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Erdmann Neumeister

1671 - 1756 Person Name: E. Neumeister Hymnal Number: 7 Author of "Eins, das bitt' ich mir vom Herrn" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Neumeister, Erdmann, son of Johann Neumeister, schoolmaster, organist, &c, at Uechteritz, near Weissenfels, was born at Uechteritz, May 12, 1671. He entered the University of Leipzig in 1689, graduated M.A. in 1695, and was then for some time University lecturer. In June 1697 he was appointed assistant pastor at Bibra, and in 1698 pastor there, and assistant superintendent of the Eckartsberg district. He was then, in 1704, called by Duke Johann Georg, to Weissenfels as tutor to his only daughter, and assistant court preacher, and shortly afterwards court preacher. After the death of this princess, Neumeister was invited by the Duke's sister (she had married Count Erdmann II. von Promnitz) to Sorau, where on New Year's Day, 1706, he entered on the offices of senior court-preacher, consistorialrath, and superintendent. Finally, in 1715, he accepted the appointment of Pastor of St. James's Church at Hamburg, entering on his duties there Sept. 29, 1715. He died at Hamburg, Aug. 18 (not 28), 1756 (Bode, p. 120; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. xxiii. 543, &c). Neumeister was well known in his day as an earnest and eloquent preacher, as a vehement upholder of High Lutheranism, and as a keen controversialist against the Pietists and the Moravians by means of the pulpit as well as the press. His underlying motive was doubtless to preserve the simplicity of the faith from the subjective novelties of the period. He was the author of one of the earliest historico-critical works on German Poetry (1695"); and of many Cantatas for use in church, of which form of Fervice he may be regarded as the originator. He had begun to write hymns during his student days, and in later years their composition was a favourite Sunday employment. He takes high rank among the German hymn-writers of the 18th century, not only for the number of his productions (over 650), but also for their abiding value. A number are founded on well-known hymns of the 16th and 17th century; and many of his later productions are inferior. Of his earlier efforts many soon took and still hold their place as standard German hymns; and deservedly so, for their simple, musical style, scripturalness, poetic fervour, depth of faith and Christian experience, and for their clear-cut sayings which have almost passed into proverbial use. They appeared principally in the following works:— 1. DerZugang zum Gnadenstuhle Jesu Christo. This was a devotional manual of preparation for Holy Communion, with interspersed hymns. The first edition appeared at Weissenfels in 1705, the 2nd 1707, 3rd 1712, 4th 1715. The earliest edition of which precise details are available is the 5th edition 1717, from which Wetzel, ii. 231, quotes the first lines of all the 77 hymns (the page references to the earlier eds. given by Fischer appear to be conjectural); and the earliest ed. available for collation was the 7th edition, 1724 [Göttingen University Library]. In the later editions many hymns are repeated from his other works. 2. Fünffache Kirchen-Andachten, Leipzig 1716 [Wernigerode Library], a collected edition of his Cantatas (Wernigerode Library has the 1704 ed. of his Geistliche Cantaten), and similar productions. A second set (Fortgesetzte) appeared at Hamburg in 1726 [Hamburg Town Library]; and a third set (Dritter Theil) at Hamburg in 1752 [Hamburg Town Library]. 3. Evangelischer Nachklang, Hamburg, 1718 [Hamburg Town Library], with 86 hymns on the Gospels for Sundays and Festivals, originally written to form conclusions to his sermons. A second set of 86 appeared as the Anderer Theil at Hamburg, 1729 [Hamburg Town Library]. Those of Neumeister’s hymns which have passed into English are:— i. Gott verlasst die Seinen nioht, Ei so fahret hin ihr Sorgen. Cross and Consolation. In his Evangelical Nachklang, 1718, No. 71, p. 149, in 5 stanzas of 8 lines, appointed for the 25th Sunday after Trinity, in Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, it appears in two forms. No. 127 is the original with alterations, and arranged in 11 stanzas of 4 lines, with the refrain "Gott verlässt die Seinen nicht." No. 128 is a form in 3 stanzas of 6 lines, rewritten to the melody, "Jesus meine Zuversicht", and beginning with stanza iii. line 5, of the original, viz. "Gott verlässt die Seinen nicht, Nach dem Seufzen, nach dem Weinen." ii. Jesu, grosser Wunderstern. Epiphany. In his Kirchen-Andachten, 1716, p. 646, in 4 st. of 6 1., with the motto, Auf ihr Christen insgemein! Stellt euch mit den Weisen ein. Jesus muss geschenket sein." It is a hymn on the Gifts of the Magi, and the spiritual sense in which we can offer the same—-the Gold of Faith, the Frankincense of Prayer, the Myrrh of Penitence. In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 208. Translated as:— 1. Jesus! great and wondrous star. A good and full translation by E. Cronenwett, as No. 52 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. iii. Jesus nimmt die Sünder an! Saget doch dies Trostwort Allen. Lent. The best hymn of its author. First published in his Evangelical Nachklang, 1718, No. 47, p. 96, in 8 stanzas of 6 lines, founded on the Gospel for the 3rd Sunday after Trinity (St. Luke xv. 1-7), and also suggested by St. Matt. xi. 28, and Isaiah i. 18. It has come into very extensive German use, especially at Mission services at home and abroad. In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 110. The translations are:— 1. This man sinners doth receive. In full by Dr. H. Mills, in his Horae Germanicae, 1845 (1856, p. 73). His translations of stanzas i., ii., iv., v. are included in the American Lutheran General Synod's Collection, 1850-52, No. 844. 2. Jesus sinners doth receive! Spread the word of consolation. A good translation of stanzas i., iii.—v., by A. T. Russell, as No. 47 in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book, 1848, repeated in his own Psalms & Hymns, 1851. 3. Jesus is the sinner's Friend. A good and full translation by Miss Dunn in her Hymns from the German, 1857, p. 82. Her translations of stanzas i., ii., iv. are No. 46 in Dr. Pagenstecher's Collection, 1864. 4. Sinners Jesus will receive. A full and good translation by Mrs. Bevan in her Songs of Eternal Life, 1858, p. 23. Repeated in full in L. Rehfuess's Church at Sea, 1868, p. 50, and, abridged, in the English Presbyterian Psalms & Hymns, 1867, and Flett's Collection, Paisley, 1871. In Dr. W. F. Stevenson's Hymns for Church & Home, 1873, stanzas i., v., vi., vii. are included, altered, and beginning "Jesus sinners will receive; Say this word of grace to all;" and this form is also in the Baptist Hymnal, 1879. Other translations are :— (l) "My Jesus the sinner receives." By Miss Warner, 1869, p. 51. (2) "Jesus sinners doth receive! Tell to all." By R. Massie in the Day of Rest, 1811. The hymn "Jesus sinners will receive, When they fall," by E. Cronenwett, in 5 stanzas, in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880, is marked as a translation of Neumeister. It follows Neumeister in metre, but seems rather a paraphrase of the hymn "Jesus nimmt die Sünder an, Drum so will ich nicht verzagen." This hymn is by Ludwig Heinrich Schlosser [b. Sept. 1, 1663, at Darmstadt; d. Aug. 18,1723, as pastor at Frankfurt am Main], and appeared in the Appendix to the Frankfurt ed., 1693, of Crüger's Praxis, and in his own Stilles Lob Gottes in dern geistlichen Zion, Frankfurt a. M , 1724 (see Wetzel, iv. 433; Kambach's Anthologie, vi p. xi., &c). In Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, the Neumeister hymn is given as No. 1593 and marked as by G. G. Hofmann, and the Schlosser hymn as No. 1592 and marked as by Neumeister. Hence perhaps the confusion. Hymns not in English common use:--. iv. Bleib, Jesu, bleib bei mir. For the Dying. In his Evangelical Nachklang, 171S, No. 31, p. 64, in 7 st., entitled "For the Second Day of Easter." In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 1434. Translated as "Jesus, near me still abide." By Miss Dunn, 1857, p. 117. v, Herr Jesu Christ, mein höchstes Gut. Love to Christ. One of his best and most popular hymns, apparently written for use at the Sunday celebration of Holy Communion in the castle at Weissenfels. It seems to have appeared in his Zugang, 1705 (Wetzel, ii. 232, cites it as in the 5th edition 1717. In the 8th ed. 1724, p. 17, entitled “Hymn of Consolation from Ps. lxxiii. 23-28 ), and is included in the Halle Stadt Gesang-Buch,1711, No. 524 in 6 st. In Freylinghausen, 1714, it begins "Herr Jesu Christ, mein Fleisch und Blut." In Porst's Gesang-Buch,ed. 1855, No. 546. The translations are (1) "All my desires are fix'd on Thee" (st. iii.). By P. H. Molther as pt. ot No. 401 in the Moravian Hymn Book 1801 (1886, No. 448). (2) "Lord Jesus Christ, my spirit's health." By Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (1856, p. 115). vi. Herr Jesu, meines Lebens Heil. Evening. Apparently in his Zugang, 1705 (Wetzel, ii. 232, as in ed. 1717. In ed. 1724, p. 284 in 10 st), and included in the Halle Stadt Gesang-Buch, 1711, No. 426. In Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, No. 1844. Translated as (1) "Now I'll lie down and sleep in Thee"(st. vi.), as pt. of No. 750 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1849, No. 1137). (2) "Lord Jesu! Thou my life's true health." By H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 92. vii. Ich bin bei allem Kummer stille. Trust in God. Included in the 5th ed. 1717 of his Zugang (Wetzel, ii. 232), and in the ed. 1724, p. 594, in 6 stanzas, founded on Ps. lxxvii. 11. In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 911. It has been translated into English through the recast by J. S. Diterich "Herr, mache meine Seele stille," which is No. 169, in 7 stanzas, in the Berlin Gesang-Buch,1765 (Berlin Gesang-Buch, 1829, No. 599). Translated as "Lord, make my spirit still." By Miss Warner, 1869, p. 26. viii. Ich weiss dass mein Erlöser lebet. For the Dying. In his Evangelical Nachklang, 1718, No. 32, in 5 st., entitled "On the Third Day of Easter." In Bunsen's Allgemeine Gesang-Buch, 1846, No. 437, in 4 stanzas. Translated as "I know that my Redeemer liveth, And as He lives." A good translation from Bunsen in Reid's Praise Book, 1872. ix. Ob Menschen klug und weise sein. Spiritual Wisdom. In his Evangelical Nachklang, 1718, No. 12, p. 24, in 6 stanzas, for the 1st Sunday after Epiphany. In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. Translated as “Here many wise and prudent grow." By Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (1856, p. 109). x. So ist die Woche nun geschlossen. Saturday Evening. Apparently in his Zugang, 1705 (Wetzel, ii. 233, cites it as in ed. 1717. In the ed. 1724, p. 552, in 9 st. entitled "Hymn for the close of the Week"). In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. Translated as “Thou, Lord, Thy love art still bestowing." By H. J. Buckoll, 1842. xi. Wie Gott will, also will ich sagen. Trust in God. Wetzel ii. 214, cites this as in his Zugang, 1717 (ed. 1724, p. 570, in 8 stanzas). In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 919. Translated as “As Thou wilt, my God! I ever say” By Miss Borthwick, in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1858, p. 44 (1884, p. 166), and thence in Bishop Ryle's Collection 1860, No. 163. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Sedulius

400 - 499 Person Name: Coelius Sedulius Hymnal Number: 39 Author of "Christum wir sollen loben schon" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Sedulius, Coelius. The known facts concerning this poet, as contained in his two letters to Macedonius, are, that in early life, he devoted himself to heathen literature; that comparatively late in life he was converted to Christianity; and that amongst his friends were Gallieanus and Perpetua. The place of his birth is generally believed to have been Rome; and the date when he flourished 450. For this date the evidence is, that he referred to the Commentaries of Jerome, who died 420; is praised by Cassiodorus, who d. 575, and by Gelasius, who was pope from 492 to 496. His works were collected, after his death, by Asterius, who was consul in 494. They are (1) Carmen Paschale, a poem which treats of the whole Gospel story; (2) Opus Paschale, a prose rendering of the former; (3) Elegia, a poem, of 110 lines, on the same subject as the Carmen; (4) Veteris et Novi Testamenti Collatio; and (5) the hymn, "A solis ortus cardine". Areval(1794) quotes 16 manuscripts of Sedulius's work, ranging in date from the 7th to the 16th century. The best edition of his Opera is that by Dr. J. Huemer, pulished. at Vienna in 1885. Areval's text is printed in Migne's Patrology: Series Latina vol. xix. This Sedulius must not be confounded with the Irish, or with the Scottish Sedulius, as is sometimes done. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Martin Rinkart

1586 - 1649 Hymnal Number: 369 Author of "Nun danket alle Gott" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Rinkart, Martin, son of Georg Rinkart or Rinckart, cooper at Eilenburg on the Mulde, Saxony, was born at Eilenburg, April 23, 1586.* After passing through the Latin school at Eilenburg, he became, in Nov., 1601, a foundation scholar and chorister of the St. Thomas's School at Leipzig. This scholarship also allowed him to proceed to the University of Leipzig, where he matriculated for the summer session of 1602, as a student of Theology; and after the completion of his course he remained for some time in Leipzig (he did not take his M.A. till 1616). In March 1610 he offered himself as a candidate for the post of diaconus at Eilenburg, and was presented by the Town Council, but the Superintendent refused to sanction this arrangement, nominally on the ground that Rinkart was a better musician than theologian, but really because he was unwilling to have a colleague who was a native of Eilenburg, and who appeared to have a will of his own. Rinkart, not wishing to contest the matter, applied for a vacant mastership in the gymnasium at Eisleben, and entered on his duties there in the beginning of June, 1610, as sixth master, and also cantor of the St. Nicholas Church. After holding this appointment for a few months, he became diaconus of St. Anne's Church, in the Neustadt of Eisleben, and began his work there May 28, 1611; and then became pastor at Erdeborn and Lyttichendorf (Lütjendorf), near Eisleben, entering on his duties there on Dec. 5, 1613. Finally he was invited by the Town Council of Eilenburg to become archidiaconus there, and in Nov. 1617 came into residence at Eilenburg. He died at Eilenburg, Dec. 8, 1649. A memorial tablet to his memory, affixed to the house where he lived, was unveiled at Eilenburg on Easter Monday, April 26, 1886. (Martin Rinkart’s Geistliche Lieder, ed., with a biographical introduction, and an extensive bibliography, by Heinrich Rembe and Johannes Linke, D.D., Gotha, F. A. Perthes, 1886; K. Goedeke's Grundris, vol. iii., 1887, pp. 169, 211, &c.) The greater part of Rinkart's professional life was passed amid the horrors of the Thirty Years War. Eilenburg being a walled town became a refuge for fugitives from all around, and being so overcrowded, not unnaturally suffered from pestilence and famine. During the great pestilence of 1637 the Superintendent went away for change of air, and could not be persuaded to return; and on Aug. 7 Rinkart had to officiate at the funerals of two of the town clergy and two who had had to leave their livings in the country. Rinkart thus for some time was the only clergyman in the place, and often read the service over some 40 to 50 persons a day, and in all over about 4,480. At last the refugees had to be buried in trenches without service, and during the whole epidemic some 8,000 persons died, including Rinkart's first wife, who died May 8, 1637. The next year he had an epidemic of marriages to encounter, and himself fell a victim on June 24. Immediately thereafter came a most severe famine, during which Rinkart's resources were strained to the uttermost to help his people. Twice also he saved Eilenburg from the Swedes, once in the beginning of 1637, and again in 1639 (see p. 319, i.). Unfortunately the services he rendered to the place seemed to have made those in authority the more ungrateful, and in his latter years he was much harassed by them in financial and other matters, and by the time that the long-looked-for peace came (Oct. 24, 1648) he was a worn-out and prematurely aged man. Rinkart was a voluminous writer and a good musician, but a considerable number of his books seem to have perished, and others survive only in single copies. He early began to write poetry, and was crowned as a poet apparently in 1614. Among other things he wrote a cycle of seven so-called "Comedies," or rather dramas, on the Reformation Period, suggested by the centenary of the Reformation in 1617. Three of these were printed respectively in 1613, 1618, and 1625, and two of them were acted in public. Rinkart's hymns appeared principally in the following works:— (1) Jesu Hertz-Büchlein. This was completed in 1630, and first published at Leipzig in 1636. No copy is now known. The second edition, published at Leipzig, 1663, is in the Royal Library at Hannover. (2) Der Meissnische Thränen Saat, Leipzig, 1637. In the Royal Library at Berlin. (3) xlv. Epithalami Salomoneo—Sulamitici cantica canticorum . . . Leibliche Geistliche und Uimmlische Braut Messe, Leipzig, 1642. In Wolfenbüttel Library. (4) Catechismus-wolthaten, und Catechismus-Lieder, Leipzig, 1645. In the Berlin Library. Dr. Linke, 1886, as above, gives a list of the first lines of all the hymns in the works of Rinkart which have come under his notice, and prints a selection from them, including 66 in all. The best of them are characterised by a true patriotism, a childlike devotion to God, and a firm confidence in God's mercy, and His promised help and grace. A few passed into the German hymn-books. Those which have been translated into English are:— 1. Alleluja, Lob, Preis und Ehr. This hymn… seems to be based on two hymns, beginning with the same first line, and both found in Rinkart's Braut Messe, 1642. Dr. Linke does not print the full text. (See Blätter für Hymnologie, 1886, p. 91.) ii. Nun danket alle Gott. Thanksgiving. The oldest text now accessible is in J. Crüger's Praxis, 1648, No. 183, in 3 stanzas of 8 lines; also in the Crüger-Runge Gesang-Buch, 1653, No. 187. It is also in Rinkart's Jesu Hertz-Büchlein, 1663, where the text slightly varies, and is entitled "Grace" ("Tisch-Gebetlein," i.e. a short prayer at table). There does not seem any good reason for supposing that it did not appear in the first ed., 1636, of the Hertz-Büchlein, and in any case it has no connection with the Peace of Westphalia. (A good specimen of the way in which stories of hymns are manufactured is in the Sunday at Home, Aug., 1888, p. 539, where a full and particular account is given of its legendary origin in Nov. 1648.) It is founded on Ecclesiasticus 1. 22-24; and st. i., ii. are indeed little more than a paraphrase of these verses, st. iii. being a version of the Gloria Patri. The fact that the regimental chaplains, when holding the special service of thanksgiving for the conclusion of the peace, were commanded to preach from this passage, may have suggested the theory that Rinkart's hymn was written for the same occasion. It gradually came into general use, successfully survived the period of Rationalism, and is now to be found in every German hymnbook, e.g. in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 1022. It may be called the German Te Deum, and as such is used at all national festivals or special occasions of thanksgiving. It was recently used at the festal celebration of the completion of Cologne Cathedral, on Aug. 14, 1880, at the laying of the foundation stone of the new Reichstags building in Berlin, by the Emperor William, June 9, 1884, &c. The fine melody (set to the hymn in Hymns Ancient & Modern and most recent English collections) appears in the Praxis, 1648 (Crüger's Kirchenmelodien, 1649, No. 94), and in the Crüger-Runge Gesang-Buch, 1653, is marked with Crüger's initials. It has been described as adapted from a melody by Lucas Marenzo (choirmaster at Rome, who died 1598), or as adapted from a motet by Rinkart; but to prove either statement, very little evidence is forthcoming. The translations of the hymn into English are:— 1. Let all men praise the Lord. This is a tr. of st. i., iii., by Alfred Novello, as part of his version of the word-book to Mendelssohn's Lobgesang, or Hymn of Praise, 1843, p. 89. This form has passed into a number of hymnals, including the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859; Dale's English Hymn Book 1874, and others. In the Baptist Hymnal, 1879, a tr. of st. ii. is added, of which 11. 1—4 are from Miss Winkworth's translation. 2. Now praise the Lord on high. In full as No. 53 in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book, 1848. This appears to be the version which Kübler, in his Historical Notes to the Lyra Germanica, 1865, p. 247, says was made by Baron C. K. J. von Bunsen, for the opening of the German Hospital at Dalston, on Oct. 15, 1845. 3. Now let us all to God. In full, by A. T. Russell, as No. 201, in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. 4. 0 let us praise the Lord, From hearts by true love guided. This is No. 240 in the Winchester Church Hymn Book, 1857, and seems to be intended as a paraphrase of the German. 5. Now thank we all our God. A full and very good translation by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 2nd Serv. 1858, p. 145, repeated in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 11, and her Christian Singers, 1869, p. 181. It has been included in many recent English and American hymnals, e. g. Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861; People's Hymnal, 1867; Congregational Hymnal, 1887, &c, and in America in the Episcopal Hymnal, 1871; Presbyterian Hymnal, 1874, and many others, generally in full and unaltered. 6. Now all give thanks to God. In full as No. 264 in the Anglican Hymn Book, 1868 (1871, No. 307), marked as a versification by R. C. Singleton. Repeated in J. L. Porter's Collection, 1876. 7. Now all men thank ye God. In full by T. E. Brown, as No. 37 in the Clifton College Hymn Book, 1872. Other translations are:— (l) "Now let us praise the Lord." In full by J. C. Jacobi, 1722, p. 85 (1732, p. 144), repeated, altered, in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754 to 1886. (2) "Now all, to God give thanks." By Dr. H. Mills, in the Evangelical Review, Gettysburg, 1851, p. 293, and his Horae Germanica, 1856, p. 14. (3) "Lift heart, and hands, and voice." By Miss Cox, 1864, p. 239. (4) “Now all give thanks to God." By J. D. Burns, 1869, p. 252. (5) “All hearts and tongues and hands." By N. L. Frothingham, 1870, p. 212. iii. So fahr ich hin mit Freuden. For the Dying. In his Meissnische Thränen-Saat, 1637, No. 24, p. 19, in 5 st.anzas of 8 lines, entitled "Even the same, and her soul-rejoicing Farewell Hymn. On May 8." St. i. is, "So fahr ich hin mit Frewden Aus diesem Jammerthal, Aus Angst, Gefahr und Leiden In Himmels-Frewden Saal, Da wir und alle Frommen Durch Gottes Wundermacht Zusaminen wiederkominen: In des zu guter Nacht." The title refers to the preceding hymn, which is in 19 stanzas, the initials of the stanzas forming the acrostic Christina Rinckardi. Dr. Linke abridges it and misprints the title, which is:— "Die Teutsche Jobs-Schwester (Christina M. Rinckart's Hertzgetrewe Ehe- und Creutz-genossin) und ihr Tagliches und behägliches Trost Lied. Aus ihrem längst erwählten und am 10. [not 30] Tage des Trosthühlen Meyen dieses 1637. Jahres zum letzten Ehrengedächtniss abgehandelten Leich-Text: des 77. Psalms." From this it is clear that both hymns are in memory of his wife, that she died on May 8, 1637, and that her funeral sermon was preached by her husband on May 10, 1637. The form translation into English is the greatly altered, or rather practically new text. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] * His own statement was that he “was born Anno 1586, Jubilate Sunday, on St. George's day, which was the 23rd of April, between 6 and 7 a.m." In 1586 however Jubilate S. (3rd Sunday after Easter) fell on April 24, while St. George's day is April 23. The entry in the Registers at Eilenburg says that he was baptised "Monday after Jubilate, the 25th of April," which is quite correct. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Johann Heinrich Schröder

1667 - 1699 Person Name: Joh. Heinrich Schröder Hymnal Number: 302 Author of "Eins ist not! ach Herr, dies Eine" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Schröder, Johann Heinrich, was born Oct. 4,1667, at Springe (Hallerspringe) near Hannover. He studied at the University of Leipzig, where he experienced the awakening effects of A. H. Francke's lectures. In 1696 he was appointed pastor at Meseberg, near Neuhaldensleben; and in the registers there records of himself (writing in the third person), " 1696, on the 17th Sunday after Trinity, viz. on Oct. 4, on which day he was born, with the beginning of his 30th year, he entered on the pastorate of this parish." He died at Meseberg, June 30, 1699 (Koch, iv., 381; Blatter für Hymnologie, 1883, p. 192, &c). Schröder is best known by the four hymns which he contributed to the Geistreiches Gesang-Buch, Halle, 1697; and which are repeated in the Geistreiches Gesang-Buch, Darmstadt, 1698; and in Freylinghausen's Gesang-Buch, 1704. They are very good examples of the early hymns of the Pietists, being genuine and earnest outpourings of Love to Christ, not unmixed with Chiliastic hopes for the victory of Zion and the overthrow of Babylon. In the same books are two hymns by his wife (Tranquilla Sophia née Wolf), who died at Meseberg, April 29, 1697. Two of Schröder's hymns have passed into English, viz.:— i. Eins ist noth, aoh Herr, dies eine. Love to Christ. This is included in the Geistreiches Gesang-Buch, Halle, 1097, p. 505, in 10 stanzas of 8 lines, entitled, "One thing is needful. Luke x. 42. Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 30." Its popularity has been due, not only to its own beauty and power, but also to the taking character of the melody to which it is set. This is by J. Neander, in his Bundes Lieder, Bremen, 1680, as the melody of Grosser Prophete; and was altered in Freylinghausen to suit Schroder's hymn. The full form from Freylinghausen is in Mercer's The Church Psalter & Hymn Book, and there called Landsberg. The second part is given in the Bristol Tune Book as Ems. A greatly altered form, as Ratisbon, has passed through W. H. Havergal's Old Church Psalmody into the Irish Church Hymnal, the Scottish Presbyterian Hymnal and others. The translation in common use from Schröder is:— One thing's needful, then, Lord Jesus. This is a good and full tr., by Miss Cox, in her Sacred Hymns from the German, 1841, p. 137. Other translations are:— (1) "One thing is needful! Let me deem." By Miss Winkworth, 1855, p. 183. (2) "One thing's needful:— this rich treasure." By Dr. H. Mills, 1856, p. 92. ii. Jesu, hilf siegen, du Furste des Lebens. Christian Warfare…It is said to have been written, in 1696, as a companion to his wife's hymn, "Trautster Jesu, Ehrenkonig". It was accused of Chiliasm, by the Theological Faculty of Wittenberg, but still holds an honoured place in German collections. The translations are:—(1) "Jesus, help conquer ! Thou Prince everliving." By Dr. H. Mills, 1856, p. 126. (2) "Jesus, help conquer. Thou Prince of my being." By Miss Manington, 1863, p. 2. The hymn beginning, "Jesus, help conquer! my spirit is sinking," by Miss Warner, in 6 stanzas, in her Hymns of the Church Militant, N. Y., 1858, p. 161, borrows little more than the first line from the German. It is repeated in Boardman's Selection, Philadelphia, 1861, No. 463. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Ernst Gottlieb Woltersdorf

1725 - 1761 Person Name: E. G. Woltersdorf Hymnal Number: 293 Author of "Komm, mein Herz, in Jesu Leiden" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Woltersdorf: Ernst Gottlieb W., as a hymn writer, preacher, prolific writer and educators in the field of Erbauungslitteratur one of the most outstanding representatives of pietistic healthy heart and mind towards the middle of the 18th Century. He was born on 31 May 1725 as the sixth son of the preacher to Gabriel Luke Friedrichsfelde in Berlin, who was appointed 10 years after its birth as a preacher at the St. George Church in Berlin. The blessing of a serious Christian education accompanied him to the Berlin High School to the gray convent, from which he received in 1742, only 17 years old, the University of Halle, to be under the direction of the pietistic school teachers belonging to J. Lange, Michael, Baumgarten and Knapp to pay the theological studies. He lived in the Francke'schen orphanage, took part in the lessons in the same upside down, with young men of serious Christian spirit. After the deep impressions he had received from the institutions prevailing in the Francke'schen spirit, he was a pious poet and preacher, the deacon from Köthen teaching, by means of a collegium in the same hall to biblicum held lecture "from the Dear Jesus, "so moved that he by his own testimony to that time in the experience of the truth of salvation in Christ alone is more deeply founded and was able to sit with deliberate, fervent belief in salvation now enthusiastic songs of this testimony. He was no course of internal disputes and disturbances as a result of failed ideas and feelings about certain characteristics of higher or lower level in a state of grace and the work of sanctification. But the road with like-minded friends, the discipline that the regular work exerted in his Schulthätigkeit about him and above all the deepening of his inner life in the biblical truth of the human with no benefits and earnings-related healing properties in the sonship with God did not make him only in Halle, but after traveling in the Ukermark, Mecklenburg, Pomerania, and Saxony, where he geistgesalbten preachers, including the Abbot Steinmetz appeared in Magdeburg, and with faith, mostly Christian-minded lay people of higher and lower levels in the intimate connection of all those inner battles to win and achieve victory even Glaubensfreudigkeit. This led him then to everywhere, to practice diligently in preaching. The resulting received and experienced [175] blessings he testified once in his travel diary with the prayer: Will you give so much on earth, well, what will be in heaven! After he had dressed in a parsonage in the Ukermark where preachers Cordier in Zerrenthin, from 1744 to a private tutor, in which he made because of the relatively large size of the community and all Sundays in preaching and catechise with much pleasure and joy help, followed He instigated and recommendation of his father's friend, the court preacher Zacharia in Dargun in Mecklenburg, where the residence was on his travels he had been particularly blessed in the spring of 1746 the call to an educator position in the home of the widowed Countess of Promnitz on Drehna in Lower Lusatia , where he stopped next to the education and the teaching of the young count, at the request of the parent of the same on Sundays except the church service or special edification of the castle, the preservation of the community from sectarian divisions and the collection of after promotion longing in her life of faith many servants and other members of the community served. As he result of this blessed effect after three months by his father's friend stonemason from Magdeburg received the call to a chaplain job with a local regiment, he same thought with regard to his youth, he was only 21 years old, and his only such a short effective decline in the new position of having to. He learned from the neighboring preachers in Petermann Verschau in short, the Wendish so far that he could preach about the many Drehna to contact the living Gospel. The joy that he has had his insurance after learning and using this language in itself, was surpassed by the joy of how the contact showed their love for him and their gratitude for the administration of the bread of life. He was kicked repeatedly by members of the Brethren in combination, but without the same formally to join what he is mainly due to the otherwise respectfully gathered by him in all things and followed his father's counsel was held in Berlin. Through those relationships, he was the former pastor of the Moravian Church, John Andrew Rothe, of the Count Zinzendorf was in the year 1722 called to Berthelsdorf, where he had worked in support of that community, but then retreated from the same parish and now in the village Tammen at Bunzlau held, and especially as the author of the song: "I have now found the reason," is well known, become acquainted in the way that he of the same community Bunzlau after completion of the second spiritual authority at the local, according to the seizure of Silesia by Frederick the Great of their built Bethany Church was recommended as the right man for this office. He had soon come to the Rothe's request and the citizenship Bunzlaus to be a guest sermon there, the magistrate also get a similar invitation. But he had similar concerns, to obey the call, as before, according to Steinmetz's invitation to accept a field preacher, as he is for the ministry still considered too young. As the magistrate issued a second call to him by a of members of the same on behalf of the citizens of both mounted letter. Because he believed the voice of God to Jer. 1, to question 7: Do not say I'm too young, but you shall go where I send thee, preaching that I bid thee. He traveled to Boleslawiec. Due to its there on the 18th February 1748 held a guest sermon that made a poignant impression on the community, he was elected by a large majority for the second preacher. As was raised by an opponent's [176] party objected to this choice. The matter of his formal appointment was particularly the so-called Orthodox, who presented his orthodoxy questioned, delayed in the way that he could rely on the patient waiting. During which he received in the neighborhood several opportunities to preach. Particularly the community in Friedersdorf on Queis won him while he was staying there for eight weeks, so dear that they expressed the wish that he would remain as their pastor with her. But the citizens of Bunzlau did not let him. Addressed to the King please, to confirm him as their preacher, had the expected favorable result. Convened by the Oberconsistorium in Wroclaw for a colloquium with the Oberconsistorialrath castle, he was here his orthodoxy in the full sense of the word shown. He received ordination. A Royal Order in Council confirmed its choice for the second preacher in Boleslawiec. The gracious guidance of God certain, he wrote to his father: The Lord be with me now and let Bunzlau be a blessed and well-watered garden planting his empire. He sends me. He's doing well. On 23 October, after he moved from the first community in Friedersdorf farewell was taken, introduced in his office. The following Sunday he gave his inaugural sermon with great movement of his heart and his community, among many implication from near and far who has come awakened and devout members of other communities, particularly those which he had preached during the waiting period with impressive power repentance and conversion, without even the slightest hint of the to make him part of the orthodoxy befell hostilities. His father, he replied to the admonition to win his opponent through love and not to mention their enmity: "I have not come to mind to mention the enemies of the slightest adversity. I know, thank God, of no enemies and I long ardently desire their salvation. "In this sense and spirit of gentler and reconciling love he reigned then his office under the king's confirmation deed expressed admonition," is everywhere, both in teaching and life, against both his colleagues and the community, as against foreign religious relatives, as a servant of Christ is due to pay, in addition to all the vilification, backbiting and Verketzerns the latter to contain carefully, but one of his finest Augenmerke on the Conservation of peace and civil can be agreed to between the different religious family oriented, so that the teaching of the Gospel with those who are out there will not be dishonored. " Soon he had with his tireless loyalty and tireless work as settled in the community and save them as to him by the Lord commanded flock through his self-denial full pastoral charity in the wake of the pastoral charity of Jesus to obtain the hearts of his former opponents so intimately connected with him, that he to the repeated rejection of his requests issued, answered the call to other places with much higher income than he could have it here, and with external higher honor than they were connected with the modest Bunzlauer Office, to be followed. And this could only serve to make the tape with his community to the closer, because it was well known, as he and his numerous, up to six children had grown up family and for his generous charity toward the poor and the distressed themselves often need and deprivation to had suffered. With a firm reliance on his God, he could Durchhülfe his song: "Depart, ye gloomy cares! "sing and make with the confession:" For today and tomorrow on another man makes the blood of Christ strengthens my spirits and makes me into trouble [177] and never lose heart troubles. " That he was the second minister in addition to the parish priest Jäschki, with whom he stood as his dear people in a cordial agreement, troubled him not at his much richer talent as a preacher and his far more successful activity in the large parish, in addition to the city for seven Rural communities included. Rather, he was by these successes as a gift from his God, and by the burden of office work, which he hosted standing with joy and fervor as in the service of God's grace, always in the right humility preserve preserved and so that he reproaches of vanity and ambition, to be sure, more and more falling silent at first raised against him on the part of antipietistischen, Orthodox zealots who refuse to completely clear conscience and could not refute, by word and deed. In such humility he represents as it were a program on his official life, in which he writes: "My office sometimes oppress the shoulders of a pretty. Blessed be my God, that He is faithful and assured me of it, that he sent me. Where else I wanted with all my inability and my incompetence, and with so many important events in the office and hernehmen troubled joy? Praise God, He blesses my poor service by grace and by helping in everything. " Despite its effectiveness was in words and deeds according to the teaching and example of the great Pietistenväter Spener and Francke, the goal of his work on the fire of love of the Crucified Christ, inflamed desire to awaken and convert him to a living faith in him, to rebirth and renewal of the whole inner man through the Holy Spirit means the enthusiastic preaching of the Word from the Cross to help all those. whose heart he was trying to tap into the power of the word of the only saving grace in Christ's blood and righteousness. As he was met even by the love of Christ in his heart, his heart burned with a fiery zeal, with all that he spoke, wrote and did, achieve nothing more than the hearts of his care parishioners with the fire of the love of Christ to ignite and feed him as his own. As a preacher quite a witness and confessor of the pure doctrine and the Church's confession testified evangelical truth, he put his in the service of truth, devouring life committed that it is not merely a knowledge and outward confession of the same, but on a true life of faith, which in had the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God cleanses us from all sins flow, arriving for salvation in the true sonship with God for time and eternity: true inner repentance and conversion from the source, particularly from the truth. In ever larger crowds to the audience gathered from near and far. His sermons in the church lit a fire, which threw its light round about in the neighboring communities that make up the feed to the Bunzlauer revival preacher was ever more numerous. The church offered are often not enough space. Then, in the open air church service, held in the name Bunzlauer urban forest, from him. The fruit of the municipal public services were, as they are for the satisfaction of the awakened from his hunger and thirst after the grace blessings of the gospel is not sufficient construction meetings at various locations within the township, which he headed, which urged especially the revivalists themselves to further Christian leaders and to receive food, but everyone wanted to come to the entrance, who, was open. He said that it had come into the city up to nine such meetings, "without necessarily being something special was wanted by a good deal more honest souls [178] does not come to be compelled." From the city to spread the movement from the rural communities. "Because of the eager souls awakened by the country," he once said, "I must create a new meeting on Sunday that would want to multiply a hundred souls." With such excitement and movement of minds then there was not even on the blaze of a false fire. But he understood it masterfully to dampen sectarian tendencies and swarm-spirited generic impulses by which this underlying spiritual necessity of community care and calm, clear instruction and correction from the Word of Scripture and the confessions of the church satisfaction granted and especially avoid public combat such errors from the pulpit could by her loving pastoral influence in private or in those narrow circles of community, the way each community were open limb, due to the right path of truth, fair evangelical and spiritual sobriety. He was also for one with a clear conscience. write: "The question of whether our sheep remain on track, I can answer with a joyful yes. What you resist a title of glory and the Community "for our profit, that wants to Satan with great cunning and defiance. But it can do it not because you, Lord Jesus Christ reign in all things, and you are our support. ' This verse, describing the state of our towns completely. " From the beginning, he took with a special love for the children, remembering the promise Jesaj. 40, 11: "He will gather the lambs in his arms," and bid Jesaj. 45, 11. "Shew my children and the work of my hands to myself" It often happened that young children in homes up and down got together and sang together, and the prayers, poems and songs verses, which they from their parents and had learned in school, prayed. Since he came to these little meetings, prayed with them, with them was a child and studied by paternal interview with them the love of the Saviour to plant in their hearts and they fed the children's friends. Through clear sober teacher training as a heart-andri AGB testimony of the love of Jesus and fiery message of his guilty grateful love in it, he managed many young souls in the up gravest taken preparatory classes for the blessing and the Lord's Supper to win the Lord and his own to . give The Eingesegneten evening of Sunday, he gathered around the rectory, to lead them in their faith life and continue to protect them from the temptations of the world. Pressed as a result of repeated consecrations ever larger crowds to these meetings, so a larger hall for this had to be procured, and when even this last was no longer sufficient, in different places and in the week that spiritual care of the youth confirmirten be exercised by him had. He learned a matter of abundant blessings, as he witnessed it repeatedly. He once said: "The Lord has placed on my children right from the start burning right over his heart. I let him not, he will give great blessings "In view of the salutary effect that will emanate from such work to the world of children in the community, he once wrote:". The Lord would crown it with a lasting blessing. I hope the children we are still chasing the devil out of Bunzlau. " This untiring pastoral charity and pastoral fidelity, in which he gladly condescended to the lambs of the flock, the small and eingesegneten children in the community, in order to serve them as guides to Jesus, and of which he himself once said, "brings the love me more and more meaning that I'm on a [179] righteously all kinds, the simple-minded I am stupid, the children with a child - "he struck with it until his death with all the hard work for the uplift of education in the community , and more specifically in the area of a peculiar institutional life, which is derived from small beginnings in Bunzlau modeled and in the spirit of the institutions in Hall Francke'schen first under his eyes and his Beirath and then under his direct guidance and direction as one of the many actual facts of the testimony, sometimes creative, sometimes reformist spirit that went out to the Lutheran school system of the foundations Francke'schen developed. With its pastoral care for the children he could attach himself to a blessed school work, which had exercised before him faithful teachers in the pietistic spirit and good sense. He was held in the town a considerable number of kindred spirits, where he saw the fruit of the seed which was sown the teacher that slept in their Donnsdorf Mäderjan and blessed work. It also became more and more recognized by overcoming all sorts of prejudices, as he was working with that child and youth care in the hands of the school. He himself says: "The school people have to confess that they already see a significant change in many, indeed, they themselves moved away. The devil and the angry he is not ashamed to lie to the lambs as he's making with the sheep. " A particular unexpected call but went up to him, in the field of school immediately to work for the planting of Christian faith and life all its force with as citizens master mason Gottlieb Dental him the plan of him after the pattern of Francke'schen orphanage in Hall substantiated orphanage presented and requested his assistance in the execution of this plan. This plan was in gear due to the fact that he, himself once been an orphan, by reading, edited by AH Francke, "News of the orphanage home in Glaucha front hall," and through him from his own childhood, remaining memory of the Waisennoth to squat, felt a similar institution for the start of this remedy to him poignant misery. Quietly had this God-fearing man will lay already in his in the upper suburbs of Bunzlau located home the reason to do so, as he took his children own a teacher's house and others, especially poor children, take part in this teaching part was where he thought to also include orphans. As he made for this purpose an extension of his house, holding a private school that he was banned. However, he argued, be just a result of this misguided attempt to justify a private school where his plan to build his house verwerthen extended to support an orphanage. The more clearly he was but to recognize this intention, the greater concern were the same as of other friendly side, opposite side of including Woltersdorf's. His concerns were in the fire with all the enthusiasm for the activity of his faith and love in works of Christian charity his own quiet conscientious deliberation and consideration of the motives of that company, which the Lord offered a means for its execution and alone in his honor and salvation of the children in the eye to adopt goals of the efforts of the pious Gottlieb dental reasons, the was always certain, however, by these concerns expressed his spiritual friend not to be misled. His joyful determination and confidence in the work, the more and more in W. from all concerns are emerging conviction that this is [180] raised a necessary one for Bunzlau work of mercy, and the certainty that by the pious master mason being done in the spirit and meaning of Francke institutions, had the effect that now with all those doubts vanished W. and entered in its place a more joyful the more readiness. He has "his own later nachgehends wondered how it was able to be that he did not rather inaccessible because it still works like God is not before had been so unknown." He supported henceforth tooth in its efforts to magisterial approval for creation of a small institution, for which tooth one informer and talk to two orphan boys at their own expense are agreed to and in which even the little children of the upper suburbs because of the great distance from the New suburbs are likely to be taught. The royal approval was granted with the instruction that the Protestant clergy will oversee the foundation of her and would have a good testimony of the informant. Tooth was able to open the school again and that the inclusion of two orphans, which soon found themselves even more reasons for the orphanage. It was the first grain-mustard-like happy development of the institution's earnings Woltersdorf. On the tooth for the same are acquired land he was on 5 April 1755 to a new institution for the purposes set up home with great sympathy of the authorities and residents Bunzlaus with a speech on Jesaj. 40, 26-31, in which he "of the triumph of faith over the language of disbelief," said, laying the foundation. According to his plan the scope of the purposes of this orphanage was not limited merely to actual orphans, but should "also other poor youth spiritual and corporeal way helped up" and will focus on improving the school system at all taken care, including the Auferziehung and training "of useful Präparanden to school should include people. " Regarding the goal of intellectual education, other good schools, and the Halle Züllichausche orphanage and school in Berlin Hecker'sche serve as a model to the divine providence of the development is expected to be prey, such as the establishment in every way so far possible and pleasing to God, the service of their neighbor wants to be paid. " The spirit of the institution should be supported and permeated with avoidance of all interested by bias against other institutions, all vanity, hypocrisy and all the sectarian system and in maintaining a joyful in the Lord's Spirit of the Word of God and a living knowledge of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit avoidance of all dishonesty before God and man. Yes W. felt constrained in this respect, "in the name of Jesus an eternal curse and ban on all human intentions and unfair to put that would arise from this work. God forbid, hands also interested by the matter prior to all future times. Amen!" By morning prayer and evening meeting was the school life of the day from him, as the shepherd of the more numerous under his leadership, creative crowd of orphan boys, alumni and retirees in God's word and framed under the discipline of the spirit of God made. At the evening worship, which he considered most like themselves came, so many adults from the city and the countryside, the new hall in the orphanage home so often not enough room and offered the prayers had to be kept at the weather outside. In the design of the school life of the institution, he proved to be an excellent efficient Schulmann, by following the example of the Halle Orphanage and the Berlin school, the three educational goals with their corresponding three directions in the eye seized and united: the humanistic to the education the university studies which provided a realistic preparation for the higher middle class and the elementary school for the common people, all the three directions of school life, but framed and consecrated by the blessing of the Gospel and under the leadership of the heavenly teacher. In a short time the institution became such a growth, that in the year 1760 consisted of 104 persons with 5 studirten teachers. When he joined the Institute counted Directorat that only 15 orphan boys and 24 boarders and students free. In three years, until his deposition in 1761, increased the flock to 24 orphans and 82 retirees. As educators and as administrator of the whole, in such a way, growing prison system filled and penetrated it, the whole school life with the spirit of healthy piety, such as just the physical freshness cheerful prosperity, as the spiritual welfare of the young subject of the kindest, in the service of Christ's love paternal care was exercised. In the fullest sense of the word W. was the soul of the orphanage in mind and following the example of him at the heart grown Francke Institute in Halle, by every single student with orphan and pastoral fidelity and love with pedagogical accepted. In addition to all this his full strength in claim taking and for the run of the day often exceeds job of having to adjust in the service of his God and Savior, he is every moment of his life, was conscious, he devoted himself from the same desire of his heart, often Taking to the aid of night, an admirably comprehensive and versatile literary activity in writing devotional writings, and especially in poetry and spiritual songs "Psalms". First, we see that a sizable portion of this literary work, far beyond his sphere of influence beyond even beyond Germany his name known in the circles of the originally healthy pietism newly awakened life of faith made and varied, yet continued blessing donated, the was he so dearly loved youth. For example, was initially intended to be for his pupil, the young Earl of Promnitz, certain "flying letter to the youth about happiness before conversion," soon the most widespread, and the one who writes this can testify from his own youth, what a [182] deep, has had on his life extending effect of this little book for him. Among his songs is the large number of those who can be described as spiritual children and youth songs, a truly heartwarming forming testimony of how even in this work his watchword: the love of Christ Penetrating me, then, to bear was, and how he in such a Language of love for the young hearts found the right tone, as it is rarely managed a spiritual hymn writers. Examples of this are the songs: "Flowering Youth" and "Stay, sheep remains." Form and content of a cast. The flowing language of the mouth and the language of the heart are the outpouring of such a fact that is not to find any trace of an arduous passage through the paths reflectirender thought and form of education. This is true even of all his spiritual poems. His many songs he wrote as well as 35 devotional writings, he was at first singly, then in two collections published under the title "Evangelical Psalms," 1750 and 1751. After his death, only the most complete collection of them appeared under the title "EC Woltersdorf's all the new songs, or Evangelical psalms," Berlin 1767th In ease of diction and fertility of the production is reminiscent of Benjamin Schmolck . Only that he was from the latter by the unusual length of his poems is different, which was a consequence of the total executed Exempt and meets one of his inner life of the subject and his heart and mind completely overflowing and while writing his overwhelming thoughts inflow, which according to its own the statement of intent, the fullness of his thoughts and feelings to pour in more concise form, often thwarted. The fundamental reason this exuberant but diffusivity was deeply stirred the innermost and fulfillment of the power of the love of Jesus Christ. In a similar way as in the Moravian religious poetry, sermons and penetrating mode of teaching was the case, all his writings, the fiery testimony of the sole resting finding the soul in the blood and the wounds of Christ, the Lamb of God, often in extremely striking phrases, but also not rare in tändelndem sweet tone in unusually strong terms, and in some sense the refined taste of the corresponding images, as for example, a long poem titled: "The believers as bees on the wounds of Jesus," wrote. In the defense of strong sensual unusual phrases from blood and wounds of the Saviour with the sentence that should be moved by the sense, the heart, he demanded, however, with reference to the known abuses in the Moravian poetry quite emphatically, "that while the matter in their dimensions remain and not an exaggerated, pompous, lewd, disgusting, incomprehensible, or even ridiculous creatures come out. " By and large, the previous herding, he can at the broad rapid stream of his momentary heart outpourings, the witness is always a major poetic system, and undermined by the lack of a formal and linguistic overwork still images and expressions with which those claims in accordance of him with a quiet deliberation, and would have been avoided Selbstbeurtheilung want, but not merely in the way of the Moravian, but also occur in the later Pietist homiletical and poetic way of speaking often enough. It is missing its often too lengthy poems and songs, most of which are low in spite of their living feeling are not suitable for singing in church in worship, but only for the private edification, in addition to a lively poetic feeling of the various keys sung and celebrated redemption and reconciliation with God through Christ's merit, the modest rounding off bloody and creative poetic work. Nevertheless, Woltersdorf's countless songs [183] Many faith and strengthening Herzenserquickung offered. Quite a few are either in their original condensed form, or have been recorded in an abbreviated and rounded shape in the Protestant hymn books and the sacred use. Examples are: "This is a blessed ones hour, Jesus thinks of you as you," "sinners, rejoice in heart", "My hope and anchor in every need," "Who is the bride of the king's right?", "God, you thronest in Heaven," "Take down my heart, O God, take it back", "preacher of the sweet teachings," "Come, my heart! in Jesus' suffering, "the latter being a sacrament hymn, in which the words:" I have a Saviour, "in various phrases and terms are varied and give a touchingly powerful sensation of what is sinful man of his Saviour, expression . That he with all his poetic activity, only the highest and most essential for all spiritual poetry always had in mind, he testified again with the phrase, it was his unalterable truth, that while all reasonable rules of poetry are very good, but that nevertheless the Divine in poetry learned otherwise than on the knees and given free will, for if the spirit of all spirits, the heart of the poet does not inflame, so even the most sublime poetry was to be no divine call. It is as beautiful a testimony of his truly Christian view of what should be sacred poetry when he encountered even in his time poets who anschlugen in the field of religious poetry already the moralizing tone and the first article of the Christian faith withdraw second left, says the truth in these words: "If you want to make it good, so seals her moral fables. or you look at the wonderful Creator and sings of his great majesty. See how it comes, however, that her secret wisdom of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, who came to save sinners do so rarely or never hit your poems, let? You have to the most beautiful among the sons of men have not yet seen. "His loftiest of these key songs sung have given him the honorary title of the Silesian Asaph. All his energies on his already frail body composition consuming work in the two offices was the cause of his untimely death. Deeply shaken by the death of his brotherly love him in affiliated Jäschki colleague, whom he on 12 December 1761 the hour had passed and the Lord's Supper deposition he had to preach the following Sunday the congregation, he thought, though broken in its physical force, on this 3rd Advent Sunday with great earnestness and power of the spirit haunting his last sermon on the words of the first epistle Corinth. 4, 5: "Which will also bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts." In a premonition of death, he exclaimed, thinking of his brother's office just departed to the community: "Eight days ago he was still at this point, who knows who is eight days here!" After full completion of all work in his office that day, he threw a violent fever in the hospital bed, from which he should not get up again. A stroke of apoplexy ended his life he took only 36 years on 17 December 1761 end. His last words, echoes of his songs were a praise to God, his Saviour: "Hallelujah! shout it, sing it, it springeth the heart, the sad pain zurücke it depart. - If you eat of you, everything is sweetened. " - On the second word Corinth. 1, 8-10, with whom he had awarded during the illness and his family repeatedly comfort and hope, he gave his friend, pastor of Greater Walditz Seidel, the funeral sermon. Above his grave has his grateful congregation on his tombstone shouted at [184] him, "as they have lost in him a truly evangelical leaders, and the orphanage a worthy director and loving father, as he is a faithful shepherd of the flock entrusted to him, a carrier the spreader glory of God and the kingdom of Christ, an indefatigable, but had often been about power Weighted workers in the vineyard of the Lord." --Excerpts from http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/ADB:Woltersdorf,_Ernst_Gottlieb

Johann Rist

1607 - 1667 Person Name: Joh. Rist Hymnal Number: 17 Author of "Auf, auf, ihr Reichsgenossen" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Rist, Johann, son of Kaspar Rist, pastor at Ottensen, near Hamburg, was born at Ottensen, March 8, 1607, and from his birth was dedicated to the ministry. After passing through the Johanneum at Hamburg and the Gymnasium Illustre at Bremen, he matriculated, in his 21st year, at the University of Rinteln, and there, under Josua Stegmann (q. v.), he received an impulse to hymn-writing. On leaving Rinteln he acted as tutor to the sons of a Hamburg merchant, accompanying them to the University of Rostock, where he himself studied Hebrew, Mathematics and also Medicine. During his residence at Rostock the terrors, of the Thirty Years War almost emptied the University, and Rist himself also lay there for weeks ill of the pestilence. After his recovery he seems to have spent some time at Hamburg, and then, about Michaelmas, 1633, became tutor in the house of the lawyer (Landschreiber) Heinrich Sager, at Heide, in Holstein. There he betrothed himself to Elizabeth, sister of the Judge Franz Stapfel, whose influence seems to have had a good deal to do with Rist's appointment as pastor at Wedel. In the spring of 1635 he married and settled at Wedel (on the Elbe, a few miles below Hamburg), where, spite of various offers of preferment, he remained till his death, on Aug. 31, 1667. (Johann Rist und seine Zeit, by Dr. T. Hansen, Halle, 1872; K. Goedeke's Grundriss, vol. iii., 1887, p. 79; Koch, iii., 212; Bode, p. 135, &c. The statements of the various authorities regarding the period 1624-1635 vary greatly and irreconcilably.) During the Thirty Years War Rist had much to endure from famine, plundering, and pestilence. Otherwise he led a patriarchal and happy life at Wedel, close to the congenial society of Hamburg, and as years went on more and more esteemed and honoured by his contemporaries. The Emperor Ferdinand III. crowned him as a poet in 1644, and in 1653 raised him to the nobility, while nearer home Duke Christian of Mecklenburg appointed him Kirchenrath and Consistorialrath. Among other literary honours he was received in 1645 as a member of the Pegnitz Order, and in 1647 as a member of the Fruitbearing Society, the great German literary union of the 17th century; while in 1660 he himself became the founder and head of the Elbe Swan Order, which however did not survive his death. Rist was an earnest pastor and a true patriot. He of course took the side, and that with all his might, of the Protestants, but he longed as few did for the union of the scattered elements of the body politic in Germany. He was a voluminous and many-sided writer (see the full bibliographies in Hansen and Goedeke as above). His secular works are of great interest to the student of the history of the times, and his occasional poems on marriages, &c, to the genealogist and local historian. Perhaps the most interesting to the general reader are the Friede wünschende Teutschland, 1647, and the Friedejauchzende Teutschland, 1653, two plays in which there are vivid pictures of the times, especially of the condition of the lower classes during the Thirty Years War. These plays, with selections from his other secular poems and from his hymns, are included in his Dichtungen, Leipzig, 1885, edited by Goedeke and E. Goetze. Hansen gives analyses of the secular works, with a few extracts from them; and in his second part gives a full selection from the hymns, often however greatly abridged. As a hymn-writer Rist takes high rank. He wrote some 680 hymns, intended to cover the whole ground of Theology, and to be used by all ranks and classes, and on all the occasions of life. Naturally enough they are not of equal merit, and many are poor and bombastic. Rist meant them rather for private use than for public worship, and during his lifetime they were never used in the church at Wedel. But they were eagerly caught up, set to melodies by the best musicians of the day, and speedily passed into congregational use all over Germany, while even the Roman Catholics read them with delight. Over 200 may be said to have been in common use in Germany, and a large number still hold their place. Unfortunately many are very long. But speaking of Rist's better productions, we may say that their noble and classical style, their objective Christian faith, their scriptualness, their power to console, to encourage, and to strengthen in trust upon God's Fatherly love, and their fervent love to the Saviour (especially seen in the best of his hymns for Advent, and for the Holy Communion), sufficiently justify the esteem in which they were, and are, held in Germany. The best known of Rist's hymns appeared in the following collections:— (1) Himlischs Lieder. This contains 50 hymns. The Erste Zehen is dated Lüneburg, 1641, the 2-6 Zehen are dated 1642 [Royal Library, Berlin]. In the later editions Rist made various alterations, and also expanded the titles of the hymns, these changes being almost all for the worse. (2) Neüer himlischer Lieder sonderbahres Buch, Lüneburg, 1651 [Wernigerode Library]. 50 hymns. (3) Sabbahtische Seelenlust, Lüneburg, 1651 [British Museum and Göttingen]. With 58 hymns on the Gospels for Sundays, &c. (4) Frommer und gottseliger Christen alltägliche Haussmusik, Lüneburg, 1654 [Brit. Mus. and Göttingen], with 70 hymns. (5) Neüe musikalische Fest-Andachten, Lüneburg, 1655 [Wernigerode]. With 52 hymns on the Sunday Gospels. (6) Neüe musikalische Katechismus Andachten, Lüneburg, 1656 [British Museum and Wernigerode]. With 50 hymns. Seven of Rist's hymns are separately noted under their German first lines. The others which have passed into English are:-- i. Du Lebensbrod, Herr Jesu Christ. Holy Communion. In his Haussmusik, 1654, No. 7, p. 32, in 8 stanzas of 8 lines, entitled "A devotional hymn, which may be sung when the people are about to take their place at the Holy Communion of the Lord." Founded on Ps. xxiii. Included as No. 473 in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863. Translated as:— Lord Jesu Christ, the living bread. A good translaton of stanzas i., ii., iii., v., by A. T. Russell, as No. 159 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. ii. Ehr und Dank sei dir gesungen. On the Angels. In his Fest-Andachten, 1655, No. 46, p. 304, in 9 stanzas of 10 lines, entitled "Another hymn of Praise and Thanksgiving on the same Gospel [S. Matt, xviii.] for St. Michael's Day. In which the great God who created the Angels, and appointed them for our service, is from the heart adored and praised." Included in Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, No. 219, and in Bunsen's Versuch, 1833, No. 233. The translations in common use are:— 1. Praise and thanks to Thee be sung. By Miss Winkworth, omitting st. iii.—vi., in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 205, repeated in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 85. 2. Glory, praise, to Thee be sung. A translation of st. i. as No. 1224, in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1886. iii. Ermuntre dich, mein schwacher Geist. Christmas. Founded on Isaiah ix. 2-7. First published in the Erstes Zehen of his Himlische Lieder, 1641, No. 1, p. 1, in 12 stanzas of 8 lines, entitled "A hymn of praise on the joyful Birth and Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Included in Crüger's Praxis, 1656, No. 87, and recently, omitting st. viii., as No. 32 in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen 1851. The translations in common use are:— 1. Be cheerful, thou my spirit faint. A translation of st. i. by J. Gambold, as No. 138 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754; repeated as st. i. of No. 437, altered to "Arise my spirit, leap with joy," and with his trs. of st. ii., iv., ix. added. In the edition of 1789, No. 46 (1886, No. 41), it begins, "Arise, my spirit, bless the day.” 2. O Jesu! welcome, gracious Name! This is a translation of st. ii., vi., xii., by A. T. Russell, as No. 55 in his Psalms & Hymns., 1851. Another translation is "My languid spirit, upward spring." By N. L. Frothingham, 1870, p. 179. iv. Gott sei gelobet, der allein. Joy in God. In his Neüer Himlischer Lieder 1651, p. 126, No. 9, in 13 stanzas of 7 lines, entitled “A joyful hymn of Thanksgiving to God, that He permits us to enjoy our daily bread in health, peace and prosperity, with a humble prayer that He would graciously preserve us in the same." Included in Olearius's Singe-Kunst, 1671, No. 322, and recently in Knapp's Evangelischer Lieder-Schatz 1850, No. 1696 (1865, No. 1766). The tr. in common use is:— Now God be praised, and God alone . By Miss Winkworth, omitting st. iii., vi., viii., ix., in her Christian Singers, 1869, p. 192. Repeated, abridged, in Statham's Collection, Edinburgh, 1869, No. 63 (1870, No. 110). v. Jesu, der du meine Seele. Lent. In the Erstes Zehen of his Himlische Lieder, 1641, p. 35, No. 7, in 12 stanzas of 8 lines, entitled "A heartfelt hymn of penitence to his most beloved Lord Jesus, for the forgiveness of his many and manifold sins." Founded on prayer viii. in Class in. of J. Arndt's Paradiesgärtlein, 1612. In the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 382. The translations in common use are:—- 1. Thou hast cancell'd my transgression. A translation of st. vi., viii., as No. 1022, in the Supplement of 1808 to the Moravian Hymn Book, 1801 (1886, No. 107). 2. Jesu! Who in sorrow dying. A free translation of st. i., iii. lines 1-4, v. 11. 5-8, xii., by A. T. Russell, as No. 78 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. vi. 0 Jesu, meine Wonne. Holy Communion. This beautiful hymn appears in Rist's Hauss-musik, 1654, No. 9, p. 42, in 14 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled "The heartfelt Thanksgiving of a pious Christian when he has partaken of the Holy Communion." In the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 285. The translation in common use is:— 0 Sun of my salvation. A good tr. of st. i., iii., v., vi., by A. T. Russell, as No, 160 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. Another translation is:— “0 Christ, my joy, my soul's delight." By Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 65. vii. Werde licht, du Stadt der Heiden. Epiphany. In his Fest-Andachten , 1655, p. 82, No. 13, in 15 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "Another festival hymn of the day of the Manifestation of Christ, in which the glorious, godlike, and eternal Light, which has graciously arisen on us poor heathen in thick darkness, is devotedly contemplated." In the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 82. Translated as:— 1. All ye Gentile lands awake. A good tr. of st. i.-iv., vi., vii., xiv. xv., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 30. Repeated, abridged, in Schaffs Christ in Song, 1869 aud 1870, and in Flett's Collection, Paisley, 1871. 2. Rise, O Salem, rise and shine. A good translation of stanzas i., iii., vii., xiv., xv., based on her Lyra Germanica version but altered in metre, by Miss Winkworth, in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 38. Repeated in J. L. Porter's Collection, 1876, and the Pennsylvania Lutheran Ch. Book, 1868. viii. Wie wohl hast du gelabet. Holy Communion. In his Neüer Himlischer Lieder, 1651, p. 78, in 9 stanzas of 12 lines, entitled "A hymn of heartfelt Praise and Thanksgiving after the reception of the Holy Communion." In the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 291. The translation in common use is:— O Living Bread from Heaven. A good tr., omitting st. iv., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica 2nd Ser., 1858, p. 103; repeated in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 94, omitting the trsanslations of iii., v., vi. Her translations of st. i.-iii., ix. were included, slightly altered, in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Ch. Book, 1868. The following have also been tr. into English:— ix. Heut ist das rechte Jubelfest. Whitsuntide. In his Fest-Andachten, 1655, p. 216, No. 33, in 12 stanzas, founded on the Gospel for Whitsunday (St. John xiv.). In Olearius's Singe-Kunst, 1671, No. 704, and Porst's Gesang-Buch, ed. 1855, No. 173. The text translation is that in Bunsen's Allgemeine Gesang-Buch, 1846, No. 114, where it begins with st. v., "Heut hat der grosse Himmeleherr." Translated as "This day sent forth His heralds bold." By Miss Cox, in the Churchman's Shilling Magazine, June 1867. x. Ich will den Herren loben. Praise and Thanksgiving. Founded on Ps. xxxiv. In his Neüer Himlischer Lieder, 1651, p. 132 (No. 10 in pt. ii.), in 12 st. of 8 1. This form is in Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 174G, No. 1201. In his Haussmusik, 1654, p. 348, No. 64, Rist rewrote it to 6 stanzas of 12 lines, and of this form st. iv.-vi., beginning "Man lobt dich in der Stille, ed. 1863, No. 1018. The translation from this last text is "To Thee all praise ascendeth." In the British Herald, May 1866, p. 265, repeated in Reid's Praise Book, 1872. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Christoph von Schmid

1768 - 1854 Person Name: M. Christian Schmidt Hymnal Number: 147 Author of "Frohlocket, Jung' und Alt!" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Johann Christoph von Schmidt DT Germany 1768-1854. Born at Dinkelsbuhl, Bavaria, Germany, the oldest of nine children and son of a civil servant who worked for the Teutonic Order, he received private lessons in the monastery and attended Catholic Latin school for two years, then attended the Dillingen high school, afterward tutoring for a wealthy family. He enrolled in the Episcopal University in Dillingen and studied philosphy for two years, then theology for four years. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1791. He served as parish vicar in Nassenbeuren, then chaplain at Seeg. In 1796, when he was placed as the head of a large school in Thannhausen, where he taught for many years. From 1816-1826 he was parish priest at Oberstadion in Wurttemberg. In 1826 he was appointed Canon of the Augsburg Cathedral. In 1832 he was administrator for the school system for Swabia and Neuburg. In 1837 he was raised by Bavarian King Ludwig I to personal nobility, a knight of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown. In old age he received numerous honors, and his 80th birthday was a public holiday in Augsburg. The University of Prague awarded him the title of Doctor of Theology. In addition to being an educator, he was also a prolific author and writer of children’s stories. He would often read his stories to the school children after classes. His stories became very popular and were translated into 24 languages. His general theme in story writing was to awaken a practical piety in children. Wrote 40 story books for children. He also wrote poetry. His most famous work: “A basket of flowers”. He died of cholera at Augsburg, Germany. In 1857 his autobiography was published. John Perry

Nikolaus Herman

1500 - 1561 Person Name: N. Herrmann Hymnal Number: 40 Author of "Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Herman, Nicolaus, is always associated with Joachimsthal in Bohemia, just over the mountains from Saxony. The town was not of importance till the mines began to be extensively worked about 1516. Whether Herman was a native of this place is not known, but he was apparently there in 1518, and was certainly in office there in 1524. For many years he held the post of Master in the Latin School, and Cantor or Organist and Choirmaster in the church. Towards the end of his life he suffered greatly from gout, and had to resign even his post as Cantor a number of years before his death. He died at Joachimsthal, May 3, 1561. (Koch, i. 390-398; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, xii. 186-188, &c.) He was a great friend and helper of J. Mathesius (q.v.) (who in 1532 became rector of the school, but in 1541 diaconus and in 1545 pastor of the church), and it was said that whenever Mathesius preached a specially good sermon Herman straightway embodied its leading ideas in a hymn. His hymns, however, were not primarily written for use in church, but were intended for the boys and girls in the schools, to supplant profane songs in the mouths of the young men and women, or for the daily life of the “housefathers and housemothers" in Joachimsthal, at home, and in their work in the mines. He is a poet of the people, homely, earnest, and picturesque in style; by his naiveté reminding us of Hans Sachs. He was an ardent lover of music and a very good organist. The chorales which he published with his hymns are apparently all of his own composition, and are among the best of the Reformation period. Many of Herman's hymns soon passed into Church use in Germany, and a number are found in almost all books in present use. About 190 in all, they appeared principally in:— (1) Die Sontags Evangelia uber des gantze Jar, in Gesenge verfasset, für die Kinder und christlichen Haussvetter, &c, Wittenberg, 1560 (dedication by Herman dated Trinity Sunday, 1559), with 101 hymns and 17 melodies. The best are those interspersed specially meant for children and not directly founded on the Gospel for the day. (2) Die Historien von der Sindfludt, Joseph, Mose, Helia, Elisa und der Susanna, sampt etlichen Historien aus den Evangelisten, &c., Wittenberg, 1562 (preface by Herman dated St. Bartholomew's Day, 1560), with 73 hymns and 20 melodies. In this case also the general hymns are the best. A selection of 60 (really 61) of his hymns, with a memoir by K. F. Ledderhose, was published at Halle, 1855. One of Herman's hymns is noted under “Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist." The others which have passed into English are:— i. Bescher uns, Herr, das täglioh Brod. Grace before Meat. 1562, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1228, in 6 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 70; and in the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 1133. Translated as:— 1. Thou art our Father and our God. This, by P. H. Molther, a translation of stanza vi., as No. 180 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789 (1849, No. 220, st. v.). 2. As children we are owned by Thee, a translation of stanza vi., as st. iii. of No. 191 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1801 (1849, No. 220, stanza iii.). ii. Die helle Sonn leucht jetzt herfür. Morning. 1560, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1184, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, in Ledderhose, p. 87; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 450. Translated as:— The morning beam revives our eyes, a good and full translation by. A. T. Russell, as No. 71 in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book 1848. iii. Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag. Easter. 1560, as above, in 14 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled, "A new Spiritual Song of the Joyful Resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ; for the maidens of the girls' school in Joachimsthal”; and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1175; in Ledderhose p. 23, and Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 134. It has reminiscences of the "Erstanden ist der heil'ge Christ". Translated as:— The day hath dawn'd—-the day of days, a good translation by A. T. Russell of stanzas i., ii., xiii., xiv., as No. 113 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. Another tr. is, "At length appears the glorious day," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 28. iv. Hinunter ist der Sonnen Schein. Evening. 1560, as above, and thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1184, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 88; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen1851, No. 523. Some of the phrases may have been suggested by the "Christe qui lux es et dies" (q. v.). Translated as:— 1. Sunk is the sun's last beam of light, a full and good translation by Miss Cox in her Sacred Hymns from the German, 1841, p. 57. Included in Alford's Psalms & Hymns, 1844, and Tear of Praise, 1867; in Dale's English Hymn Book, 1875; in the Pennsylvania Lutheran Church Book, 1868, and others. It is also given considerably altered and beginning, "Sunk is the Sun! the daylight gone," in W. J. Blew's Church Hymn and Tune Book, 1851-55. 2. The happy sunshine all is gone, in full, by Miss Winkworth in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 225; repeated in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, and the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. Other translations are: (1) "Did I perhaps Thee somewhat grieve," a translation of stanza iii. in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789, No. 756. In the 1801 and later eds. (1886, No. 1181, st. iii.), it begins, "Where'er I Thee this day did grieve." (2) "The sun’s fair sheen is past and gone," by H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 68. (3) "The sun hath run his daily race," by Lady E. Fortescue, 1843, p. 14. v. Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich. Christmas. Written c. 1554, but first published 1560 as above, as the first of "Three Spiritual Christmas Songs of the new-born child Jesus, for the children in Joachimsthal." Thence in Wackernagel iii. p. 1169, in 8 stanzas of 4 lines; in Ledderhose, p. 1; and in the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 47. It is one of the most popular German Christmas hymns. The melody set to it in 1560 is also by Herman; in 1554 to his "Kommt her ihr liebsten Schwesterlein" [in the Hymnal Companioncalled "St. George's (old)"]. Translated as :— 1. Let all together praise our God, a good translation of stanzas i., iii., vi., viii., by A. T. Russell, as No. 52 in his Psalms & Hymns, 1851. Repeated in Kennedy, 1863, adding a translation of st. ii., and beginning, "Let all creation praise our God." 2. Praise ye the Lord, ye Christians I yea, in full, by E. Cronenwett, as No. 31 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880. Other translations are: (1) "A wondrous change He with us makes," a tr. of stanza viii., ix. as No. 438 in pt. i. of the Moravian Hymn Book, 1754, repeated 1789-1826. (2) "Come, brethren, lets the song arise," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 26. (3) "Praise God, now Christians, all alike," by Miss Manington, 1864, p. 9. (4) "Praise God, upon His throne on high," in the Sunday Magazine, 1874, p. 384, signed "P. J." The hymn “Shepherds rejoice, lift up your eyes," given by J. C. Jacobi in his Psalmodia Germanica, 1722, p. 8, to Herman's melody (which was first published 1554) is, as stated in his Preface, taken from Bk. i. of Isaac Watts's Horse Lyricae vi. So wahr ich leb, spricht Gott der Herr. Absolution. 1560, as above, in 11 stanzas of 4 lines, entitled "A hymn on the power of the keys and the virtue of holy absolution; for the children in Joachimsthal." Thence in Wackernagel, iii. p. 1183; in Ledderhose, p. 47; and the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 429. It probably suggested the better known hymn, "So wahr ich lebe," q. v., by Johann Heermann. Translated as:— Yea, as I live, Jehovah saith, I do not wish the sinner's death, in full, by Dr. M. Loy, as No. 245, in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Benjamin Schmolck

1672 - 1737 Person Name: Benj. Schmolke Hymnal Number: 18 Author of "Hosianna! Davids Sohn" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Schmolck, Benjamin, son of Martin Schmolck, or Schmolcke, Lutheran pastor at Brauchitschdorf (now Chrόstnik) near Liegnitz in Silesia (now Poland) was born at Brauchitschdorf, Dec. 21, 1672. He entered the Gymnasium at Lauban in 1688, and spent five years there. After his return home he preached for his father a sermon which so struck the patron of the living that he made Benjamin an allowance for three years to enable him to study theology. He matriculated, at Michaelmas, 1693, at the University of Leipzig, where he came under the influence of J. Olearius, J. B. Carpzov, and others, and throughout his life retained the character of their teaching, viz. a warm and living practical Christianity, but Churchly in tone and not Pietistic. In the autumn of 1697, after completing his studies at Leipzig (during his last year there he supported himself mainly by the proceeds of occasional poems written for wealthy citizens, for which he was also, crowned as a poet), he returned to Brauchitzchdorf to help his father, and, in 1701, was ordained as his assistant. On Feb. 12, 1702, he married Anna Rosina, daughter of Christoph Rehwald, merchant in Lauban and in the end of the same year was appointed diaconus of the Friedenskirche at Schweidnitz in Silesia. As the result of the Counter-Reformation in Silesia, the churches in the principality of Schweidnitz had been taken from the Lutherans, and for the whole district the Peace of Westphalia (1648) allowed only one church (and that only of timber and clay, without tower or bells), which the Lutherans had to build at Schweidnitz, outside the walls of the town; and the three clergy attached to this church had to minister to a population scattered over some thirty-six villages, and were moreover hampered by many restrictions, e.g. being unable to communicate a sick person without a permit from the local Roman Catholic priest. Here Schmolck remained till the close of his life, becoming in 1708 archidiaconus, in 1712 senior, and in 1714 pastor primarius and inspector. Probably as the result of his exhausting labours he had a stroke of paralysis on Laetare (Mid-Lent) Sunday, 1730, which for a time laid him aside altogether, and after which he never recovered the use of his right hand. For five years more he was still able to officiate, preaching for the last time on a Fastday in 1735. But two more strokes of paralysis followed, and then cataract came on, relieved for a time by a successful operation, but returning again incurably. For the last months of his life he was confined to bed, till the message of release came to him, on the anniversary of his wedding, Feb. 12, 1737. (Koch, v. 463; Bode, p. 144; Goedeke's Grundriss, vol. iii., 1887, p. 306; sketch prefixed to Ledderhose's edition of Schmolck's Geistliche Lieder, Halle, 1857, &c.) Schmolck was well known in his own district as a popular and useful preacher, a diligent pastor, and a man of wonderful tact and discretion. It was however his devotional books, and the original hymns therein contained, that brought him into wider popularity, and carried his name and fame all over Germany. Long lists of his works and of the various editions through which many of them passed are given by Koch, Bode and Goedehe. It is rather difficult to trace the hymns, as they are copied from one book of his into another, &c. Schmolck was the most popular hymnwriter of his time, and was hailed as the "Silesian Rist," as the "second Gerhardt," &c. Nor was he altogether unworthy of such praise. It is true that he did not possess the soaring genius of Gerhardt. Nor had he even Gerhardt's concise, simple style, but instead was too fond of high-sounding expressions, of plays upon words, of far-fetched but often recurring contrasts, and in general of straining after effect, especially in the pieces written in his later years. In fact he wrote a great deal too much, and latterly without proper attention to concentration or to proportion. Besides Cantatas, occasional pieces for weddings, funerals, &c, he is the author of some 900 hymns, properly so called. These were written for all sorts of occasions, and range over the whole field of churchly, family, and individual life. Naturally they are not all alike good; and those in his first three collections are decidedly the best. A deep and genuine personal religion, and a fervent love to the Saviour, inspire his best hymns; and as they are not simply thought out but felt, they come from the heart to the heart. The best of them are also written in a clear, flowing, forcible, natural, popular style, and abound in sententious sayings, easily to be remembered. Even of these many are, however, more suited for family use than for public worship. Nevertheless they very soon came into extensive use, not only in Silesia, but all over Germany. A number of Schmolck's hymns [that] have passed into English are:— i. Der beste Freund ist in dem Himmel. Love of Jesus. First published in his Heilige Flammen (ed. 1709, p. 100), in 6 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "The best Friend." The translation in common use is:— A faithful friend is waiting yonder. This is a good translation, omitting stanza v., as No. 293, in Kennedy, 1863. ii. Die Woche geht zum Ende. Saturday Evening. In his Andächtige Hertze, 1714, p. 116, in 10 stanzas of 8 lines, entitled "Evening Hymn," and appointed for Evening Prayer on Saturday. In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 1158. Translated as:— The week draws near its ending. This is a good translation of stanzas i., vi., vii., x., marked as by "A. G.," as No. 81 in the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book 1848. Other trs. are: (1) “Though now the week is ending," by H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 107. (2) “The week at length is over," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 137. iii. Gott du hist selbst die Liehe. Holy Matrimony. Translated as:— O God, "Who all providest. This is a good translation, omitting stanza iii., by J. M. Sloan, as No. 312 in J. H. Wilson's Service of Praise, 1865. iv. Halleluja! Jesus lebt. Easter. In his Bochim und Elim, 1731, p. 67, in 5 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "Hallelujah! at the grave of Jesus." In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder, ed. 1863, No. 296. Tr. as:— Hallelujah! Lo, He wakes. By E. Cronenwett, omitting st. iv., as No. 79 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal 1880. Another translation is: "Hallelujah! Jesus lives! Life, immortal life, He gives." This is a full and good translation, by Miss Warner, 1858, p. 486, repeated in the Treasury of Sacred Song, Kirkwall, n.d. v. Heute mir und Morgen dir. Funeral Hymn. In his Schmuck und Asche, 1717, p. 252, in 6 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "Daily Dying". The tr. in common use is:— Today mine, tomorrow thine. This is a good and full translation, by Miss Warner, in her Hymns of the Church Militant, 1858, p. 260. vi. Je grösser Kreuz, je näher Himmel. Cross and Consolation. In his Andächtige Hertz, 1714, p. 273, in 9 stanzas of 6 lines, entitled "Hymn of Cross and Consolation." By its sententiousness and its manifold illustrations of the power of the Cross it has been a favourite with many. Translated as:— 1. Greater the Cross, the nearer heaven. 2. The more the cross, the nearer heaven. Another translation is: "The heavier the cross, the nearer heaven," by J. D. Burns, in the Family Treasury, 1859, p. 160. vii. Jesus soil die Losung sein. New Year. The translation in common use is:— Jesus shall the watchword he. Another translation is: "Jesu's name shall be our watchword," by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868, p. 689. viii. Licht vom Licht, erleuchte mich. Sunday Morning. Translated as:— Light of Light, enlighten me. This is a very good tr. omitting stanza vii., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858, p. 66, and thence in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 17. Other translations are: (1) "Light of Light! illumine me," by H. J. Buckoll, 1842, p. 6. (2) "O thou blessed Light of Light," by Miss Dunn, 1857, p. 74. ix. Meinen Jesum lass ich nicht, Ach was wollt ich hessres haben. Love to Christ. Translated as:— I'll with Jesus never part. This is a translation of st. i., ii., iv., as stanzas iii.-v. of No. 378 in the Moravian Hymn Book, 1789. In the ed. of 1886, No. 452 (see p. 614, i.), the part from Schmolck begins, "He is mine and I am His" (the translation of stanza ii.). Another tr. is: "I'll not leave Jesus—-never, never," by Miss Warner, 1858, p. 509. x. Mein Gott, ich weiss wohl dass ich sterbe. For the Dying. Translated as:— My God! I know that I must die, My mortal. Other trs. are: (1) "That I shall die full well 1 know," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845 (1856, p. 232). (2) "My God! I know full well that I must die," by Miss Warner, 1858, p. 344. (3) "My God, I know that I must die; I know," by G. Moultrie, in his Espousals of S. Dorothea, 1870. xi. Mein Jesus lebt! was soil ich sterben. Easter. Translated as:— My Saviour lives; I shall not perish. xii. 0 wie fröhlich, o wie selig. Eternal Life. Translated as:— Oh how joyous, oh how blessed. Another tr. is: "Oh, how blest beyond our telling." xiii. Schmückt das Fest mit Maien. Whitsuntide. Translated as:— Come, deck our feast today. xiv. Thut mir auf die schöne Pforte. Sunday. Translated as:— 1. Open now thy gates of beauty. This is a good tr., omitting stanza iii., vii., by Miss Winkworth, in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 15. 2. Open wide the gates of beauty. This is a translation of stanzas i., ii., iv., vi.-vii., by H. L. Hastings, dated 1885, as No. 1076, in his Songs of Pilgrimage, 1886. Another tr. is: "Throw the glorious gates wide open," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 146. xv. Weine nicht, Gott lebet noch. Cross and Consolation. Tr. as:— "Weep not,-—Jesus lives on high. Another tr. is: "Weep not, for God, our God, doth live," by Dr. R. Maguire, 1883, p. 59. xvi. Willkommen, Held im Streite. Easter. The translation in common use is:— Welcome Thou victor in the strife. This is a good translation omitting st. ii.—iv., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 1st Ser., 1855, p. 91. Hymns not in English common use:-- xvii. Ach wenn ich dich, mein Gott, nur habe. Love to God. Founded on Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26. Translated as "My God, if I possess but Thee," by G. Moultrie, in his Espousals of S. Dorothea, 1870. xviii. An Gott will ich gedenken. Remembering God's Love and Care. In his Heilige Flammen (ed. 1707, p. 59; ed. 1709, p. 131), in 6 stanzas of 8 lines, and Burg's Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, No. 112. Translated as "My God will I remember," by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868. xix. Der Sabbath ist vergangen. Sunday Evening. Tr. as "The Sabbath now is over," by Dr. H. Mills, 1856, p. 226. xx. Du angenehmer Tag. Sunday. In his Lustige Sabbath, 1712, p. 1, in 8 stanzas of 6 lines. Tr. as “Thou ever welcome day," by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868, p. 688. xxi. Endlich, endlich, muss es doch. Cross and Consolation. Translated as "Yes, at last, our God shall make," in the Christian Examiner, Boston, U.S., Sept., 1860, p. 251. xxii. Gedenke mein, mein Gott, gedenke mein. For the Dying. Translated as "Remember me, my God! remember me," by Miss Borthwick, in Hymns from the Land of Luther 1854, p. 9. xxiii. Geh, müder Leib, zu deiner Euh. Evening. Translated as "Go, wearied body, to thy rest," by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868. In his Lustige Sabbath, 1712, p. 35, in 10 stanzas of 6 lines, and Burg’s Gesang-Buch, Breslau, 1746, No. 403. Translated as "King, to Jews and Gentiles given," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845. xxiv. Gott der Juden,Gott der Heiden. Epiphany. Translated as “King, to Jews and Gentiles given,” by Dr. H. Mills, 1845. xxv. Gott lebt, wie kann ich traurig sein. Trust in God. Translated as "God lives! Can I despair," by Miss Warner, 1869, p. 44. xxvi. Gott mit uns, Immanuel. New Year. Translated as "God with us! Immanuel, Open with the year before us," by Dr. R. P. Dunn, in Sacred Lyrics from the German, Philadelphia, U.S., 1859, p. 166. xxvii. Hier ist Immanuel! New Year. Translated as "Here is Immanuel!" by Miss Manington, 1864, p. 24. xxviii. Hilf, Heifer, hilf! ich muss verzagen. Cross and Consolation. Translated as "Help, Saviour, help, I sink, I die,” in the Monthly Packet, vol. xviii., 1859, p. 664. xix. Ich habe Lust zu scheiden. For the Dying. Tr. as "Weary, waiting to depart," by Mrs. Findlater, in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1855, p 130. xxx. Ich sterbe täglich, und mein Leben. For the Dying. Translated as "Both life and death are kept by Thee" (st. iv.), by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868, p. 689. xxxi. Mein Gott, du hast mich eingeladen. Sunday. Translated as "My God, Thou hast the invite given," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 150. xxxii. Mein Gott! du wohnst in einem Lichte. Holy Scripture. Translated as "In glory bright, O God, Thou dwellest," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845. xxxiii. Mein Gott, ich klopf an deine Pforte. Supplication. Tr.Translated as "given as "Mein Gott, mein Erstes und mein Alles." Translated as "My God! the Source of all my blessing," in the British Herald, August, 1866, p. 312; repeated in Reid's Praise Book, 1872. xxxv. Mein Gott, weil ich in meinem Leben. The ChristiaWho, Lord, has any good whatever," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845, p. 91. xxxiv. Mein Gott, mein Alles Uber Alles. Trust in God. Sometimes n Life. Translated as "Most High! with reverence to fear Thee," by Dr. H. Mills, 1845, p. 114.). xxxvi. Nun hab ich überwunden; Zu guter Nacht, o Welt. For the Dying. Translated as "Now soon I shall have conquer'd," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 87. xxxvii. Seht welch ein Mensch ist das. Passiontide. The translations are (1) "See, what a man is this! How tearful is His glance," by J. Kelly, in the British Messenger, Feb., 1S68; repeated in the Family Treasury, 1868, p. 691. (2) "See what a man is this, O glances," by Miss Warner, 1869, p. 32. xxxviii. Sei getreu bis in den Tod. Christian Faithfulness. Translated as "Be thou faithful unto death! Let not troubles nor distresses," by R. Massie, in the Day of Rest, 1878, vol. ix. p. 219. xxxix. Theures Wort aus Gottes Munde. Holy Scripture. Translated as "Word by God the Father spoken," by Miss Manington, 1863. xl. Was Gott thut das ist wohlgethan! Er giebt und nimmt auch wieder. On the Death of a Child. The trs. are (1) "What God does is well done, "Who takes what He gave," by W. Graham, in his The Jordan and the Rhine, London, 1854, p. 251. (2) "Whatever God doth is well done, He gives, &c," by J. Kelly, in the Family Treasury, 1868, p. 688. xli. Wer will mich von der Liebe scheiden. Faith. Translated as "Who can my soul from Jesus sever," by Miss Manington, 1863, p. 39. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Johann Jakob Schütz

1640 - 1690 Person Name: Joh. Jac. Schütz Hymnal Number: 371 Author of "Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut" in Gesangbuch für Gemeinden des Evangelisch-Lutherischen Bekenntnisses (14th ed.) Schütz, Johann Jakob, was born Sept. 7, 1640, at Frankfurt am Main. After studying at Tübingen (where he became a licentiate in civil and canon law), he began to practise as an advocate in Frankfurt, and in later years with the title of Rath. He seems to have been a man of considerable legal learning as well as of deep piety. He was an intimate friend of P. J. Spener; and it was, in great measure, at his suggestion, that Spener began his famous Collegia Pietatis. After Spener left Frankfurt, in 1686, Schütz came under the influence of J. W. Petersen; and carrying out Petersen's prin¬ciples to their logical conclusion, he became a Separatist, and ceased to attend the Lutheran services or to communicate. He died at Frankfurt, May 22, 1690 (Koch, iv. 220; Blätter fur Hymnologie, Feb. 1883). Schütz is known as an author by two tractates; one being his Christliche Lebensregeln, Frankfurt, 1677; the other, that which contains his hymns, Christliches Gedenckbüchlein, zu Beforderung eines anfangenden neuen Lebens, &c, Frankfurt am Main, 1675 [Library of the Predigerministerium at Frankfurt]. This work includes 5 hymns, in a separate section, which is headed, “Hierauf folgen etliche Gesänge." These hymns are:— i. Die Wollust dieser Welt. ii. Was inich auf dieser Welt betrübt. iii. So komm, geliebte Todes-Stund. iv. Scheuet ihr, ihr matten Glieder. v. Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut. Of these No. v. is undoubtedly by Schütz, and the other four exhibit much the same style of thought as, and frequent parallels to, the prose portions of the work. None of these have been traced earlier than 1675; and until this has been done, it is pretty safe to ascribe them all to Schütz. Three of these hymns have passed into English, viz.:— i. Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut. Praise and Thanksgiving. First published in 1675, as above, No. v. It is founded on Deut. xxxii. 3; entitled, "Hymn of Thanksgiving ;" and is in 9 stanzas of 6 lines, and the refrain, "Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre”. Koch, iv. 220, speaks of this hymn as "outweighing many hundred others; and a classical hymn, which, from its first appearance, attracted unusual attention." And Lauxmann, in Koch, viii. 334-339, relates how delighted J. J. Moser was, when, on entering church the first Sunday after his captivity at Hohentwiel, he heard this hymn, and how heartily he joined in it; how it comforted the dying G. C. Rieger, of Stuttgart, on Tuesday, in Easter Week, 1743, and many other incidents. Translations in common use:— 1. All Glory to the Sov'reign Good. This is a full and good translation by J. OJacobi, in his Psalter Germanica, 2nd ed., 1732, p. 151, where it is entitled, "The Malabarian Hymn." 2. All glory be to God most high. A good translation by A. T. Russell, of st. i., iv., viii., for the Dalston Hospital Hymn Book, 1848, No. 59. 3. All praise and thanks to God most high. This is a good tr., omitting st. ix., by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Germanica, 2nd Ser., 1858, p. 146. 4. Sing praise to God Who reigns above. A good tr., omitting st. ix., contributed by Miss Cox to Lyra Eucharistica, 1864, p. 33, and included in her Hymns from the German, 1864, p. 235. 5. To God a joyful anthem raise. A good tr. of st. i., ii., iv., v., viii., by J. M. Sloan, as No. 314, in J. H. Wilson's Service of Praise, 1865. The following are also translated into English:— ii. So komm, geliebte Todes-Stund. For the Dying. First published in 1675, as above, No. iii., in 11 st. of 8 1., entitled, "The thoughts on Death of a Royal Princess, after the usual interpretation of Job xix. 25." This Princess was Sophie Elisabethe. daughter of Duke Philipp Ludwig, of Holstein-Sonderburg (b. at Homburg vor der Hohe, May 4, 1653; married, in 1676. to Duke Moritz, of Sachse-Zeitz; d. at Schleusingen, Aug. 19, 1684), who had been a regular attender at Spener's conferences at Frankfurt, and thus associated with Schütz. This hymn has often been ascribed to her; and she had already chosen Job xix. 25, as the text of her funeral sermon. But it is more probable that both hymns were written by Schütz for her use, or in her honour. The trs. are :—(1) "Come, happy hour of death, and close." By Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 56. (2) "O come, delightful hour of death." By Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 106. iii. Was mich auf dieser Welt betriibt. Earthly Vanities. This hymn, on Renunciation of the World, first appeared in 1675, as above, No. ii., in 4 st. of 10 1., and entitled "From the World to God." It has sometimes been erroneously ascribed to Michael Franck. It is tr. as "The woes that weigh my body down." By Miss Manington, 1863, p. 32. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)