A tribute to John Bunyan – author of Pilgrim's Progress
After the Bible, John Bunyan's wonderful Christian allegory, the 'Pilgrim's Progress', is one of the most celebrated and widely-read books in the English language. It has been translated into more than one hundred languages around the world and keeps its place as a Christian classic. Names of people and places from its pages have been commonplace wherever English is spoken. We need only re-call Mr Great-Heart, Mr Valiant-for-Truth, Giant Despair, Madame Bubble, the Slough of Despond, Vanity Fair, the Delectable Mountains, the Hill Difficulty and the Celestial City. But who was John Bunyan and what inspiration lay behind the writing of 'Pilgrim's Progress'? Bunyan was born on 28 November 1628, at Elstow, near Bedford, England, of a poor family. He had little formal education and his father taught him to be a metal worker and so he was commonly known as a 'tinker.' He joined Cromwell's parliamentary army and had a narrow escape from death. His first wife died young and he was left with three small children. His second wife, Elizabeth, helped him considerably with his blossoming literary career.
His conversion was the result of reading the Bible, devotional writings and the witness of local Christians. From that time the Bible became the great inspiration of his life. He wrote more than fifty books, all concerning various aspects of the Christian faith and Christian experience. A Baptist by conviction, he had little time for the Established Church or its liturgy. His book, 'I Will Pray With The Spirit', was directed against the use of the Prayer Book. Among his other publications were 'Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners', (autobiography) 'The Holy City', 'One Thing is Needful', 'Resurrection of the Dead', 'Prison Meditations', 'The Barren Fig Tree', and, 'Light for Those That Sit In Darkness'.
Following his conversion Bunyan became a popular preacher. However, because of his well-known opposition to the Established Church and because he did not have a Church of England preaching licence, he was imprisoned in 1661. It was in prison that he wrote 'Pilgrim's Progress'. It was not only Bunyan's greatest book but was destined to become one of the most popular Christian books in the world.
Using the words and the doctrines of the King James Bible, it is in two parts. The first part tells of a man called Christian. Through reading the Bible he learns he is a sinner and comes under deep conviction of sin. He leaves home to seek salvation and is directed by Evangelist to the Wicket Gate. Eventually he finds 'the place of deliverance.' The burden (of sin) rolls from his back and he sets out for the Celestial City. The remainder of Book I relates his experiences in being a Christian pilgrim. Book II tells how Christian's wife, Christina, with their four sons and one daughter, set out on the same pilgrimage.
'Pilgrim's Progress' is an allegory, using the names of people and places from the Bible to teach spiritual lessons. Bunyan had the great gift of being able to teach Christian spiritual truth from biblical characters, events and places. The vivid and unforgettable imagery in the Pilgrim's Progress covers the whole Christian gospel from sin and condemnation all the way through faith, repentance, grace, justification, sanctification, and perseverance to heaven itself.
Bunyan died on 31 August 1688. In a short sketch it is impossible to do justice to his many writings, and least of all to the Progress. His portrayal of the death of Mr Valiant For Truth is Bunyan at his allegorical best. This brave old soldier of Jesus Christ has received his summons to 'go home.' Calling his friends together he says, 'My sword I give to him who shall succeed me in my pilgrimage and my courage and skill to him that can get it. My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me, that I have fought His battles, Who will now be my rewarder.' When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied him to the riverside, into which, as he went, he said, 'Death, where is thy sting'? And as he went down deeper, he said, 'Grave, where is thy victory?' So he passed over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side.