Apr. 22 in Chrisitan History

Apr 22, 2008 09:44 AM EDT

1776 Pioneer American Methodist bishop Francis Asbury wrote in his journal: 'I found Christ in me the hope of glory; but felt a pleasing, painful sensation of spiritual hunger and thirst for more of God.'

1864 The motto "In God We Trust" first appeared on U.S. coinage, being struck on a bronze two-cent piece, issued during the American Civil War.

1897 In New York City, the world's largest Jewish daily newspaper, "The Forward," was first published. Abraham Cahan, 43, one of its founders, became editor of the paper in 1903, remaining until his death in 1951.

1933 American Bible teacher and author Kenneth E. Hagin traces his conversion to a saving Christian faith back to this date, at age 16.

1960 At a constitutional convention in Minneapolis, three major Lutheran bodies in the U.S. merged to form the American Lutheran Church, with a combined membership of about two million.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.