August 18, 1688: John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress preaches his last sermon, in London (see issue 11: John Bunyan).
August 18, 1732: In an emotional farewell service, Moravian Christians at Herrnhut sing 100 hymns and commission Leonard Dober and David Nitschmann as missionaries to slaves in the West Indies. Herrnhut, a community of only 600 members sent more than 70 missionaries between 1732 and 1742 (see issue 1: Nicolaus Zinzendorf).