John Bunyan, the most popular religious writer in the English language, was born in 1628.  He was a tinker by trade, and therefore received but a meager education.  His mind was little drawn to religious matters until his enlistment as a soldier, during which one of his comrades, who had taken his post, was killed.  This he looked upon as a direct interposition of Providence, and after his return home, became deeply concerned about his spiritual welfare.  He soon joined the Baptist Church, and from an exhorter, became a successful preacher among them.  At this time all the dissenters from the Church of England were punished, and Bunyan was thrown into jail, where he remained twelve years.  Here he wrote the world-renowned Pilgrim’s Progress, which has since been translated into every tongue of Christendom.  He was also the author of other religious writings, such as Holy War.  At the close of the persecution he was released.  He soon resumed his former labors, and was popularly known as Bishop Bunyan.  His death, in 1688, resulted from exposure.