Matthew Henry
Matthew Henry was born at Broad Oak, Flintshire, in October 1662, into the godly home of Philip and Katharine Henry, less than two months after his father was ejected under the Act of Uniformity from ministry in the Church of England. He had one brother, John who died at the age of six, and four…
Read MoreHarriett Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe remains one of the most recognizable names in United States history. Her seminal work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is often credited as a catalyst for the Civil War and stands as a monumental contribution to abolitionist literature. However, Stowe’s convictions transcended political discourse, delving into profound moral and spiritual realms. While her historical…
Read MoreAbraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln requires little introduction. Born in 1809 in Kentucky, he ascended from the obscurity of the frontier to the highest office in the land, navigating a path shaped by law, politics, and the sectional crisis of his time. As the 16th president of the United States, he bore the immense burden of leading the…
Read MoreBenjamin Rush
“There is no one outside my own family whose friendship was so essential to my happiness.” John Adams wrote these words about Dr. Benjamin Rush. He was a man beloved by people near and honored by many from afar. One example is the number of students he taught at the College (now University) of Pennsylvania.…
Read MoreElizabeth Alexandra
Queen Elizabeth II had a strong Christian faith, evident throughout her life in her words and actions. As well as her formal role as ‘Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England’, which came with monarchy, her personal faith was evident even before she was crowned. ‘Pray for me … that…
Read MoreC.S. Lewis
Few authors of fantasy literature are as beloved as C.S. Lewis, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on November 29, 1898. Time magazine has listed the first of his Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as one of the top 100 English language novels written in the twentieth century. Time had earlier…
Read MoreJ.R.R. Tolkien
Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University, a brilliant philologist, and a self-described “hobbit,” J.R.R. Tolkien created two of the best-loved stories of the 20th century, “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”, recently made into a multiple award-winning movie by the director Peter Jackson for New Line Cinema. Early Life John Ronald Reuel Tolkien…
Read MoreAnne Bradstreet
Anne Bradstreet was born in 1612 to a nonconformist former soldier of Queen Elizabeth, Thomas Dudley, who managed the affairs of the Earl of Lincoln. In 1630 he sailed with his family for America with the Massachusetts Bay Company. Also sailing was his associate and son-in-law, Simon Bradstreet. At 25, he had married Anne Dudley,…
Read MoreAugustine of Hippo
Aurelius Augustine was born in 354 at Tagaste, Algeria, in North Africa, the son of Patricius, a non-believer, and his devout Catholic wife, Monica. Though he was enrolled as a catechumen by his mother when he was a boy, Augustine’s baptism was deferred to a later time in accordance with the prevailing custom. From his…
Read MoreCharles Wesley
The Rev. Charles Wesley, M A., “sweet singer of Methodism” and arguably the greatest hymn writer ever, died on March 29th 1788. As a hymn writer he needs no introduction. His hymns show little sign of losing their appeal after more than 200 years. However, little else is commonly known about the life of one…
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