Saint Catherine of Alexandria is one of the most popular Christian martyrs. Her feast day is November the 25th. She is also remembered on November 5th, Firework Night, because one of the fireworks - the Catherine Wheel - has been named after her. Very little is actually known about her. She is not mentioned in writing, until the 9th century, so it is only through memory and traditional stories, that we know anything about her. It is believed she was born of noble birth, probably a princess. She became a Christian aged 14 years old following amoving vision of Mary and the infant Jesus. She spoke to emperor Maxentius about his cruelty to Christians. Initially, rather than her executed, he summoned 50 orators and philosophers to debate with her. She was so eloquent in her defence of her faith that several pagans were converted. Unable to intimidate her to give up her faith he ordered her to be tortured and imprisoned. He decided to have a killed. She was tied to a water wheel fitted with spikes. Somehow she survived this form of torture. Eventually he had her beheaded. I have included pictures of Saint Catherine and listed meaning of her name. Sources used The Church’s Year, britannica, catholic org/saints and nameberry.

Commissioner Elijah Cadman was an evangelist and early member of the Salvation Army - the idea of wearing a uniform was his idea. He stood only 5 feet tall and became known as the ‘Converted Sweep’ and ‘Fiery Elijah’ because of his zeal for preaching. Elijah was born in Coventry on 10thDecember 1843. He was the youngest of 5 children. His father was transported aboard the ’ Equestrian’ to Australia in 1845 for stealing. He started work as a silk weaver along side his mother and one of his sisters. Aged from 6 -13 he found work as a chimney sweep, until it became unlawful. By the time he was 17 he could ’ fight like a devil and drink like a fish.’ Aged 21 he became a Christian having heard a street preacher in Rugby - who had intended to heckle! He abstained from drinking and smoking. He then spent all his spare time as a Methodist lay preacher. Elijah was illiterate and hired a boy to read the Bible to him. He committed large chunks to memory. Aged 22 he married Maria Rosina Russell (1841-1923) in 1865 who taught him to read and write. They had 6 children , 2 died as children. Aged 33 (1876) he sold his house and chimney sweeping business and took his wife and children to London to join William Booth’s The Christian Mission. He was appointed to the Hackney (East London) Christian Mission Station where he visited slums in the day and preached in the streets at night. Elijah was instrumental in the militarization of the language used by the SA. In 1878 Elijah was sent to open The Christian Mission’s campaign in Whitby. He announced the ‘Hallelujah Army’, under Captain Cadman, was declaring war in Whitby. 2,000 at once wanted to join the SA. 3,000 regularly attended the meetings. He announced that the ‘General’ was coming to Review the troops. His reports in the* Christian Mission * magazine were ’ War News’. Later Elijah was put in command of the Yorkshire Corps and made responsible for all the newly named SA s activities in the county. The style of the uniform was decided at the August 1878 Congress, Elijah said , *I would like to wear a suit of clothes that would let everyone know I meant war to the teeth and salvation to the world, 1881 Elijah is now a Major. In 1888 he is appointed to International HQ in London. In 1890 he is a Colonel and first leader of the Men’s Social Work HQ… In later years he held the role of International Commissioner and campaigned for the S.A. abroad in many countries. Until July 1900 he was in charge of the City Colony- a homeless shelter in London. He joined William Booth on all his motorcades around the UK. Elijah and his wife, Marina, retired from active service in 1915. Marina died on 8th Janaury 1923, Elijah died on 12th December 1927 . As prominent Salvationists the couple were buried in Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington. ( Elijah’s uniform etc. is part of the S.A. International Centre’s collection) Sources The Salvation Army wikipedia

Elim Pentecostal Church have just celebrated 100 years. Their founder, George Jeffreys, a Welshman, was an evangelist with a Welsh Congregational background. At the age of 15 he gave his life to Christ. George, along with his brother Stephen and others, started a Christian revival movement. It started in a small way but soon 1000s of people came to their conventions and camp meetings and many were saved. In 1962 George spoke to Reinhard Bonnke. just before he left for south Africa.He invited him in for tea and prayed for the 22 year old, passing on his 'mantle'. Elim Pentecostal Church have brought out a book, a DVD and a Music CD to celebrate. They also have a very good web site simply called Elim - Our History.

George Muller is remembered for the tremendous work he did with orphans in the nineteenth century in Bristol. He, with his first wife Mary, were responsible for looking after over 10,000 orphans. If he needed anything he took it to the Lord in prayer. He never solicited for donations but money or food or drink, or what ever was needed ‘happened’ following prayer. He was also responsible for 117 Christian schools and the educating of 120,00 children. Aged 70 he began a 17 year period of missionary travel with his new wife, Susannah, which took him across the five continents. This was in pre-aviation times and he covered some 200,000 miles. Incredible He returned to England in 1892. He died on 10th March 1898 in New Orphan House no.3. George Muller had originally came over to England in 1825 to work for the London Society for Promoting Christianity Amongst the Jews but due to ill health early on they went their separate ways. Their loss was Bristol orphans gain.

Saint Joseph of Arimathea feast day falls on the same day as Saint Patrick in some countries. Joseph was the one who went to Pontious Pilate, the Roman governor, to ask for the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. He with Nicodmus placed His body in a new tomb. I have typed out in full all the passages where Joseph is mentioned in each of the four Gospels He is mentioned in the Apocryphal (hidden) Gospels saying he went on a preaching mission to Gaul which lasted nearly thirt years. Legends about Joseph and Glastonbury were written in the Middle Ages…

A Christmas and New Year Vocabulary plus a clip art picture for the diary.

Catherine of Siena is one of the outstanding figures of Medieval Catholicism She was the youngest of 25 children. She was a nun and a mystic. She was both clever and good so even popes sought her advice. She is remembered for her role in encouraging the Pope Urban V to return to Rome and for her letters. She never actually learnt how to write- dictated letters to secretaries. She died at the young age of 33 through exhaustion. She remains a greatly respected figure for her spiritual writings and political boldness to ’ speak truth to power ’ - it being exceptional for a women in her time period (Middle Ages) to have such an influence in politics and on world history. There were two tasks she set herself to accomplish. She wanted the Popes to move from Avignon, in France back to Rome so that ancient tradition was restored. Secondly she wanted peace between the pope and the people of Florence. She accomplished both of those aims/tasks. Her ’ Dialogue ’ , 100s’ of letters and dozens of prayers also gives her a prominent place in the history of Italian literacy. Pope Urban V1 celebrated her funeral in the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. She was the first woman to be declared ’ doctor of the church ’ by Pope Paul V1 in 1970. Sources used wikepedia, The Church’s Year by Charles Alexander, Historicas Women and Encyclopedia of Saints by Howard Loxton

Paul E.Reed was the founder of Trans World Radio (TWR) in1960. In 1931 Radio broadcasting of the Gospel by shortwave radio started in. HCJB Quito in Ecuador went on the aie after careful planning by Clarence W. Jones and Reuben Larson. In 1948 the Far East Broadcasting Company began its initial broadcasting in Manila, the Philippines. On February 22, !954 the Voice of Tangier began broadcasting the gospel on air. Paul E. Reed was at the helm. Paul had travelled reluctantly to Spain having received a burden to reach the Spaniards with the Gospel. (See page 1 of Tower to Eternity- the book he published in 1979 ) After 5 years he learnt that all radio stations were to be nationalised in Morocco. In 1960 TWR was formed and on October 16th TWR began broadcasting from Adolf Hitler’s former bomb proof radio building in Monte Carlo. With his mother’s encouragement and prayers and the miraculous intervention of Radio Monte Carlo who were willing to discuss entering into a contract with the newly named TWR. TWR could now begin to reach out to the world. Read extract from Ambassador for Christ Read * Tower to Eternity , published in 1979, which is Paul’s inspirational history/biography from 1948- 1964 (available from american radio history/history com. /archive -station - 152 pages to read/ down load/buy). He helped to build up a network which stretched around the world. To the extent that 80% of the world could receive broadcasts in 120 languages. 1993 Paul retired from the presidency but continued as chairman of TWR. He died in 1996. His legacy is the Trans Word Radio (TWR) which is a the largest Christian media organization in the world. Currently programmes can be heard in 190 countries in more than 230 languages and dialects. I do not think he regretted to Spain after all. Sources Tower of Eternity by Paul E. Reed * Ambassadors for Christ * contribution by E. Brant Gustavson dacb Dictionary of Christian Biography wikipedia

Sister Annie was a Norwegian missionary nurse who served in China and Hong Kong. In China she stood out because she was 190cms tall. She became a national hero when she appeared on the Norwegian version of *This is Your Life * in 1985. The Miracle at Midnight heading is the story of when Sister Annie and a friend almost lost their lives. This happened one day in June 1941 in northwest China. They were watching a procession and were asked to take off their hats to show respect to idols. Sister Annie refused and said her God would bring rain before midnight. Half an hour before midnight it rained. Sister Annie’s prayer was answered. By the age of 27 she had joined the Norwegian Missionary Association. In 1938 she arrived in Shaanxi, a province in Northern China where she stayed until the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War in 1950. In 1951 the defeat of the Kuomintang meant all foreign missionaries had to leave and she moved to Hong Kong. Between 1953-5 Sister Annie worked at the Rennie Mill refugee camp. In 1955 Sister Annie worked with Helen Wilson and Hanny Gronlund to found the Haven of Hope Hospital - it is a rehabilitation centre for Chinese refugees.She worked there until her retirement in 1978. In 2015 it celebrated 60 years. In 1963 she was appointed as a First Class Knight of St. Olav. In the 1975 December Time * cover story named her as one of the world’s * living saints* along side Mother Teresa. In 1979 she was rewarded and MBE (Member of the British Empire) for her tireless labours in Hong Kong. I have included a list of the books she wrote. Sources wikipedia and * Ambassadors for Christ* edited by J.D. Woodbridge contributors Avid and Gudveig Meller

Mary was an American educator , stateswoman, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist and civil rights activist. Whilst she was studying at the Moody Bible Institute she felt clear call to mission service in Africa. She was rejected - no openings for a black missionary in Africa - her major disappointment. She taught for a while in Georgia and then returned to South Carolina. She met and married Albertus Bethune. In 1899 they opened a mission school. In 1904 Mary met a traveling Methodist minister who told her about the terrible conditions in Daytona working on the railways. She was up to the challenge and the same year, on October 4th, she opened a new school. She then, for a few dollars down, bought an abandoned garbage dump and turned it into a school. It became the permanent site for the Daytona Beach Literacy and Industrial School for Negro girls. Within 2 years she had 250 female students. Mary developed extraordinary fund raising skills. John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate was a major benefactor. As the school grew Mary’s greatest challenge was the Ku Klux Klan In 1920 Mary led a spirited vote registration drive that promoted Klan harassment. The stage was set for showdown between Mary and the Klan on the night before the mayoral election. Mary and her female pupils were ready. (Read ’ Quit running ') The election the next day the black voters waited patiently until all the white voters had cast their votes -the Klan endorsed candidate lost. By 1929 the school had been renamed Bethune-Cookman College. After this she turned her attention to black womens civil groups. (read ’ Civic Groups’ ) Resources used wikipedia Britannica online Encyclopedia Ambassadors for Christ contribution from Harold ivan Smith.

George Frisk shortly after his arrival in Borneo commented 'I’ll fly the gospel here ’ watching two hornbills gliding along effortless after they had taken hours to travel, by canoe, only a few hundred yards from their campsite. Born into a godly family in Binghamton , New York 1905 . Aged 8 he attended a circus where he showed a lot of interest in 'Wild Man of Borneo '. He asked his mother if missionaries went there. She replied ’ No '. It planted a seed that he would be the one to take the gospel to them. 16 years later, 1929, he was in Borneo. He had pursued missions and medical studies in college. His first attempts to be accepted for Borneo failed but Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) accepted his application. His comment amount fly the gospel was said in 1932 after carrying boats around an unnavigable section of a Borneo river. George corresponded with Dr. R. A. Jaffrey, the person who had first encouraged him. Jaffrey was now his field director and he was supportive. George in 1935, on his furlough, obtained his pilot’s license and ‘soloed’. In 1938 the board granted George’s proposal to buy an aircraft. The Beechcraft SE 17B was selected. Floats were installed . The plane was then disassembled, crated and shipped to Borneo. where it was reassembled. Paul Robinson, a pilot, listened to George’s presentation before WW11. After the war he was deemed too old to fly but persuaded the Moody Bible Institute to begin a programme to train students to fly and care for airplanes. James Truxton , another pilot,in 1943 heard George speak. He with George and two others formed Christian Airman’s Missionary Fellowship (CAMF) - now MAF. Six mission aviation programmes were created within a short space of time (Read Missionary Aviation Fellowship paragraphs). George’s vision of 1932 was more than fulfilled. In 2013* Arrivals and Departures* under the title * The Plane Truth* tells the story of George Fisk. In 2017, Geogette , his grand daughter, says thanks for keeping his story alive. George’s vision of using aeroplanes to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ is very much alive. Sources used wikipedia Ambassadors for Christ* contribution from John and Steve Wells Mission Aviation fellowship

The story of the Auca 5 is about 5 Christian missionaries who lost their lives hoping to bring Christianity to the Auca tribe in Ecuador. It happened on January 8th 1956. These young men lost their lives but eventually the Auca tribes people came to know Christ. The 5 widows told how they met people who had of heard of their husbands deaths and how it had affected them. The widows and mission agencies received letters from around the world (read paragraph Far reaching impact). All 5 of the widows have met people who have told them the deaths of the men affected their lives. The story has been turned into both a book and a film Through Gates of Splendor . Their daring mission has been recounted over and over again in Christian books and magazines. Incredible all 5 Indians who had killed the 5 missionaries are not only believers in Christ they are also spiritual leaders among their own people.June 11th 1992 they received the New Testament in their own language. ( read paragraph Where it all began). ** From the very day the men died to the present, God has been at work, lives have been changed, and history testifies that the Auca five did not die in vain. Olive Liefield The first set of notes are from Ambassadors for Christ written by Olive Liefield. The second part from wikipedia is a lot of background to the story. Sources Ambassadors for Christ edited by John D. Woodbridge wikipedia

Martin Luther King was a gifted African- American Preacher and civil rights leader. His sermonic appeals for justice and personal activism helped change the course of American life. His most famous appeal was* I have a dream* speech - a dream for freedom and equality for black people. ( Read I had a dream speech). I have included a brief bibliography of his life written by History . It highlights all the important events of his public life - from his birth to his assassination ( page 1, of 4, lists the highlights). As a preacher his sermons became more Christ centred with a growing emphasis on the cross. He was one of the most compelling speakers of the twentieth century. Michael Duduit in his list of top 10 twentieth preachers in the world ranked Martin 4th. ( Read 4. Martin Luther King, Jr) Martin considered himself a preacher of the gospel rather than a civil rights leader. Fundamentally he was clergyman, a Baptist preacher. He was tragically assassinated in 1968. May his dream one day be fulfilled. I have also included 2 large print pages I used when teaching. Sources History The 10 greatest preachers of the 20th century

George was born and raised in Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire. At the age of 11 he remembered experiencing the ‘pureness’ of Divine presence. At the age of 12 he was apprenticed to a local tradesman - a cobbler, then as a partner with a wool and cattle dealer. His integrity brought him commercial success but there was a spiritual rage furiously within. In 1643 he left home to seek the truth. By 1647 he was already a discerning critic of his culture. He turned to Bible reading and prayer. he began to talk to everyone about his ideas. In 1649 he was imprisoned for the first time. At his second trial in Derby (1650/1) a judge used the word ‘quaker’ in a sarcastic manner- according to George that’s whenit was first used. 1652 he climbed Pendle Hill in Lancashire where he had a vision of a’ great people to be gathered together’ waiting for him The beginning of the Society of Friends (Quakers) is dated soon afterwards. George preached on Firbank Fell,near Sedbergh, in Cumbria. Some days later he was at Swarthmoor Hall, home of Judge Fell, Margaret Fell and family. Swarthmoor was to become a vital hub for the Society in Margaret’s capable hands. Many of the new Friends were seekers from various denominations who were disillusioned with state religion. They responded eagerly to his prophetic proclamation of a new Day of the Lord. George and other Friends travelled all over the country. George went to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland. Judge Fell did a lot to protect them until he died in 1658. Charles11 came to throne in 1660. George was imprisoned for 2 years in 1664/6. He began a journal which he continued to write until his death. On October 27th 1669 he married Margaret. There were now had Friends in the Caribbean. In 1671 they set sail for Barbados arriving in October. The Barbadian economy was slave based; some Friends were slave owners. George suggested freedom after 30 years service 1677 they went to to Holland and Germany. In the 1680s he spent a great deal of time lobbying Parliament against the persecution of Quakers. George lived to see the fruits of his labour when the Declaration of Indulgence followed by The Toleration Act of 1689 granted limited freedom to Quakers. The movement gradually took shape as a denomination. Several meeting houses were built before he died in London, on 23rd January 1691. George believed faithful witness to the Kingdom by word and deed would speed the gathering of the world’s peoples to Christ. Sources used Quakers in the World Great Leaders of the Christian Faith Woodbridge contribution by Arthur O. Roberts wikipedia

Bud in his lifetime challenged 100s of 1000s students to give their lives to serving Christ in the ’ foreign field '. Bud survived an accident with an axe before he was two. His mother prayed for his healing and dedicated her son to Jesus. In the dream that followed she saw children from all countries coming to her son’s side. Jon Hinkson, his son, in ’ Ambassadors for Christ ’ , tells us a great deal about his father’s ministry, especially behind the Iron Curtain. from his birth to his final cycle ride to heaven. I have based this article on the headings he used. (See full text) Memory Harvest. He was gifted with an incredible memory. His godly grandmother laid down the foundations of his Scripture memory. Years later Shirley Milligan, his future wife, wrote a list entitled * The man if I marry*. Bud memorized it and would remind her when he fulfilled a trait. Together they shared most of Bob’s adventures. The University Ambassador Team Bud remembered in Luke 10 where Jesus sent out 70 in pairs - the result was the University Ambassador Team. This team came to the UK. The watchword was Win, Build , Send and they were blessed with a lasting harvest. There were many foreign students. Bud spent a whole year in Africa. But they were drawn to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. *** Behind the Iron Curtain*** Bud with his wife and two children headed for Vienna with their passports inaccessible in the van. On the Romanian border a guard saw Shirley’s Bible. He got away with it by gaining the guards sympathy by saying his wife was a religious fanatic. Bud’s ministry involved the whole family. He began the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry in Poland in 1975. 20 years before the Berlin Wall fell Bud was all over the Soviet Block quietly organizing one of the greatest missionary endeavors of the twentieth century. Opportunities and adversaries In 1990 while teaching the scriptures in a secluded Czechoslovakian hayloft he was invited to deliver 5 lectures on Christianity at the Soviet Academy of Science. In 1992 , on his last trip to Russia, he taught 400 students from across the former Soviet Union Filled with joy and peace he literally radiated God’s love to those around Him He died as a result of head injuries sustained in a cycling accident in Germany. Bud was 58. The New Life Christian School in Moscow in 1992 was renamed Hinkson Christian Academy in memory of Bud. Sources * Ambassadors for Christ * contribution from his son Jon Mission Poland History of Hinkson

Jack. aged 9, was placed in an orphanage by his overwhelmed mother. He left the orphanage when he was 17. He began to drink and gamble. 1941 Jack joined the army - that’s probably where he was ‘born again’. He attended church services every evening and as a result was persecuted by his fellow soldiers. A sergeant sent him to see a psychiatrist - they concluded he wasn’t a danger to himself or or others. 1944 left the army and was ordained minister of the Assemblies of God (A of G) in Springfield, Missouri. Jack was a large man with a dynamic platform presence. The boldness of the Spirit of God was evident in his blunt to the point, frank, sometimes overbearing direct preaching style, which communicated with the masses. They walked out of his meetings full of faith for tomorrow He brought healing to the sick. After a song he would grab those in wheelchairs by the hand and jerk them up out of their chairs. The proof that God was with him was they walked away healed. Jack went to an Oral Roberts revival meeting and decided he wanted a bigger tent that Roberts. He bought the largest tent in the world- it held 22,000 seats. Jack shared a testimony of a time when he asked God to fill one of his tents. He prayed, God, you can fill this tent. The reply was, Give all the glory to Jesus Christ, and I will bless you and cause you to grow and prosper. 1950 he published The Herald of Healing magazine. Within 6 years it was being delivered to 360,000 readers. He opened a children’s orphanage. 1953 A of G expelled Jack- in their opinion he had become too independent and extreme. He built one of the largest churches in Dallas - the Dallas Revival Center in just 2 years. This he was now his home base and center of his ministry activities. 1956 he set up his tent in South Florida. 1000s attended . Miami’s officials heard he was praying for the sick without a medical license - they put Jack in jail! In a packed courthouse he won the case. The same year Jack died of polio while preaching in Hot Springs , Arkansas. Jack died on 16th December, he was only 39. Dr. Kenneth Hagin Sr. , founder of the Word of Faith Movement said * Jack Coe had the strongest healing anointing of anyone in my life time. Definition of Voice of Healing Revival included in notes Sources used Voice of Healing evangelist What was the voice of Healing Revival?

Frank Arthur ‘Bones’ Jenner was an Australian evangelist, born in England. His signature approach to evangelism was to ask people on George Street, Sydney, If you died within 24 hours, where would you be in eternity? Heaven or hell? Frank was born on 2nd November 1903 and raised in England. According to his posthumous biographer, Raymond Wilson, he was anti-authoritarian and during WW1, aged 12, sent to work on a ship for misbehaving boys. In South Africa he was bitten by a tsetse fly and contracted trypanosomiasis (a sleeping sickness) and in a coma for 15 days. He recovered but suffered from narcolepsy (sudden and uncontrolled episodes of deep sleep) for the rest of his life. He was never allowed to drive a car. He joined the Royal Navy but deserted in New York to join the US Navy. Aged 24 he deserted again while in Australia. He then worked for the Royal Australian Navy until he bought himself out in 1937- with no pension. By this time he was into gambling and he kept a rabbit’s foot for luck - hence his nickname ’ Bones’. While in Melbourne he met Charlie Peters who invited him to dinner. On 6th of July 1929 he married Charlie’s daughter, Jessie. In 1937 he encountered a group of men from Glanton Exclusive Brethren. One was engaged in open-air preaching. Frank said he would listen to the good news if he could share his first -they played crap on the pavement. One of the brethren invited him to his home and he converted to Christianity. Jessie thought he had become manic or insane and left him, taking their daughter Ann. Jessie then had boils and with care from the Brethren became a Christian. Frank and Jessie made up. He stopped gambling but money was tight-he was often unemployed because he would evangelize at his work place and get fired! Jessie then had a peptic ulcer and moved to India until she recovered. In 1939 he was recalled to active duty and given a shore duties in Sydney. After WW11 he was a janitor for IBM. For the next 28 years Frank engaged in personal evangelism. He set himself the target of speaking to 10 people a day. He woke up at 5 am daily to pray. He kept a verse in his pocket* I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me* (Phil4:13) He probably spoke with more than 100, 000 people - by opening with ‘If you die…’ on George Street and giving them Scripture tracts until he was debited with Parkinson disease. In 1952 Rev Francis Willmore Dixon, from Bournemouth, decided to travel to Australia with his wife, Nancy. He had heard Peter Culver, his youth pastor, and Noel Stanton testify that Frank was the reason they were converted. They met Frank in 1953. Frank was now 50 and he cried when he heard for the first time that his evangelism had worked Frank died of cancer in 1977. By 1979 Dixon had discovered 10 people. Nancy, wrote The Jenner story 2000 Wilson published Jenner of George Street: Sydney’s Soul-Winning Sailor the true story of an extraordinary man

Anne Askew, (married name Anne Kyme (1521-1546) was an English writer, poet and Protestant martyr. She was condemned as a heretic in England during the reign of Henry VIII. She is the only woman on record known to have been tortured in the Tower of London and burnt at the stake. She is also one of the earliest female poets to compose in the English language. She is the first woman to demand divorce using scriptural grounds. Anne was born in 1521 in Lincolnshire, England. Her father was Sir William Akew a gentleman in the court of Henry VIII. Her father arranged for her eldest sister Martha to marry Thomas Kyme. Martha died before the marriage so to save money her father had Anne married to him instead. Anne was a devout Protestant, studying the Bible and memorizing Biblical verses and remained true to her beliefs for the whole of her life. Her pronouncements against transubstantiation ( the belief that the bread and wine at Holy Communion actually changed into the body and blood of Christ) created controversy in Lincoln. Her husband was Catholic. They had 2 children before he threw her out for being a Protestant - alleged that she was seeking divorce so this did not upset her. In London she was a ‘gospeler’ or a preacher to all. March 1545 husband had her arrested. He demanded she returned to Lincolnshire but sh escaped. Early 1546 arrested then released. May 1546 arrested and tortured in the Tower of London. 18th June 1546 convicted of heresy and condemned to be burned at the stake. 16th July 1546 martyred in Smithfield, London (Read ‘Background on 1546’, ‘Plain speaking’, ‘Arrest and interrogation’ plus ‘Execution’) Those who watched her execution were impressed by her bravery. Anne listened to BIshop Shaxton when he preached from the pulpit. She audibly expressed agreement when he spoke anything considered truth. Anything contrary she exclaimed There he misseth, and speaketh without the book She did not scream until the flames reached her chest. After her death Anne Askew’s autobiographical and publishished Examinations - in its original form - chronicle her persecutions and offer a unique look into 16th century femininity, religion and faith. (Read ‘Legacy’ and ‘Examinations’) Anne Askew was an intelligent, articulate Christian woman who used written Scripture as her defence. *God hath geven me the gyfte of knowledge, but not of utterance, And Salomon sayth, that i Wolde not throw pearles amonge swyne, for acornes were good ynoubh * Matthew ch7 v 6

Candlemas(s) is a Christian festival also known as Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Feast of the Holy Encounter.*** Candalmas(s) commemorates the presentation of Jesus, as a baby, at the Temple in Jerusalem - Luke ch.22 verses 22-40 ( see notes). This would have happened after the traditional 40 day period of purification of the mother. In the Biblical story Simeon picks up the baby in his arms. When he said theNunc Dimittis he included the phrase a light for revelation to the Gentiles .* It is for this reason that this event is called Candlemas. Many Christians consider Jesus as ‘the light of the world’ so it is fitting that candles are blessed on this day. A candle-lit procession precedes the mass. Many Orthodox Christians celebrate the event by bringing beeswax candles to their local church so they can be blessed to be used in the church or home. Crepes are eaten at Candlemas in such places as France. The idea of Candlemas is believed to have started in the 4th century, with the lighting of candles coming in the 5th century. In the USA and Canada it is also *Groundhog Day. *

John Harper (1872-1912) was a Scottish Baptist minister who died when th RMS Titanic sank on 15th April 1912. John was born on the 29th May 1872 in the village of Houston, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He embraced his parents Christian faith when he was aged 14 and began preaching aged 18. He supported himself as a young adult by doing manual work in a mill until Baptist pastor E. A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission of London heard him preach. Carter placed him in ministry work in Govan, Scotland. In 1897 he became the first pastor of Paisley Road Baptist Church in Glasgow. Under his care the church grew from 25 to over 500. They then moved to a new location on Plantation Street. In 1923 they moved to their present building on Craigiehall Street and renamed it Harper Memorial Baptist Church in his honour. By 1912 John was pastor of Walworth Road Baptist Church, in London. He was a widower with a 6 year old daughter Annie Jessie (Nana). He boarded the Titanic, with his daughter and sister Jessie W. Leitch, to go and preach in the Moody Church in Chicago, where he had preached the previous fall. The ‘unsinkable’ Titanic hit an iceberg on the 14th April and was lost. His daughter and sister were placed in a lifeboat and survived. John refused a seat on the lifeboat and stayed behind. He then jumped into the water as the ship began to sink. Some survivors said that John preached the Gospel to the end Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved Acts 16 v31 first aboard the sinking ship and then afterwards to those in the freezing water before dying himself. One report says that John knowing he could not survive long in the icy water, took off his life jacket and threw it to another person with these words* You need it more than I do! * Moments later Harper disappeared beneath the water. 4 years later, when there was a reunion of the survivors of the Titanic the man to whom Harper had witnessed told the story of the rescue and gave testimony of his conversion recorded in a tract - I was John Harper’s Last convert His daughter, Annie Jessie, married a pastor, and went on to be the longest living Scottish Titanic survivor and died in 1986. A hundred plus years after his death we are still benefitting from the lasting effects of those final moments before he sank into the ocean. He left an example for 10s of 1000s of us who would never have heard of him if he had survived. God sees the big picture; we see but a small slice. A letter, written by John before he got on board, was auctioned in 2020. at a Titanic memorabilia in Wiltshire, for £42k. The auctioneer, Andrew Aldridge said , John Harper was probably one of the bravest men on that boat. Sources used Wikipedia Challenging the Physical Elements by Tony Batchelor