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May May 1 1572 - Pius 5th dies at age 68. He ordered bishops and clergy to accept the propositions of the Council of Trent and vehemently opposed the Reformation. He used the inquisition in Italy and excommunicated Queen Elizabeth 1st of England. 1672 - Birth of Joseph Addison, essayist and author in Amesbury, England also wrote hymns - WHEN ALL THY MERCIES, O MY GOD and HOW ARE THY SERVANTS BLEST, O MY LORD. 1759 - Birth of Jacob Albright, founder of the Evangelical Church near Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He had previously served with the Methodist church but left them to form The Evangelical Church, which later merged with the United Brethren Church. Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania is named for him. 1873 - Death of David Livingstone, missionary and explorer. He is considered responsible for opening up central Africa and bringing attention to missions on that continent. 1827 - Birth of John Bascom, in Genoa, New York authored books critical of Protestant conservatism and promoting sociology - his material paved the way for social gospel. 1939 - Date of the founding of the BACK TO THE BIBLE radio broadcast with Theodore Epp. 1910 - Birth of John Walvoord in Wisconsin. He has been one of the leading voices for dispensational pre-millennialism throughout the 20th century. He became president of Dallas Theological Seminary in 1952 as well as editor of Bibliotheca Sacra for the next 34 years. During that time he contributed 129 articles to the quarterly. He also authored numerous books reflecting the dispensational viewpoint. May 2 373 - Death of Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria. In attending the Council of Nicea, he opposed Arianism, the heresy which denied full-godhead to Jesus Christ. He is also the first to list the New Testament canon as we know it today. 1507 - Martin Luther was consecrated as a Roman Catholic priest and celebrated his first mass. Thirteen years later he would be excommunicated by the Catholic Church. 1559 - John Knox returns to Scotland after several years of studying on the continent. 1821 - Birth of William Taylor, a Methodist missionary to the Gold Rush of California (1849-56). Later served in other countries including Africa 1884-96. 1860 - Birth of Theodore Herzl in Budapest; wrote DER JUDENSTAAT strong advocate of the establishing of a Jewish State in Palestine. 1956 - Racial segregation in Methodist churches was ordered abolished by the General Conference meeting in Minneapolis. 1988 - The General Conference of the United Methodist Church in St. Louis refused by a vote of 676 to 293 to allow the ordination of practicing homosexuals. May 3 1512 - The Fifth Lateran Council opened; it was the last attempt at Reform in the Catholic church before the Lutheran revolt. 1675 - Birth of Thomas Chalkley, Quaker missionary born in Southwark, England was a pioneer missionary to the American colonies. 1738 - George Whitefield, famous preacher of the Great Awakening, arrived in America for first of 7 visits. Said to have preached over 18,000 times to almost 10 million hearers. Ben Franklin is said to have listened to him clearly at one mile distant. 1675 - Massachusetts enacted a law requiring the locking of church doors during the service because too many people were leaving before the sermons were completed. 1814 - Death of Thomas Coke, first English bishop of the Methodist church. 1833 - The Mormon Church adopted the name Church of the Latter Day Saints. 1850 - Charles Spurgeon made a public profession of faith in Christ. 1863 - Birth of Loyal L. Wirt in Michigan. He became superintendent of the Alaska mission and built Alaska's first hospital in Nome (l899). May 4 1493 - Pope Alexander 6th issued the statement that set the boundary between Portuguese and Spanish lands in the New World. 1613 - Birth of James Sharp near Aberdeen, Scotland was a Scottish church leader - he was chosen to plead the cause of the moderate party before Oliver Cromwell, but betrayed them and served the English bishops in re-establishing episcopacy in Scotland, later murdered in 1679. 1800 - Birth of John McL. Campbell, a Scottish theologian - put out from the Church of Scotland because of his views on personal assurance of salvation and universal atonement. Followers were later called Disciples of Christ. 1923 - Death of Sir W. Robertson Nicoll, editor of the British journal, THE EXPOSITOR and a 50 volume, EXPITITOR'S BIBLE. 1926 - Birth of Robert Gray, one time pastor of Trinity Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida. A leader in the independent Baptist movement for 40 years. He now serves (at almost 85) as a missionary to Jewish people in the Balkan countries. 1969 - James Foreman, Black leader disrupted services at New York City's Riverside Church to press demands that American churches and synagogues pay $500 million in reparations for blacks. 1988 - Rev. Robert Schuller announced cutbacks in his HOUR OF POWER broadcast due to TV scandals involving Swaggert and Baker. May 5 553 - Opening of the 2nd council of Constantinople to respond to ongoing controversies concerning the nature of Christ. There was a group, called Monophysites, who believed Christ had one nature, where man and God were joined in unity. On the other side were the Nestorians, followers of Nestorius who claimed the deity of Christ was being exaggerated. The Monophysites won the day and Nestorianism was defeated. 1813 - Birth of Soren Kierkegaard, in Copenhagen who became a modern philosopher. He was raised Lutheran and sought to be ordained. He is considered to be the forerunner of existentialism. His reaction against the cold and impersonable Lutheranism of his day led him to emphasize the subjective basis of faith. His melancholic personality influenced his writings. 1852 - Birth of Pietro Gasparri in Italy who would serve in high places in the Vatican and under Popes Benedict l5th and Piut llth. Gasparri would negotiate agreements with Mussolini to reduce opposition to his rule. In September l932, Gasparri would hail Mussolini as the man endeavoring to place Italian government on the right track. Gasparri would also serve as confidant of President Roosevelt working to establish diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the United States. 1864 - Date of the baptism of Charles Schonberger, born in Hungary in 1841 to an orthodox Jewish family. He was converted through the influence of Israel Saphir and would later marry Saphir's granddaughter. He became a missionary to Jews in Prague and later Vienna. He died in 1924 and on his tombstone were the words, "Christ and Israel, and Israel and Christ are inseparable." 1917 - Birth of Joe Boyd who was an All-American football player from Texas AM in 1939 and played in the 1940 Sugar Bowl. He became an ordained Baptist preacher and was a determined soul winner who brought many to know Christ as Savior. May 6 1527 - Charles 5th assumed the throne of Spain in 1516 and Germany in 1520 and was an enemy of Protestantism. But neither was he the friend of the Roman Pope. His troops numbering 20 thousand, invaded Rome on this day pillaging and killing. Philip Schaff says, " Never before had Rome suffered such indignities and loss. The sacking was a crime against civilization, humanity and religion; but, at the same time a fearful judgment of God upon the worldliness of the papacy." 1606 - Birth of John Norton, a Puritan clergyman who served as pastor of First Church of Boston after John Cotton. He was active in the persecution of Quakers in the Massachusetts colony. 1746 - Death of William Tennent, a Presbyterian clergyman. He was a contributor toward the Great Awakening that brought spiritual revival to the colonies. He trained a number of young men for the ministry in his "Log Cabin" College, including his own son, Gilbert Tennent. 1831 - Birth of Joseph Schereschewsky in Lithuania. Born into a Jewish family and raised as a Jew. He was given a Hebrew New Testament while a student in Breslau, Germany. Through that New Testament he became a believer in Christ. He followed the Lord in baptism after arriving in New York City. He went on to serve in China as a missionary and translated the Bible into several Chinese dialects. 1908 - Birth of Cecil Simmons in Fort Deposit, Alabama. He was a drunk moving from job to job when he was converted under the Akron Baptist Temple in Akron, Ohio. He became an evangelist and later founding pastor of the Gadsden Baptist Temple where he led my father, C. C. McPherson to Christ in 1947. May 7 1274 - The Second Council of Lyons convenes with the goal of reunifying the Roman & Greek Churches (in 1204 the city of Constantinople was ravaged and destroyed - ending any amicable relationship between Rome and the Eastern churches). Orthodox representatives agreed to recognize papal authority, but the majority of other Orthodox clergy and laity rejected the union. 1738 - George Whitefield arrived at Savannah, Georgia. 1797 - Edward Bass was consecrated as the first Episcopalian bishop of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. 1833 - Birth of Johannes Brahms, in Hamburg, Germany noted pianist and composer - often considered to be one of the three great "B's" of classical music - Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. His concerto's still enjoy popularity. 1839 - Birth of Elisha Hoffman, in Pennsylvania, pastor and hymn writer, gave us such hymns as I MUST TELL JESUS, DOWN AT THE CROSS, ARE YOU WASHED IN THE BLOOD, LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS. 1851 - Birth of Adolf Harnack, liberal church historian, in Dorpat, Estonia. May 8 1521 - Birth of Peter Canisuis, a Jesuit theologian who opposed Protestantism, reclaiming areas of Germany and Poland for the Catholic Church. 1559 - The Act of Uniformity is established in England - it will prescribe Queen Elizabeth as head of the Anglican church and mandating the use of the Book of Common Prayer. 1603 - Jacob Arminius, a Dutch founder of the anti-Calvinists Reformed theology is appointed professor of theology at the University of Leiden. 1792 - A mission was established at Oxford in Upper Canada by Moravian, David Zeisberger. The Moravians were an evangelical group seeking to serve Christ in simplicity and following scripture instead of tradition. 1828 - Birth of Henri Dunant, founder of the Red Cross and the Young Men's Christian Association or YMCA. He would be given the first Nobel peace prize in 1901. 1845 - The Southern Baptist Convention organizes in Augusta, Georgia and would go on to become one of the larges Protestant denominations. 1895 - Birth of Fulton Sheen, noted Roman Catholic priest of radio and TV programs. His ABC show was called "Life is worth living". 1947 - Ralph McGill, editor of the Atlanta Constitution wrote, "The Rev. J. Frank Norris is one good, sound reason why there are 50 million Americans who do not belong to any church at all." Norris was a flamboyant, controversial Texas pastor - in fact, he pastured First Baptist of Fort Worth and Temple Baptist Church in Detroit simultaneously in 1935. His bold preaching and strange behaviors made him subject of many attacks by critics. 1984 - Benjamin Weir, American Presbyterian clergyman is kidnapped in Beirut, Lebanon - released Sept. 9, 1985. May 9 1657 - Death of William Bradford, one time governor of the Pilgrims, he was an early member of a separatist group in England; he was a devout Christian and helped frame the Mayflower Compact. 1722 - Birth of Morgan Edwards in Wales. He served as a Baptist pastor in England and later in the American colonies. His writings in 1788 reveal a form of teaching the pre-millennial rapture of the saints before John Darby, who brought this doctrine to the attention of many believers. 1760 - Death of Nicholas Von Zinzindorf, a founder of the Moravian Brethren and pioneer of mission work by Protestants. Von Zinzindorf was a godly, kind man of strong principles. His followers would influence John Wesley when Wesley arrived in the colony of Georgia. 1902 - William H. Taft is sent to Rome to negotiate the sale of land owned by Catholic Friars and the withdrawal of the friars from the Philippines. 1905 - Birth of evangelist Merrill Dunlop, in Chicago. A onetime director of music at the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle. Wrote the hymn, MY SINS ARE BLOTED OUT. 1960 - Death of Charles Erdman, noted professor at Princeton Seminary. As a Presbyterian he authored a number of excellent books on exposition of scripture. 1969 - The Catholic Church issued a revised liturgical calendar eliminating more than 200 so called saints. 1983 - Pope John Paul 2nd reversed the Catholic Church's 1633 condemnation of Galileo's Copernican theory of the universe. 1988 - Pope John Paul 2nd warned bishops in Bolivia to protect Catholics from evangelical preachers. May 10 1310 - In Paris, 54 members of the Knights Templar were burned alive. Originally organized to protect the Holy Land, their quick rise to power & wealth made them objects of jealousy. Philip the Fair of France made charges of blasphemy and sexual perversion convincing Pope Clement, a man of weak character to have them killed. 1793 - Birth of Robert E. B. Baylor, a Baptist who helped found the Baptist Education Society and Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He had been born in Lincoln Co, Ky. And served as a US District Judge from 1845-61. 1843 - Birth of Kaufman Kohler, in Furth, Germany. He would be a leader of American Reformed Judaism. 1886 - Birth of Karl Barth, a leading theologian of the 20th century. He opposed theological liberalism and political fascism. When asked in 1962 to summarize his beliefs after having written thousands of words on serious theological matters, he said, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." 1939 - The Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church South and the Methodist Protestant Church issued a declaration of union in Kansas City, Missouri - it would become simply the Methodist Church. May 11 330 - Roman emperor, Constantine, often called the first Christian emperor, inaugurates Constantinople as his capital on the first site of the Greek city, Byzantium. Referring to Constantine as a Christian is a stretch of the term. For instance, Philip Schaff said concerning Constantine, "Christianity appeared to him (Constantine), as it proved in fact, the only efficient power for a political reformation of the empire, from which the ancient spirit of Rome was fast departing, while internal, civil, and religious dissensions and the outward pressure of the barbarians threatened a gradual dissolution of society." Constantine did not receive baptism as a Christian until he was on his deathbed. 603 - Death of Comgall, considered by many to be the founder of Irish monasticism. He was an instructor of the better-known Irish monk, Columbanus. 1682 - The General Court of the state of Massachusetts repealed laws, which (1) banned observing Christmas (2) provided capital punishment for any banished Quakers that returned to the colony. 1816 - The American Bible Society was organized in New York City - some have the date of May 5. 1825 - The American Tract Society was organized also in New York City. 1949 - Date the United Nations admitted the State of Israel to membership. The vote was 37 in favor of admitting Israel, 12 against with 9 abstentions. Israel had sought admission in fall of 1948 but failed to get a majority vote. May 12 1671 - Birth of Erdmann Neumeister, near Leipzig, Germany. He was a Lutheran theologian and hymnist who opposed Pietism. He wrote JESUS, GREAT AND WONDROUS STAR and SINNERS JESUS WILL RECEIVE. That last hymn is titled 'CHRIST RECEIVETH SINFUL MEN' in many of our hymnbooks. 1802 - Birth of Henry Lacordaire in France. He is a celebrated orator at Notre Dame church in Paris where he proclaimed ultramontanism, which sought to re-implement the unity and independence of the Roman Catholic Church under the papacy. He succeeded in reviving the Dominican Order, which had been forbidden in France since the Revolution. 1848 - Birth of Peter Forsyth in Aberdeen, Scotland. He became an outstanding leader in the Scottish Congregational movement. He argued that man must not replace God at the center of theology. In his book, THE PERSON AND PLACE OF JESUS CHRIST, he made a contribution to the doctrine of Christology in emphasizing the kenosis (self-emptying) and the plerosis (fulfilling). He taught the kenosis and plerosis are the two movements from God to man and from man to God which savingly occur in Christ. 1880 - John Henry Newman was elevated to a Catholic cardinal. Newman was a leader in the British Oxford movement which opposed the liberalism of the Church of England in the mid - 1800's. Newman had left the Church of England in 1845 to become a Catholic. The Oxford movement also called Anglo-Catholicism, called for strong high church doctrine and revival of ritualism. May 13 1638 - Birth of Richard Simon, a French Bible critic. He instigated a critical - historical method of study of the Old Testament manuscripts that led in a denial of the authenticity and accuracy of the scriptures. Roman Catholic authorities censured him. 1742 - Birth of Manasseh Cutler in Connecticut. He was a Congregational clergyman who was quite diversified in his interests. He prepared a description of the flowers and trees of New England as well as organizing a company to colonize the Ohio River Valley. 1779 - Birth of Jacob Bunting in England. He was a Wesleyan clergyman who led in consolidating the Methodist Church organization. 1842 - Birth of Sir Arthur Sullivan, a noted British composer. Best known for his operettas and wrote several hymns like, ONWARD, CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS and O COME ALL YE FAITHRUL. 1885 - The death of Henry A. Stern, who was born a German Jew. He was exposed to the gospel by the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews after moving to London as a young man. After conversion in 1840, he traveled in the Middle East preaching the gospel to Jewish people. He returned and carried out a ministry in east London to Jewish people- over an 8-year period he reported having 134 adult Jews profess personal faith in Christ Jesus. 1931 - Birth of Jim Jones in Lynn, Indiana. He became head of the People's Temple in San Francisco, leading the group of followers to a commune in Guyana and ultimately to mass suicide. May 14 1572 - Gregory 13th named Pope; his rulership was marked by the reform of the Julian calendar with the Gregorian calendar still in use. He was a vigorous opponent of Protestantism and strong supporter of the Jesuits. 1754 - Birth of John Leland, pioneer Baptist clergyman in Dublin, Ireland. He led the assault on privileges of Anglican clergy in Virginia, advocate of separation of church and state. 1759 - Anglican evangelist John Berridge preached his first outdoor sermon. It was a prominent feature of his ministry alongside the Wesley brothers and early Methodism. 1864 - Date of death of Haymin Herschell, a German Jew who was converted thru reading the New Testament. He led in the founding of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews. 1948 - Date of the declaration of the historic re-establishment of the state of Israel. This is one of the more significant events of the 20th century. And for those who have prayed for the return of the scattered Jew to Israel, the re-establishment of the state of Israel is exciting. History knows of no other instance of a people, which, while separated from the country of its national origin for some nineteen centuries, not only retained its national identity but also, at the end of these many centuries of dispersion, returned to the land of its ancestors and reestablished there its national homeland. 1905 - Birth of Joseph T. O'Callahan in Roxbury, Massachusetts. He was the Catholic chaplain aboard the aircraft carrier US Franklin when it was bombed by the Japanese His valor earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor. May 15 1265 - Birth of Dante Alighieri, in Florence Italy. Author of "The Divine Comedy" the famous epic poem. 1525 - Death of Thomas Munzer, a radical German reformer who rejected Luther's reliance upon scripture the doctrine of justification by faith. Munzer claimed direct revelation from God and sought to establish a new church of the elect that would in term bring a new social order of justice and love. 1817 - Birth of Debendranath Tagore, Indian philosopher in Calcutta, India. Would be known as the "Maharshi" and leader of the attempt to reform Hinduism. 1846 - Birth of Philo Buck, in Corning, New York, pioneer Methodist missionary to India (1870-1914). 1880 - Birth of Otto Dibelius, in Berlin. A staunch anti-Nazi and anti-Communist, he would found the German Evangelical Church Council and lead it from 1949-1961. 1886 - Death of American poet, Emily Dickinson, author of many poems on death, God and the afterlife. 1948 - Death of Father Edward Flanagan, founder of the United States Home for Homeless Boys (later called Boys Town). 1984 - Death of Francis Schaeffer, the noted evangelical who founded L'Abri fellowship in Switzerland. His books, THE GOD WHO IS THERE and HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE argued moral relativity is responsible for our ills in Western Culture. May 16 583 - Traditional date of the death of Brenden, founder of theCeltic monastery at Clonfert, Ireland. 1805 - Date of arrival of Henry Martyn, a well-educated Englishman in India to aid William Carey in translating the Bible. 1843 - Robert Morrison, a Scottish theologian, helped his son, James; organize a new denomination, the Evangelical Union. 1862 - Birth of Elwood Worcester, in Massillon, Ohio. He was an Episcopalian clergyman who developed the theory that a combination of religion and medicine could help cure nervous disorders. May 17 1410 - John 23rd elected Pope, serving until 1415. When he called for a crusade against King Ladislaus of Naples he was opposed by gifted priest from Bohemia, named John Huss. John 23rd was a weak leader and was deposed from his papacy by the Council of Constance. 1630 - Birth of John Howe, a Puritan clergy in England. He would become the domestic chaplain to Oliver Cromwell and later Richard Cromwell. 1794 - Birth of Frederic Monod, a French Protestant leader and in 1849, founded the Free Church of France. 1838 - Birth of William Hare, in Princeton, New Jersey. He was an Episcopalian clergy who served as a missionary to American Indians in the Nebraska and Dakota territories for 37 years. 1844 - Birth of Julius Wellhausen in Hanover, Germany, a Bible scholar who produced the controversial theory about the formation of the Pentateuch of First 5 books of the Old Testament. He claimed that there were 4 editors who produced these books - a Jahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly writers. Laid foundation for much of the later German higher criticism of the Bible. 1947 - The Conservative Baptist Association of America was formed in Atlantic City, New Jersey. May 18 1692 - Birth of Joseph Butler, an Anglican clergy, near Oxford, England ranks as among the greatest exponents of natural theology and ethics in England since the Reformation. 1834 - Birth of Sheldon Jackson, in New York. He would become a Presbyterian missionary to the frontier West and to Alaska. He had a reputation for ministering to; the physical, social and spiritual needs of both natives and settlers. 1843 - The Free Church of Scotland came into existence when 203 members of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland marched out of St Andrew's Church and constituted themselves into the Free Church with Thomas Chalmers as moderator. 1843 - Michael S. Alexander, a Jewish convert to Christ and bishop of Jerusalem for the Anglican Church, opened an institution for the training of Hebrew Christian missionaries. The next year a hospital for the poor and ill Jewish people of Jerusalem was opened. Bishop Alexander went to be with Christ in 1845. 1920 - Birth of Karol Wojtyla, also known as Pope John Paul 2nd. 1926 - Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in Los Angeles, disappeared while at the beach. Thought to have drowned, she re-appeared a month later in Mexico claiming to have been kidnapped. Her popularity diminished when law enforcement authorities challenged her story. 1955 - Death of Mary McCleod Bethune, daughter of former slaves and the first black and female graduate of Moody Bible Institute. She founded Bethune-Cookman College and the National Council of Negro Women as well as a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt and a United Nations observer. She was also a devoted believer and follower of Jesus Christ. May 19 804 - Alcuin, an English educator and theologian died at about the age of 69. He was instrumental in keeping learning alive during the Dark Ages. He worked to have uniformity in Western Christendom liturgy. 1805 - Birth of Joshua V. Himes. He pastured churches in Boston form 1830-42. He became the assistant to William Miller, who had predicted the Second Coming of Christ to occur in 1843 and then later in 1844. 1925 - Birth of Malcolm Litle, in Omaha, Nebraska. He would take the name Malcolm X as leader of the Black Muslims in 1963-64. He was assassinated in 1965. 1956 - Pope Pius 12th condemned artificial insemination as immoral. May 20 325 - Date of the opening of the council of Nicea (in modern Turkey) to deal with issues of the identity of Christ. A man named, Arius, had proposed a teaching about Christ that made him to be a created being, thus less than full deity. The Nicean Creed affirmed the full Godhead and humanity of Jesus Christ. The leader in this declaration of orthodoxy was Athanasius. Mark Noll calls this a "turning point" in church history. 1444 - Death of Bernardino of Siena, a Franciscan theologian. 1506 - Death of Christopher Columbus, famous explorer who showed great courage in his attempts to discover a route to the Far East. 1527 - Date of the torture and death of Michael Sattler, a Benedictine monk who was converted to Christ and after becoming a Lutheran, later became an Anabaptist. He was arrested during a crackdown on Anabaptists in Germany and sentenced to death by fire. 1690 - Death of John Eliot, missionary to the Massachusetts Indians for more than 30 years. Published the Bible in an Indian dialect (1661-63), believed to be the first Bible published in America. 1950 - Death of Grant C. Tuller, in New Jersey at the age of 80. Tuller was a Methodist evangelist and author of the hymn; FACE TO FACE. May 21 1536 - The General Assembly of Geneva, Switzerland under the influence of a Protestant, Guilleme Farel, expressed its determination to live by a holy Evangelical law and the word of God. Previously, in August of 1535, the Catholic Mass had been abolished with most graven images of saints destroyed. 1559 - Fourteen semi-Protestants were executed in Spain following their betrayal to the Spanish Inquisition. One was Antonio Herrezuelo, who was burned alive. His wife, Leonor, was imprisoned for 10 years and then burned alive like her husband. 1738 - Date of conversion of Charles Wesley, noted Methodist and brother of John Wesley. He had come under the influence of a Moravian missionary, named Peter Boler who taught an instantaneous conversion and a joy in believing. 1780 - Birth of Elizabeth Fry in England. She was a Quaker, active in prison reform and founded an order of nursing sisters. 1837 - Birth of Hudson Taylor in Yorkshire, England. He would be one of the most significant voices of spiritual vitality and missionary endeavor of the 19th century. His field was China and he was vocal in the call for "faith missions" - that financial support should be supplied thru trusting God and not by salary. 1841 - Birthday of Joseph Parry, a Welsh hymn writer. Included among his hymns is; JESUS LOVER OF MY SOUL. 1851 - Birthday of Rose Hawthorne, youngest daughter of author Nathaniel Hawthorne who wrote SCARLET LETTER and HOUSE OF 7 GABLES. She was the founder of Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer. 1881 - Founding of the American Red Cross. 1922 - Religious liberal, Harry E. Fosdick, preached a sermon at First Presbyterian Church of New York City entitled, SHALL FUNDAMENTALISM WIN? It was his response to the ongoing conflict between fundamentalism and liberalism. It would be many years later in the 1980's that the term, fundamentalism, would acquire the broad negative connotation that it has today. Fundamentalism has its flaws, but as pointed out by Dr. Richard Mouw in his book published in 2000, fundamentalism has lessons to teach evangelicals today. Mouw is certainly not a fundamentalist himself. May 22 896 - Date of election of Stephen 6th as Pope - however, he had his predecessor, Formosus disinterred, condemned and treated with indignity. As a result, a riot ensued with Stephen attacked, put in prison and strangled. Such are the adventures of the so-called Head of the Roman Church. 1786 - Birth of Arthur Tappan, in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was a silk merchant and philanthropist and founder of the American Missionary association and the American Anti-Slavery Society. Concerning Philanthropy - have you observed that in Modern times, funds are often raised through a system of social bullying as in the intimidation often seen at work where employees are urged to contribute to the United Way or funds raised through a "rock concert" where sheep-like followers of rock music pay fees to enjoy music offered by what are frequently drunks and dope addicts under the guise of helping the unfortunate? 1789 - The Presbyterian General Assembly held its first meeting in Philadelphia's Second Presbyterian Church. 1978 - The General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America overwhelmingly disapproved the ordination of avowed homo-sexuals. May 23 451 - Roman Emperor Marcian summoned a meeting of bishops at Chalcedon in modern Turkey. About 520 bishops attended to affirm that Jesus was one person with two natures - divine and human and helped to an end of much of the Christological controversies. 1498 - Girolamo Savonarola was burned at the stake. He had begun preaching in Florence, Italy in 1491, at that time, Florence was a city of wealth and prosperity and therefore much immorality. His preaching led to political overtones and in Florence became a "republic" with Savonarola chosen as city manager. His preaching brought citywide repentance to Florence. Pope Alexander 6th grew uneasy with Savonarola's popularity with the common people and offered him a cardinal's position; cardinals wore red hats to signify their position. Savonarola's response was "no hat will I have but that of a martyr reddened with my own blood." He was excommunicated, imprisoned, tortured and then burned at the stake. 1862 - Birth of Hermann Gunkel, an Old Testament Scholar and one of the first to propose the method of form criticism. It recognizes literary units according to their form. It is classified as a type of higher criticism - much of which has been used to weaken the integrity and authority of scripture as God's Word. 1926 - Birth of Norman Nelson, a gospel soloist and served with Overseas Crusades in the Philippines. 1948 - Death of Christopher Balfe, who served as Chaplain for the House of Correction and the Cook County Jail in Chicago from 1912-1948, winning many criminals to Christ. 1965 - Death of Henry Halley, author of HALLEY'S HANDBOOK TO THE BIBLE. May 24 1430 - Date of the capture of Joan of Arc, the daughter of a plowman, who claimed visions from God. She led resistance to the English and Burgundians in the Hundred Years War. She is proclaimed as a heroine in France. She was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in May 1431. 1543 - Death of Nicholas Copernicus, a Prussian by birth. He is famous for his proposal that the sun is stationary and the earth revolves around it. His ideas made the concept of the earth as the center (physically and theologically) as outdated and wrong. 1689 - Passage of the Act of Toleration by the British parliament. It removed numerous oppressive laws against dissenters and non-conformists. It required an oath of allegiance to William and Mary, rulers of England and rejected papal jurisdiction, the Mass, Invocation of the Saints and transubstantiation. 1738 - Date of the conversion of John Wesley, while attending a meeting at Aldersgate Church in London. He said that he felt he did trust Christ for salvation with an assurance that God had taken away his sins. This was during the reading of the introduction to Galatians written by Martin Luther. 1824 - Birth of John Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides Island not far from Lockerbie, Scotland. He would serve Christ as a missionary for more than 80 years. His experiences are recorded in his book, THIRTY YEARS WITH SOUTH SEA CANNIBALS, published by MOODY PRESS years ago. 1878 - Birth of religious liberal, Harry E. Fosdick in Buffalo, New York. He would be professor of practical theology at Union Theological Seminary from 1909-1946. He was a spokesman for modernism during the Great Fundamentalist - Modernist controversy of the 20's and 30's. 1891 - Birth of William F. Albright, in Chile. A noted biblical Archaeologist and Near East Scholar. His writings helped substantiate Old Testament cities and places, thus authenticating the Bible as true. May 25 709 - Death of Aldheim, an English clergy who wrote extensive poetry and verse and influenced evangelism in southern England. 735 - Death of Bede, called Venerable Bede, an Anglo-Saxon theologian and the first great English scholar. He spent most of his life at the monastery at Jarrow. 1085 - Death of Hildebrand, called Pope Gregory 7th, one of the most powerful pontiffs of that era. He was an enthusiastic follower of veneration or worship of Mary, the mother of Jesus. He extended papal power further than any before and anticipated the 1870 declaration that the pope could speak infallibly. 1528 - Birth of Jakob Andrea, near Stuttgart, Germany a Lutheran theologian and writer, helped produce the Formula of Concord designed to end Lutheran discord. 1787 - United Stated constitutional convention began in Philadelphia for the purpose of altering the Articles of Confederation of the Colonies. Instead a new government was designed with a division of the government powers into executive, judicial and legislative branches. And ultimately, the separation of church and state would follow under the first amendment to that constitution. 1803 - Birth of Ralph Waldo Emerson, noted American essayist. 1805 - Death of William Paley, Anglican scholar whose books had considerable influence in the 18th and 19th century as apologetic material. His book NATURAL THEOLOGY sought to prove the being and goodness of God from the order of the world. His book EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY (1794) argues on both internal and external grounds that Christianity is the true revelation of God. 1817 - A letter was written by John Stewart to be read to the Wyandot Indians of Ohio (they were a branch of the Huron tribe). John Stewart was a freeborn man of African descent who gave much of his adult life to carrying the gospel to the American Indian. He persisted in the face of racial opposition, threats and many other difficulties. 1865 - Birth of John Mott in New York. He was a leader in the YMCA and strong missions leader. Shared in the 1946 Nobel Peace Prize. May 26 1478 - Birth of Giulio de Medici, crowned Pope Clement 7th. He was forced to rule on King Henry 8th divorce from Catherine of Aragon that led to the break of England from the Papacy. 1623 - Birth of William Petty in England. He was to become a political economist and statistician. He was a leader in the new science of statistics. He was also a Christian who wrote in defense of God's design in nature. He was also a physician and Member of Parliament. 1700 - Birth of German Count Nicholas von Zinzindorf, a leader in the Moravian movement of spiritual reform. His grandmother who was a Pietist and close friend to Philip Spener had raised him. Von Zinzindorf stressed "heart" religion that had elements of deep experiential faith, with some mysticism. Added to that was a serious commitment to world missions with the first Moravian missionaries sent to the Caribbean in 1734. By 1741-43, he came to the American colonies and attempted missions aimed at the American Indians. 1863 - Birth of Shailer Mathews in Portland, Maine. He would become a leader in what is called the "social gospel" movement, which opposed the fundamentalist movement in the 1920's thru 1940's. May 27 1564 - Death of John Calvin in Geneva. A man with a gifted intellect he became the leader of the Protestant Reformation among the French and Swiss. His book INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION had major impact on the leaders of the Reformation that followed after him. 1668 - Three Baptist - Thomas God, William Turner, and John Farnum were banished by the General Court of Massachusetts. 1705 - Death of Michael Wigglesworth at age 74. He was a Puritan clergyman and author. 1819 - Birthday of Jula Ward Howe, author and lecturer. Born in New York City best known for her BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. 1821 - Birthday of Sir Henry Baker, British hymn writer and collector of Christian hymns. 1907 - Birthday of Peter Marshall, born in Coalbridge, Scotland, pastured the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, D. C. Best known for his book, A MAN CALLED PETER. 1982 - Rev. Sun M. Moon testified under oath of his religious beliefs, including that he claimed to have had conversations with Buddha. 1983 - Death of Evangelist Hyman Appleman, a converted Jew. He was the 15th child born into a Russian Orthodox Jewish home. Thousands of people came to Christ during his many years as an evangelist with the Southern Baptists. May 28 1663 - Date of the arrest of the English preacher, Joseph Alleine under the Act of Uniformity. He was a dissenter or non-conformist minister and authored CALL TO THE UNCONVERTED, read by, many. 1779
- Birth of Thomas Moore, Irish poet, born in Dublin, wrote
the hymn, COME, YE DISCONSOLATE - hopelessly sad. 1835 - Birth of Annie Hawks in Hoosick, New York, a Baptist hymn writer, - best remembered for 'I NEED THEE EVERY HOUR'. 1901 - Death of Isaac Helmuth, born to orthodox Jewish parents in Poland. Dr. S. Neuman led him to Christ as his savior while Helmuth was studying at the University of Breslau. He traveled to Canada where he earned a Doctorate Degree and was ordained as a minister of the gospel. 1918 - Opening of the prophecy conference in Philadelphia that led to the World's Christian Fundamentals Association. Pastor Courtland Myers of the Tremont Temple in Boston was an early speaker with men like L. S. Chafer, J. R. Straton, R. A. Torrey, W. H. Griffith Thomas and W. L. Pettingill associated with this group. 1919 - Issuing of royal decree in Rumania, which emancipated Jews giving them all rights of citizenship. 1958 - The United Presbyterian Church was formed in an alliance of two other Presbyterian Groups. May 29 1546 - David Beaton, Archbishop of St. Andrews Church was murdered at the church in revenge for his ordering the execution of George Wishart, a reformation preacher. 1583 - Date of execution of John Penry, a Welsh Puritan by hanging. He had authored the "Martin Marprelate" tracts, which satirized the bishops and defended Presbyterian Discipline. 1647 - Freemen from four Rhode Island towns met in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and drafted a constitution, establishing freedom of conscience and separation of church and state. 1874 - Birth of Gilbert K. Chesterton, in London, noted writer with sharp wit. His quotes are numerous, - for instance, addressing those who called for a patriotism that was blind, he said, "Those who say "my country, right or wrong" is like saying, "My mother, drunk or sober." His response to snobbish artist who claimed the value of art as liberty, "Art is limitation, the essence of every picture is the frame." 1961 - The United States Supreme Court upheld by an 8 to 1 vote, the constitutionality of state laws prohibiting commercial activity on Sunday, commonly called "Blue laws". May 30 727 - Death of Hubert, Bishop of Maastricht, Netherlands. Said to be the patron saint of hunters. According to legend he was converted while hunting after seeing a stag with a cross between its antlers. Let me comment that such as that story/legend only plays into superstition, not Biblical faith. Scripture says that men are born again by the incorruptible Word of God, not by sightings of so-called crosses in windowpanes, or animal horns. 1416 - Date of the burning to death of Jerome of Prague a follower of John Hus, who had been martyred himself. The Council of Constance condemned Jerome of Prague. 1431 - Date of the burning to death of Joan of Arc, later to be given sainthood. 1672 - Date of arrival of George Fox, founder of Quakers in Newport, Rhode Island. Fox was frequently imprisoned for his preaching against formalism and dead orthodoxy. 1778 - Death of Voltaire, named Francois Arouet, said in Ency. Britannica to be a crusader against bigotry and tyranny as noted for his wit and sarcasm. He was a rationalist who ridiculed the superstitions of the Roman Catholic Church and the oppressions of the hierarchy 1839 - Birth of Hermann Adler, a British rabbi. He was a strong proponent of Zionism, the movement to reestablish a land for the Jews in Palestine. May 31 1567 - Death of Guy De Bray, a Belgian reformer. Executed as a heretic after his conversion from Catholic to Calvinist Protestantism. De Bray is Author of the Belgic confession. 1680 - Death of Joachim Neander, a German hymn writer, author of the hymn PRAISE YE THE LORD, THE ALMIGHTY. 1684 - Birth of Timothy Cutler in Charlestown, Massachusetts. Cutler, was Anglican rector of Christ Church in Boston, (1723-65), a leader in the anti-revival voices during The Great Awakening. 1701 - Birth of Alexander Cruden, in Aberdeen, Scotland. He was Author of a Biblical concordance. Died in 1770. 1761 - Samuel Finley was named president of College of New Jersey, later named Princeton. 1821 - Dedication of the first American Catholic Cathedral, in Baltimore, Maryland., named the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 1898 - Birth of Norman Vincent Peale, noted Methodist minister and pastor of Marble Collegiate Church of New York City. Best known for his "power of positive thinking". Due to his emphasis on humanity rather than Christ, some have said, "Paul is appealing, Peale is appalling." |