December 30, 1823: Charles G. Finney, the most effective evangelist America had ever seen, is licensed to preach. Though it is hard to gather accurate statistics, he is often directly, or indirectly credited with the conversions of around 500,000 people (see issue 20: Charles Finney).
December 30, 1852: Future U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes marries "Lemonade "Lucy," so called because, as first lady, she forbade alcohol in the Executive Mansion. The Hayeses were both devout Methodists who began each day with prayer and organized Sunday evening worship services at the White House.
