THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN BUNYAN,

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3195, 22 May 1909, Page 7

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN BUNYAN,

LECTURE BY REV. C. E. PORTER. There was a very good attendance at the ordinary mid-week meeting of the Methodist Church last Wednesday evening, when the Minister (Rev. C. E. Porter) delivered a lecture on the "Life and Times of John Bunyan," which was an introduction to a series of addresses to be given on Wednesday evenings of the winter months, on some of the outstanding characters of the great English classic, "The Pilgrim's Progress." Thu speaker began by urging his hearers to make the acquaintance of •this work. A great many of the young men and women of to-day are totally ignorant of it, and time spent in reading so much that is of little or no value would be better invested in devotion to such inspiring literature. He then showed how difficult it was for the people of modern days to realise the state of England 280 years ago when Bunyan was born. To-day religious and political liberty are the common possessions of the masses. Then these great blessings v were struggling to birth. We had reason to thank God, said the speaker, for the noble men who suffered and laid down their lives in their efforts to give to England the bias which to-day makes her out as ; the freest nation of the world. This has only come about as the result of a long and painful process of evolution. Charles I. and Charles 11. occupied the throne during Bunyan's lifetime and it was the iniquitous Acts of Parliament passed during their day that brought English Non-conformity ir.to existence. The sneaker then briefly outlined the Test Act which prohibited dissenters from holding public office. The Act of Uniformity which drove 2,000 of the most cultured and saintly clergymen from their "pulpits because they would Le true to conviction; the* Conventicle Act which prohibited worship in any but the parish church, and the Five Mile Act which prevented a nonconforming clergyman from coming within five miles ot the place where he had previously exercised his ministery and made it impossible for him to act as a schoolmaster. These things explained the fact of Non-conformity. In New Zealand the Bishop of Wellington is as much a Non-conformist as the Salvation Am y captain. "Here," mia trie speaker, "we revel in our religious equality, and rejoice that we can worship God as we think fit. Such hurd times produced noble men and women nf whom England was hardly worthy. Non-conformists have no need to be ashamed of their name. The lecturer spoke strongly against those who for 1 the sake of social position turned their backs on the Church which had done so much for them and their families. The second part of the lecture was devoted to the life of Bunyan. He was born in Elston, near Bedford. His parents were poor. His father was a tinker, and John followed the same calling. He was poor all his days. All he had to leave his children was a shilling apiece. But he had goodness and genius, and these enabled him to impress the world. The speaker showed the world's indebtedness to poor men. The greatest man of all times did not possess a pillow on which He rested His weary head. Bunyan's sins were then described. These consisted principially in dancing on the village green, playing tib-cat, ringing the church bells at the wrong time, and using had language. Judged by the times in which he lived the speaker argeed with Macaulay, who in hisbiography of Bui.yan says he was a moral living young man. The dreadful year of spiritual struggle through which he passed was then described, his earnest attempt ac self-re formation, his doubts and feara until at last he came like his Pilgrim to the Cross where bis burden rolled away and light and paae'e took possession of his heart. Immediately following h-is conversion he began to preach with great power. He joined the Baptists ai.d was recognised by them as a pastor. The law was against preaching by such as Bunyan, v and because he would obey God rather than man he was flung into the filthy dungeon of "Bedford, where he for twelve weary years was imprisoned. If he had promised to cease preaching lie could have had bis liberty, but like St Paul, he said, "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel." God was working out his purpose all the time, and but for those years in Bedford gaol the world might ntver have had the "Pilgrm's Progress." Mr Porter's second lecture, next Wednesday night, will be on tho book —"Pilrgim'a Progress"—itself.