Historical Writings
Today in Christian History
Wednesday, February 7
1451
Death of Peter of Mladonovice, friend of Jan Hus and recorder of that martyr's mistreatment and death at the hands of the Council of Constance.
1497
Girolamo Savonarola and his followers burn works of art in Florence.
1546
Eleven days before his death, German reformer Martin Luther wrote in a letter to his wife Kate: 'I have a better Caretaker than you and all the angels. He it is who lies in a manger ...but at the same time sits at the right hand of God, the almighty Father. Therefore be at rest.'
1569
Philip II, king of Spain, decrees the establishment of the Inquisition in Lima. Among its many victims will be Jews.
1649
The British Parliament ratifies the Westminster Confession which had been accepted by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland the previous August.
1832
Birth of Hannah Whitall Smith, American Quaker evangelist and devotional author. Her best-known writing was "The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life" (1875). It's still in print!
1856
Rev. Daniel Bliss lands in Syria where he will work as a missionary for close to fifty years, seven years in traditional activities and the remainder as an educator.
1916
The Orthodox monk Hermogenes is tonsured at the Belogorsk monastery. Two and a half years later he will be shot by Bolsheviks.
1938
Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller is put on trial by the Nazis because of his outspoken opposition to their policies and will be incarcerated for seven years, most of it in a concentration camp.
1943
David H. Youngdahl becomes the first chaplain endorsed by the Baptist General Conference to die in military service, going down on a transport en route to Europe during World War II.
Copyright Statement
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"
Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, January 27th, 2021
the Third Week after Epiphany
the Third Week after Epiphany
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