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DECEMBER

10, 1520 --Germany. A notice has appeared on the walls of Wittemberg inviting the professors and students to meet at 9:00 A.M. at the east gate, near the holy cross.
     A great number of teachers and professors have assembled, and Luther walks at their head leading the procession to the appointed spot. He says he only wishes to dispose of some old papers and to burn them is the proper method.
     A scaffold has been prepared, and one of the oldest masters of arts has applied the torch. As the flames rise, Martin Luther, dressed in his monk's frock approaches the fire holding in his hands the Canon Law, the Decretals, the Clementines, the Extravagants, some writings of Dr. Eck and Emser and the Papal Bull. The Decretals having first been consumed Luther holds up the Bull, saying, "Since thou hast grieved the Lord's anointed, let the eternal fire grieve and consume thee." And with that, he throws it into the fire; then quietly takes the road back to town. The doctors, professors and students give a loud cheer and return to Wittemberg. War has been declared between the Monk and the Roman Pontiff.

10, 1755 --England. This Tuesday, two years and seven months after hearing a sermon by George Whitefield on Matthew 3:7 --"O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" twenty year old Robert Robinson finds "full and free forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ." Three years from now, in 1758, while pastoring the Calvinist Methodist Chapel in Norfolk, he will pen the celebrated hymn, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" for Pentecost (Whitsunday). It is his spiritual autobiography.

10, 1917 --Israel. British General Edmund Allenby marches into Jerusalem at the head of the Allied Army to take it from the Turks. Not a shot is fired. This is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month on the Jewish calendar and is a fulfillment of Haggai 2:18,19 --"From this day will I bless you." This was prophesied two thousand four hundred and thirty years ago. Britain will now open the doors for the Jews to return to their own land. Thus God has used the German Kaiser and the nations of the First World War to fulfill His Word.

11, 1574 --England. The Presbyterian platform of the Puritans having been delivered to the Vice-Chancellor by the hand of Thomas Cartwright and in opposition to the Episcopal platform of the Prelatists, Mr. Cartwright is today forced to flee to the continent when an order for his arrest is issued. The grounds given for his persecution are these:

    1.) That the names and functions of archbishops and archdeacons ought to be abolished.
     2.) That the officers of the lawful ministers of the church, that is, bishops and deacons, ought to
be reduced to their apostolic institution: bishops to preach the Word of God and pray, and deacons to be employed in taking care of the poor.
     3.) That the government of the church ought not to be entrusted to bishop's chancellors or the officials of archdeacons; but every church ought to be governed by its own ministers and presbyters.
     4.) That ministers ought not to be at large, but everyone should have the charge of a particular congregation.
     5.) That no man ought to solicit, or to stand as a candidate for the ministry.
     6.) That ministers ought not to be created by the sole authority of the bishop, but to be openly and fairly chosen by the people.

11, 1620 --Massachusetts. Monday, the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock. Politically, they are patriotic subjects of the English king, but Religiously, they are rebels because they stand opposed to the authority of the Church of England. Their belief that every man has a right to discover and apply truth as revealed in Scripture without the interference of any power other than his own reason and conscience is repugnant to the Church of England. Queen Elizabeth has declared such teaching to be subversive to the principles upon which her monarchy was founded; but her popularity will wane in her latter years, so that her death "was little regarded" and "in four days will be forgotten." King James is not less intolerant; thus, violent persecutions break out with frequency.
     Since England is a Church-State, to be an "Independent" or a "Separatist" constitutes treason against the crown, and many have given their lives for their "crime." Despairing of rest in his own country, Pastor John Robinson fled with his congregation to Holland to escape the persecutions of James I. A first attempt to flee was unsuccessful and they were brought back to be thrown into prisons. This second attempt was made from a desolate heath in Lincolnshire. In the spring of 1608, they embarked from the mouth of the Humber and spent winter in Amsterdam, and were received in Leyden on February 12, 1609. Here they remained for ten years.





 

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