Statue of Charles Wesley in Bristol

29 March

Charles Wesley (above), evangelist and hymn writer of 18th century Britain’s Great Awakening, died on this day in 1788, aged 80. He was buried in the churchyard of St Marylebone Parish Church, London. He wrote an estimated 6,500 hymns and was the first person to be called a Methodist, a decade before his and John’s conversion, because he encouraged his university friends to be methodical in their studies.

Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last!
Jesus, Lover of my soul, Charles Wesley

Today in 1982, Chariots of Fire, the story of the world’s fastest missionary, won Best Picture at the Oscars. It told the story of Eric Liddell, who won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924. Liddell refused to compete in the 100 metres, his best race, because it took place on the Christian sabbath. He ran instead in the 400 metres and set a world record. He went on to become a missionary in China, and died in a Japanese internment camp in 1945.

‘I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.’ Eric Liddell

This is the feast day of St Gwynllyw and St Gwladys, a Welsh king and queen who lived in the 5th century and were converted by their son. They took to asceticism, to the extent of bathing in the river every night of the year followed by a mile’s walk in the nude. Why not celebrate by singing the Welsh national anthem in the shower?

Born today in 1602 was John Lightfoot, the English priest, Hebrew scholar, and academic. He was the author of many books, including the succinctly titled, A Few and New Observations upon the Book of Genesis: the Most of them Certain; the Rest, Probable; All, Harmless, Strange and Rarely Heard of Before. He also calculated the date of the creation of the world to nightfall on a date in the autumn of 3929 BC.

Emanuel Swedenborg, the Swedish theologian and mystic, died in London this afternoon in 1772, on the day he had predicted in a letter he wrote a month earlier to John Wesley. Originally a scientist and inventor, he began to experience visions in the 1740s, and then to write books with the aim of reforming Christianity. Fifteen years after he died, the New Church movement was founded in London, based on his teachings.

Image: Mike Wise

Time-travel news is written by Steve Tomkins and Simon Jenkins

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