This Day In History Department
Dismal Day — Also called the Egyptian’s Woe, this day was associated with the plagues of Egypt during the early Christian era and thus was believed to be a day of woe and mourning. The word day in the phrase is actually and etymological tautology since the word dismal was originally the English form of the Latin dies mali or “evil days.” Dismal was at first used as a noun; only later did it become an adjective. Observed somberly, this occasion was intended to be a reminder of the consequences of rejecting the gracious beckoning of God.
1905 — Dietrich Bonhoffer, the German theologian and Lutheran pastor who was hanged by the Nazis, was born in Germany.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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Oblivious To Irony Department
Prior to Sunday's election in Iraq, a group of Sunni clerics had encouraged Sunnis to boycot the election. Now that the election is over, they say it was not legitimate because so few Sunnis participated. You just can't make this stuff up.
Reminds me of the man who, after being convicted of murdering his parents, asked the judge for clemency because he was an orphan.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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Reporting Live On The Scene Department
Well, I'm not on the scene, but my daughter Tish is. The scene is the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo, where she and her classmates are going to be seeing the President give his first speech after the State of the Union address. She packed her camera, so I should have some photos and some first-hand observations from her later today. Stay tuned!
Roy M. Jacobsen
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This Day In History Department
1809 -- The great Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg, Germany. In 1816, his family added Bartholdy to their name when the conferted from Judaism to Chrstianity. Mendelssohn had reached a fully developed compositional style by the age of sixteen, and is best known for his incidental music to A Midsummer Night's Dream; the Scottish, Italian, and Reformation Symphonies; Fingal's Cave and Hebridies overtures; and the oratorios St. Paulus and Elijah.
1876 -- With an initial investment of $800, the Spalding brothers started a sporting goods company. They manufactured the first official baseball, tennis ball, basketball, golf ball, and football.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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This Day In History Department
Candlemas Day — This day is a festival held in honor of the presentation of the infant Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem in accordance with Mosaic Law (Leviticus 12:8-7). When Jesus was presented, Simeon took Him in his arms and called Him “a light to lighten the gentiles” (Luke 2:32). Traditionally, churches would host a procession of communicants holding candles in commemoration of Christ as the Light of the World. According to an old bit of folklore: “If Candlemas Day is fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; But if it be dark with clouds and rain, Winter is gone, and will not come again.”
1653 — New Amsterdam, now New York City, was incorporated.
1901 — Jascha Heifetz, who was one of the greatest violinists of modern times, was born in Russia. He made his first public appearance at the age of six.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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This Day In History Department
107 — Saint Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, Syria, was martyred by being thrown to the wild beasts at the amphitheater in Rome. Ignatius Theophoros (Greek for “God Bearer”) is best known for his seven letters written to the early church. It is probable that he was discipled by the apostle John.
1949 — The RCA Record Company released the first single record which played at 45 revolutions per minute.
1949 — This day was established by presidential proclamation as National Freedom Day in the United States for the purpose of celebrating the 1865 signing of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This day is to be observed in perpetuity.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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Purple Is One Of My Favorite Colors Department
I'm not normally one for rude gestures, but I heartily endorse the Iraqi people giving the "insurgents" the finger.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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This Day In History Department
1547 -- England's King Henry VIII died; he was suceeded by his sickly but pious nine-year-old son, Edward VI.
1986 -- The world looked on in horror when the space shuttle Challenger exploded seventy-three seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members aboard.
From The Christian Almanac.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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Good Names Department
Jay Nordlinger of Nationl Review is in Davos, Switzerland, for annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Among all the names (and Names) he mentions there is this one:
Giuseppe Buongiorno, deputy editor-in-chief of the Italian Panorama. (The name means, essentially, Joe Hello, How Are You?) How could Giuseppe Buongiorno fail to be friendly? I'm afraid to find out.
Roy M. Jacobsen
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Ball Park Franks Department
The Christian Carnival is up this week at Digitus, Finger & Co. More bloggy goodness, half the calories!
Roy M. Jacobsen
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