July 20 in Christian History

Jul 20, 2011 03:33 PM EDT

1648 - The Westminster Larger Catechism was adopted by the General Assembly of the Churchof Scotland at Edinburgh. This and the Shorter Catechism have both been in regular use amongPresbyterians, Baptists and Congregationalists ever since.


1726 - Colonial clergyman Jonathan Edwards, 23, married Sarah Pierpont, 16. Theirmarriage prospered for over 30 years, before his premature death in 1758. Sarah herself died only six months later, at 48.


1877 - Birth of Jesse Overholtzer, who in 1937 incorporated Child Evangelism Fellowshipin Chicago. Today the CEF mission agency works in over 60 countries worldwide.


1910 - The Christian Endeavor Society of Missouri began a campaign to ban all motionpictures that depicted kissing between non-relatives.


1962 - Pope John XXIII sent invitations to all 'separated Christian churches andcommunities,' asking each to send delegate-observers to the upcoming Vatican II EcumenicalCouncil in Rome.


© 1987-2011, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from

Almanac of the Christian Church