Historical Writings

Death of St. Augustine of Hippo, 76, the great early Latin Church Father and one of the outstanding theological figures of the ages. It was St. Augustine who wrote: 'Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.'

St. Andrew's University, in Scotland, was chartered by a papal decree from Gregory XII.

Electors choose Ferdinand II to be Holy Roman Emperor. Jesuit-trained, Ferdinand will reject Charles V's policy that had finally allowed Protestants to exist. Ferdinand will put down Protestants and anyone who tries to limit his royal power. He had vowed to the Virgin to banish heresy from any territory that might come under his sway and so he will reject chances to end the horrific Thirty Years' War if it means the Reformation will remain alive in his realm.

In Poland, King Vladislav IV convened the Conference of Thorn. Through it he sought to bring reunion among the 26 Catholic, 28 Lutheran and 24 Calvinist theologians in attendance. Discussions continued through November, but no satisfying theological fusion was achieved.

Death in London of John Hutchinson, who endeavored to confirm Moses' account of the flood and other natural events in Moses's Principia.

Birth of Ira D. Sankey, Dwight Moody's song evangelist. During their revival crusades (from 1870), Sankey penned many hymn tunes; among the most enduring today are HIDING IN THEE ("O Safe to the Rock That is Higher Than I") and SANKEY ("Faith is the Victory").

Dwight L. Moody and Emma Revell marry. Emma will help soften the evangelist's rough edges, making him a more effective leader.

Baptism in Queensland of Peter Ambuofa, a Solomon Islander who will return to preach the gospel to his own tribe in 1894, but will suffer years of deprivation, sickness, hostility, and threats before a drought brings many to Christ. By 1904 he will have led 200 souls to Christ.

Campus Crusade for Christ was incorporated in Los Angeles by founder Bill Bright. Today, CCC is an evangelical organization training Christian leaders in over 90 countries around the world.

A large civil-rights demonstration (known as The March on Washington) gathers in the United States capital in behalf of African-American civil rights. The march brings together major civil-rights organizations and many religious groups - Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish - and marks the first determined effort by a large number of white clergy to join the cause to end racial discrimination. Rev. Martin Luther King, jr., gives his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.