On this day: May 3,
May 3, 1721 : Hans Egede to Greenland
“....On this day, May 3, 1721, Hans Egede sailed with his wife for the inhospitable regions of the north.
Greenland is a harsh land. No settlement is possible except along the coasts, for the interior of the world's largest island is ice-covered year round. In spite of all its ice, Greenland's northern regions are more arid than the driest Sahara, receiving less than five inches of rain a year. The southern coasts receive 30 inches a year. There grasses grow and some trees: alder, birch and willow. Hans Egede found both winter and summer beautiful despite the low average temperatures and pale sun that never rises high in the sky.
In 1722 he founded a colony and named it Godthåb. Known as Nuuk today, it is capital of the nation. From this base he preached to the Eskimos, but saw few indications of success....”
more at http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/daily.php
“...The tradition of the Daily Texts began in 1722 when Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760) offered land and protection to refugees from Bohemia and Moravia. The settlement established was called Herrnhut, meaning under the "Watch of the Lord". The devout community held morning and evening devotions, consciously placing their lives in the context of God’s Word.
On May 3, 1728, during the evening service, Count Zinzendorf gave the congregation a Losung – "watchword." This developed into an oral tradition of having a daily watchword for the community, shared from home to home by one or more congregation members. Eventually, Zinzendorf compiled 365 watchwords for a year and the first edition of Losungen was published in 1731....
... In 1732, when the first Moravian "messengers" left for overseas mission work they carried a copy of the Daily Texts with them. This book naturally connected the messengers with the members of their home congregations, who were reflecting on the same scripture passages. From these humble beginnings, the Daily Texts has become one of the most widely read daily devotional guides in the world... ”
more at http://www.dailytext.com/dailytexts/Heritage.php