The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-07
JOHN BUNYAN.
John Bunyan, the celebrated Ems

John Bunyan, the celebrated Eng
lish writer and reformer, was released
from his IL years confinement in
Bedford Jail on June Z, 1872. So
much of his best literary work was
accomplished while in Jail that he be-
came known as the immortal dream
er of Bedford jail
BuRyon was born near Bedford in
1928 and died in London at the age
of 60. He had very little schooling
and followed his fathers trade as
tinker and spent his youth in the
practice Of that humble craft. 1t has
been generally taken for granted that
his early life was very loose and profit
gate, on the sole grounds of his ter
rible self-accusation in after years,
when from the height of religious
ferNor and Puritan strictness, he
looked back on dancing and bell
ringing as deadly sins. But there is
no good reason for really believing
that he was bad character. He
war, but beyond his taking some act
I've part in the great struggle, nothing
Is precisely known.
Early the next year (1648), he mar
ried, and through the influence of his
wife and her Cody books" there was
brought about a compile change in
his life. He was received into the
Baptist church by immersion in 1888
and four years later he was actually
recognized as preacher. Bunyan
was a popular preacher as well as a
very voluminous author. In theology
he was a Puritan, but not Partisan;
nor was there anything gloomy about
him. He was tall, had reddish hair, a
prominent nose, a rather large mouth
and sparkling eyes. He was no
scholar, except at the English Bible,
but that he knew thoroughly. When
Bunyan was cast into Jail, has prose-
cutors tried to extort from him a
promise that he would abstain from
preaching, but he was convinced that
he was divinely set apart and COM
n1issioned to be a teacher Of right
eousness, and he fully determined to
obey God rather than man. eff you
let me out today, I will preach again
tomorrow was his reply to his prose-
cutors.
Year after year he lay patiently in
a dungeon, compared with which the
worst prisons of today is palace. He
had several small children. among
whom was a daughter who was blind
ana WnOLl ne lOVGO Will d. PSCui1dI
tenderness. His two chief companions
while In prison were the Bible and
"Foxs Book of Martyrs" Before
Bunyon left prison he began the book
which has made his name immortal.
He had no assistance. Nobody saw
line but himself until the whole was
complete. 1.-THE Pilgrims Progress"
stole silently into the world. Not a
single copy of the first edition is now
known to be in existence. The year
of publication has not. been ascer-
tained.N Today 1.-THE Pilgrims Pro-
gress" is commonly translated by
Protestant missionaries after the
Bible. 1t is thus read in all literary
languages and is world classic.
Two other works Of Bunyon's would
have given him fame. but not as wide
as that which he now enjoys. 1.-The
Life and Death of Mr.. Badman," an
imaginary biography, and the ale
CORY, ''rhe Holy War" The book
which lays bare Bunyan's inner life
and reveals his preparation for his
appointed work is "Grace Astounding
to the Chief of Sinners
LAS a preacher" says Froude Of
Bunyan,'' all the Midland countries
heard of his fame and demanded to
hear him. After .ther estoration, it
was made illegal to conduct divine
service except in accordance with the
forms of the established church. So,
it was that Bunyan, who persisted in