"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
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FEBRUARY
16, 309 --Israel. At Caesarea, Pamphilus has been
seized, tortured and has suffered two years imprisonment. Today, during
the outbreak of the persecution of Maximinus, he is beheaded with eleven
others. He early gave all his possessions to the poor, and then
dedicated his life to learning, and increasing the library left by
Origin.
16, 1427 --Italy. Pope Martin publishes a Bull calling into existence
another crusade against the Bohemian Hussites. Henry de Beaufort is
selected as a suitable person to head it up.
In June, he will enter
Bohemia at the head of an army of 90,000 men. All Bohemia will be
aroused. The Hussites will march off to meet the foe. Only a river will
finally separate the Bohemian Hussites from their vastly superior foes.
But as the Crusaders pause to gaze upon their seasoned warriors, a
sudden panic will strike them and the invaders will flee in utter
confusion. The Bohemians will plunge into the river, climb the opposite
bank and mercilessly slaughter the fugitives. Even the peasants will
rise to attack the retreating host. And the booty taken will be so
immense, scarcely an individual whatever station in life he might be,
but will suddenly be made rich.
16, 1516 --France. Gaspard de Coligny is born.
16, 1607 --England. John Spratt is archdeacon of St. David's Church in
London. He has acquired a reputation for dainty eating while his wife is
a very hearty eater. People have tried very hard to invite the
archdeacon for dinner but without asking his wife.
Today
neighborhood children serenade him --
“Jack Spratt could eat no fat,
His wife could eat no lean;
And so betwixt them both, you see,
They licked the platter clean."
16, 1684 --England. Francis Bamfield, non Conformist
preacher, dies today in the Newgate jail, "the most noisome place
{except the Tower Dungeon) of any prison in the land," said Baxter. Mr.
Bamfield, a Baptist was imprisoned just one month ago.
16, 1743 --Connecticut. The Connecticut Assembly proclaims April l3th a
general fast to deprecate the judgments of Heaven for their iniquities
--" ...Particularly the great neglect and contempt of the Gospel and the
ministry thereof, and the prevailing of a spirit of error, disorder,
unpeaceableness, pride, bitterness, uncharitableness, censoriousness,
disobedience, calumniating, and reviling of authority; divisions,
contentions, separations and confusions in the churches; injustice,
idleness, evil speaking, lasciviousness, and all other vices and
impieties which abound among us."
16, 1830 --China. Two years ago the National Society for Seamen, and the
American Seamen's Friend Society were organized. The latter was
established at 76 Wall Street in New York City. It had as its object "
...to improve the social and moral condition of seamen by uniting the
efforts of the wise and good in their behalf, by promoting in every port
boarding-houses of good character, savings banks, register offices,
libraries, museums, reading rooms and schools, and also the ministration
of the Gospel, and other religious blessings." Its first chaplain is
Rev. David Abeel. Today he will reach his field of labor by arriving at
Whampoa, where trading ships anchor that do business in Canton, China.
16, 1862 --Tennessee. It is Sunday, and at Fort Donelson, Rev. Dabney
Cart Harrison, mortally wounded after bravely leading on his company for
seven hours amid a storm of bullets, is about to be carried from the
field. Waving his sword, he has shouted to his men, "Come on." Four
bullets have exited his hat, only one grazing his brow; but another has
struck above his heart and exited his body. His men still not knowing
it, he cheered them on. But yet a sixth bullet slammed through his right
lung. Carried from the field, he calls for one of his manuscript books,
and taking pencil in hand he writes, this date confessing, "I die
content and happy, trusting in the merits of my Saviour, Jesus,
committing my wife and children to their Father and mine." (Signed)
Dabney Carr Harrison