Today in Christian History   1765 English poet and hymnwriter William Cowper observed in a letter: 'How naturallydoes affliction make us Christians!' 1831 Baptist clergyman Samuel Francis Smith penned the American patriotic hymn,'America' ('My Country, 'tis of Thee'). Smith was unaware that the tune, ironically, wasalso that of England's national anthem: 'God Save the Queen'! 1840 Birth of American sacred composer James McGranahan. His most enduring melodiesinclude CHRIST RETURNETH, MY REDEEMER, NEUMEISTER ('Christ Receiveth Sinful Men') andSHOWERS OF BLESSING. 1870 Birth of James Moffatt, Scottish New Testament scholar. Moffatt translated theNew (1913) and Old (1924) Testaments into the colloquial English of his day. They were firstpublished together in 1935. 1970 American Presbyterian missionary Francis Schaeffer observed in a letter: 'Ifstandards are raised which are not really scriptural,... it can only lead to sorrow. If wetry to have a spirituality higher than the Bible sets forth, it will always turn out to belower.' © 1987-2001, William D. Blake. Used by permission of the author, from Almanac of the Christian Church