The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-07
TODAY I'M HISTORY
The immortal Dreamer OF Bedford ia
TUESDAY. JUNE 7. 1910.

I lie Immcrtal Dreamer OF DcuIoTo o"'"
John Bunyan, tho celebrated English
writer and rcformcr was releasc9 iTo.iii
his twelve years confinement III Bedford
jail on June :? 1872. So much OF ms Dcsi
literary work was accomplished Wh'lG III
prison that nc became known rs INC
immortal dreamer OF Bedford jail.
Runyan was born near Bedford I'm l6!s
and died In London at :hc age OF 6e. iie
had very little schooling and followed ms
fathers trade OF tinker ana spent MS
youth in the practice OF that huInnie
craft. II has generally been taken for
granted that his carly life was very Louse
and profligate. on the sole ground OF MS
terrible sclf-accuSatiouS in "ilcr i'''iS ii,, -,
when from the height of religious ieiNpl
and Puritan Strlctness he looked plEN
on dancing and beli-ringins ms aeaHls
sins. But there is no good reason Iot
believing he was really n bad character
civil war. and most likely IN the , siIc
OF parliament but beyond his laklns
some active part In the great ssrusE'P'
nothing is precisely krown.
In 1888, or early me next year, no
married. and through the influence Of ais
wife and her "GodY books there WIS
brought about a complete reiormhlion !"
his life. lie was received into tHI ',ap-
list church by immersion In 1888, In lbo'
he was formally recognized as prc2enal'
IAN the Midland counties, sly= Er2ude'
"hcard of his fame and demanded 20 ucd,
him" After the restoration il waS maze
I'm accordance with the Gowns oi me IS,
tablshtd church Bunyan who perslSteG
in his irregular preaching, was arrested
in 1860 and was taken to the county lai,
at Bedford where he remained uDill
1872
Bunyan was popular preacher as Wen
as very voluminous author. In tncoloel
he was Puritan, but not partisan' hoi
was there anything gloomy about n:tl
He was tall had reddish hair, promi
nent nose. a rather large mouth hnu
slafln r. y =
cept of the English Bible; but that nc
knew thoroughly.
When Bunyan was cast into i9il his
prosecutors tried TO eXtort from MN y
promise that he would abstain from
preaching. but he was convinced mat nc
was divinely set apart end comIni9slohco
to- he teacher OF righteousness. 1nd rt
FULLY determined 10 obey Cod rather thar
man EFF YOU let me out today ] vii
preach again tomorrow, was his reP'y tc
his prosecutors.
Year after year he lay patiently IN
dungeon. compared with which the worst
prison to be found In England Is pa!ac"
He had several small children. and amons
them daughter who was blind anC
ness His two chief companions, wr!l(
imprisoned were the Bible and FoN.
':Book OF Martyrs" Before Eunynn left
his prison he began the book which has
assistance. Nobody but himself saw 9
Ine until the whole was comDl.ta. The
Pilgrims Progress" stole silently !nic
the world Not single copy nf the first
edition Is known to be in existence. Tho
year OF publication has not been ascer'
tanned. Today The Pilgrims Progress
is commonly translated by Protestant
missionaries after the Bible. II is tllrS
read in all literary languages and Is
world classic.
Two other works OF Bumyan's woult
have given him fame. but not rs wide
as that he now enjoys. "Thc tlf@ anc
Death OF Mr.. Badman.'' an imaginary BIZ
oeraphy and the allegory The l5o!l
War" The book which lays bare Eur
vans inner life and reveals his prenara'
tlon for his appointed work is "irac,
Astounding to the Chief OF Sinners"
On June I. 1909. the remnant OF tn,
English colony left Virginia for England
In 1876 the resolution for independence
was introduced in congress. Today Z
the birthday OF John Rennic. noted ensf
Rcer G76D; Robert Jenkinson. prime
minister OF George ". G7fo); and Joh'
a. Darling. American composer GS35)
Robert Bruce. the Scotch patriot anr
king. died on June T. 1929; John Aubrey
the antiquarian. in 1897. Bishop William
Warburtop in 1I79. Frederick William III
of Prussia i'm 1870 and Edwin Booth, tfi