Historical Writings

North African bishops vote unanimously that Christians who lapsed under persecution must be rebaptized upon reentering the church. The vote leads to a war of words between the North Africans and Rome, where Bishop Stephen (pope) disagrees. In behalf of the North Africans, Cyprian yields, an action that the Roman church says demonstrates its supremacy over the early church.

Death of Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspear), the only English pope.

Dutch Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons, 62, confessed in a letter: 'There is nothing upon earth my heart loves more than it does the church.'

The Cambridge Synod of Congregational Churches convened in Mass. It formulated the 'Cambridge Platform,' outlining the proper polity (religious government) to be followed by the New England Congregational churches.

Death of Marin Mersenne, a French priest known as a facilitator of science. He had corresponded with everyone who was anyone in science in Europe, offering shrewd suggestions and comments on their work. For example, he had suggested using a pendulum to mark time, which led Huygens to develop the first pendulum clock. Mersenne had also contributed to the theory of prime numbers and acoustics.

Beheading of Angelis, a young goldsmith in Constantinople who had shown little seriousness toward his faith. However, when confronted with the choice to convert to Islam or lose his life, he had boldly confessed Christ.

Death at Cambridge, England, of Dr. Henry More, a theologian and philosopher deeply interested in mystical questions regarding spiritual beings, apologetics, and union with God, as well as more standard philosophical and scientific topics. He had communicated with many thinkers of repute in his day, including Robert Boyle, Isaac Newton, and Rene Descartes.

Shortly after four in the morning, John Wesley meets with Thomas Coke and James Creighton, presbyters of the Church of England, to ordain Richard Whatcoat and Thomas Vasey as deacons for America. The following day they will ordain Whatcoat and Vasey as elders (Presbyters) and appoint Coke as Superintendent (Bishop) for America.

In Boston, the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) was instituted. It was the first tract society established in North America.

A wagon train of Presbyterian missionaries, led by pioneer missionary Dr. Marcus Whitman, reached the site of modern Walla Walla, WA. Whitman's wife Narcissa became the first white woman to cross the North American continent.

Death of Isabella Thoburn from Asiatic cholera. She had been a notable missionary-educator.

Jessie Wengler, an Assemblies of God missionary in Japan, experiences an earthquake and flees to a bamboo grove for safety.

Death of Lewis E. Jones, YMCA leader. He wrote the hymn tune POWER IN THE BLOOD ( "Would You Be Free from Your Burden of Sin?" ).

Death in Manila of Gregorio Aglipay, the main founder and first bishop of the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente).

At a massive rally in Times Square, Billy Graham concludes his sixteen-week New York City evangelistic crusade in New York City, attended by nearly two million people.

Mei Yibao begins serving as president of the New Asia College of the Chinese University in Hong Kong. A Christian, he had served as traveling secretary for the YMCA for a year and had led Yanching University, a Christian institution, during the difficult days of Japanese occupation.

Martyrdom in Boniato Prison of Gerardo Gonzalez Alvarez, a Cuban Bible preacher.

The HQ of Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry moved to its present location in Bellmawr, NJ. Founded in 1938 by Victor Buksbazen, F.I.G.M. works through evangelism and Bible distribution.

A mob of nearly 1,000 Islamists attacks Christians gathered in a home to pray in Dimshaw, Egypt. The mob claims that the Christians don’t have a license, and a rumor spreads that they are on the verge of building a new church. Only twenty-five attackers are arrested and the court will release twenty-one of them.