Christian A. Bernstein

Bernstein, Christian Andreas, was born at Domnitz, near Halle, where his father, Daniel Bernstein, was pastor. After completing his studies at Halle, he was appointed, in 1695, by A. H. Francke, a tutor in the Padagogium there; was then ordained as assistant to his father (probably at the end of 1696); and died at Domnitz, Oct. 18,1699 (Koch, iv. 365, Allg. Deutsche Biographie ii. 484).

From extracts from the Kirchenbuch of Domnitz, kindly sent by Pastor Tauer, it appears that Bernstein was baptized there, July 12, 1672, and thus was probably born July 9. He signed the book as assistant to his father on March 5, 1697. The funeral sermon, Oct. 20, 1699, was preached at his request by Francke, from Isaiah lxi. The statement by his father (who survived till Feb. 27, 1712), that Christian died at the age of 27 years, 3 months, and 2 days, and in the 3rd month and 2nd day of his age, and 3rd year, 14th week of his ministry, seems hardly reconcilable with the other facts.

In Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch., 1704-5, six of his hymns were included, four of which have been translated into English:—
i. Ihr Kinder des Höchsten! wie steht's urn die Liebe. [Brotherly Love.] 1704, as above, No. 386, in 9 stanzas. Previously in G. Arnold's Göttliche Sophia, Leipzig, 1700, pt. ii. p. 309, as No. i. of the "Some hitherto unknown hymns." Translated as:—" We in one covenant are joined," of stanza v. by J. Swertner, as No. 384 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789.
ii. Mein Vater! zeuge mich, dein Kind, nach deinem Bilde. [Names and Offices of Christ.] 1704, as above, No. 62, in 14 stanzas. The translations are:—
(1) "My Father! form Thy Child according to Thine Image," by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 125 (1732, p. 12). (2) "Father, make me Thy child," No. 546 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754.
iii. Schönster aller Schönen. [Love to Christ.] First published in the Geistreiches Gesang-Buch, Halle, 1697, p. 246, in 8 stanzas. Translated as:—"Fairest of all beauties," No. 681 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754.
iv. Zuletzt gents wohl dem der gerecht auf Erden. [Cross & Consolation.] 1704, as above, No. 440, in 7 stanzas. The translations are:— "At last he's well, who thro' the Blood of Jesus" No. 693, in pt. 1 of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754. Altered 1789, and changed in metre, 1801, beginning "At last he's blest." (2) "At last all shall be well with those, His own," by Miss Borthwick, in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1858 (1862, p. 225; 1884, p. 172). [Rev. James Mearns, M. A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Bernstein, Christian Andreas, p. 135, ii. In Spurgeon's Our Own Hymn Book, and others, "O patient, spotless One" is an altered form of a part of the Moravian Hymn Book translation of "Mein Vater," noted on p. 135, ii. (2). Another cento beginning with the same first line is in the Lady Huntingdon Hymn Book, 1764, and later editions.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)