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JUNE

1, 1679 –Scotland. The Covenanters defeat the Royalist forces in the Battle at Drumclog.

1, 1751 – England. “Having had more than ordinary work some past days, and being extremely low, my devotions were this day mingled, and sadly interrupted; . . . so that in reflecting upon it, I was tempted to think that my time would have been more profitably employed in the usual business of the family and the academy, than in this retirement . . ..”—Philip Doddridge.

2-18, 1578 – Holland. The first national synod on Dutch soil of the Dutch Reformed Church is held at Dort. Petrus Dathenus is the presiding officer.

2, 1631 – England. Robert Brown dies in the Northampton Jail. He was a leader of the Separatists who as a result are known by the name of “Brownists.” He is considered by many to be the founder of the Congregationalists. He has taught the church consists only of those whose profession manifests itself in Christian living and not those who have only been baptized. He has advocated the separation from all churches that have failed to excommunicate impenitent members living in defiance to the commandments of God. The spiritual welfare of true Christians requires separation from those who are Christian in name only. Since this would not be brought about by the clergy, or by the civil rulers, the only alternative is for the faithful to secede. To Mr. Browne, a church is a voluntary assembly each of which has the sole right of discipline and election of officers.
     He has maintained civil authorities have no jurisdiction in ecclesiastical affairs and thus became the first Englishman to advocate complete separation of church and state. Mr. Browne has also preached against the practice of authorizing preachers by bishops.
     In 1582, he emigrated with his congregation to Middleburg, Zealand, and after two years, he arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland with four or five families.
     Broken by imprisonments and repeated harassments by the authorities, his health and spirit declined in 1585.

2, 1692 – Massachusetts. Bridget Bishop is found guilty of witchcraft and is hanged.

2, 1744 – Switzerland. Antoine Court leaves Geneva, for France. A schism has made a breach in the Church at Languedoc. The church will be restored to peace.

2, 1754 – Scotland. Ebenezer Erskine dies. He is seventy-four years old, and has been preaching fifty-one years. He has been a defender of “Marrow theology,” which avows the atonement of Christ is universal. Thomas Boston, who has purchased a volume, entitled The Marrow of Divinity and which Edward Fisher wrote, has introduced this controversy into Scotland.

3, 529—France. At the Council of Orange, the Semi-Pelagian bishops of Vienne have attacked the doctrine of Grace. He represents Caesarius of Arles who has been detained due to illness. The epilogue of its resolution while ascribing free will to all who have been baptized rejects Predestination to Hell. But Caesarius maintains that the Grace of God works without regard to the merits of man while God acts according to His will and pleasure.

3, 1098—Turkey. The city of Antioch falls to the Crusaders. On June 28th, it will be successfully defended against the Sultan of Mosul. The Crusaders from northern France are lead by Robert of Normandy, while Bohemund and Tancred lead the Normans of Italy. Those from the Provencals find their leader in Raymond of Toulouse. The brothers Godfrey, Eustace and Baldwin of Bouillon lead the other Crusaders.
 

3, 1707 --New York. At Newtown, Francis Makemie and John Haryston are arrested on Long Island for preaching without a license from Governor Cornbury. The Governor is Lord Cornbury, grandson of the Earl of Clarendon who was councilor to Charles II and first councilor to Queen Mary II and Queen Anne. By common consent he is the most odious of all the governors of New York with respect to the Dissenters.
      Mr. Makemie and Mr. Haryston will be detained in prison for more than a month. The case against Mr. Haryston has been dismissed, but today Mr. Makemie, a Presbyterian will argue that he has a license to preach from the Barbados government and is valid in all English territories. He will be acquitted but will nevertheless be fined the entire cost of the court: a sum of eighty-three pounds.

3, 1879 --England. Francis Ridley Havergal dies at Caswell Bay. This is to be “Blessed Rest!”

3, 1905-- China. James Hudson Taylor dies at Chang-Sha, Hanan, and is buried at Chinkiang by the side of his first wife and those of his children who have died in Christ. He has founded the great China Inland Mission and here where he dies is the capital of the last province of inland China to be opened to the Gospel.
     He has adhered to the plenary inspiration of Scripture and has completed the revision of a version of the New Testament in the colloquial of Ningpo. Gifted with the power to command sleep whenever needed, he has labored night and day resting only when exhausted nature compelled him.
     In 1939, Shen Shih-Tsai, governor of Sinkiang, favoring communist views will torture religious leaders, stopping their work. The Chinese authorities at Kashgar will then expel the Swedish missionaries forbidding their return. Turki and Chinese Christians will be arrested and nearly all will be immediately murdered or slowly starved to death. The few who do escape will influence the Chinese Church to again evangelize the province of Sinkiang.

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