1771 - Pioneer Methodist bishop Francis Asbury, 26, on his maiden voyage to America, wrote in his journal: 'Whither am I going? To the New World. What to do? To gain honor? No, if I know my own heart. To get money? No, I am going to live to God, and to bring others to do so.'
1851 - Birth of Francis E. Clark, American Congregationalist clergyman. In 1881, at age 29, Clark organized the world's first church "youth fellowship" in Portland, Maine. Clark's original name for this Christian group concept was "The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor."
1922 - The House of Bishops of the U.S. Protestant Episcopal Church voted 36-27 to delete the word "obey" from the vows of their denomination's official marriage service.
1908 - The Bible-distributing mission agency known as the Pocket Testament League was incorporated in Birmingham, England. (The U.S. branch of this outreach is headquartered in Lititz, PA.)
1958 - In Canada, a two-day church convention closed in Winnipeg, Ontario. At this assembly the Lutheran Church of Canada (LCC) was organized.
© 1987-2011, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from
Almanac of the Christian Church
