--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who would have such a man around him as…" description: "\"“Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his time? He, a Bedford tinker, couldn’t get inside one of the princely castles. I was very muc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f65/d-l-moody-4112_time_who-would-have-such-a-man-around-him-as_2031163.jpg" --- # Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his… ![“Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his time? He, a Bedford tinker, couldn’t get inside one of the princely castles. I was very much amused when I was over on the other side. They had erected a monument to John Bunyan, and it was unveiled by lords and dukes and great men. While…” quote by D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f65/d-l-moody-4112_time_who-would-have-such-a-man-around-him-as_2031163.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f65/d-l-moody-4112_time_who-would-have-such-a-man-around-him-as_2031163.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f65/d-l-moody-4112_time_who-would-have-such-a-man-around-him-as_2031163.jpg) > ““Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his time? He, a Bedford tinker, couldn’t get inside one of the princely castles. I was very much amused when I was over on the other side. They had erected a monument to John Bunyan, and it was unveiled by lords and dukes and great men. While he was on earth, they would not have allowed him inside the walls of their castles. Yet he was made one of the mightiest instruments in the spread of the Gospel. No book that has ever been written comes so near the Bible as John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.” And he was a poor Bedford tinker. So it is with God. He picks up some poor, lost tramp, and makes him an instrument to turn hundreds and thousands to Christ.”” [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the lowly can become powerful instruments for spreading faith, despite societal rejection. **In simple terms:** God lifts the humble to great purpose. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden potential. Themes faith humility redemption social hierarchy Mood inspirational hopeful Type religious motivational When to use this quote - missionary work - personal transformation - overcoming prejudice Key Concepts theology social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can we support marginalized voices? - What does “instrument” suggest about agency? A Different Perspective Societal structures may resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pilgrim/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Next to the Bible, the book I value most is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. I believe I have read it through at least a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/next-to-the-bible-the-book-i-value-most-is-john-bunyan-s-pilgrim-s/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Earth’s nobility are soon forgotten. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, has outlived the whole crowd of those who were the nobility in his day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/earth-s-nobility-are-soon-forgotten-john-bunyan-the-bedford-tinker/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [John Bunyan, while he had a surpassing genius, would not condescend to cull his language from the garden of flowers; but he went into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/john-bunyan-while-he-had-a-surpassing-genius-would-not-condescend-to/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [If you cut him, (John Bunyan) he'd bleed Scripture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-cut-him-john-bunyan-he-d-bleed-scripture/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“O my Mansoul, I have lived, I have died, I live, and I will die no more for thee. I live that thou mayest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/o-my-mansoul-i-have-lived-i-have-died-i-live-and-i-will-die-no-more/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Bunyan says that it is hard to get down into the valley of humiliation, the descent into it is steep and rugged; but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/bunyan-says-that-it-is-hard-to-get-down-into-the-valley-of/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [John Bunyan, author of the classic book the Pilgrim’s Progress, said “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/john-bunyan-author-of-the-classic-book-the-pilgrim-s-progress-said/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Literate households in the 17th century would have had the Bible, John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress," and a couple of other books. Shakespeare plays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/literate-households-in-the-17th-century-would-have-had-the-bible-john/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [“Is right that ugly plastic statue of Paul Bunyan in front of City Center? Oh, if I had a truckful of napalm and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/is-right-that-ugly-plastic-statue-of-paul-bunyan-in-front-of-city/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Another part or piece,' said Diabolus, 'of mine excellent armour, is a dumb and prayerless spirit, a spirit that scorns to cry for mercy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/another-part-or-piece-said-diabolus-of-mine-excellent-armour-is-a/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Unbelief is one of those things that you cannot destroy. Bunyan says, “It has as many lives as a cat.” You may kill it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/unbelief-is-one-of-those-things-that-you-cannot-destroy-bunyan-says/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [From a child I was fond of reading, and all the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/from-a-child-i-was-fond-of-reading-and-all-the-little-money-that-came-2/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The name itself is trouble. “Slough” means, literally, muddy field. A snake sloughs, or sheds, its dead skin. John Bunyan wrote of the “slough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/the-name-itself-is-trouble-slough-means-literally-muddy-field-a-snake/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [“It is true, as John Bunyan said, that God infinitely prefers a heart without words to words without a heart when we pray.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/it-is-true-as-john-bunyan-said-that-god-infinitely-prefers-a-heart/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“Godly fear,” wrote John Bunyan, flows from a sense of the love and kindness of God to the soul. Where there is no sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/godly-fear-wrote-john-bunyan-flows-from-a-sense-of-the-love-and/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) ## More by D.L. Moody > [“I would not give much for a man’s Christianity if he is saved himself and is not willing to try and save others. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/i-would-not-give-much-for-a-man-s-christianity-if-he-is-saved-himself/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Earth’s nobility are soon forgotten. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, has outlived the whole crowd of those who were the nobility in his day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/earth-s-nobility-are-soon-forgotten-john-bunyan-the-bedford-tinker/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“good way is to study Bible characters—take them right from the cradle to the grave. You find that skeptics often take one particular part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/good-way-is-to-study-bible-characters-take-them-right-from-the-cradle/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“The greatest, strongest, mightiest plea for the Church of God in the world is the existence of the Spirit of God in its midst,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/the-greatest-strongest-mightiest-plea-for-the-church-of-god-in-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/if-i-take-care-of-my-character-my-reputation-will-take-care-of-itself/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“In 1857 a revival swept over this country in the east and on to the western cities, clear over to the Pacific coast. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/in-1857-a-revival-swept-over-this-country-in-the-east-and-on-to-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Take the sin of covetousness. There is more said in the Bible against it than against drunkenness. I must get it out of me—destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/take-the-sin-of-covetousness-there-is-more-said-in-the-bible-against/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“I have made this discovery: that it takes more love and self-sacrifice for the father to give up the son than it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/i-have-made-this-discovery-that-it-takes-more-love-and-self-sacrifice/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/for-whatsoever-is-born-of-god-overcomes-the-world-and-this-is-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“A man told me a while ago he could not believe a thing he had never seen. I said, “Man, did you ever see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/a-man-told-me-a-while-ago-he-could-not-believe-a-thing-he-had-never/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“In a few days she came back to me and said, “Mr. Moody, I understand all about that theater business now. I went the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/in-a-few-days-she-came-back-to-me-and-said-mr-moody-i-understand-all/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Now, how are we to get the victory over all our enemies? Turn to Galatians, second chapter, verse twenty: “I am crucified with Christ;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/now-how-are-we-to-get-the-victory-over-all-our-enemies-turn-to/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Mortify your pride by cultivating humility. “Put on, therefore,” says Paul, “as the elect of God, holy and beloved, . . . humbleness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/mortify-your-pride-by-cultivating-humility-put-on-therefore-says-paul/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“The most glorious triumphs of the Church have been won in times of persecution. The early church was persecuted for about three hundred years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/the-most-glorious-triumphs-of-the-church-have-been-won-in-times-of/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“And the little fellow smiled and said: “Well, father, I shall be with Jesus tonight, shan’t I?” “Yes, you will spend the night with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/and-the-little-fellow-smiled-and-said-well-father-i-shall-be-with/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) [Explore all 116 D.L. Moody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) ## More Bunyan quotes > [“Earth’s nobility are soon forgotten. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, has outlived the whole crowd of those who were the nobility in his day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/earth-s-nobility-are-soon-forgotten-john-bunyan-the-bedford-tinker/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Bunyan says that it is hard to get down into the valley of humiliation, the descent into it is steep and rugged; but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/bunyan-says-that-it-is-hard-to-get-down-into-the-valley-of/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“O my Mansoul, I have lived, I have died, I live, and I will die no more for thee. I live that thou mayest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/o-my-mansoul-i-have-lived-i-have-died-i-live-and-i-will-die-no-more/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [“Is right that ugly plastic statue of Paul Bunyan in front of City Center? Oh, if I had a truckful of napalm and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/is-right-that-ugly-plastic-statue-of-paul-bunyan-in-front-of-city/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Another part or piece,' said Diabolus, 'of mine excellent armour, is a dumb and prayerless spirit, a spirit that scorns to cry for mercy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/another-part-or-piece-said-diabolus-of-mine-excellent-armour-is-a/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [John Bunyan, while he had a surpassing genius, would not condescend to cull his language from the garden of flowers; but he went into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/john-bunyan-while-he-had-a-surpassing-genius-would-not-condescend-to/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Unbelief is one of those things that you cannot destroy. Bunyan says, “It has as many lives as a cat.” You may kill it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-haddon-spurgeon/unbelief-is-one-of-those-things-that-you-cannot-destroy-bunyan-says/) [Charles Haddon Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-haddon-spurgeon/) > [If you cut him, (John Bunyan) he'd bleed Scripture!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-cut-him-john-bunyan-he-d-bleed-scripture/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 9 Bunyan quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who would have such a man around him as John Bunyan in his time? He, a Bedford tinker, couldn’t get inside one of the princely castles. I was very much amused when I was over on the other side. They had erected a monument to John Bunyan, and it was unveiled by lords and dukes and great men. While he was on earth, they would not have allowed him inside the walls of their castles. Yet he was made one of the mightiest instruments in the spread of the Gospel. No book that has ever been written comes so near the Bible as John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.” And he was a poor Bedford tinker. So it is with God. He picks up some poor, lost tramp, and makes him an instrument to turn hundreds and thousands to Christ.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D.L. 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