1734: Forty-two families of German Protestant refugees landed in the
American colonies. Sponsored by the British Society for the Promotion of Christian
Knowledge (SPCK), the 78 religious pilgrims soon founded the town of Ebenezer, 30 miles
from Savannah, Georgia.
1789:
Birth of Charlotte Elliott, English devotional writer. An illness at age 33 left her an
invalid her remaining 50 years, during which she devoted herself to religious writing. Of
her 150 hymns, "Just As I Am" remains popular today.
1841:
Birth of James R. Murray, American sacred music editor. A veteran of the American Civil
War, Murray is better remembered today as composer of the hymn tune MUELLER, to which we
sing the Christmas carol, "Away in a Manger."
1890:
Birth of Julius R. Mantey, co-author (with H. E. Dana) of a popular intermediate biblical
language grammar. Originally published in 1927, the "Dana & Mantey" New
Testament Greek Grammar is still popular, and still in print!
1897:
Emilie Grace Briggs became the first woman in America to graduate from a Presbyterian
theological school, when she received her Bachelor of Divinity degree from Union
Theological Seminary, in New York City.
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)
