TODAY IN HISTORY-TUESDAY APRIL 12, 2011

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Today is Tuesday, April 12, the 102nd day of 2011. There are 263 days left in the year.

THE CIVIL WAR STARTED 150 YEARS AGO TODAY!

Today in History:  AP Highlight in History: On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space, orbiting the Earth once before making a safe landing. AP Photo
On this date in: 1606 England adopted the Union Jack as its flag. 1861 The Civil War began as Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina. 1877 The catcher for Harvard's baseball team, James Tyng, wore a modified fencing mask behind the plate. It is believed to be the first time a catcher's mask was used during a game. 1945 President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, Ga., at age 63. AP Photo 1981 The space shuttle Columbia blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on its first test flight. AP Photo 1983 Harold Washington was elected Chicago's first African-American mayor. 1999 U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright found President Bill Clinton in contempt of court for giving "intentionally false" testimony in a lawsuit filed by Paula Jones about his relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. 2002 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez resigned under pressure from the country's divided military. (He was returned to office two days later.) 2004 Barry Bonds hit his 660th home run to tie Willie Mays for third on baseball's career list. (Bonds is now the career leader in home runs.) 2009 American cargo ship captain Richard Phillips was rescued from Somali pirates by U.S. Navy snipers who shot and killed three of the hostage-takers.		Today's Birthdays: Actor Ed O'Neill ("Modern Family," "Married ... With Children") turns 65 years old today. AP Photo/Vince Bucci Name Profession Age Montserrat Caballe Opera singer 78 Herbie Hancock Jazz musician 71 Frank Bank Actor ("Leave it to Beaver") 69 John Kay Rock singer (Steppenwolf) 67 Tom Clancy Author 64 Dan Lauria Actor ("The Wonder Years") 64 David Letterman Talk show host 64 Scott Turow Author 62 David Cassidy Actor, singer ("The Partridge Family") 61 Andy Garcia Actor 55 Vince Gill Country musician 54 Amy Ray Folk singer, musician (Indigo Girls) 47 Nicholas Brendon Actor ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") 40 Shannen Doherty Actress 40 Jennifer Morrison Actress ("House M.D.") 32 Brendon Urie Rock musician (Panic at the Disco) 24 Saoirse Ronan Actress ("Atonement," "The Lovely Bones") 17 Actress Claire Danes turns 32 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Thought for Today:

"Future years will never know the seething hell and the black infernal background of countless minor scenes and interiors, (not the official surface courteousness of the Generals, not the few great battles) of the Secession war; and it is best they should not — the real war will never get in the books." — Walt Whitman, American author and poet (1819-1892).

“A Prayer For The Persecuted Church”

Father, help us to be moved by the plight of those who are prepared to suffer and even lay down their lives for the sake of Christ.  We remember them in our prayers and remember them as warriors of the faith, who for the joy set before them endured the suffering, shame and agony of their tormentors.  As they endured the humiliation they also overcame by the blood of the Lamb.  Many of them have received the crown of life in heaven that is rewarded to those martyred for their faith.  On Coronation Day when we all gather in heaven we look forward to enjoying earnest fellowship with these tried and true saints of our faith who did not give up meeting together to worship You.  Keep us faithful when tested by fire, we pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.