July 19
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1799 - Rosetta Stone Found.
On this day in 1799, during Napoleon Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign, a French soldier discovers a black basalt slab inscribed with ancient writing near the town of Rosetta, about 35 miles north of Alexandria. The irregularly shaped stone contained fragments of passages written in three different scripts: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and Egyptian demotic. The ancient Greek on the Rosetta Stone told archaeologists that it was inscribed by priests honoring the king of Egypt, Ptolemy V, in the second century B.C. More startlingly, the Greek passage announced that the three scripts were all of identical meaning. The artifact thus held the key to solving the riddle of hieroglyphics, a written language that had been "dead" for nearly 2,000 years.
When Napoleon, an emperor known for his enlightened view of education, art and culture, invaded Egypt in 1798, he took along a group of scholars and told them to seize all important cultural artifacts for France. Pierre Bouchard, one of Napoleon's soldiers, was aware of this order when he found the basalt stone, which was almost four feet long and two-and-a-half feet wide, at a fort near Rosetta. When the British defeated Napoleon in 1801, they took possession of the Rosetta Stone.
Several scholars, including Englishman Thomas Young made progress with the initial hieroglyphics analysis of the Rosetta Stone. French Egyptologist Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1832), who had taught himself ancient languages, ultimately cracked the code and deciphered the hieroglyphics using his knowledge of Greek as a guide. Hieroglyphics used pictures to represent objects, sounds and groups of sounds. Once the Rosetta Stone inscriptions were translated, the language and culture of ancient Egypt was suddenly open to scientists as never before.
The Rosetta Stone has been housed at the British Museum in London since 1802, except for a brief period during World War I. At that time, museum officials moved it to a separate underground location, along with other irreplaceable items from the museum's collection, to protect it from the threat of bombs. (www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rosetta-stone-found)
1865 - Dr. Charles Mayo was Born.
This is the famed Rochester, Minnesota, surgeon. This gives us a splendid opportunity to thank God for our doctors and for the progress medical science has made.
1908 - The Birthday of Myron Boyd.
He has served as radio pastor of the "Light and Life Hour," which has reached millions. Some think he was the most famous Free Methodist personality of our century. His headquarters have been at Winona Lake, Indiana. Pray for God's blessings upon the Free Methodist brethren, and then upon those who preach the Gospel by radio.
1910 - Harold Boon was Born at New Castle, Pennsylvania.
He has served as president at Nyack Missionary College and has been very influential in the Christian and Missionary Alliance movement.
1938 - Paul Rader Died.
Paul Rader pastored the Moody Church in Chicago from 1914 until 1921, and then he founded the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, which was for years the evangelistic center of Chicago. He was one of the greatest evangelical, soul-winning Christian leaders of the 20th century and one of the greatest preachers who ever lived. He also was a song writer having written the little chorus, "Only Believe." Let us sing it now.
Only Believe
"Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible
Only believe."
"Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible,
Only Believe."
1965 - Syngman Rhee Died at Honolulu, Hawaii.
Rhee was from 1919 to 1960 the President of Korea. He was the country's first President and supposedly was a Christian. Some say the Korean Christianity owes much to his leadership. Pray for your President today. You may not agree with him, but we can all agree that he is our President. Let's pray for him.
On this day in 1799, during Napoleon Bonaparte's Egyptian campaign, a French soldier discovers a black basalt slab inscribed with ancient writing near the town of Rosetta, about 35 miles north of Alexandria. The irregularly shaped stone contained fragments of passages written in three different scripts: Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics and Egyptian demotic. The ancient Greek on the Rosetta Stone told archaeologists that it was inscribed by priests honoring the king of Egypt, Ptolemy V, in the second century B.C. More startlingly, the Greek passage announced that the three scripts were all of identical meaning. The artifact thus held the key to solving the riddle of hieroglyphics, a written language that had been "dead" for nearly 2,000 years.
When Napoleon, an emperor known for his enlightened view of education, art and culture, invaded Egypt in 1798, he took along a group of scholars and told them to seize all important cultural artifacts for France. Pierre Bouchard, one of Napoleon's soldiers, was aware of this order when he found the basalt stone, which was almost four feet long and two-and-a-half feet wide, at a fort near Rosetta. When the British defeated Napoleon in 1801, they took possession of the Rosetta Stone.
Several scholars, including Englishman Thomas Young made progress with the initial hieroglyphics analysis of the Rosetta Stone. French Egyptologist Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1832), who had taught himself ancient languages, ultimately cracked the code and deciphered the hieroglyphics using his knowledge of Greek as a guide. Hieroglyphics used pictures to represent objects, sounds and groups of sounds. Once the Rosetta Stone inscriptions were translated, the language and culture of ancient Egypt was suddenly open to scientists as never before.
The Rosetta Stone has been housed at the British Museum in London since 1802, except for a brief period during World War I. At that time, museum officials moved it to a separate underground location, along with other irreplaceable items from the museum's collection, to protect it from the threat of bombs. (www.history.com/this-day-in-history/rosetta-stone-found)
1865 - Dr. Charles Mayo was Born.
This is the famed Rochester, Minnesota, surgeon. This gives us a splendid opportunity to thank God for our doctors and for the progress medical science has made.
1908 - The Birthday of Myron Boyd.
He has served as radio pastor of the "Light and Life Hour," which has reached millions. Some think he was the most famous Free Methodist personality of our century. His headquarters have been at Winona Lake, Indiana. Pray for God's blessings upon the Free Methodist brethren, and then upon those who preach the Gospel by radio.
1910 - Harold Boon was Born at New Castle, Pennsylvania.
He has served as president at Nyack Missionary College and has been very influential in the Christian and Missionary Alliance movement.
1938 - Paul Rader Died.
Paul Rader pastored the Moody Church in Chicago from 1914 until 1921, and then he founded the Chicago Gospel Tabernacle, which was for years the evangelistic center of Chicago. He was one of the greatest evangelical, soul-winning Christian leaders of the 20th century and one of the greatest preachers who ever lived. He also was a song writer having written the little chorus, "Only Believe." Let us sing it now.
Only Believe
"Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible
Only believe."
"Only believe, only believe;
All things are possible,
Only Believe."
1965 - Syngman Rhee Died at Honolulu, Hawaii.
Rhee was from 1919 to 1960 the President of Korea. He was the country's first President and supposedly was a Christian. Some say the Korean Christianity owes much to his leadership. Pray for your President today. You may not agree with him, but we can all agree that he is our President. Let's pray for him.
