Arizona republican., 1914-04-10
TRIAL OF JOHN BUNYAN

Well known as the author of the greatest allegory ever written Is the preacher and writer, John Bunyan. In 1928 he was born, the son of q tinker, and even when young he showed very extraordinary traits. He tip-cat, and his indulgence in pro- fanity was such that it is quoted that he was the most ungodliest fel- low for swearing ever secn.''
 Bunyan's wife, though very poor, was woman of good character. and very pious, and through her influ ence Bunyan was converted. He was very diligent in his attendance at the church meetings and read the descriptive parts of the Bible thor oughly. In 1653 he joined the non- conformist body and by this time he was doing some religious speaking. Two years later his wife, to whom he owed so much, died, and shortly afterwards Bunyan was made q dea- con. He and his speeches were now becoming famous. and he travelled about the midlands of England until when preaching at Eaton Socon he was arrested. He was indicted at the assizes as being "a highwayman. a Jesuit and d witch" and was charg Cd with having two wives at once and other accusations equally as grounds and absurd.
 When charged with preaching at q house, not attending church, and | abstaining from hearing divine serv- l ice, Bunyan said: Show me the place in the Epistles where the Com mon Prayer Book is written. or ono l text of Scripture that commands m, 1 to read il, and l will use it. But yet ! notwithstanding, they have minC
 to use it, they have their liberty; bu | for our parts, we. can pray to Goo i without it. He was then sentenced | to three months in the county priS on, and if then he did not attend tt | divine services, to be banished. Moth. l ing daunted at the sentence Bun van bravely replied: If you let m,
 out today, I'll preach again tomor
 row" This was plainly in defianc | was steadily refused by him.
 At the coronation of Charles II al prisoners for every offense short 0 felony were released but for Bun van there was no respite. Although
 no witnesses had been called agains
 him. nor had he pleaded to the in
 dictment, his trial being nothini 1 was regarded as a legal conviction and as such it was necessary tha a pardon should be sued for HI second wife, Elizabeth. travelled L l London to the House of Peers wit 2 petition, but the only reply wa
 that they could do nothing and tha the case belonged to the Judges.
 ! Nothing daunted, Elizabeth went {
 the Judges at the Assizes, Sir Mat
 thew Hale and Justice Twisder
 From Hah. Elizabeth met with muc
 kindly sympathy, and he console
 her as well as he could. but he als was powerless. Twisden had n sympathy for her and told her tha
 her husband had been lawfully con
 victed. but added, Will your bus
 band leave off preaching? If he WI
 do so. then I will send for him.
 Elizabeth then replied. My lord, h
 dares not leave off preaching as lon as he can speak"
 To this Twisden replied. "Povert is your cloak. for l hear your bus
 band Is better maintained by runnin up and down approaching than b following his calling"
 From time to time, however, Bun van must have been released froI jail. for, in the Bedford church book are records of his preaching in tt time when he was supposed to ! imprisoned. But his escapades wei discovered, and with a new jailOr l never saw the outside of the prise for seven long years. After this I was released only to return to h preaching once more, where he rt mained for another six years F,
 even this did not discourage tn
 man with the heart of a lion, ft
 When the mountain will not con \ to Mohammed, Mohammed must f to the mountain" so his cO-rcligioI \ ,sts came to prison and at one tin there were as many as sixty of the \ | incarcerated with him. to whom l preached
 | To all persons who were allowed visit Bunyan he gave spiritual coul \ sel. and although twelve years of h life were in prison, his time was n
 l wasted; for if at first he had bee allowed to go free he woudl probab have been a travelling tinker, who name would have died with his ger eration. But. as it is the name Bunyan will be handed down to pO 7 l terity
 k Tomorrow-Trial of Carnot's A 4 sassn.