1560 Death of German reformer Philip Melanchthon. He had composed the Augsburg Confession of 1530. More of a peacemaker than Luther, he called for Lutherans and Zwinglians to put aside their differences for the sake of the reformation of the church. In addition, he led extensive efforts to develop the German educational system. The universities…
HT: Stagger and Reel 1587 Today, on 18 April, we remember the life and legacy of John Foxe (1516–1587), a beacon of light in the history of the Protestant Reformation. Renowned for his seminal work, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Foxe meticulously documented the courage and steadfast faith of those who suffered for the Gospel. Despite…
1735 HT: Dan Graves At midnight when I would see lightening in the sky or the Northern Lights, my soul would be ready to burst my body with joy, being in hopes Christ was coming to judgment.” So wrote Howel Harris, expressing the freshness of his delight in Christ after his conversion. March, 1735 marked…
1748 HT: Dan Graves “THE 10TH (that is, in the present style, the 21st) of March is a day much to be remembered by me; and I have never suffered it to pass wholly unnoticed since the year 1748: on that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters.”…
1842 HT: Christian History Institute After a lawless youth, George Müller became a Christian and immediately began to live a life of full commitment to Christ. Although he did not consider himself to be a man with any special gift of faith, he undertook an orphanage ministry based entirely on donations. He determined never to ask for…
1780 HT: Christianity.com When the church becomes a state-supported official religion, churchmen tend to become tepid officeholders. The zeal characteristic of the Scottish clergy in John Knox’s day had become diluted by the early 19th century. Hard as it is to believe, the moderate majority of Scotland’s preachers resisted Sunday schools, saying they would put…
1889 HT: Diane Severance Grey dawn was streaking the sky, when they who had so lovingly watched Him to His burying were making their way to the rock-hewn tomb in the garden. Considerable as are the difficulties of exactly harmonizing the details in the various narratives–if, indeed, importance attaches to such attempts–we are thankful…
1812 HT: Christian History Institute Anne Hasseltine and Adoniram Judson were married on February 5, 1812. The next day, when Judson was ordained to do foreign mission work, Anne (whom he called “Nancy”) was beside him. Within a few days they boarded the sailing ship Caravan to sail to India. Judson’s eventual success in Burma (now known as…
1812 HT: Dan Graves At about six in the evening on this day, 11 March 1812, fire broke out in a print shop at Serampore, India. The mission staff there were able to rescue a few deeds and financial records, but could salvage little more. Around midnight, the roof caved in, sending a pillar of fire high…
320 HT: Dan Graves Governor Agricola of Armenia was confronted with “mutiny.” Forty soldiers refused to offer the sacrifice ordered by emperor Licinius. The forty who stood before him that wintry fourth-century day in Sevaste were fine specimens of manhood who radiated an aura of courage. He was determined to make them see reason. But…