Birthdays on April 28

Birth at Folkestone, Kent, England, of Anthony Ashley Cooper, who became Lord Shaftesbury, a leader in Parliament and a Believer involved in many Christian enterprises. From 1828, when he was appointed a member of a committee of inquiry into the treatment of lunatics, he constantly strove to improve the lunacy laws and administration; and it is largely due to his efforts that most of the worst abuses were removed. His name was chiefly associated with his noble and successful efforts to improve the conditions of factory workers. About 1833 he first proposed the limitation of the working day to ten-hours. The proposal first became law in 1847. On the spiritual side, for 39 years he was chairman of the Ragged School Union. He was president of the Bible Society, of the Pastoral Aid Society, of the Protestant Alliance and other Christian organizations. He was an ardent evangelical, and opposed Unitarian beliefs and ritualistic practices.