Historical Writings

Death of St. Aidan of Lindisfarne who evangelized Northumbria, England.

Death of St. Raymond Nonnatus, who had sought to evangelize Muslims.

Death of Matthias Grünewald [Mathis Gohardt], a German Renaissance painter, famed for his religous artworks, and apparently a follower of Luther, whose writings were found among his effects. He is remembered in the Episcopal Church calendar on August 5th.

The priest Robert Samuels is martyred under Queen Mary for visiting his wife from whom he had been forced to separate.

Death of English Puritan clergyman and writer John Bunyan, 69. Imprisoned several times between 1660 and 1672, Bunyan used these periods of isolation to pen his two literary masterpieces, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) and Pilgrim's Progress (1678).

John Sergeant is ordained to be a missionary to the American Indians.

Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.'

Birth of Anna B. Warner, American hymnwriter. She never married, but lived with her sister Susan in New York state. In 1860, a novel they co-authored contained a poem which became one of the most beloved of all children's hymns: I Know.'

Birth of Jesse Brown Pounds, American hymnwriter. During her lifetime she published nine books, 50 cantatas and over 400 religious song texts. Three of her hymns remain popular today: "Anywhere With Jesus," "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" and "The Way of the Cross Leads Home."

Birth of Maria Montessori, Italian educator. She developed a theory of teaching which emphasized a reinforcement of initiative, and a freedom of movement for the child. Her theory of elementary education has since been named, appropriately, the "Montessori Method."

Death of Mary Kamanga. After teaching for years, she had been the first Swazi teacher employed at the Nazarene Teachers' Training College in Swaziland and was known as a devoted worker for Christ, who inspired hundreds of others with her zeal.