MOSHEIM, JOHANN LORENZ VON, a distinguished church historian of Germany, was b. at Lfibeck on Oct. 9, 1694, and studied at Kiel. In 1723, lie became ordinary pro fessor of theology at Helmstedt, from which he was removed in 1747 to a similar office in Gottingen. He died chancellor of the university of Gottingen, Sept. 9, 1755. His theological works are numerous, amongst which are a work on Bible morality, Sittenlehre der Heiligen Schrift (new ed. continued by J. P. Miller, 9 vols. Helmst. 1770 7S); and discourses, Heiligen Reden (3 vols. Hamb. 1732, et seq.). But his most impor tant contributions to theological literature are in the department of ecclesiastical history, in which his Institutiones Histories Eceleiasticce (Helmst. 1755) is familiar to every student as a work of great learning, fullness, and accuracy. It has been translated from the original very elegant Latin into English and other languages. The best English trans
lation is that by Dr. James Murdock (3 vols. New York, 1882), of which there are many reprints. Besides this, 3losheim is the author of Institutions Histories Christiance Majores (Helmst. 1763); De Rebus Christianorum ante Constantinum Cousmentarii (Helmst. 17535: Dissertationes ad Hist. Eeclesksticarn pertinentes (2 vols. new ed. Altona, 1767); and Ver. such einer unpartenschen Ketzergeschichte (2 vols. Helmst. 1746-48). His stand-point is that of liberal orthodoxy: yet he is essentially dogmatic, and pays more regard to the mere " opinions " of men than to the character and genius shining through them; hence, his Church History is far inferior itt point of richness, depth, and suggestiveness to that of Neander.