OCTOBER 17
JOHN FLETCHER WENT THROUGH GREAT FEAR TO FIND FAITH (1760)
“Every thing is sweet in Jesus Christ, even to death and this is why he suffered and died to sanctify death and suffering and, in common with God and m...”
Pascal, Blaise. Letters. The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Why do we grow so little in grace? (1901)
Why do we grow so little in grace? It is because we do not use our intellect to meditate upon the forces of the unseen w...
Events
1532
Pope Clement VII orders humane treatment of the Jews.
Authority for the date: Durant, Will and Ariel. The Reformation. (The Story of Civilization.) New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957.1552
Death in Konigsberg, Prussia, (now Kaliningrad, Russia) of Andrew Osiander, a Lutheran theologian who had helped introduce the Reformation to Nürnberg. Fellow Lutherans had rejected his insistence on the need to be indwelt by Christ as essential for justification.
Authority for the date: Britannica.1586
Death of Sir Philip Sidney from a wound recieved while fighting beside Dutch reformers. He had loaned his armor to a soldier without any. Tradition has it that, aflame with thirst from bleeding, he nonetheless gave his last water to a dying soldier on the battlefield.
Authority for the date: Standard encyclopedias.1703
William Burkitt, a Church of England clergyman, is taken ill with a violent fever during church services at Dedham, Essex, and has to go home. He will die seven days later, patiently enduring his sickness, praying, and rejoicing to hear testimonies of people who had converted under his teaching. He had been noted for helping refugees and for encouraging relief of the poor during a particularly bad winter. His notes on the New Testament were highly regarded.
Authority for the date: Erasmus Middleton, Biographia Evangelicap. 1191760
John Fletcher is inducted into the Vicarage of Madeley. A Methodist of deep faith and purpose, he is designated to be Wesley’s successor, but precedes him in death.
Authority for the date: Hurst, John Fletcher. The History of Methodism, Vol II. New York: Eaton & Mains, 1902.1937
Martyrdom of Alexander Ivanovich Shchukin, Archbishop of Semipalatinsk, shot by the Soviets for preaching against destroyers of churches.
Authority for the date: http://orthodoxwiki.org/Template:Saints201949
Singer Stuart “Stew” Hamblen is converted to Christianity in Billy Graham’s 1949 Los Angeles Crusade. He will go on to write two popular Christian hits, “It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)” and “This Old House.”
Authority for the date: Turning Points in the History of American Evangelicalism.1979
Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Authority for the date: Maalouf, Jean. If We Just See what they See. Authorhouse, 2007.2005
Death of Yokana Mukasa Balikudembe, Anglican bishop of Mityana in Uganda. At the time of his ordination, Mityana Diocese had only eight poor parishes but by his retirement had thirty rich parishes largely through his zealous efforts. In addition to organizing parishes, he had written Christian works in the Lugnanda language of his people and had won respect by urging all denominations of Christians to treat one another with respect.
Authority for the date: Dictionary of African Christian Biography.