Today is Tuesday, July 24, the 205th day of 2018. There are 160 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

1768: Death in Hawkhurst, Kent, of Nathaniel Lardner, author of Credibility of the Gospel History, notable for compiling every known scrap of ancient historical evidence that confirmed the biblical account of Christ and the apostles.

1825: Death in Philadelphia of Joseph Pilmore. He had been one of the first two Methodist lay missionaries sent to America by John Wesley, but left the Methodists when John Wesley separated from the Church of England. Pilmore then had become a priest in the Episcopal Church.

1865: Death of Fitch Waterman Taylor. A clergyman, he had sailed as a chaplain and written several books recounting his naval experiences, including The Flag Ship and The Broad Pennant.

1866: Orthodox bishop Theophan the Recluse bids his diocese at Vladimir, Russia, farewell and enters a life of seclusion at Vysha Monastery, to devote himself to prayer, writing spiritual books, and answering the letters of spiritual inquirers.

1905: The Philippine Commission, appointed by the President of the United States, passes ACT #1376 for the speedy disposition of controversies related to church property, convents, etc. When the United States took over the Philippines from Spain, property problems had devolved upon it.

1921: Death of Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, American theologian, pastor, and author of a popular reference Bible.