New-York tribune., 1874-06-23
BRITISH TOPICS.
QUESTIONS AFFECTING RELIGION.

|
THE DUKE OF BEDFoRD's STATUE TO BUNYAN-THE
| UNVAIIING BY LADY AUGUSTA sTANLEY-sPEECH
| BY THE DEAN OF wEsTMISsTER-MR. BRADLAUGH
| CLAIM TO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF sECULARIsM
| tFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBCEEl
| LONDON, June ia statue by q Duke TO a
tinker IN arstocratic England; Dean OF West
Minister pronouncng eulogy on nonconformist IN
the home of a State church; clergymen of every
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Baptists. and even
Catholics-stting on the same platform in this age
OF mutual intolerance, all taking part IN the same
ceremonial, and no one OF them quarreling with
another. 1t is not often that it has been given
| to any man to bring about so remarkable a
scene as this, even two hundred years after his
| death. The Tinker, of course, is Bunyan,
and the Duke is the Duke of Bedford, who
taxes his name from the certain place on which Bun
| yam lighted, as he walked through the wilderness
OF this world, where there was a den. The den, in
other words Bedford Gaol, has disappeared, and 1t
IS not even quite certain which of the two Gaols
possessed by Bedford in those days held the body
OF John Bunyan during his twelve years imprison-
ment. The statue set up yesterday, given by His
Grace of Bedford to the memory Of the author of
the Pilgrims Progress is set up at st. Peters Green.
The artist of it is Mr.. Boehm-the same whose
horse, now in the Royal Academy Exhibition shared
with Miss Thompson's Roll Call the doubtful
but profitable honor of the Prince of Wales's
praise. Bunyan stands nine feet high in
bronze, the face modelled from contemporary
painting by Sader the pedestal incrusted with
scenes in relief from the Pilgrims Progress. The
costume of the figure is that worn by Puritans OF
the periOd-magine John Bunyan in a Roman toga!
Happily you not called upon to in this case.
good illustration of the monument, Bunyans house,
the GaO &c, appears in this weeks Graphic. There
was the usual procession of notabities, and there
were speeches The two notable facts were the alb
sence Of the Duke of Bedford and the presence of
Dean Stanley, surrounded by that group of clergy
men who for the day had sworn q truce. 1t might
have been thought graceful in the Duke to crown
his testimonial to Bunyan by coming to see Lady
Augusta Stanley unvail it, but dukes are law unto
themselves in this country, and we must suppose he
had good reason for not going. The Dean OF West
minister's speech is not too long to be quoted in full
and this is it:
The Mayor has called upon me TO a few words. and
shall obey him. The Mayor has done his work. the
Duke of Bedford has done his, the sculptor and artist
have done theirs and ask to do yours in com.
memorating John Bunyan. Every one of you who has
read the Pilgrims Progress" If there be any such
person, read 1t without any delay; those who have
read hundred times read 1t for the hundred and rt
time. Follow out in your lives the lessons which the
"Plgrims Progress" telehes and then You will all OF
you be even better models of John Bunyan than this
magnificent statue which the Duke Of Bedford has
given you.
You will be interested also in letter from Sir
Charles Reed, known to many Americans by his
visit last year. saying that could he have spoken, he
should have paid honor to the memory of Thomas
Marsden, the Luton ironmonger, who succored
Bunyan and declined release that he might remain
Bunyans fellow prisoner in Bedford Gaol, and from
whose daughter Mr.. Russell Gurney claims to be
directly descended Mr.. Russell Quincy is known
also in America by his official residence there for
considerable time, and it is "A comfort to find some
one in England claiming with pride to be de-
scended from ironmonger. At the afternoon
meeting, when this letter read, the Dean of
Westminster delivered his real speech or lecture on
Bunyan; an address marked by the graceful scholar
ship and easy style for which the Dean has long
been celebrated. confess that the sentence which
most admire is one which the Duke of Bedford
and the rest of the innumerable family of Russels,
of which he is the head, may not The Dean dared
to say that Bunyan's imprisonment in Bedford was
that which has given to the town its chief-inight
he say without oifcnse its only-ttle to universal
and everlasting fame. l will venture to sup
pose that this is the only time the Duke of Bed
ford was ever told that day might come
when there should be Dukes OF Bed
ford and no remembrance of them even.
Next to that was the Deans expression of his salts
faction in the hope drawn from tho events of the
day. that the old giant Intolerance who was very
stout and hearty in Bunyan's time was now dis
abled he hoped forever. As the audience cheered
he added, Ah, don't be too jubilant. The old giant
is still alive he may be seen on all Sides the spirits
of burning and judgment have not altogether de-
parted from mankind, either from churchmen or
nonconformsts but the giants joints are very stiff
and crazy"
paragraph which / wrote some months ago
about Mr. G. j. Holyoake and Secularism gave
offense. as / remember, to Mr.. Charles Bradlaugh.
who replied to it in his paper The National Rformer.
Mr.. Bradlaugh thinks he has better right to speak
in the name of Secularism than Mr.. Hoyoake has.
have no wish for a controversy with Mr.. Brad
laugh and if he will permit me, viii step aside
entirely and leave him to discuss the matter should
he care TO- with Mr.. Molesworth, the author OF the
History of England from 1880 to 1s70-a book very
highly praised by among Others, NJ. Bright. Mr.
Molesworth being clergyman Mr. Bradlaugh Will
be the more ready for tilt with him. In treating
Of the year isE tyo!. ?. se4 Mr. M2!esT9rth says;
In the course OF this year system OF ethics" to
which its author gave the name OF secularism, wac
widely and currently propagated by Mr.. u. j. Ho-
yoake London bookseller. We place before the reader
the definition OF in the words OF its founder
Secularism is the study Of promoting human welfare
by material means; measuring human welfare by the
uaran rule and making the service OF others duty
OF life. Secularism relates to the present existence OF
and To acton the issues OF when eau be tested ny
the experience OF this life having Tor IT'S ooeet the
development Of the ply ysical moral ana intellectual
nature Of the highest ipercelvaDie pont, as the
immediate duty Of society; intoxicating the practical
sufciency OF natural morality apart from Atheism,
Theism or Christianity; engaging ts adnerehts 10 the
promotion OF human Improvement by material means,
| and making these agreements the ground OF conaon
unity for all who would regulate life by reason ana
ennoble IL by service The secular sacred in Its nu