Historical Writings

In England, the monastery at the Fountains Abbey was surrendered to the crown. It was the richest of the Cistercian houses, prior to the time of the Dissolution of all monasteries in England, under the reign of Henry VIII.

Death of John Spottiswoode, who had sought to assimilate the Presbyterian church of Scotland into the Church of England, and served as Archbishop of St. Andrews, Primate of All Scotland. He had also written The History of the Church and State of Scotland.

Birth in Hertfordshire, England, of William Cowper, who becomes a notable pre-Romantic poet, known in Christian circles for the hymns "God Moves in Mysterious Ways," and "There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood," and a collection titled Olney Hymns ( with John Newton) .

The American Navy began using chaplains within its regular service.

President George Washington proclaimed this date (a Thursday) to be the first national Thanksgiving Day holiday. (National Thanksgiving days were periodically proclaimed by presidents, until in 1863 Abraham Lincoln inaugurated the practice of annually setting the fourth Thursday in November aside for Thanksgiving Day.)

Birth of Sarah Grimké in Charleston, South Carolina. She becomes a notable abolitionist and advocate of women's rights, writing An Epistle to the Clergy of the Southern States Against Slavery and Letters on Women's Suffrage with the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Woman.

The inquisition in Mexico sentences revolutionary priest José María Morelos to banishment (if his life is spared), deprivation of all ecclesiastical benefices, and other penalties.

Death in Battle Creek, Michigan, of evangelist and abolitionist Sojourner Truth (Isabella Van Wagener). Born a slave, she had experienced visions and voices, which she attributed to God. However, she attached herself early to a cultish Methodist group whose leader beat her.

Individuals with Church of Christ leanings open a little stone chapel at Wampoony, South Australia.

Death of American scholar Joseph Henry Thayer, who produced a famous Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, for many years the standard in its field.

Louise Rathke, RN, first Missouri Synod deaconess, sails for India as a missionary.

Death from pneumonia in Collegeville, Minnesota, of Virgil George Michel, a Benedictine monk. Viewing liturgical practice as the expression of the mystical body of Christ, he had worked intensely to spread ideas of liturgical reform, worship, and social action.

In a rejoinder to critic W.N. Pittenger, published in The Christian Century, C.S. Lewis acknowledges that most of what he writes is evangelistic.

English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'No doubt [my body] has often led me astray: but not half so often, I suspect, as my soul has led IT astray. For the spiritual evils ... arise more from the imagination than from the appetites.'

During a 10-day visit to the Philippines, Pope Paul VI was attacked by a knife-wielding man in Manilla. The pontiff was unhurt and continued his journey.

Islamic authorities in Turkey order pastor Ahmet Guvener to halt construction on a church that is almost complete, alleging he has illegally changed the architectural plans. He will soon be placed on trial.