February 9

1542 The third Diet of Speyer opened. Its purpose was to deal with needs for defense against the Turks.

1555 John Hooper, “Father of the Puritans,” was martyred (b. ca. 1495–1500, Somersetshire, England).

1621 Gregory XV (1554–1623) became pope, the last pope elected by acclamation.

1649 William Marshall's engraving of Charles I of England (1600–1649) as a Christian martyr was published in the Eikon Basilike [Royal Portrait] ten days after the king was beheaded by Parliament in the aftermath of the English Civil War.

1555 Rowland Taylor, English Protestant pastor was executed (b. 6 October 1510).

1666 Paul Gerhardt (1607–1676), hymnist, refused to sign a compromise statement with Calvinists and was deposed from his pastorate.

1693 Johann Ludwig Konrad Allendorf, hymnist and court preacher, was born at Josbach, near Marburg (d. 1773).

1717 The cornerstone was laid for Jerusalem Church, Tranquebar, South India.

1812 Joseph Josenhans, inspector of the Basel Mission, was born at Stuttgart, Wuerttemberg (d. 1884).

1819 William True Sleeper, New England Congregational clergyman, was born in Danbury, New Hampshire (d. 24 September 1904, Wellesley, Massachusetts).

1834 Jacob Fry, American Lutheran theologian and professor, was born in Trappe, Pennsylvania (d. 19 February 1920).

1858 Samuel Gilman, hymn translator, died at Kingston, Massachusetts (b. 16 February 1791, Gloucester, Massachusetts).

1912 Andrew Martin Fairbairn (b. 4 November 1838), Scottish theological scholar, died.

1953 The American Lutheran Church and the LCMS drew up the Common Confession, Part II.

1959 Henry Nau Memorial School, Nung Udoe, Nigeria, was opened.