Historical Writings

Death of Robert Grosseteste, a reform-minded English bishop who influenced John Wycliffe and formulated the scientific method.

The Colloquy of Poissy ends. Held near Paris, the conference between the French Roman Catholic bishops and the Protestant ministers is unsuccessful in reaching accord, but paves the way for the 1562 Edict of St. Germain that will officially recognize and give limited freedom to French Protestantism.

Colonial American Separatist Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts for preaching that civil government had no right to interfere in religious affairs. (Williams was seeking to establish freedom of worship through the separation of church and state.)

Colonial missionary to the New England Indians, David Brainerd died of tuberculosis (brought on by exposure) at age 29. Following his death, the publication of "Brainerd's Journal" by Jonathan Edwards influenced hundreds to become missionaries after him.

Spanish missionaries dedicated the first mission chapel on the northern California coast at Yerba Buena. (In 1847, the city which grew up around the mission changed its name to San Francisco.)

Mary Webb, wheelchair-bound, organizes fourteen Baptist and Congregational women into the Boston Female Society for Missionary Purposes.

Episcopal missionary James L. Breck was ordained a priest at Duck Creek, WI. In 1850, this "apostle of the wilderness" moved to Minnesota and in 1858 founded the Seabury Divinity School. It is said that "no priest did more for the Episcopal Church in the West than Breck."

Cofounder of the Oxford Movement in England, churchman John Henry Newman made his celebrated conversion from Anglicanism to Catholicism. From 1845-1862, nearly 250 other English clergy followed Newman into the Roman Catholic faith

Conversion of Robert Anderson, who will later head Scotland Yard.

Irene Webster-Smith boards the Suwa Maru for Japan, where she will rescue Geisha children.

Orthodox reader Basil Ivanovich Katorgin is sentenced to death by Communists of Omsk province for "counter-revolutionary activity." The sentence will be carried out on October 23 when he is shot.

Death of Stephen Nelson Haskell, a Seventh-day Adventist pioneer, several times president of the California conference and co-founder of the Australian work and an organizer of the denomination's work in Europe.

Yin Renxian and his wife Faith Suyun Ding, who have been reaching out with the gospel to prison inmates and street people, baptize more than twenty prisoners.

Death of Wilfred T. Grenfell, vibrant missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Death of Vida Scudder, a socialist and peace activist in the Episcopal Church, founder of the Episcopal Church Socialist League, cofounder of Denison House in Boston (to provide social services and education to the urban poor), and an advocate of intercessory prayer.

A Roman Catholic mob destroys an evangelical church in Acapulco, Mexico.

The Egyptian army ruthlessly runs over or shoots Christians who are peacefully protesting the failure of the Muslim government to bring to justice Muslims who have burned Christian churches and attacked Christians. Twenty-seven protesters die. Two days later Muslims will also assault the Christian funeral processions.