1607 - The first Anglican (Episcopal) church in the American colonies was established at Cape Henry, Virginia.
1834 - Birth of Joseph H. Gilmore, American Baptist clergyman and Hebrew instructor. He is better remembered today, however, as author of the hymn: "He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought."
1933 - The Navigators trace their origin to this date, when founder Dawson Trotman began the work in San Pedro, CA. In 1943, this evangelical mission was formally incorporated, and is headquartered today in Colorado Springs, CO.
1945 - U.S. troops liberated the oldest of the Nazi concentration camps -- Dachau -- in Bavaria, West Germany. It is estimated that nearly 32,000 prisoners (mostly Jews) perished at Dachau during its 12-year existence as a Nazi detention camp.
1952 - Death of Samuel M. Zwemer, 85, American Dutch Reformed missionary. Serving in Egypt between 1890-1905, Zwemer helped found the Arabian Mission in 1888 and authored over 50 volumes during his life -- many in Arabic.
© 1987-2010, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from
Almanac of the Christian Church