Today in Christian History
January 18
1271
Death of St. Margaret of Hungary, princess and Dominican nun.
1460
Pope Pius II issues his bulla Execrabilis, condemning as detestable any appeals against the pope to councils.
1525
After a public debate the day before between Anabaptists and Zwingli, the Zurich council mandates that all infants must be baptized within eight days. Persecution of Anabaptists soon follows.
1562
The Council of Trent – called by the popes to deal with the monumental problems caused by the Reformation – reconvened, following a suspension of ten years.
1678
James Mitchell is hanged in Edinburgh, denied permission to see his wife and newborn son or to read his final confession of faith. Years earlier he had attempted to assassinate Archbishop James Sharp, a cruel persecutor of Covenanters. Captured, Mitchell was promised in writing full liberty if he confessed, but the promise was revoked and he was tortured with great cruelty. In 1679 a mob will murder Archbishop Sharp in retaliation.
1728
Greenland’s first Lutheran baptism takes place.
1769
The church at Housatonic Massachusetts dismisses pastor and theologian Samuel Hopkins, resenting his opposition to the Halfway Covenant and his terrible sermon delivery.
1815
Birth of L.F.K. Tischendorf, German biblical and textual scholar. In 1844 he discovered one of the oldest and most valuable manuscripts of the Greek Bible, the Codex Sinaiticus, which dates back to the 4th century.
1822
Alone, and on foot, to save his impoverished congregation the expense of his travel, Theodor Fliedner enters Kaiserswerth, Germany, where he will labor for his entire life and found the Lutheran deaconess ministry for which he is famous. A month after his arrival the city’s main source of employment will fail and the government will offer Fliedner a better appointment, but he will refuse to leave his people as if he were merely a hireling. Instead he will make a laborious journey across Germany to raise money for an endowment to support the Kaiserwerth church.
1846
Taylor University was established in Fort Wayne, Indiana, under Methodist sponsorship.
1887
Death in Washington, DC, of Richard Harvey Cain, a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, formerly an abolitionist and congressman. He had helped found Paul Quinn College and served as its president until 1884.
1891
The first Armenian Church in the U.S. was consecrated in Worcester, MA. New churches were later consecrated in Fresno, CA (1900); West Hoboken, NJ (1907); and Fowler, CA (1910).
1917
Death in Wellington, South Africa, of Andrew Murray, pastor, revival leader, inspirational author, and founder of a seminary.
1918
Death in Penkridge, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) of missionary Louisa M. R. Snead, author of the hymn “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”
1920
Peter Dyneka gives his heart to Christ in Chicago and experiences such a total transformation that his landlord accuses him of being drunk. He will help found the Russian Gospel Association.
1936
In Washington, DC, Catholic biblical scholars met to discuss two proposals: the preparation of a new Bible translation and the formation of a society of Catholic biblical scholars. In result, the Catholic Biblical Association (CBA) was formed in 1937, and the New American Bible (NAB) was published in 1970.
1951
Death in Dohnavur, India, of Amy Carmichael who had rescued children from temple prostitution and written many inspirational Christian books.
1969
Death of Roberta Martin, an innovative gospel singer and organizer of the Roberta Martin Singers. Many singers got their start through her. Her signature song had been “Only a Look.” Fifty thousand will turn out for her funeral. In 1998, the United States Postal Service will issue a commemorative stamp in her honor.
