CHARACTERS AND EVENTS FROM "THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS" (Soon to come)
A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN BUNYAN

John was very rebellious and dirty mouthed. At the age of 14, he ran with a small gang always looking for mischief. Sometimes they would play Robin Hood and steal apples so they could give them to the poor. However, they figured since they were poor, they should just keep the apples for themselves.

Bunyan was always the tough guy. He was out to prove himself without God, even though deep inside there was some wonder and concern since he had been exposed to parts of God's Word.

One day while they were wandering where they shouldn't be, they saw some Royalist soldiers marching close by. They were charged by one soldier not to tell anyone they had seen them and yet the first thing John did was go right into town and tell everyone!

John so longed to be a soldier he could hardly wait until he was sixteen. In 1644 he joined the army and it is believed he became a soldier with Oliver Cromwell's troops. Cromwell, known as “Ironsides”, led the troops to take King Charles and ruled over England for a period of time.

John became friends with a fellow named Gibbs who was always giving God the credit for everything. One day when John was preparing for battle, another soldier traded duties with him. He later learned that this soldier was killed in battle with a bullet to the head. Seeing lots of dead, children and innocent women, caused John to consider some of the things that Gibbs had mentioned to him.

As the troops marched towards Ireland, they camped for a time. John spotted a small shepherd boy tending some sheep. When it appeared help was needed, he went to help and found that it was a girl! Her name was Mary and she was an orphan living with a very mean uncle that had a wife about to die. After awhile, Mary and John became good friends. Mary shared that her uncle was going to make her marry him when her aunt died. John promised he would come back for her after the war.

After a couple of years away at war, he lived near home and helped his dad as a tinker. Another year passed before John was able to go get Mary. She had no possessions except the clothes she wore and two Christian books that had belonged to her Christian father.

They were married and Mary tried to get John to go to church with her, which he did occasionally. Their first child was a blind girl that they also named Mary. John felt like he was carrying a burden and he wondered if this was because he wasn't keeping the Ten Commandments. Harry, an old friend, had no burden and joked about sin and God. This made John think he was a Godly man now.

The next child died at birth. Now there were more doubts about God's protection. As he was walking through town one day, he heard some women talking about God and His love. He went home and started reading the Bible. The more he read, the more he could understand it better.

After more study and talking to these women, he and Mary decided to go to the Free Church where the Word of God was preached. He confessed Christ as his Savior, was baptized and joined the church in 1653.

This was the same year King Charles had been beheaded and Oliver Cromwell became ruler, not as a king, but as “Lord Protector”.

When John joined the church, he was asked to give an account of grace upon his soul. His testimony was very long. There were many positive comments about his speaking. John began preaching on occasion as opportunities arose. He and Mary had two more children and then his wife died. John told the children how Mary was gone from the beautiful Beulah Land to paradise – the Celestial City. Blind Mary asked so many questions and wanted everything described to her. John would explain the beauty of crossing the river of death from Beulah Land to heaven. Here is a picture of the beauty that John explained to blind Mary: “After this, I beheld until they were come unto the Land of Beulah, where the sun shineth night and day”.

There was freedom to preach while Cromwell was ruling the country. Then Cromwell died. Prince Charles came back as King Charles II.

John had a young woman take care of the children while he worked and preached. Her name was Elizabeth and she later became John's second wife.

It was now forbidden for anyone to preach who wasn't licensed by King Charles. John Bunyan refused to obey the “no preaching” rule and spent twelve years in prison for preaching God's Word.

While in prison he wrote many poems and books to include the Pilgrim's Progress. This is a story about a pilgrim (or any individual) traveling from this world to that which is to come. This world is pictured as the City of Destruction and that which is to come is the Celestial City, or heaven. John had a great desire to explain the message so it was easily understood that God loved them. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

That is why we want to introduce you to some of the characters in his book called Pilgrim's Progress. Maybe you know someone that fits one of these personalities. Maybe you can figure out which part of the pathway you are on now.

Click on the book at the top of this page to learn more.