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Maundy Thursday
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Historical Writings
Today in Christian History
Thursday, October 29
370
St. Regulus is wrecked off the coast of Scotland with the bones of St. Andrew, who is therefore adopted as the patron saint of Scotland. A site near the wreck becomes the seat of the archbishop of Scotland.
1525
Luther introduces the first complete German mass at the City Church of Wittenberg.
1666
Death in London of Edmund Calamy, the elder, a Puritan supporter of England's kings during the Civil War and Commonwealth. He authored highly regarded doctrinal works such as The Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works.
1675
Death of Andreas Hammerschmidt, one of the most distinguished composers of church music in the seventeenth century.
1768
Death in Essex of Joseph Grigg, an English Presbyterian minister. He had written many hymns, including, "Jesus, and Shall it Ever Be."
1863
A conference opens in Geneva to found the organization that becomes the International Red Cross. It is spearheaded by Henri Dunant, a businessman influenced by Christian ideals.
1869
Birth of E. O. Sellers, American Baptist musician. At various times the song evangelist for R.A. Torrey, Gipsy Smith, A.C. Dixon and J. Wilbur Chapman, Sellers is remembered today for his two original hymns: "Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart" and "Wonderful, Wonderful Jesus."
1870
Birth of Juji Nakada, Japanese Christian evangelist. In 1901 he influenced Charles and Lettie Cowman (authors of "Streams in the Desert") to come to Japan, where in 1910 they incorporated the Oriental Missions Society.
1885
Ugandans spear Anglican bishop James Hannington to death. He had been captured eight days earlier.
1889
New York City missions pioneer Albert B. Simpson, 46, incorporated the International Missionary Alliance. Combined in 1897 with a group formerly also organized by Simpson, it became the Christian and Missionary Alliance, one of the most missions-minded denominations in modern American Protestantism.
1900
Death of Reformed Swiss theologian Frederic Louis Godet, who was noted for his Commentary on the Gospel of St. John.
1907
The Red Cross awards Orthodox nun Matrona Petrovna Frolova a medal for her relief work during the Russo-Japanese war. She will head a nunnery in Kazan but the Soviets will confiscate the property. Eventually she will be imprisoned, beaten, and executed for her role in resisting Soviet atheism and allegedly hiding church valuables.
1919
The Apostolic Christian Association was incorporated in Atlanta, Georgia. It later merged with what is now the International Pentecostal Church of Christ, headquartered in London, Ohio.
1954
Death of Anna Belle Russell in Corning, New York. She had been a Methodist hymnwriter, best known for the words to "Wonderful, Wonderful Jesus."
1955
American missionary Jim Elliot, 28, wrote in his journal: 'First time I ever saw an Auca--1500' is a long ways if you're looking out of an airplane.' Ten weeks later, on Jan 8, 1956, Jim and four other missionaries would be speared to death by these same Indians they had come to Ecuador in hopes of evangelizing.
1972
Yustus Ruhindi is enthroned as the first Anglican Church bishop of Bunyoro-Kitara diocese in Uganda.
Copyright Statement
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"
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