January 18

The Confession of Saint Peter

200+ Prisca, martyr at Rome, is commemorated (died during third century).

1460 The Bulla Execrabilis issued by Pope Pius II (1405–1464) banned appeals of the pope’s proposal of a crusade against the Turks and further established the pope’s power.

1541 The Lutheran-Roman Catholic Colloquy of Worms ended.

1562 The third session of the Council of Trent opened.

1728 The first Lutheran baptism took place in Greenland.

1793 William H. Havergal, composer, was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire (d. 19 April 1870).

1806 William Shrubsole (b. 1759/60), English church chorister and organist, died.

1808 Michael Jacobs, professor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), was born in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania (d. 22 July 1871).

1815 Constantin von Tischendorf, discoverer of the Codex Sinaiticus, was born at Lengenfeld, near Plauen, in the Saxon Vogtland, Germany (d. 7 December 1874).

1846 Taylor University was was established in Fort Wayne, Indiana, under Methodist sponsorship.

1864 Albert Grimm was born in Petershagen, Pomerania (d. 12 March 1922, Antigo, Wisconsin). He immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1874, landing in New York and later settling in Wisconsin. He graduated from Concordia Theological Seminary (Springfield, Illinois) in 1888 and served as a pastor in Oak Grove, Illinois, and Antigo, Wisconsin. In 1919 his eldest son died, and Albert resigned from the ministry to take over his son’s position as manager of Antigo Publishing Company. Grimm is best remembered for his short stories and novels, which he wrote under the pen name Alfred Ira.

1875 Joseph P. Webster (b. 22 March 1819), American musician and religious composer, died.

1887 Elmer Haserodt was born in Elyria, Ohio (d. 20 July 1963, Oak Lawn, Illinois). He graduated from Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) in 1910 and served as a pastor in Freeport and Chicago, Illinois. He was the editor of the Concordance to the Lutheran Hymnal.

1917 Andrew Murray, missionary to South Africa, died in Wellington, Africa (b. 9 May 1828).

1922 Carl Adolf Frank, first editor of The Lutheran Witness, died in Evansville, Indiana (b. 28 February 1846, Wimpfen, Germany).

1923 Theodor Halvorson Dahl, president of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America, died (b. 2 April 1845, Baastad, Norway).

1924 Groundbreaking ceremonies for new the Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) Clayton campus were held.

1944 Charles Winfred Douglas, hymnist and composer, died at Santa Rosa, California (b. 15 February 1867, Oswego, New York).

1961 Thomas Anthony Dooley III, Roman Catholic missionary to southeast Asia, died (b. 17 January 1927).

1963 The foundation stone was laid for a Lutheran high school at Ikot-Ekpene, Nigeria.