Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-06-23
From the American Bsptirt Memori
Bunyan. Now, and Then.
IT .. n. WoRoSH.

What dlgnltary OF Tue CnuIcu VI lug |
land, (thought we)-what prelate or poet
what preacher or philosophers next to
be caponized? We could not find Rev.
erend Doctor Bunyan, CT Bishop Bunyan,
in our books who can he be who is to be
to q niche in the renowned Alb
bey, with SHAKESPEARE and MILTON on
either hand? Can it be Tinker John ?-i
Another paragraph states positively that it
is indeed the author Of Piiyrim's Progress
for whom the honor is intended!
''Reuerend Mister Bunyan!" No wonder
the name seemed new and if monument
were thus inscribed, few would at the first
thought know who was intended to be
As we'll might you quote
from the Letters of Rec. DR.. Paul, Bishop
Of Rome-or prove your doctrine by an
appeal to Req. Simon p Barjona, AN
or cite from Book l. of lNanhe,c Leri: Esq
as to hope to dignity or exalt plain, good
john Buayan, by prefix Of 'Reyereud,"
or sufix Of "D. D."
The proposition reminds one Of that
sharp denunciation of our Saviour-" Ye
build the tombs Of the prophets, and gar
nish tie sepulchres Of the righteous, and
say, If ue had been an the days Of our
fathers, We would not have been partakers
with them in the blood of the prophets y
Not two hundred years have elapsed,
since this same "Rev. Mr.. Bunyan" was,
by the dignitaries Of the Church Of Eng
land, derided as 'low tinker wizard,
a Jesuit, a 'biGhwayman;' be was for
bidden to exercise his gifts as Christian
teacher to such as chose to hear; be was
confined in Jail t.relrc or thirteen years,
and threatened with Banishment, and even
with Death, for preaching and baptiziug
as his conscience bade him do. Then,
Westminster Abbey would have been the
last place for the thinker Of Onslow" to
appear in and that his monument, as a
popular divine, should be there erected,
would have been q supremely merry jest
Little did the british magistrates and
bigoted zealots Of that day know who they
abused-aud less were Sir Matthew Hale
and Justice Twisden aware Of the disrepu-
table position they occupied, when refusing
to aid the poor woman who entered the
imposing "Star Chamber" before the gay
and scornful assemblagc, to plead against
the unrighteous committal Of her hus-
band. elizabeth Bunyan told them that
"there we're four small children oy the
"former wife, one Of them blind; that they
chad nothing to live upon while their father
"was in prison, but the charity Of good
"people =; that she herself, at the news
"when her husband was apprehended,
"being but young and unaccustomed to
'ssuch things, fell in labor, and continuing
Gin it for eight days, was delivered Of
"dead child" ."-"Alas ! poor woman," said
Hale But Tuisden said, Poverty was
''her cloak, for he understood her husband
"was better maintained by running up and
"down approaching, than by following his
calling" Sir Matthew asked what was his
calling, and was told that he was tinker.
"Yes," observed the wife, sand because he
''he is tinker and poor man, therefore
"he is despised and can not have justice"
The learned priests, who reveled in abun-
dance whilst hunting poor John Bunyan
for non-conformity, had not the power to
discern the Christian heroism and manly
fortitude, joined with uncommon sympa-
thy and warm affections, of their victim.
His meekness and honest conduct in prison
won him the entire confidence of his jailor,
aud an occasional day Of enlargement or
visit from his family were precious seasons
to Buuyan. He enjoyed Divine assistance
in an eminent degree-but he wrote, ,"Not-
"witbstanding these helps, found myself
"a man encompassed with infrmities; the
"partiug with my wife and four children,
"hath often been to me in this place, as
''the pulling the flesh from my bones; and
"when it brought to my mind the many
"haraships, miseries, and wants that my
''poor family was likely to meet with,
"should l .be taken from them, especially
"my poor blind child, who lay nearer my
"beart than all besides Oh the thoughts
"of the hardships thought my poor
"blind one might 60 under, would break
tiny heart to pieces. Poor child {! ihought
"I, what sorrow art thou like to have for
".hy portion in this world! Thou must be
'beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, ma
skedness, and thousand calamities, though
~ can not now endure the wind should
"blow upon thee. Bot yet, thought I, /
"n,..t ss,ssrs you al sitA God, though II
"goe,h 70 .hs quick 70 leave yoa."