March 4

1583 Bernard Gilpin, the English theologian whose ministry in neglected sections of Northumberland and Yorkshire earned him the title “Apostle of the North,” died (b. 1517).

1645 Matthias Hoë von Hoënegg, defender of Lutheranism, died (b. 24 February 1580, Vienna, Austria). [German Wikipedia article]

1681 England's King Charles II (1630–1685) granted William Penn (1644–1718) a patent for territory in North America, much of which eventually became the state of Pennsylvania.

1789 The First Congress of the United States met in New York. Frederick A. C. Muhlenberg (1750–1801), son of Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, was elected as the first speaker of the House of Representatives.

1800 Aaron Buzacott, London missionary to Tahiti, was born in Moltoy, England (d. 20 September 1864).

1812 William Morton Reynolds, president of Capital University (Columbus, Ohio), was born in Little Falls Forge, Fayette County, Pennsylvania (d. 5 September 1876).

1827 Abdul Masih (servant of Christ) died. This was the name adopted by Sheikh Saleh after his conversion by Henry Martyn in 1809 (or 1811).

1829 John Livingston Nevius, Presbyterian missionary to China, was born near Ovid, New York (d. 19 October 1893).

1845 William H. Parker, English Baptist hymn writer, was born in New Basford, Nottingham (d. 2 December 1929, Basford, Nottingham, England).

1866 Alexander Campbell (b. 12 September 1788), Scottish clergyman, died.

1868 A colloquy for unity between the Missouri Synod and the Ohio Synod opened.

1870 John McClintock (b. 27 October 1814), American Methodist scholar and clergyman, died.

1875 John E. Gould, sacred music composer and publisher, died while visiting in Algiers, Algeria (b. 9 April 1821).

1890 Franz Delitzsch, German Lutheran Old Testament scholar and theologian, died (b. 23 February 1813).

1894 August Reinke (1841–1899) delivered the first Missouri Synod sermon for the hearing-impaired to sixteen persons in Chicago. This marked the beginning of synodical deaf work.

1901 Daniel W. Whittle (b. 22 November 1840), American evangelist and hymnist, died.

1915 Edward Traill Horn, professor and president of the Pennsylvania Ministerium, died (b. 10 June 1850, Easton, Pennsylvania).

1936 Henry Nau (1881–1956), educator and missionary, left for Nigeria on behalf of the Lutheran Synodical Conference.

1956 The religious TV program American Religious Town Hall aired for the first time over ABC television. Seen on Sunday afternoons and moderated by Episcopal Bishop James A. Pike (1913–1969), the program consisted of a panel debating religious and moral topics of the day. It ran through 9 June 1957.

1967 Carl S. Mundinger Sr. died at Winfield, Kansas (b. 1 February 1894, Manawa, Wisconsin). He graduated from Concordia Seminary (Saint Louis) in 1917 and served congregations in Walker and Hopkins-Excelsior, Minnesota. In 1936 he became president of Saint John’s College (Winfield, Kansas) and served in that office until 1958, remaining thereafter on the faculty as a professor.

1970 The Frankfurt Declaration of statements on mission was adopted by German theologians. It holds that (1) Christian mission discovers its foundation, goals, tasks and the content of its proclamation solely in the commission of the resurrected Christ and His saving acts; (2) the first and supreme goal of mission is glorification of the name of the one God throughout the world and proclamation of the lordship of Christ, His Son; (3) Christ our Savior, true God and true man, is the basis, content and authority of our mission; (4) mission is the witness and presentation of eternal salvation performed in the name of Christ by His church and fully authorized messengers by preaching, the sacraments and service; (5) the primary visible task of mission is to call out the messianic, saved community from among all people; (6) the offer of salvation is directed to all who are not yet bound to Christ in faith; and (7) the Christian world mission is the decisive, continuous saving activity of God among men between the resurrection and the final coming of Christ.

1977 Herman Koppelmann, mission executive of the LCMS, died in Saint Louis (b. 2 March 1909). Prior to his retirement in 1975, Koppelmann served the synod in many mission offices. After serving Illinois parishes for twelve years, he joined the mission department in 1948 as assistant secretary for the Board for Foreign Missions. He served the Board for Missions in various capacities and was acting executive secretary of the board from 1974 to 1975. After retirement Koppelmann served as president of Stamps for Missions and was consultant to the synodical Task Force on Constitution, Bylaws and Structure.