August 3, 1521

An order of the French parliament was published throughout Paris to the sound of trumpets, commanding all booksellers, printers, and others with German Reformer Martin Luther’s books in their possession, to give them up within eight days or face imprisonment and fine.

August 3, 1492

The Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria set sail on their historic voyage which brought Europeans to the Americas.  The expedition’s leader, Christopher Columbus, had both missionary and trade ambitions.

July 28, 1847

The Mormon community that followed Brigham Young chose the site for their future temple (and present-day headquarters) near the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

July 22, 1620

A small congregation of English Separatists who had taken refuge in the Netherlands with their minister, John Robinson, left Leiden, Holland, bound for their native England.  In December of that same year, these Separatists emigrated from England to the New World.  In our country we refer to these persecuted religious emigrants as “the Pilgrims.”

July 21, 1958

English Christian apologist C.S. Lewis asserted in Letters to an American Lady: “What the devil loves is that vague cloud of unspecified guilt or unspecified virtue by which he lures us into despair or presumption.”