306: Boniface of Tarsus Chooses Christ
On December 19, 306, in Tarsus during the fierce persecutions of the early fourth century, Boniface—sent to recover the remains of martyrs—was himself conquered by the gospel. Watching Christians endure torture with steady calm and prayer, he recognized a strength no empire could produce. He confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, refused every demand to renounce Him, and was executed for that confession. His turning was as sudden as it was sincere: a living testimony that repentance is never out of reach, and that the fear of God can overcome the fear of death.

343: Nicholas of Myra Honored on the Old Calendar
December 19, 343 is kept on the old calendar in memory of Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Lycia, who is remembered for bold charity and unwavering confession of Christ. In an age when believers could face prison and pressure to compromise, Nicholas was known as a shepherd who protected the flock and quietly relieved the suffering of the poor, giving in a way that sought God’s approval rather than praise from men. His remembrance calls Christians to steady faith, courageous love, and hidden generosity—holding the truth without shame and serving the needy as unto the Lord.

401: Anastasius I Stands for Sound Doctrine
December 19, 401: Bishop Anastasius I of Rome finished his course after a short but steady ministry spent guarding the church from error. In days when Origen’s speculative teachings were spreading confusion, he spoke plainly against distortions that blurred the meaning of Scripture and unsettled simple faith, urging bishops in the West to hold fast to the apostolic truth. He also encouraged faithful teachers like Jerome as they contended for clarity and holiness. Anastasius’ firmness reminds believers that love for Christ includes love for sound doctrine, and that true unity is found only in the truth.

1370: Urban V Longs for Reform and Holiness
On December 19, 1370, Urban V died in Avignon after a papacy marked by a sober longing to see Christ’s church strengthened through learning, discipline, and moral renewal. A former Benedictine monk, he pressed for higher standards among clergy, supported universities, and worked to restrain corruption and favoritism. In 1367 he courageously returned the papal court to Rome, seeking steadiness and reform, yet political turmoil and pressure forced his return to Avignon only months before his death. His example asks us: will we seek God’s approval more than the world’s comfort?

1777: Valley Forge: Endurance in the Cold
December 19, 1777, Washington led roughly 12,000 Continental soldiers into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where thin clothing, scarce food, and disease would soon claim about 2,000 lives. The army built log huts, stood watch in snow, and learned hard lessons in unity and discipline that later strengthened their fight. In that bleak season, many turned to prayer, Scripture, and the steady ministry of chaplains, confessing need and pleading for God’s providence. Valley Forge reminds weary believers that endurance is forged in suffering, and the Lord sustains those He calls to stand.

1790: The First Day Society Begins
On December 19, 1790, a meeting commenced in Philadelphia that led to the formation of the First Day Society, an early Sunday school effort devoted to teaching children—especially those with little access to learning—the Scriptures alongside basic reading and moral instruction. In an age when many young lives were shaped by hardship and neglect, these volunteers chose patient, weekly service, trusting that God’s Word could reform hearts and steady communities. Their work reflected courageous compassion: giving time, organization, and personal attention so the next generation might know Christ, love what is good, and walk in wisdom.

1808: A Hymnwriter Who Pointed the Thirsty to Christ
On December 19, 1808, Horatius Bonar was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, a pastor-poet whose life would help many hear the gospel with fresh clarity. Serving Christ in parish ministry and later identifying with the Free Church during the Disruption, he labored for a church free to proclaim the Word without compromise. Through missionary biographies, devotional writing, and more than 600 hymns, Bonar pressed weary souls toward the Savior’s finished work. In “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say,” he gave simple, memorable voice to Christ’s invitation: come, drink, and live.

1843: A Christmas Carol Rekindles the Call to Repentance
On December 19, 1843, Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol in London, a story born amid the harsh realities of industrial poverty and the chilling indifference of comfortable hearts. Self-financed and quickly embraced—its first printing of thousands selling out before Christmas—it put before the public a vivid picture of a man confronted, humbled, and transformed. Though not Scripture, Scrooge’s awakening echoes the biblical call to repent and believe, then to bear fruit in keeping with repentance: open hands, restored relationships, and concern for the poor and oppressed. It still urges a softened heart and courageous mercy.

1855: A Hymn That Summons All Creation
On December 19, 1855, William Henry Draper was born in Leeds, England, later serving faithfully as an Anglican clergyman and giving the church words it still sings with glad conviction. Draper is best known for "All Creatures of Our God and King", an English rendering of a Latin hymn rooted in the praise-filled “Canticle of the Sun,” long linked to St. Francis of Assisi. Written for children and embraced by congregations worldwide, it teaches believers to join sun, wind, and living things in exalting the Triune God—steady, humble worship that turns every breath into doxology.

1860: A Hymnwriter Who Taught Hearts to Trust
Frank E. Graeff was born December 19, 1860, and would become an American Methodist clergyman remembered for warm storytelling and a steady passion for children’s ministry. He wrote more than 200 hymns, giving the church simple, singable words that lift weary souls toward Christ. His best-known text, “Does Jesus Care?” has strengthened countless believers with its honest question and faith-filled answer, pointing to the Savior who is never distant from sorrow. Graeff’s life reminds us that serving the young and comforting the hurting are holy callings, and that faithful words can outlast a lifetime.

1885: Conscience and Creed in the Public Square
On December 19, 1885, in Old Plymouth’s annual Forefathers’ celebration, Adoniram Judson Gordon reminded a proud crowd that a nation’s heritage cannot substitute for a living faith. Fresh from being jailed for preaching on Boston Common in the open-air spirit of George Whitefield, Gordon spoke with calm courage, rebuking “civilians without conscience” and “clergymen without creed.” He pressed home that freedom without holiness becomes license, and religion without doctrine becomes empty ceremony. His stand called believers to clear conviction, fearless witness, and a gospel-shaped conscience in public life.

1944: Songs of New Birth and Joyful Witness
Andrew Robert Culverwell was born on December 19, 1944, and would go on to serve the church through sacred songwriting that points hearts to Christ. Known for widely sung favorites like “Born Again” and the Christmas classic “Come On, Ring Those Bells,” Culverwell helped give congregations simple, memorable words for great gospel truths—new life through Jesus and bold, joyful testimony to His coming. His work reminds believers that faith is meant to be confessed and celebrated, and that music can carry the message of salvation into homes, churches, and everyday life.

1965: Rules Rooted in God’s Character
On December 19, 1965, missionary-apologist Francis A. Schaeffer penned a letter reminding believers that God’s commands are not arbitrary: they are “fixed in His own character,” so sin is never mere rule-breaking but a turn toward “destroying what we really are.” In an era growing confident in moral autonomy, Schaeffer’s counsel joined truth with compassion, echoing the work he and Edith were doing at L’Abri among searching students and skeptical travelers. His words still steady the conscience today, calling us, with humble courage, to repent, trust Christ, and live whole under God’s good authority.

1986: Faithful Witness in Nigeria
Pastor Abel Kolawole died on December 19, 1986, in his nineties, leaving a legacy of courageous gospel ministry in Nigeria. Born Orisagbemi Owoahere, he turned to Christ and soon faced death threats that forced him to flee his home and take a new name. Rather than hide, he carried the message of salvation among the Yoruba and Nupe peoples, often opposed by Muslims and traditional religionists. His long life testified that the Lord sustains those who endure hardship for His name, and that faithful sowing can outlast fear.