Jan. 23 in Christian History

Jan 23, 2011 12:47 PM EST

1656 - French scientist Blaise Pascal, 33, published the first of his 18 "Provincial Lettres," the majority of which attacked the Jesuit theories of grace and moral theology.


1755 - Under the influence of the Methodist movement, English clergyman John Fletcher, 26, was converted to a living faith. He remained in the Anglican church but afterward became a chief defender of evangelical Arminianism.


1789 - Georgetown College was founded by Father John Carroll, 54, in Washington, D.C. - the first Roman Catholic college established in America.


1935 - British biblical expositor Arthur W. Pink wrote in a letter: 'Growth in grace is like the growth of a cow's tail - the more it truly grows, the closer to the ground it is brought.'


1943 - The New Tribes Mission was incorporated in Los Angeles by founder Paul W. Fleming. NTM works today primarily in missionary aviation, Bible translation, church planting and the production and distribution of Christian literature.


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

Almanac of the Christian Church