TRAVEL WITH JOHN BUNYAN

Description

JOHN PESTELL

Seventeenth Century England was an unsettled place but men like Bunyan sought to bring the healing word of God to it. With this unique guide, you have the opportunity of learning about John Bunyan’s life, and of visiting the places where he lived; you can see the sites of the tiny hamlet where Bunyan was born, the church where he preached, and the prison where most of his writing took place.

John Pestel—married, office bearer in church near Bedford—born in mid 1950s—grew up in Elstow, Bunyan’s village, and as an infant lived in Bunyan’s cottage. He has an intimate knowledge of both the Bible and Bedfordshire and is a great Bunyan enthusiast.

This is the story of a man from a very humble background. John Bunyan was brought up at a time when the Parliamentarians were in power and Puritan preachers were heard in the churches, though as a youngster he paid little heed to their words. From sixteen he served three years in Cromwell’s army and on his release moved to Elstow with his young bride. Following a ‘dramatic vision experience’ he slowly came to accept a full assurance of saving grace, and later still he began preaching, recognising his God given gift. When Charles II came to the throne promising religious tolerance, he was welcomed by the puritans but their trust was misplaced, and Bunyan soon found himself imprisoned, and so the story continues. As well as the biography this book is packed with facts about relevan people and places, generously illustrated throughout, iwh sketch maps to help a traveller find places of interest and as in all the books of this series, has general tourist information at the back. GoodBookStall Review – 28/02/2005 – Mary Bartholomew