58A Military Club.

On Saturday night last, the members of the above club gathered together to tender a send off to one of their number, Pte Baglin, who will shortly leave for the front. Lieut. E. E. Salmon occupied the chair, and spoke in eulogistic terms of the guest who was formerly a sergeant in the cadets. A pocket book, inscribed with autographs of the club members was presented to Pte. Baglin, who returned thanks. Musical items helped to make the evening pass pleasantly. 

58A Military Club. (1916, November 9). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 2. Retrieved March 6, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74600735

OUR SOLDIERS

Mrs. Baglin, of Essendon, forwards the enclosed letter from her son, Sapper C. G. Baglin, now in England:

VISIT TO BUNYAN RELICS,  BUNYAN CHAPEL, BEDFORD.

On Saturday afternoon, February 2nd, ..... Tysoe and I called on Mr. Rogers caretaker of the Bunyan Institute at the residence in Mills street, Bedford. This house is of interest, being once the "occasional residence of John Howard," the famous prison reformer. A tablet stating this call be seen on the wall of  the house. We went into the front room, and I was introduced to Mr. Rogers, a wizened old gentleman of 69 years of age, with quizzical blue eyes. Mr. Rogers, who is a recognised authority on John Bunyan, is a very voluble talker, and has apparently a very good memory, for he could rattle off facts and dates with astonishing ease. The first thing he told me was that I was Scotch. I admitted that my grandmother was born in Aberdeen, and he seemed very pleased that his surmise was correct. He himself is a Scotchman.

We then went over to the Chapel and up stairs, to the room where most of the relics are kept. We were shown the original John Bunyan's will (which Mr. Rogers can recite off from memory). In this room there are copies of every known work of John Bunyan's-some 60 books as well as every known commentary on his works. I was shown his walking stick diamond studded, which was presented to John Bunyan by the Lord Mayor of London. Bunyan evidently had a few influential friends. Among other things that we saw were the drinking glass used by Bunyan when in Bedford Gaol, a cabinet used by him, and his tuning stick and candle snuffers. They have in this room 113 copies of the Pilgrim's Progress, all in different translations. The original warrant for Bunyan's arrest for preaching without a license is the property of Mr. Pierpont Morgan the American millionaire. He purchased it some time ago for 255?? The Bunyan Institute, however, has  a photograph of the original warrant. It is ..... in old English writing and     ................ justice. On the walls of the room are engravings of different periods of Bunyan's life.

Amongst other interesting engravings was a picture of the old Bedford gaol,  which used to be situated on the middle of the old Bedford Bridge. The new gaol is in lirotemham road centre of Bedford. It is said that John Bunyan was so friendly with his gaolers that they used to often let him go home and spend the night at his own house in Elstow. (This house still stands and is occupied.) In the centre of the room is a table which is half of the original Communion table of the church in which John Bunyan preached.   In the left hand corner of the room is .... and chair which he used while an inmate of the County gaol. Mr. Rogers told us that..... years ago, when the Baptist Conference from all parts of the world was in London, the Ministers attending the conference visited Bedford in one day and were shown all over the Institute. [Illeg] of them  sat in Bunyan's chair. They must have had to hustle some to get through all that lot. I had the honour to sit in this chair.

There is also in this room a scroll with the original signatures of the ministers who dissolved themselves Ililtl the Church of Scotland and [started] the Free Church. This was known as the Disruption of the Church of Scotland. We next visited the church parlour. The wall of this are covered with engravings and etchings of scenes from the Pilgrim's Progress, Holy writ and other books.   They are very quaint. After seeing these we went downstairs through the church. In the church stands the other half of the original Communion table. This is used as the present Communion table. Outside, in the porch of the church enclosed it a case in the framework on the wall, is the heavy iron der oJa John Bunyan's cell. It seemed to me to be of fairly solid material. We then had a look at the doors of the church. These are unique. They are the gift of the Duke of Bedford, and cost 1.10. The doors are bronze-plated with scenes from the Pilgrims Progress, there is no doubt that they are a beautiful piece of work.

We next went back to the house. The subject of John Bunyan is a passion with Mr Rogers and I think he could talk for a week on this theme. He gave us a short sketch of the life of the great re former from the time of his arrival out of gaol in 1672 up to his death. He mentioned a great number of dates, etc., which I liai to remember, for every now and then, quick as lightening, he would ask us when such and such an event occurred, so I had to pay close attention. Mr. Rogers has a tolsy for collecting the photos of every famous evangelist whose Christian name is John. I think that he must have at least 250 photographs of   thll.i" Curiously enough, he told me that one of the 13 ministers of the Bunyan Church since its foundation, 11 have been "Johns". John Bunyan must have been a remarkable man if he could get over 212 people to listen to him speaking at  6 a.m., as he is said to have had on one occasion in London. Bedford is, of course, known as "Bunyan Town." Little did we think when we learnt about these things at school that one day we would be viewing the actual scenes.

OUR SOLDIERS. (1918, May 16). The Essendon Gazette and Keilor, Bulla and Broadmeadows Reporter (Moonee Ponds, Vic. : 1914 - 1918), p. 4 Edition: Morning. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74605996