1810 - Birth of Henry Alford, Anglican scholar. He was a member of the 1881 ERV Bible translation committee, but is better remembered today for writing the hymn "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come."
1832 - Birth of Charles Converse, American lawyer and sacred composer. Converse penned the hymn tune CONVERSE, to which we sing today "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
1930 - Missionary linguist Frank C. Laubach wrote in a letter: 'Beside Jesus, the whole lot of us are so contemptible.... But God is like Jesus, and like Jesus, He will not give up until we, too, are like Jesus.'
1943 - While WWII was raging, the American Council of Volunteer Agencies for Foreign Service was formed. It was as an interfaith venture to bring Protestant, Catholic and Jewish agencies involved in international relief together under one roof.
1955 - The religious drama 'Crossroads' first aired over ABC television. An anthology which dramatized true experiences of clergymen of all denominations, the program ran for two years.
© 1987-2008, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from Almanac of the Christian Church
