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Historical Writings

Today in Christian History

Friday, December 9

1621
Deacon Robert Cushman preaches the first recorded sermon on American soil and the first printed there.
1840
Scottish missionary explorer David Livingstone, 27, set sail on his first journey to Africa. (He had been accepted to serve under the London Missionary Society two years earlier.)
1863
Birth of G. Campbell Morgan, English congregational clergyman and Bible expositor. Morgan authored more than 60 Bible commentaries and books of sermons many still be in print.
1884
Stanley Smith and C. T. Studd, two of the Cambridge Seven (young men who had renounced fame and fortune to serve with the China Inland Mission), speak at Edinburgh University. The meeting, which they had feared would be a flop, proves a time of great power.
1896
William Henry Sheppard, an African-American missionary to Africa, writes to supporters at home, promising to prove that he merits the trust they have placed in him. Finding little success as a missionary, he explores the Congo and exposes Belgian atrocities.
1905
An Act for the Separation of Church and State became law in France, rescinding Napoleon's Concordat of 1801. The new law guaranteed freedom of conscience, but also severed all religious groups from any further economic support by the national government.
1911
The Christian and Missionary Alliance in Argentina expels from its ranks Irish missionary James Stewart and some other associates who had adopted Pentecostal practices.
1941
(or November 5) Martyrdom of Orthodox priest Sergius Mechiev who rejected the atheistic and anti-ecclesiastical proclamations of the Soviet government and had to live for years in hiding. He is shot within prison walls.
1973
"Marshall Efron's Illustrated, Simplified and Painless Sunday School" first aired over CBS television. This religious series was broadcast on Sunday mornings until August 1977.
1978
The Sorbonne, one of the most prestigious universities in France, awards missionary-linguist Kenneth Pike an honorary degree.

Copyright Statement
© 1987-2020, William D. Blake. Portions used by permission of the author, from "Almanac of the Christian Church"

Lectionary Calendar
Friday, June 18th, 2021
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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