Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-04-18


] ant as English landscape Is,
unless defaced by capitalism.
-. ouse winds slowly through
the s' samlets and rich meadows and
slss ai'g lands, where browse the low
i S,s'l kline. while far to the south can ,,'a
anS a non in blue outline against the
DE- ,s- I the crest of the Chiltern Hills.
o. >. d.vs Of old, Bedfordshire had its
IN If blood and battle. On these
Snai hanks the Romans pitched their
I,t, here, also, the saxons fiercely
s sfr'p "red-wat-shod," gainst their
go ~. A thousand years ago, the I'M
w. Wv names led an attack on Bedford,
~, wore beaten back with heavy
' ar In the twelfth century, the
n"a+o-who even then had begun to
s 0 England, a process which still
.a a,s on-took possession of Bedford
S S from which, later, they were
expelled by Stephen.
IN many past fights for constitution
:, liberty Bedford took the side of
nberty. 1t resisted the arbitrary des-
notism of King John. Again, in the
souo of rebellion, Bedford threw its
whole weight on the Parliamentary
eide against the king.
BEDFORD has close associations with
thu name of John Howard, who, In
sis dav did good work for prison re-
form and education. But, today, thous-
ands of people from all parts of the
olohe are drawn to Bedford by the
isct that nearly three centuries gao
Tho con of a travelling tinker-John
punvan. by name-was born in the
email village of Elstow, on the out
skirts of the town. When SBunyan
was alive he languished for some
twelve years in a Bedford jail; now
bo is dead, a proud statue has been
erected to his memory in st. Peters
Green.
A Poor Mans Child.
Bunyan got such education as was
available for a poor mans child. In.
his early years, however. he appears
tn have shown none of the model Vir-
tues though | think it probable that
after he became preacher he may
have painted with somewhat too un-
sparing a brush the blackness and
wickedness of his youth. Anyhow, We
are told "he was an idle boy, and for
cursing, swearing and disappearing
had few equals of his own age"
In the Civil War, when CromWelfs
army fired a shot heard round the
world John Bunyan fought on the
side of Parliament, and several times
looked death in the face. Returning TO
Bedford, he underwent a number Of
religious experiences, and began to-
hold meetings in halls, and to pro-
claim his gospel to the villagers.
As long as the Commonwealth last
ed, he was allowed to go his way UNI
challenged. But in the first year Of
the Restoration, the tinker's son re-
ceived warning that his fiery evangel
was distasteful to established ortho-
dOxy, and must be stopped. He dis
regarded these hints, and stubborn1y
went his way; hence the great small
men, dressed in little brief authOri-
IT, decided he must be arrested and
imprisoned. Sent to jail, he was told
he could be free if he would refrain
from preaching. He refused his lib.
erty on these terms, and there we're
threats of Punishment and hanging.
But no pain or terror could daunt his
iron resolution. For this mans life
like the lives of most men who ac-
complish aught on this earth) was
ruled BY central, single aim, by the
force of mighty implse, which gave
MIN no rest until he had done his
work and delivered his message. He
saw clearly the meaning and mission
OF his life, and held his course I'M
shaken Of purpose, immovable as the
Northern Star. Pity the poor magis-
uates who with all the pomp of pow
ef consigned this strong willed preach
ef to prison. These great men of law
peace be with them! are dead and
forgotten no more regarded than the
autumn leaves blown by. the winds.
0ul the poor man, whom they harried
SnO oppressed, lives on, or being dead
yet speaketh.
Bishop Bunyan."
bunyan suffered in all some twelve
seafs Imprisonment, and during one
w these terms his vivid and won
Serial imagination conceived his great
parable The Pilgrims Progress "
"alcA has been translated into over
hundred languages. While in pris-
VI ne helped keep his family by max