First Baptist Calgary

This day in 1575, Heinrich Bullinger, one of the most important leaders of the Swiss Reformation, dies in Zurich. 🇨🇭

He co-authored the Helvetic Confessions & worked with John Calvin to align Reformed & Lutheran Theology, particularly in the Lord's Supper.

Yesterday in 1622, 55 Catholics are publicly burned at Nagasaki, Japan 🇯🇵 in what will become known as the Great Genna Martyrdom. The Japanese had a "straightforward policy of elimination of Christians" that English and Dutch traders tried to overlook.

This day in 1905, Sundar Singh is baptized in Shimla. 🇮🇳 Unusually hostile to Christianity as a Sikh teen, he had resolved to kill himself unless the true God appeared. He had a vision of Jesus that very night & became an influential Christian missionary.

This day in 1727, the Moravian community in Herrnhut, Saxony begins a round-the-clock "prayer watch" - one group praying together at all times. This commitment lasted for over 100 years. By 1791, the small community had produced 300 foreign missionaries.

This day in 662, St. Maximos the Confessor dies in Tsageri. 🇬🇪

He is called "Confessor" because his tongue and right hand were mutilated and he was exiled for confessing, even against friends, that Christ is one person with both a human and divine will.

Today in 258, Valerian persecution kills bishop of Rome Sixtus II & deacons Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus, Stephanus, Felicissimus & Agapitus.

He had reunited with Africa & East, where controversies over apostasy in previous persecutions had broken unity.

Today in 1750, Lutheran missionary/diplomat Christian Friedrich Schwarz reaches Tranquebar. 🇮🇳

His language skill (Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Tamil, Urdu, Persian, Marathi, Telugu) introduces Protestantism in Southern India before "Modern Missions".

This day in 1846, William Ralph Featherstone is born in Montreal. 🇨🇦

He dies, utterly unknown, before 27 - except that, around his teenage conversion, he penned:

My Jesus I love Thee
I know Thou art mine
For Thee all the follies
of sin I resign ...

Today in 1972, Ivan "Vanya" Moiseyev is ordered to chauffeur KGB.

His body returns to his Baptist parents in a sealed coffin - unsealing reveals torture & drowning.

His crime: evangelizing his unit, which is disbanded & spread throughout the Red Army.

This day 1896, William Cameron Townsend is born in Eastvale, California. Founding Wycliffe Bible Translators, his life will be summed by him, "'Dear Ones: by love serve one another. Finish the task. Translate the Scriptures into every language.' —Uncle Cam"