1528: Martyrdom of Balthaser Hubmaier, 48, German reformer and chief
writer for the Anabaptist movement. Arrested in Moravia, Hubmaier was later condemned at
Vienna and burned at the stake.
1681:
English Quaker William Penn, 26, received a charter from Charles II, making him sole
proprietor of the colonial American territory known today as the state of Pennsylvania.
1748:
[O.S.] Slave-ship Captain John Newton, 22, was converted to a saving Christian faith.
Newton later became an Anglican clergyman, and (as the author of "Amazing
Grace") a greatly respected hymnwriter as well.
1937:
English historian Arnold J. Toynbee wrote: 'In this really very brief period of less than
2,000 years Christianity has, in fact, produced greater spiritual effects in the world
than have been produced in a comparable space of time by any other spiritual movement that
we know of in history.'
1987:
The Vatican declared its formal opposition to test-tube fertilization, embryo transfer and
most other forms of scientific interference in human procreation.
Source: William D. Blake. Almanac
of the Christian Church, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987. Additional
information supplied by the author. Contact via E-mail: William D. Blake. (pilgrimwb@aol.com)
