Christoph Vischer

Vischer, Christoph, son of Jakob Vischer or Fischer, burgess at Joachimsthal, in Bohemia, was born at Joachimsthal in 1520. He matriculated at the University of Wittenberg in Nov. 1540 (B.A. 1544), and was ordained at Wittenberg on Feb. 10, 1544, as pastor and probst at Jüterbogk, near Wittenberg. He was then appointed (in 1552) cathedral preacher and superintendent at Schmalkalden; in 1571 pastor and general superintendent at Meiningen; in 1574 court preacher and assistant superintendent at Celle (Zelle); and in 1577 chief pastor of St. Martin's Church at Halberstadt. He returned to Celle in 1583, as general superintendent of Lüneburg, and died at Celle in October, 1597.
Vischer was a somewhat voluminous writer. Rotermund gives the titles of 29 works by him. Only one hymn is known as his, viz.:—
Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ, Dass du für uns gestorben bist. Passiontide. This is included in pt. ii. of the Dresden Gesang-Buch, 1597 (thence in Wackernagel, v., p. 248), marked as by M. C. F., and in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, viz. st. i. as above, and
ii. Und bitten dich, war Mensch und Gott.
iii. Behüt uns auch für Sünd und Schand.
iv. Und draus schöpffen die Zuversicht.
The only portion we have been able to find in any work of Vischer's is st. ii. This occurs in hisChristliche unnd einfeltige Erklerung der gnadenreichen Historien des Leydens und Sterbens hochtröstlicher Aufferstehung und siegreicher Himelfart unsers lieben Herrn Jhesu Christi, auch der Sendung des Heiligen Geistes, &c, Schraalkalden, 1585 [British Museum]. The same stanza is found in the edition Schmalkalden, 1568 [Berlin Library]. Mützell, No. 344, prints the four stanza form from the text given by J. C. Olearius, Jena, 1710, as a reprint of the original, and as entitled “A children's hymn composed by M. Christoph Vischer for the Christian community at Schmalkalden, upon the strengthening uses of the bitter sufferings and death of Christ Jesus our Saviour." It is also in thUnerfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 122. The translations are:—
1. We bless Thee, Jesus Christ our Lord; For ever be Thy name adored. This is a good and full translation by Dr. Kennedy, as No. 622 in his Hymnologia Christiana, 1863.
2. With thanks we glory in Thy Cross. This is No. 331 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754. [Rev.James Mearns, M.A.]

--Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)