. They were school chums taught by Mr. Gripe-man, a schoolmaster in Love-gain. Bunyan said of Mr. Gripe-man:

“This schoolmaster taught them the art of getting, either by violence, cheating, flattery, lying, or by putting on a pretence of religion; and these four gentlemen had learned much of the art of their master, so that they could each of them have kept such a school themselves."

Christian asks Demas what his name was. Demas makes it clear that he is the son of Abraham, suggesting that by birthright he is a nobleman. 

“CHRIS. Then said Christian, "What is thy name? Is it not the same by the which I have called thee?"

DEMAS. Yes, my name is Demas; I am the son of Abraham." 

Christian sees through his hypocrisy.

“CHRIS. I know you: Gehazi was your great-grandfather, and Judas your father, and you have trod in their steps. It is but a devilish prank that thou usest: thy father was hanged for a traitor, and thou deservest no better reward. Assure thyself that when we come to the King, we will tell him of this thy behavior. Thus they went their way.” 

Gehazi was the servant of Elisha who cheated Naaman, a general who was cured of leprosy. As a consequence, Gehazi was stricken with leprosy. Judas, of course, betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver. The point is that both Gehazi and Judas were children of Abraham but because of their wickedness, they lost their birthright. 

Christian and Hopeful are not lured into the silver mines; however, By-ends and others from those who were from the town of Fair-Speech and the market town of Love-Gain are taken by Demas who was gentleman-like. 

“By this time By-ends and his companions were come again within sight, and they at the first beck went over to Demas. Now, whether they fell into the pit by looking over the brink thereof, or whether they went down to dig, or whether they were smothered in the bottom by the damps that commonly arise, of these things I am not certain; but this I observed, that they never were seen again in the way. Then sang Christian:

"By-ends and silver Demas both agree; One calls; the other runs, that he may be A sharer in his lucre; so these two Take up in this world, and no farther go.”

Bunyan emphasizes how important preparation is. Those from the Town of Fair-speech and Love-gain put gold and silver above the Celestial City; therefore, they turned away from the straight and narrow path and became lost in the silver pit. Christian and Hopeful do not fall for the cunning Demas.