William M. Branham (1909–1965) was an American Christian minister and
faith healer who initiated the healing revival movement after World
War II and left a lasting impact on televangelism and the modern
Charismatic movement. After claiming to have received an angelic
visitation on May 7, 1946, Branham launched his worldwide ministry and
campaigning career in June. His inter-denominational meetings were the
largest religious meetings that had ever been held in some American
cities. Branham was the first American deliverance minister to
successfully campaign in Europe. His ministry reached global audiences
with major campaigns held in North America, Europe, Africa, and India.
Crowds were drawn to his stories of angelic visitations and reports of
miracles happening at his meetings. His ministry spawned many emulators
and set in motion the broader healing revival that later became the
modern Charismatic movement.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_M._Branham>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1870:
The current flag of Japan was first adopted as a civil ensign
for Japanese merchant ships.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Japan>
1900:
FC Bayern Munich, Germany's most successful football club, was
founded.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Bayern_Munich>
1940:
American biochemists Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discovered
carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, which is now used
extensively as the basis of the radiocarbon dating method to date
archaeological and geological samples.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-14>
2002:
Violent riots, perceived to have been instigated by a train
fire that killed 58 Hindu pilgrims, broke out in the Indian state of
Gujarat, killing at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, over three days.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhra_train_burning>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
pronoia:
1. (philosophy, theology) Divine providence, foreknowledge, foresight.
2. (historical, Byzantine Empire) An imperial grant to an individual of
temporary fiscal rights in the form of land, incomes or taxes from land,
fishing rights, etc., sometimes carrying with it an obligation of
military service. […]
3. (psychology) A belief (sometimes regarded as irrational) that people
conspire to do one good.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pronoia>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
I believe the great ones, Plato, Lao Tze, Buddha, Christ, Paul
and the great Hebrew prophets are not remembered for negation or denial.
Not that it is necessary to be remembered but there is one purpose in
writing I can see, beyond simply doing it interestingly. It is the duty
of the writer to lift up, to extend, to encourage. If the written word
has contributed anything at all to our developing species and our half
developed culture, it is this: Great writing has been a staff to lean
on, a mother to consult, a wisdom to pick up stumbling folly, a strength
in weakness and a courage to support sick cowardice. And how any
negative or despairing approach can pretend to be literature I do not
know. It is true that we are weak and sick and ugly and quarrelsome but
if that is all we ever were, we would milleniums ago have disappeared
from the face of the earth, and a few remnants of fossilized jaw bones,
a few teeth in strata of limestone would be the only mark our species
would have left on the earth.
--John Steinbeck
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Steinbeck>