January 28: Today in Christian History

January 28, 814

Death at Aachen, Germany, of Charlemagne, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the greatest rulers of all time, he was influential in church matters.

January 28, 1077

Pope Gregory VII (Hildebrand) absolves Henry IV at Canossa, Italy, after forcing him to stand three days barefoot in snow.

January 28, 1547

Edward VI becomes king of England and promotes the Reformation.

January 28, 1561

Persecution of French Huguenots is suspended by the Edict of Orleans during the reign of Francis II.

January 28, 1568

Repose (death) of Venerable Theodosius, an Orthodox ascetic who had founded the Totma Ephraimov wilderness monastery in Volgoda.

January 28, 1834

Sarah L. H. Smith reaches Beirut, where she will devote her life and energy as a missionary to Syrian women.

January 28, 1896

Death of Joseph Barnby in London. A noted choir leader and composer, he wrote many hymn tunes, including those to which we sing “O Perfect Love,” “Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus,” “Stand up, Stand up, for Jesus,” “Jesus Lover of My Soul,” "Just as I Am Without One Plea," "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (also used for "How FIrm a Foundation"), “When Morning Gilds the Skies,” and "Now the Day Is Over." He had also led the first English performance of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater.

January 28, 1906

Conversion of Oswald J. Smith at a Robert A. Torrey evangelistic meeting. Smith becomes a notable evangelist as well as a hymnwriter.

January 28, 1907

Death of John Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides. His wife and son died shortly after he began work. Alone and broken-hearted, he dug a grave and buried them. A man of great faith, he survived numerous threats from the islanders.

January 28, 1998

Michelangelo’s drawing of Jesus asking the Samaritan woman for a drink sells for $7.4 million at a Sotheby’s auction.