The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-28

through hlm-raxe tnat you do not let his fame
be obscured by your unworthiness. tCheers.I Turn
ing TO what may be called his ecclesiastical career
we must remember that he was q Baptist or Ana.
baptist-a name which once struck terror ana dis
may through Whole States in Europe; but which,
even In Bunyan's time, had subsidized into a quiet.
peaceful community-a sect which numbers on
It's roll Havelock among It's soldiers, Carey
and Marshman among It's missionaries and
Robert Hat among it's preachers lCneers.l
speak only OF the dead, but whether living or
aea% 1aere Is no o'her name among them to which
to that OF John Buuyan. You all remember Lord
Macaulay's remark that the seventeenth century
only produced two men OF original genius-and
those two were John Milton and John Bunyan.
Great cheering.l And will venture TO add to
that remark OF Macaulay's that in all our English
literature there have been only two works unlver-
sally popular, and both OF these were written by
RAN Journalist and it IS called "Robinson Crusoe''
(cheers,-and the other was by Baptist teacher,
ana iss name tne eua
splendid literature oil their own, ana we
must remember that literature may oe
channels OF grace no less spiritual than
sacraments or doctrines, chapels or churches.
Bunyan was great as the hero OF liberation. He
was greater still as preacher. but beyond all
comparison he is creates. as the teacher OF our
cnildhood-as the author OF those characters whose
AS the author Of "Piierim's Progress' / speak to
you OF Bunyan in worldwide sense-not as u
churchman, but as Christian to Christians, as a
charms OF that immortal work that trace no
word IN 1t OF Baptist or Pedobaptst, Protestant or
l
land know only of six others, and they In less
degree) which blends In perfection religious in-
straction with amusement ana winch may ,6 De
humbest person and the most fastldious
critic. .'Pilgrim's Progress is entirely catho.
thought. | do not mean TO say that 10 con-
talns no sentiments w ..an May not be distaste.
rbl to some, or that 1t has not certain
imperceptible. He recognized the great truth that
Christianity does not consist in names and shbbo-
a garden and 1t Is pointed out to him that s.tno
flowers are divers IN shape, in quality in color,
IN smell and IN virtue and some are better than
some; but when the garden Is set they quarre, not
with one another" And yet there Is no compro-
mise in his words, no fatering in his convictions;
but his admiration is reserved Tor all things that
good men love and his detestation for those which
all good men detest. (Cheers) Though Puritan
and Calyn,st ne was ns not . AFRAID to take the
Pilgrims habit, the wayside cross, the armOr
Of the crusader, the ringing OF the bell at
combination OF Protestant ideas with medieval
forms before and never since. With all its amil
it is never lanatical with all Its LONELINESS it Is
never vulgar. tCheers.l It Is q work Of pure are
and true genius. 1t is "well Of English language
undefled" and of pure Christian thought. 1t gets
into the hearts Of men, and meets the spiritual
needs OF our common human nature And as John
Bunyan walked your streets what manner or man
was he ? Let us realize bis appearance as ho
stands before us in the descriptions OF his con-
to Us to-day by the Sculptor He was tan In stat
ure strong -boned, with sparkling eyes, wearing
his hair ON his upper lip after the old British
fashion, his hair reddish, but IN later years sprin-
kled with gray; his nose well cut, his mouth not
too large, his forehead something nigh, and his
habit always plain and modest; in his manners
mild and anable, not given to loquacity except Oc-
cason required II, choosing never to speak OF him.
SELF but rather lowly in his own eyes; abhorrlng
pie, and the characters he draws Tor US are
drawn from the lie. You and l, as well as he,
have met with Mr.. By-ends and Mr.. Face
both-ways, and Mr.. Talkative. Some Of us,
loose, MIR. Hatelight and Mr.. Implacable. All OF
US have at times been like MIR. Ready -tO-hat, Mr..
Feeblemind, Mr.. Noheart and Slowpace, and Short
wind and Sleepyhead, and "the young woman
the pilgrimage which he dreamed is the Pilgrim
age OF every one among Us, so surely the conn
panions and the neghbOrs whom he saw in his
dream are ours, and all OF us need to be cheered
by the help of Greatheart Of Hodast OF Valiant
Tor the Truth and good old Honest. (Cheers.)
Some OF US have been in Doubling castle some in
the Slough of DespOnds some have experienced
the temptations OF Vanity FAIR all OF US have To
climb the Hill Difficulty, all OF US need to be in
structed by the Interpreter in the House Beauti-
the same armor, all OF us have to pass through the
wicket gate all OF us have to cross the dark river,
and Tor all of us, If God WILL there wait the Shining
Ones at the gates Of the Celestial City, (which.
when we see, we wish ourselves among them.
Great cheering.)
Earl Cowper and the Revs DR.. Brock (BaptistI
and DR.. Allen (CongregationalistJ followed, each
town was Illuminated. and 5000 children were
each presented with q copy OF the "Pigrim's
Progress. Bedford has probably never seen
greater stir IN her streets or celebrated more
successful rete than she celebrates to-day.