The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-02-20


which he was himself possessed. lie joined
the Baptis's, and became preacher and VIII
ter His education had been that OF mechan-
iic He knew no language but the English, as
ii was spoken by the common people. lie
had studied no great model of composition,
with the exception, an important exception
undoubtedly, Of our noble translation OF the
Bible. His spelling was bad. He frequent
| " transgressed the rules of grammar. Yet
/ the native force of genius, and his experiment
tai knowledge of all the religious passions from
despair to ecstasy, amply supplied in him the
the want of learning. His rude oratory rous-
ed and melted hearers who listened without
interest to the labored discourses OF great To-
gicians and IIcbraists. His works were wide
~ circulated among the humber classes. One
OF them, the Pilgrims Progress, was, In his
own lifetime, translated into several foreign
languages 1t was, however, scarcely known
to the learned and polite. and had been, du-
ring near a century, the delight of plous cot
tagcrs and artisans, before it was publicly COM
mended by any man Of high literary emnenee.
At length critics condescended to inquire
where the secret of so wide and so durable Il
popularity lay. They were compelled to own
that the Ignorant multitude had judged more
correctly than the learned, and that the de-
Bunyan is indeed as decidedly the first Of al
legorists, as Demosthenes is the first of orators,
or Shakespeare the first of dramatists Other
allegorists have shown equal ingenuity, but no
other allegorists has never been able to touch
the heart, and to make distractions objects
of terror, of pity and Of love.
at may be doubted whether any English
Dissenter had suffered more severely under
the penal law than John BunyaH OF the
twenty-seven years which had elapsed since
the Restoration, he had passed twelve in con-
| finement He still persisted in preaching;
but, that he might preach, he was under the
necessity of Disgusting himself like carter
| He was often introduced into meetings through
back doors. with smock frock on his back
and whip in his hand. If he had thought
only of his own ease and safety. he would have
hailed the indulgence with delight. He was
now, at length, free to pray and exhOrt in O.
pen day. His congregation rapidly intreas-
ed; thousands hung upon his words; and at
Bedford, where he originally resided. money
was plentifully contributed to build meet
ing-house for him. His influence among the
common people was such that the government
would willingly have bestowed on him some
municipal office but his vigorous understand
inc and his stout English heart were proof a.
gainst all delusions and all temptation. He
felt assured that the prollered liberation was
merely bait intended to lure the Puritan
party to destruction; nor would he, by accept
ing place for which he was not legally quail
flied, recognize the validity of the dispensing
power One of the last acts Of his virtu
Gus life was to decline an interview to which
he was invited by an agent Of the govern
ment.
"Great as was the authority of Bunyan with
the Baptists, that of William kifiin was still
greater Kifln was the first man among them
in wealth and station. lie was i'll the habit
of exercising his spiritual gifts at their meet
ings; but he did not live by preaching. lie
traded largely; his credit on the Exchange
of London stood high; and he had accumu-
} lated an ample fortune. Perhaps no man
, could, at that coniuncture have rendered more
valuable services TO the court. But between
him and the court was interposed the remem-
brance of one terrible event. He was the
grandfather of the two IIewings, those gallant
youths who, of the victims Of the bloody assiz-
rs, had been the most generally lamented.
For the sad fate Of one of them James was in
a peculiar manner responsible JeiiIeys had
reSpited the younger brother. The poor lads
sister had been ushered by Churchill into the
royal presence, and had begged for mercy
but the kings heart had been obdurate. The
misery of the whole family had been great
but Kiffin was most to be pitied. He was sew
enty years old when he was left destitute, the
survivor Of those who should have survived
him. The heartless and venal sycophants OF
Whitehall, judging by themselves, thought
that the old man would be easily propitaed
by an aldermans COVE, and by some compen-
sation in none, for the property which his
grandsons had forfeited. Penn was employ
ed in the work Of seduction, but TO no pur-
pose. The king determined to try what efie,
his own civilities would produce. kiilin was
ordered 10 attend at the palace. lie found
brilliant circle of noblemen and gentlemen
assembled. james Immediately came tn him,
and spoke to him very graciously, and con-
cluded by saying, Il have put Won down, Mr..
Kifin, for an alderman of London The cd
man looked fxediy at the king, burst into
tears, and made answer, 'Sir, ! am worn out
| am unfit to serve your majesty OF the city.
And, sir. the death of my poor boys broke my
heart. That wound Is as fresh as ever. ]
shall carry it to my grave The king stood
silent for minute in some confusion, and then
said, sMr Kiilin, | will find balsam for that
Sore Assuredly James did not mean to say
ANYTHING cruel or insolent; on the contrary,
he seems 10 have been in an unusually gentle
mood. Yet no speech that is recorded of him
gives 50 unfavorable a notion of his character
as these few words. They we're the words Of
hard hearted and owminded man, unable
to conceive any laceraGon of the affections for
which place or pension would not be full
compensation"