How I get through a wall.
"About this wall I bethought myself, to go, again and again, still prying as I went, to see if I could find some way or passage, by which I might enter therein; but none could I find for some time. At last, I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like a little doorway in the wall, through which I attempted to pass. Now the passage being very strait and narrow, I made many offers to get in, but all in vain, even until I was well-nigh beat out by striving to get in. At last, with great striving, methought I at first did get in my head, and after that, by sideling striving, my shoulders, and my whole body. Then I was exceeding glad, went and sat down in the midst of them, and so was comforted with the heat and light of their sun.
I get the vision explained.
Now this mountain, and wall, etc., was thus made out to me: The mountain signified the church of the living God: the sun that shone thereon, the comfortable shining of His merciful face on them that were therein; the wall I thought was the Word, that did make separation between the Christians and the world; and the gap which was in the wall, I thought was Jesus Christ, Who is the way to God the Father. (John 14:6.)
But forasmuch as the passage was wonderful narrow, even so narrow that I could not, but with great difficulty, enter in thereat, it showed me that none can enter into life, but those that were in downright earnest, and unless also they left the wicked world behind them. For here was only room for body and soul, but not for body and soul and sin."
And so, the mind of "The Immortal Dreamer" was already in the making. The "mountain" of his vision becomes the church of the living God; the sun that shone there, the shining of Jehovah's face on all His people, and so forth. Here are the first seeds of what will blossom into such thoughts as the Slough of Despond, The House Beautiful, The Interpreter, Vanity Fair, Mr Standfast, Madame Bubble, Mr Ready-to-halt, the Enchanted Ground, and a million-and-one more vivid figures, and similes, and allegories, and pictures. From the very beginning, he was cast in the role of "The Immortal Dreamer."