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SEPTEMBER
 

18, 96 --Italy. At Rome, Emperor Domitian dies. As Emperor, he restrained the immorality of the stage, and suppressed public prostitution. But he has also taken oppressive measures against Christians. He has banished the Apostle John to the Isle of Patmos when he failed to die after having had him boiled in oil. The Emperor Nerva will recall him. Domitian has demanded to be worshipped calling himself "Dominus et Deus", "Lord and God," His own family has put an end to his tyrannical reign by having him assassinated.

18, 1568 --Germany. Count Palatine Wolfgang has not forgotten that dangers that face Protestants abroad would soon endanger German Protestants. For this reason, in 1563, he raised an army to assist the French Huguenots.
     Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conde and Admiral Gaspard Coligny have once again asked relief for French Protestants. Today, Count Wolfgang has bound himself to help them at his own expense. He will set forth a force of eight thousand four hundred and forty infantry and eight thousand seven hundred and fifty cavalry. The French king has already sent a force of equal number to resist him.

18, 1639 --Connecticut. The Connecticut River towns celebrate their first Thanksgiving Day on account of the abundant harvest.

19, 1580 --France. In the Treaty of Plessis-lez-Tours, which is signed today, Philips Van Marnix able defends the civil and religious liberties of the Dutch.

19, 1691 --England. In London, Hanserd Knollys dies. In 1636, he became a Separatist and was arrested on a warrant from the High Commission Court. He was subsequently imprisoned at Boston, Lincolnshire. Through conniving with his keeper he effected his escape and early in 1638 fled to New England where he formed a church at Dover, New Hampshire.
     In 1641, he returned to England and in 1645, he was ordained pastor of a Baptist church in London. In 1670, however, he was again arrested and imprisoned. This time the charges against him were violations of the Second Conventicle Act.

19, 1725 --England. John Wesley is ordained to the "Sacred Ministry" by Bishop Potter. Luke Tyerman, Mr. Wesley's biographer, writes that one day after preaching in the town of Wednesbury, a mob harried him through the dark. The way was slippery and being downhill, they thought to trip him up, and in causing him to fall, they could manage to trample him to death. But being quite spry, he kept to his feet even when they struck at him, and as he was short in stature, and it being dark, the blows struck over him, thus knocking down their own comrades. When they tried to seize hold of his clothes, they were unable to hold him, for either they lost their grip or the clothes would give way.
     "Knock his brains out," they cried. "Hang him," others shouted. "Drown him"; "Kill the dog outright!" "Throw him into the river!" "Away with him!" Some even shouted, "Crucify him!"
     He was finally released by them, and later confessed that it came into his mind once that if they should throw him into the water it might spoil the papers in his pocket."

19, 1785 --Germany. The Statute issued today by the city of Hamburg grants freedom of worship to all Reformed Christians as well as Roman Catholics and Mennonites.

19, 1853 --England. James Hudson Taylor will leave Liverpool bound for Shanghai, China. "Dear mother, do not weep," he cries. "It is but for a little while and we shall meet again. Think of the glorious object I have in leaving you! It is not for wealth or fame, but to try to bring the poor Chinese to the knowledge of Jesus."
     He is an independent missionary trusting God to supply his needs.
 

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