Reginald Heber – birth, Apr. 21, 1783

When Spring Unlocks the Flowers

When spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil;
When summer’s balmy showers refresh the mower’s toil;
When winter binds in frosty chains the fallow and the flood;
In God the earth rejoiceth still and owns his Maker good.

The birds that wake the morning and those that love the shade;
The winds that sweep the mountain or lull the drowsy glade;
The sun that from his amber bower rejoiceth on his way,
The moon and stars their Master’s Name in silent pomp display.

Shall man, the lord of nature, expectant of the sky,
Shall man alone, unthankful, his little praise deny?
No; let the year forsake his course, the seasons cease to be,
Thee, Master, must we always love, and Savior, honor Thee.

The flowers of spring may wither, the hope of summer fade,
The autumn droop in winter, the birds forsake the shade;
The winds be lulled, the sun and moon forget their old decree;
But we, in nature’s latest hour, O Lord, will cling to Thee!

Reginald Heber was born this date 4/21/1783, at Cheshire,England.  He attended Oxford and married a Miss Shirley (her last name).  He penned  “Holy, Holy, Holy” “From Greenland’s Icy Mountains” and over 50 more hymns publishing his first hymn at age 28.

In 1815 he delivered lectures on the The Personality and Office of the Christian Comforter (Holy Spirit). He was made Bishop of Calcutta, India, where he worked to spread the gospel of Christ.  He died 4/3/1826 at Tri­chin­o­po­ly (Tir­u­chir­ap­pal­li), Ta­mil Na­du, In­dia, of a ce­reb­ral hem­or­rhage.

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Adoniram Judson – birth, Aug. 9, 1788

“The prospects are bright as the promises of God.”

Adoniram Judson was born this date, 8/9/1788 at Malden, Massachusetts.  

He was an early reader (age 3) and is said to have “mastered” Greek by age twelve.

In 1812 Judson and wife, Ann, went to India.  They were refused permission to enter so turned to Burma.  There he was imprisoned for seventeen months. Ann wore herself out trying to help him.

Judson died 4/12/1850.

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First Modern Mission Society – founded, Oct. 2, 1782

The Baptist Missionary Society was founded this date, 10/2/1782, in London, England. This first modern mission society was started by William Carey when he was just 21 years of age.  He later became England’s first great missionary to India.

Cary is known for more than one quote but one of the most famous is – “Expect great things from God – Attempt great things for God.”

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C T Studd – death, Jul. 16, 1931

“My own family knew nothing of our circumstances, only that we were in the heart of China.  The last of our supplies was finished, and there was no apparent hope of supplies coming from any human source.  The mail came once a fortnight.  The mail man had just set out that afternoon, and in a fortnight he would bring the return mail.  The children were put to bed.  Then my wife came to my room.  We looked facts in the face.  If the return of the postman brought no relief, starvation stared us in the face.  We decided to have a night of prayer.  We got down on our knees for that purpose.  I think we must have stayed there twenty minutes before we arose again.  We had told God everything that we had to say in twenty minutes.  Our hearts were relieved; it not seem to us either reverence or common sense to keep on talking to God as though He were deaf or could not understand our simple language, or the extremity of our circumstances, or the weight of the words of His Son, Who said that God knew everything before we told Him, or as He said himself, ‘Before they call I will answer.’ And verily He did.”

                        (read more in )

Norman Grubb, C T Studd (Ft.Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1972), 98      

 

C T (Charles Thomas) Studd died this date, 7/16/1931 in the Congo.  He was a child of privilege and famous cricket player who became part of the  “Cambridge Seven.”  He served God in China, India and Central Africa.

“Some wish to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a Rescue Shop within a yard of hell.” — C T Studd

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Amy Carmichael – birth, Dec. 16, 1867

If my attitude be one of fear not faith about one who has disappointed me; if I say “Just what I expected,” if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

                – Amy Carmichael, If (Ft. Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1966), 25.  

 

If I cast up a confessed, repented & forsaken sin against another and allow my remembrance of that sin to color my thinking and feed my suspicions, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

                – Amy Carmichael, If (Ft. Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1966), 27.

 

If I do not give a friend “the benefit of the doubt” but put the worst construction instead of the best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

                – Amy Carmichael, If (Ft. Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1966), 43.

Amy Carmichael was born this day in Millisle, Ireland.  She spent many years of her life in another country beginning with an “I,” India.  Amy arrived in India in 1895 and never left there.  She died in 1951   

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Howard A Walter – death, Nov 1, 1918

“I Would Be True (stanza 3)

I would be faithful through each passing moment;
I would be constantly in touch with God;
I would be strong to follow where He leads me;
I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod;
I would have faith to keep the path Christ trod.    – written in Japan, 1906

Howard Arnold Walter died this date, 1918 in Lahore, India.  A graduate of Princeton University, he also studied in Scotland and Germany.  He taught in Japan and later taught Muslim students in Sri Lanka (former Ceylon) and India dying there at about 35 years of age.

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