March 21, 547: Italian monk Benedict, author of the Benedictine rule (which
established the pattern for European monastic life through the Middle Ages),
dies at Monte Cassino. In 1965 Pope Paul VI proclaimed him the patron saint
of Europe.
March 21, 1146: At the urging of Bernard of Clairvaux (one of the most
famous theologians and monks of his day), France's King Louis VII announces
he will lead the Second Crusade to regain the crusader capital of Edessa.
When he failed two years later, Christians were devastated that a crusade
preached by a moral exemplar and led by royalty could fail.
March 21, 1556: After denying earlier forced recantations, Anglican
Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer, a crucial figure in the English
Reformation and author of the Book of Common Prayer, is burned at the stake
by Queen Mary. He reportedly thrust his arm into the flames, saying the hand
that had signed the recantations should be the first to burn.
March 21, 1685: German organist and composer Johann Sebastian Bach is born
in Eisenach, Germany. Though largely unrecognized in his day and forgotten
for years after his death, he has since become recognized as one of
history's unequalled musical masters. But music was never just music to
Bach. Nearly three-fourths of his 1,000 compositions were written for use in
worship. Between his musical genius, his devotion to Christ, and the effect
of his music, he has gained recognition in many circles as the "Fifth
Evangelist.
March 21, 1747: Slave trading sea captain John Newton dramatically converts
to Christianity during a violent storm. He is best known for penning the
hymn "Amazing Grace".
March 21, 1778: Charles Wesley, brother of John and author of 8,989 hymns
(including "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "And Can It Be," "O for a
Thousand Tongues to Sing," "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling," "Jesus, Lover
of My Soul," "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today," "Soldiers of Christ, Arise,"
and "Rejoice! the Lord Is King!"), dies at age 81.
March 21, 1871: Journalist Henry M. Stanley, on assignment for the New York
Herald, begins his search for David Livingstone in Africa. After he found
him (and uttered the famous words "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"), the
Scottish missionary converted him. Stanley was persuaded to return to Africa
years later to continue missionary work and exploration.
March 21, 1900: After the death of its founder, evangelist Dwight L. Moody,
Chicago's Bible Institute for Home and Foreign Missions changes its name to
Moody Bible Institute.
March 21, 1965: Baptist minister Martin Luther King, Jr., leads more than
3,000 civil rights demonstrators on a march from Selma, Alabama, to
Montgomery. By the time they reached their destination four days later, the
group had expanded to 25,000.
