Today is Wednesday, July 25, 2007.

On this day in history:

   0325 - The Council of Nicea closed. Regarded as the first 'ecumenical
    council,' its 300attending bishops drafted the Nicene Creed
    and fixed the formula for Easter Sunday.
   1741 - English revivalist George Whitefield wrote in a letter: 'Your
    extremity shall beGod's opportunity.'
   1845 - Canadian-born Catholic missionary Fran?ois Blanchet was
    consecrated bishop of thePacific Northwest. He devoted 45
    years to planting churches, and is remembered today as
    the'Apostle of Oregon.'
   1899 - Birth of Stuart K. Hine. While an English missionary to the
    Ukraine, Hine pennedthe English words to an oft-sung Swedish
    hymn, known today as 'How Great Thou Art.'
   1968 - Pope Paul VI published the encyclical 'Humanae Vitae.' It
    restated the Catholicposition on the family, and condemned all
    artificial methods of birth control.
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Copyright 1987-2007, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author,
from 'Almanac of the Christian Church'