The Shepherds take Christian and Hopeful
to the top of the Hill of Error
Illustrated by Frank C Papé
This extraordinarily powerful illustration from Frank C Papé was the basis of one of the colour plates appearing
in the 1910 Edition of Paul Bunyan's classic, The Pilgrim's Progress.
The Pilgrim's Progress is a Christian allegory written by John Bunyan (it was first published in 1678). The tale's
central protagonist is, fittingly, named Christian, and Bunyan takes the read on Christian journey from his home,
styled the "City of Destruction" (representing earthly existence) to the "Celestial City" (representing Heaven) atop
Mt Zion.
This particular image is associated with the following text from The Pilgrim's Progress:
Then I saw in my dream, that in the morning the shepherds called up Christian and Hopeful
to walk with them upon the mountains. So they went forth with them, and walked a while,
having a pleasant prospect on every side. Then said the shepherds one to another, "Shall we
show these pilgrims some wonders?" So, when they had concluded to do it, they had them
first to the top of a hill called Error, which was very steep on the farthest side, and bid them
look down to the bottom. So Christian and Hopeful looked down, and saw at the bottom
several men dashed all to pieces by a fall that they had from the top. Then said Christian,
"What meaneth this?" Then the shepherds answered, "Have you not heard of them that were
made to err, by hearkening to Hymeneus and Philetus, as concerning the faith of the
resurrection of the body?" They answered, "Yes". Then said the shepherds, "Those that you
see lie dashed in pieces at the bottom of this mountain, are they; and they have continued
to this day unburied, as you see, for an example to others to take heed how they clamber
too high, or how they come too near the brink of this mountain".
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