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NOVEMBER
 

12, 1615 --England. Richard Baxter is born today at Rowton, Shropshire, England. He will be reputed the greatest preacher in England in his day, and will write some sixty books, among which may be found his Call To The Unconverted, The Reformed Pastor, and The Saint's Everlasting Rest.

12, 1660 --England. John Bunyan is confined to the Bedford Jail for preaching the Word of God to an assembly of eager hearers. He is a Baptist. An old statute known as the "Thirty-fifth of Elizabeth" (1593) bans attendance at Conventicles and compels attendance at the Parish church.

12, 1704 --England. Matthew Henry begins his notes on the Old Testament. This is the beginning of his colossal work on the Word of God which will be known Matthew Henry's Commentaries.

12, 1886 --New Jersey. At Princeton, Archibald Alexander Hodge dies. A Presbyterian, he is the son of Charles Hodge. His philosophy of education is profound: he maintains a professor is not chiefly responsible to present truth that men may receive if they choose, but rather to see to it they receive it. He has held professorships at Western Theological Seminary, and Princeton.

13, 354 --Africa. Aurelius Augustine is born at Tagaste in Numidia, North Africa. His father's name is Patricius and is a member of the city council ...a debauched pagan who until the sunset years of his life will be possessed with a pugilistic temper. His mother, Monica, is said by Philip Schaff to be "counted among the most noble and pious women who adorn the temple of church history." It is through her Christian mien that both her husband and her son are finally converted.
     Monica allowed her children to have a Christian education early in life lest they should suffer under the cruel bondage of sin. Aurelius' younger brother and sister soon responded to their mother's instruction, but he rebelled.
     Augustine was at first lazy and slovenly in his studies at school, but gradually became interested in the classical writers such as Virgil. His natural ability as an orator was soon recognized and gave him popularity. Therefore at seventeen years of age, his father sent him to high school at Carthage to train him to become a rhetorician, or public teacher in the art of oratory.
     His father soon died, however, and leaving no means of support, Augustine prepared to retire from his studies. Suddenly, a wealthy citizen of Tagaste offered to underwrite his education. His name was Romanianus, and Augustine later displayed his gratitude to his benefactor by dedicating to him his first important writing.
     The prayers of his godly mother followed him, but so did the debauchery of his father. At eighteen years of age, he began to live with a woman. He remained with her for thirteen years, and she gave him a son that Augustine named Adeodatus, "by God given." It was by the mercy of God that the child died as a youth.
     Augustine soon became restless because his immoral life haunted him. He felt helplessly enslaved by his lustful spirit. This restlessness, Augustine believed, would be satisfied by intellectual pursuits. He therefore turned his attention to the Hortensius of Cicero. It will be through this work that he will acquire a thirst for truth. He turned to the Word of God, but became distressed at his being unable to understand it. He turned away, but not before his heart winced from the guiltiness that lay in his heart.
     Still refusing to own his utter helplessness, he sought for truth that would flatter his intellectual powers instead of that which would lay him in the dust. It was now that he became a disciple of the "Manichaeans." For nine years he studied this religious sect which fused Christian doctrine with Persian Zoroastrianism. As it was amoral in practice, it was particularly to his liking, and he proceeded to defend its teachings, and to lure his friends into it. At last he became disillusioned with it and then sought to encourage his friends to leave it with him.
     Upon completing his course of study in the classics, he taught rhetoric in the same city of Carthage. He remained here in the capacity of teacher for some eight years. But yearning for new scenery, he resolved to go to Rome. His mother highly disapproved and accompanied him to the port, but Augustine tricked her into spending the night at the Church of St. Cyprian. Before morning, he was sailing toward Rome. Sorrowing, Monica returned home.
     After a year in Rome, he was offered a teaching position in Milan, Italy's second capital city. Here he taught rhetoric. He was not here long, however, when he attended the preaching of Ambrose, the bishop here.

 

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