St. Bernardino of Siena as born in Massa Marittima, italy. He became a notable Franciscan reformer. His chief aim was to regenerate the age in which he lived. He was responsible for moral reforms in many cities and was a powerful religious force in Italy. He died in 1440 and was canonized just six years later.
Peter Martyr (Pietro Vermigli, not to be confused with the more famous Dominican saint of the same nickname who was assassinated in 1252) was born in Florence, Italy. He joined the Augustinians at age 16 and headed the order by age 41. His later acquaintance with Valdes, Zwingli and Bucer brought him accusations of heresy. Vermigli feld from Catholic controlled territory to Protestant Switzerland in 1542. Five years later, at Cranmer's invitation, he went to England. Here he was professor of divinity at Oxford and took part in the preparation of the Book of Common Prayer. After Mary Tudor ascended the throne, restoring Roman Catholicism as the religion of England, Vermigli fled persecution to Strassburg, Germany. In 1556 he became professor of Hebrew at Zurich, a position he held until his death in 1562.
Lydia Baxter was born at Petersburg, New York. She and her sister were converted under the preaching of a Baptist, Reverend Eben Tucker. Shortly afterward, the two sisters were largly responsible for forming a Baptist church in their home town. After marriage, Mrs. Baxter moved to New York city where she carried on Christian activities despite being bed-ridden. Among those activities was the writing of Christian poems, one of which became the well-known hymn "Take the Name of Jesus with You."
