Bible, and an experience of temptation and the wiles of the evil one,
such as few Christians of double his years have ever reached. "His gifts
could not long be hid." The beginnings of that which was to prove the
great work of his life were slender enough. As Mr. Froude says, "he was
modest, humble, shrinking." The members of his congregation, recognizing
that he had "the gift of utterance" asked him to speak "a word of
exhortation" to them. The request scared him. The most truly gifted are
usually the least conscious of their gifts. At first it did much "dash
and abash his spirit." But after earnest entreaty he gave way, and made
one or two trials of his gift in private meetings, "though with much
weakness and infirmity." The result proved the correctness of his
brethren's estimate. The young tinker showed himself no common preacher.
His words came home with power to the souls of his hearers, who
"protested solemnly, as in the sight of God, that they were both affected
and comforted by them, and gave thanks to the Father of mercies for the
grace bestowed on him." After this, as the brethren went out on their
itinerating rounds to the villages about, they began to ask Bunyan to
accompany them, and though he "durst not make use of his gift in an open
way," he would sometimes, "yet more privately still, speak a word of
admonition, with which his hearers professed their souls edified." That
he had a real Divine call to the ministry became increasingly evident,
both to himself and to others. His engagements of this kind multiplied.
An entry in the Church book records "that Brother Bunyan being taken off
by the preaching of the gospel" from his duties as deacon, another member
was appointed in his room. His appointment to the ministry was not long
delayed. After "some solemn prayer with fasting," he was "called forth
and appointed a preacher of the word," not, however, so much for the
Bedford congregation as for the neighbouring villages. He did not
however, like some, neglect his business, or forget to "show piety at
home." He still continued his craft as a tinker, and that with industry