Mount Calvary Baptist Church

Pilgrim's Progress

The following map is believed to have been originally produced for and printed without color in the Trapp & Hogg edition (London, 1778) of The Pilgrim’s Progress by Thomas Conder, a well-known cartographer.  A later edition added color (D. Newell edition, New York, 1844).

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Part 2: Christiana

Since our study of this portion of the story will be briefer and more introductory than was our study of Part 1, some may find it helpful to read an abridged version, prepared by Bill Lovegrove, which has been shortened to 15 pages and 10,000 words (original is more than 80,000 words). Some of the longer dialogues, minor characters, and review sections have been omitted.

Celestial Railroad (1843)

This is a piece of literature written by Nathaniel Hawthorne that I think you will find fascinating in light of our study in The Pilgrim’s Progress. It is not long (maybe a twenty minute read), but it is quite a masterpiece and engagingly written. Effectively borrowing from the familiar imagery of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, Hawthorne retraces Bunyan’s harrowing journey from the comfort of a railroad car, noting all the while the improvements and sophisticated refinements now available to people who long to arrive at the Celestial City by a less troublesome route than the one followed by Christian. He recounts a “new and improved” journey to the Celestial City – an easier, less burdensome, more refined journey that appeals to more people. For example, efforts have been made to improve the Slough of Despond, to carry passengers’ burdens for them, to upgrade the Wicket Gate, to bypass the Cross and Interpreter’s House, to smooth the journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and Vanity Fair, and to ferry passengers across the final river. All the while, passengers on the train are mocking those pilgrims who have chosen to make the journey on foot. The train is engineered by none other than Apollyon himself, who now instead of impeding travelers on the journey, now convinces them that he wants to take them there, but in the end, they learn of his true intention.

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