ZOAR COMMUNITY. A communistic so ciety established in America by a colony of Germans calling themselves Separatists. It was originally composed of about four hundred mem bers, who bad suffered persecution in Wiirttem berg as dissenters from the Established Church, and who in 1817 emigrated to America, where they were kindly received by the Quakers of Philadelphia, who aided them in effecting a set tlement in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The Sepa ratist emigration had been primarily for the purpose of securing religious liberty. The idea of establishing a commune was not entertained until after the settlement in Ohio. Early in 1819 articles of agreement for a community of goods were signed. During the earlier years of the life of the society many new members were added from Wiirttemberg. The community was at one time prosperous. The building of the Ohio Canal, in whose construction the Zoarites were largely employed, proved of great benefit to them. About this time they owned several thou sand acres of land, and had built up industries and established a considerable commerce with the outside world. The growth and prosperity of the society was, however, largely due to the ability and shrewdness of its leader, Joseph Michael Bliumeler (q.v.). Decline began with his death. In 1898 the question of dissolution was formally discussed, and on March 10th a decision was reached binding all to a division of the property on an equitable basis. This act
of distribution abolished the communistic feature of the society, but the municipal incorporation of the Society of Zoar remains intact. It is now more like a rich corporation than a society. Consult Nordhoff, The Communistic So cieties of the United States (1875).
ZO'BO (Tibetan ni(L7opo, male of the /wiz°, zobo). A hybrid between the yak (q.v.) and the humped cattle (q.v.) of India. It is not unlike an English ox. It is common in the western parts of the Himalaya, and is valued as a beast of burden, as well as for its milk and its flesh.
ZtiCK LER, OTTO A Ger man Lutheran theologian. born at Criinberg, Ilesse. Sic studied at Giessen, Eria ugen, and and became a professor at Giessen in 1863 and at Greifswald in 1866. Ilis works are numerous, including commentaries on both Old and New Testament hooks: Kritische Gesehichte der ..Iskese (1803: new ed., Iskrse and .111ineh tun?, 1897) ; Das Tireuz; Christi (1875; Eng.
trans.. The Cross of Christ, 1877) : !Aire rota Urstand des .11enschcn (1879) : Gottr.szcitgen but Peiche der Vatur (1881): nod kirchenhistorisehe Studien (1893), lle edited the Handbuch der theologischen Wisscmsrhaftest (1883-84), and with Strack, the kurzycla.sstc-r num ar (1566 et seq.).