June 7 in Christian History

1099 - The armies of the First Crusade (1096-99) reached the walls of Jerusalem.

1891 - English Baptist clergyman Charles H. Spurgeon preached the last sermon of his 38-year-long ministry at London's Metropolitan Tabernacle. He died the following January.

1913 - Ohio-born Methodist evangelist George Bennard introduced his new hymn, 'The Old Rugged Cross,' during a revival he was conducting at Pokagon, Michigan.

1934 - Wycliffe Bible Translators held its first study course in linguistics at Sulphur Springs, Arkansas. The training session lasted 3 months.

1959 - English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'If we really think that home is elsewhere and that this life is a 'wandering to find home,' why should we not look forward to the arrival?'

© 1987-2009, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from

Almanac of the Christian Church