Historical Writings

Philip IV "the Fair" of France publically burns Pope Boniface VIII's bull Ausculta Fili which calls on him to mend his ways. The pope and king have been bitter foes.

Tomas de Torquemada, whose name will go down in infamy, is appointed Grand Inquisitor of all Spain.

Luther's books are burned at St. Paul's, London; and Thomas Bilney is forced to abjure his mildly reformist views.

Death of Ren‚ Descartes, 53, French philosopher and mathematician. His last words were: 'My soul, thou hast long been held captive; the hour has now come for thee to quit thy prison...; suffer, then, this separation with joy and courage.'

English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: 'Chance has no share in the government of the world. The Lord reigns, and disposes all things, strongly and sweetly, for the good of them that love him.'

In Lourdes, France, 14-year-old French peasant Bernadette Soubirous experienced her first vision of the Virgin Mary. By July 16th of this year, she had experienced 18 such visions.

[or 13th] William Wadé Harris desecrates the Liberian flag and plants a British flag in Liberia, hoping his Grebos compatriots can become a British protectorate. Instead Liberian authorities imprison him for treason. While serving his sentence, he claims to receive a vision from Gabriel and will become an evangelist and miracle worker in the Ivory Coast and the Gold Coast, convincing tens of thousands to burn their fetishes and receive baptism in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Repose (death) of Archbishop Simon of Shanghai and Beijing. Under his leadership, the Orthodox mission in China had experienced significant growth.

U.S. Senate Chaplain Peter Marshall prayed: 'We ask Thee not for tasks more suited to our strength, but for strength more suited to our tasks.'

Rev. Barbara C. Harris, 58, was consecrated in Boston as the first woman bishop in the Anglican Church. (In 1988 the Church of England passed the first legislation which began opening the Anglican priesthood to women.)

Death in Ecuador of Guiquita Waewae, one of the killers of Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian. He had become a Christian and led his people to leave their violent lifestyle.