"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
-287-
DECEMBER
"The beloved Son Who sits in the bosom of the Father; unto Whom alone He
looks; with-out Whom He allows nothing; but whatever pleases the Father,
it pleases Him with respect to His Son --therefore he that desires to go
to the Father must cleave to His beloved Son; nothing is of value or
estimation with the Father, except His Beloved Son.
“Let him flee to His Son if he will for by Him he finds access to the
Father. Therefore whosoever cleaves to Christ through faith abides in
the favor of God: he shall be made beloved and acceptable as Christ is
and shall have fellowship with the Father and Son."
-Martin Luther-
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2, 1525 --Germany. "Please, your Highness (Henry VIII)
to understand I am certainly informed as I passed in this country, that
an Englishman (William Tyndale) at the solicitation of Luther, with whom
he is, hath translated the New Testament into English, and within few
days intendeth to return with the same imprinted into England. I need
not to advise your Grace what infection and danger may ensue hereby if
it be not withstanded. This is the next way to fill your realm with
Lutherans." --Lee, afterwards Archbishop of York.
Mr. Tyndale has said, 'Why does God open one man's eyes
and not another's? Paul forbiddeth to ask why; (Romans 9), for it is too
deep for man's capacity. God we see is honored thereby . . .. But the
Popish can suffer God to have no secret hid to Himself ...they go and
set up Free-will with the heathen philosophers, and say that a man's
Free-will is the cause why God chooseth one and not another, contrary
unto all the Scriptures. Faith cometh not of our Free-will, but is the
gift of God."
2, 1859 --Virginia. Charles Town: Thomas (later "Stonewall") Jackson is
in charge of the cadets from the Virginia Military Institute. John Brown
is to be hanged today for his recent raid on the United States arsenal
at Harper's Ferry. Mr. Jack-son will later write, "I was much impressed
with the thought that before me stood a man in the full vigor of health,
who must in a few moments enter eternity. I sent up a petition that he
might be saved, for awful was the thought that he might in a few minutes
receive the sentence, 'Depart ye wicked, into everlasting fire.' I hope
that he was prepared to die, but I am doubtful.
2, 1908 --Pennsylvania. The Federal Council of Churches meets for the
first time in Philadelphia.
3, 316 --Yugoslavia. Near Salona, Emperor Diocletian dies. Under his
hand, the Christian Church has undergone ten years of the bitterest
persecution. In the year 287, he purged the Roman army by weeding out
all who refused to do sacrifice. He has been the cause of the longest
and bloodiest persecution experienced by the Church. Women have often
preferred suicide to dishonor, and pastors fell by scores even though
the Roman bishop, Marcellinus has sacrificed. Life was considered by
these of less value than safety of the Scriptures.
3, 1170 --England. Archbishop Thomas a Becket arrives in Sandwich after
self-imposed exile. He has refused to surrender to the Clarendon
Constitution of Henry II which requires the clergy to submit themselves
to the authority of the Law with every other subject, lie has returned
when the king offers hopes of an agreement. On December 5th he will
enter Canterbury.
3, 1742 --Scotland. Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine, along with two others
having been deposed for seceding from the Church of Scotland constitute
themselves into the "Associate Presbytery." They are desirous of
bringing George Whitefield into their camp, but when he refuses to
divorce himself from the Church of England to preach to them alone, they
will castigate him.
3, 1873 --New York. The Reformed Episcopal Church formally separates
from the Protestant Episcopal Church under the leadership of Bishop
George Cummins. The reason is the rapid rise and advance of ritualism in
the Protestant Episcopal Church.
3, 1899 --New York. A conference held here will result in the formation
of the National Federation of Churches and Christian Workers.