-95-

APRIL

 22, 1669 --Massachusetts. At Dorchester, Richard Mather dies. As a young man, he became a Puritan. When he was suspended from his pulpit, he traveled in disguise to Bristol where he left by ship for New England on May 23, 1635. After being nearly shipwrecked, he arrived at Boston on August 17th.
     His second wife was the widow of Mr. John Cotton, but by his first wife he had six sons, four of whom became ministers: Samuel, Nathaniel, Eleazar, and Increase. Mr. Richard Mather was seized with his last illness while acting as moderator of the Boston council out of which came the Old South Church. He was the chief composer of the "Cambridge Platform."

22, 1688 --Massachusetts. At Hatfield, Jonathan Dickinson is born. His name will be renowned in early Presbyterian history of the middle colonies, as the name of Jonathan Edwards will be stand out in New England. Mr. Dickinson is a strong Calvinist, and will become the most prominent of the founders of the College of New Jersey, Princeton; the school first opening in his house, and he himself chosen as its first President, on April 27, 1747.

22, 1778 --Pennsylvania. The Continental Congress proclaims a day of general public fasting and humiliation, with prayers to Almighty God to strengthen and perpetuate the union of the colonies in their houses of worship.

22, 1790 --France. The revolutionary government of France confiscates all church property.

23, 997 --Prussia. Adalbert of Prague is murdered by a pagan priest. He will become known as the "Apostle to the Slavs."

23, 1538 --Switzerland. Two years ago, in 1536, the aged William Farel having arrested John Calvin by his thunderous curse, “May God curse your studies if now in her time of need you refuse to lend your aid to His church," the young man consented to remain in Geneva.
     The two have made three proposals to the city council: 1.) The Lord's Supper be administered monthly and every person not leading a good Christian life should be disciplined -- if necessary to the point of excommunication. On account of rampant immorality here, Calvin has refused to grant the people the Lord's Supper. 2.) A catechism composed by Calvin should be adopted. 3.) Every citizen should subscribe to a recommended creed undoubtedly the work of Mr. Farel. These proposals have aroused bitterness, and as their opponents have won the recent city election, William Farel and John Calvin are today banished from the city of Geneva, by act of the General Assembly. It is Easter Monday. Mr. Farel will go to live in Neuchatel, while Mr. Calvin is invited by Martin Bucer to come to Strassburg. Here he marries Idelette Van Buren and continues here for three years of peace.


1847 --Germany. The Queen and Prince consort hear Mendelssohn's “Elijah". In the book containing the words, Albert writes, 'To the noble artist who, surrounded by the Baal-worship of debased art, has been able by his genius and science to preserve faithfully, like another Elijah, the worship of true art, and once more to accustom our ears, amid the whirl of empty, frivolous sounds, to the pure tones of sympathetic feeling and harmony: to the Great Master, who makes us conscious of the unity of his conceptions, through the whole maze of his creations, from the soft whispering to the mighty raging of the elements. Inscribed in grateful remembrance by Albert." (Signed)

23, 1888 --England. The Assembly of the Baptist Union votes two thousand to seven in favor of a declaration of its evangelical basis. It has been drawn up by Dr. Angus, and James Spurgeon, the latter being brother of Charles. Mr. James Spurgeon has seconded the motion to adopt it, and has considered it a great victory. But, "It should be stated as an historical fact that there have been brethren in the union, working cordially with it, who while reverently bowing to the authority of Holy Scripture, and rejecting the dogmas of Purgatory and universalism have not held the common interpretation of the words of our Lord." Thus the door is left open for conditional immortality and annihilation. Charles Haddon Spurgeon is thus condemned, and has said, "I was afraid from the beginning that the reform of the Baptist Union was hopeless, and therefore I resigned."




 

Previous   Next