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THE LIFTING OF THE BURDEN

NOW I saw in my dream that Christian went on slowly and with great difficulty. For the road was steep, and the burden on his back was very heavy.

But he toiled on until he came to a hill upon which there was a cross; and at the foot of the hill there was a sepulcher. So, as he climbed the hill and came up to the cross, behold, his burden fell from his shoulders and began to tumble; and it rolled downward till it came to the mouth of the sepulcher, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Oh, how merry of heart was Christian then. He stood for a while to look and wonder; for it seemed very strange that the sight of the cross should thus ease him from his burden.

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