Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-15


she'd on the point controverted, the more in-
tense darkness surrounds the whole matter
They have not the power to make their light
shine in darkness, so that the darkness can
comprehend it. Bunyan commended with
great earnestness for the lsOrd of faith, and the
remission of sins by the death of Chris"
and hundreds went to hear the preaching of a
man Of Jaith-who was not educated to dis
pute with the 'doctors in the Temple" with
the Sadducees, or the Pharisees-but who
only preached ''Christ crucifed, 'but as to
other things let them alone, because they
stirred up strife"
Great multitudes go to hear another Bap-
tist preacher in England, who is about the
same age that Bunyan was when he COM
menced preaching, because he simply preach
es repentance and afaith in Christi Let
Spurgeon commence to preach dOctrinal, theo-
logical sermons, and his hearers would leave
him, as the leaves do the trees after the "hoar
frosts," when they are swept by the Autumn
blasts. Spurgeon, like Bunyan, is not a man
Of learning-not a student save of the Bible
Bunyan was pupil of the Spirit. He was
sOrely tempted, and sorely tried. For doing
his Masters work, "bonds and Imprisonment
awaited him."
Under CFonlceLl, be preached the Gospel;
but under the second Charles he was impris
oned in the Bedford jail, for ''devilishly and
perniciously abstaining from coming to
church to hear divine service" Upon his ex-
animation he was, without any other trial.
without the verdict of a Jury, sentenced to
three months Imprisonment; sand at the end
of that time if he did not submit to 60 to
church to hear divine service, and to leave
preaching he was to be banished the realm !;
and if he was found TO come over again with
out special license from the King, be was to
be stretched by the neck for il" With the
courage Of hero-martyr, Bunyan answered,
'ff he wss out of prison to-day, he would
preach the Gospel again tomorrow, by the
help of God" When he was reminded that
Paul ''did own the powers that were in his
day to be OF God, he replied, che was often
in prison under them for all that"
Bunyan through his wife, presented pc
tition, three times, to the Judges, that he
might be heard, and his case taken into con-
sideration. One Of these Judges was Sir
MATHEW HALE His wife, before this man
who has come down to US with a reputation
so enviable, pleaded the unlawfulness of her
husband conviction, and said, 81 am come to
you, to see if anything nay be done in this
business" '0Wil your husband leave
preaching2" said Justice Tuisdon. 'lf he
will do so, then send for him." "My Lord, +"
replied ELIZABETH BUNYAE, "he dares not
leave preaching as long as he can speak." I"
"He is breaker Of the peace" said Tuisdon.
"He desires to live peaceably, My Lord, and
to follow his calling, that his family may be
maintained. have four small children, and
one of them Is blind" sEHast thou four chill
dren?" said Judge Hale, ''thou art but a young
woman TO have four children" "My Lord,
said she, ~ am but mother-in-law to them.
''Alas poor woman" ex-
claimed Judge Hale. Judge TuisdOn re-
Marked ''she made poverty cloak" "What
is his calling ?" as ked Judge Hale. "a tink-
er, Ny Lord, said a bystander. dyes, re-
joined Elizabeth Bunyan, ''and because he is
a tinker and a poor man, therefore he is de-
spised and cannot have justice" Mrs. Bum
yam '1eft the court in tears not so much be-
cause they were so hard-hearted against her
husband, as from the thought, '0hat sad dc-
count sach poor creatures will have to give al
the coming of the Lord"
How worldwide is the fame of that tinker
and poor man, whom Lord Hale did not aid
when he was in prison, in suffering and ir
want. The fame of the illustrious Judge, il
comparison with that Of immortal Tinker, j:
/. like the light of glas-lamp to the brilliancy
of the noon day sun.
{" Mr.. Lord Chief Justice" is known to thu
} Scholar, the Lawyer, the Jurist the States
man; but the author of "PmGRm's PROG
REss" is known in Palace and in Cottage, il
/, city and in country; wherever God is wOr
/ shipped in spirit and in truth-wheTeve
J prayer is offered, or wherever the weary pill
e grim of life seeks with "renewed heart {
treasure in that better land"
For twelve years, Bunyan suffered impris
: Onment for conscience sake. OF what inesti
mable value was that Imprisonment to tn
% world How beautifully within his prisOl
walls did he paint the struggles-the trials
the temptations the errors, and the gloriou
triumphs of the Christians lifel His "Prog
p ress" is alike interesting to the most popula
scholar and the man Of the humblesp knowl
edge. He describes the universal heart Q
man, and portraits perfect and ife-hke ar
recognized by every reader.
., The life Of such a man as JOHN BUEYAN
t full of instruction. It not only shows hoy
!, man can suffer for the Truth-hoW they ca
endure stripes and Imprisonment; but how
= shut out from the great world and its thou
: sand sources Of learning, they can blythe dali
ID study Of the Bible, become illumined with il
spirit and be enabled to impart to all CON
ing generations the spirit of that word, whic
alone can make them wise unto salvation.
This year is the ts0o hndreth anniversary
JOHN BuNYANs Imprisonment for PreqchH
the Gospel not according 10 Laag; and moi
Withstanding the progress in these two hur
Q dred years Of Religious Liberty, there are br
Il few places yet on earth where there il perfet
freedom in spiritual things; and even no,
while l write, in the very land where tn
n SAVIOUR was born, beneath the verv ski,
where the "Star" led the wise mem to m
= place "where the young child Was,p in II
very towns and districts where JESUS taugh
his sublime doctrines of the nresurrection
! and Heternal ife"-where HE healed the sicl
ssss made the blind to see, the lame to walk, an
where HE raised the dead, and gave such le
hs sons to men as they had never known b.
n fore; in that very land, which witnessed th
lS Rs early glories and blessings of the religion
JESUS, the iyidel is now putting to death, an
crimsoning the soil sanctifed by the feet
- the SAVIOUR, with the blood Of his believin
Il followers. What but the spirit Of the Ma
1s, TER operating upon the heart of man, and b
e its gentle influences governing and contro
ne IT, HE fifa oau ehanoa hin, g., a b,,-,o