This week in Christian history: John Bunyan, Dallas Seminary president, Boxer Rebellion

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Sunday, August 16, 2020

John Bunyan preaches last sermon – Aug. 19, 1688

John Bunyan (1628-1688), English Puritan preacher and author of 'The Pilgrim's Progress.' — John Bunyan (1628-1688), English Puritan preacher and author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." | Public Domain

This week marks the anniversary of when John Bunyan, author of the famous Christian allegory Pilgrim’s Progress, preached a sermon days before his death on Aug. 31, 1688.

Preached at a meeting house in London, Bunyan focused his sermon on John 1:13, “which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“A child, before it be born into the world, is in the dark dungeon of its mother's womb; so a child of God, before he be born again, is in the dark dungeon of sin, sees nothing of the kingdom of God,” stated Bunyan.

“A child, you know, is incident to cry as soon as it comes into the world; for if there be no noise, they say it is dead. You that are born of God, and Christians, if you be not criers, there is no spiritual life in you; if you be born of God, you are crying ones.”