"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"

“The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will.” -Daniel 4:25

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1, 1546 --Scotland. George Wishart is burned at the stake. Thomas Cranmer has pronounced his preaching heretical, but it has resulted in the conversion of John Knox. Mr. Knox has since followed him everywhere. As the Cardinal’s emissaries are known to be seeking the preacher’s life, Mr. Knox serves as his bodyguard carrying a two-edged sword.
Cardinal David Beaten has succeeded in having him arrested at Ormiston House by the Earl of Bothwell, the Earl having promised to protect him has surrendered him to the Regent and to the Cardinal. John Knox was hardly restrained from following his master but Mr. Wishart has caused him to desist by saying to him, “Nay, rather to your bairns (pupils). One is sufficient for a sacrifice.” The Cardinal has imprisoned him in the castle at St. Andrews.
         Merle D’Aubigne writes of the Cardinal, “He was a hierarchical fanatic. Two points, above all, were offensive to him in evangelical Christians: one, they were not submissive to the Pope; the other, they censured immorality in the clergy, for his own licentiousness drew on himself similar rebukes.
        Yesterday, Mr. Wishart was tried and convicted and today he is burned, but illegally so as it has not the Regent’s sanction. The executioner will be deeply affected and will ask the martyr for his forgiveness. Mr. Wishart will say, “Lo! Here is a token that I forgive thee.” and will kiss his cheek. Cannons are trained so as to prevent the possibility of an attempt at rescuing the preacher. He prays that the Lord “forgive them that have condemned me to death this day ignorantly,” and has declared that this very night before the hour of six, his soul will sup with his Saviour.
The Cardinal and his cohorts repose on luxurious cushions on a balcony gloating over the sufferings of their victim. Mr. Wishart has prophesied of Cardinal Beaten, that “He who feedeth his eyes with my torments shall within few days be hanged out at the same window to be seen with as much ignominy as he now leaneth there in pride.”
        The prophecy will come true.

1, 1563 --France. About twelve hundred French Huguenots in Vassy meet in a large barn which serves as a church. Yesterday the Duke of Guise along with his wife, the Cardinal of Guise, and two hundred men armed with arquebuses and daggers set out for Vassy. Today as Pastor Francois, Sire do Collonges de Morel begins his opening prayer, the soldiers appear and begin by firing two shots at those on the platform. In vain the congregation seeks to close the doors, and for an hour, the soldiers shoot, hack, and stab the unarmed men, women and children. In all, some sixty persons, both men and women will be left dead, along with two hundred others severely wounded. The rest escape. The Duke coolly looks on.
            The Massacre of Vassy will be glorified from Roman pulpits and the Duke will be likened to Moses ordering the extermination of all who had bowed the knee to Baal. In two weeks, he will enter Paris in triumph followed by twelve hundred noblemen and gentlemen, while the people hail him as the Defender of the Faith and the Savior of the country.

1, 1625 --Holland. Mr. John Robinson, pastor of the church of exiles in Holland part of which emigrated to the shores of Massachusetts, dies today. He is nearly fifty years of age. Governor Bradford writes, “His and our enemies had been continually plotting how they might hinder his coming thither...(to Massachusetts), but the Lord has appointed him a better place.” His son, Isaac, will come to Plymouth colony and will live to above ninety years of age.

1, 1658 --Virginia. An Act of Intolerance is passed by which all Quakers are banished from the colony and warned that their return will be regarded as a felony.

1, 1716 --England. John Berridge is born the eldest of three sons. His father is a farmer. One day as he returns from school, a boy who lives near his aunt will invite him into his house, and ask if he might read to him out of the Bible. Young Mr. Berridge will agree. Several times this circumstance will be repeated until John be-gins to feel a certain aversion to it. He would like to have declined, but he would not dare.
       One day as he is returning from a fair, he will hesitate to pass his neighbor’s door, lest he should he invited as before. But the boy will be waiting for him and will not only invite him in to read the Bible but also will ask if they can pray together. It will be at this point that Mr. Berridge will perceive his heart is not right with God. Soon afterwards, he will himself begin a similar practice with his friends.

1, 1854 --China. James Hudson Taylor arrives at Woosung, China.

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