V. RETURN TO EVANGELICAL DOCTRINE. As the way for the prevalence of rationalism had been opened through the decline of practical re ligion, so the return to evangelical doctrine was effected by a revival of personal piety. While Semler was striving to disintegrate faith in the Scriptures, as well as the Scriptures themselves, Klopstock wrote and published his Messiah, which was spread over every part of Germany and among all classes, awakening ad miration, and kindling devotion. About the same time, Hamann, a young German, after vain ly seeking relief in folly and vice from the effects of disappointment, retired to a remote part of London, obtained a Bible, and read it carefully. With a revulgion of feeling, he entered at once on a new course. His writings and genius soon procured him friends in his own country, and gave him influence over the noble, the gifted, and the rich, by which they, as well as men of humbler life, were won to the Christian faith. Herder, contemporary with both Klopstock and Hamann, in his Spirit of Hebrew Poetry, gave attention particularly to the literary and human elements of the Bible as, in his opinion, strength ening its claims to a divine origin. He pointed out, critically, its poetical beauties, not as if they were ornaments only, but as springing from the heart of the revelation, and forming an es sential accompaniment of inspiration. He wrote also on the New Testament, treating of the Pen tecostal gift of tongues, the Resurrection, the Redeemer in the three Gospels, the Son of God as the Saviour of the world, and the spirit of Christianity. While imparting elevated views of the Scriptures, he labored also to exalt the pastor, considering that his true place was by the side of the old prophets, and that no man was worthy of the office who neglected the par ticular care of souls. He was himself, in many respects, a model preacher. While the three distinguished men above mentioned were in the midst of their active work, Schleiermacher was born, who has been called the greatest divine of the nineteenth century, and to whose influence for good scarcely any limit can be assigned. In his fifteenth year he was sent to a Moravian school, whence he brought a personal devotion to Christ. His Discourses to Unbelievers of Culti• voted Minds (1799) marked at once the opening of a new century and of a new era in religion. In 1789 David Mendel was born of poor Jewish parents, his father a peddler, his mother an intelligent and pious woman. At Hamburg he was assisted in acquiring an education, and soon won the respect of teachers and scholars by his talents, while he excited also their merriment by the oddity of his appearance and the awk wardness of his manner. When Schleiermacher's Discourses were published, Mendel was one of the multitudes awakened by them, and in 1806, re nouncing Judaism, he was baptized, and took the name Neander (a new man). He studied
theology at Halle, where Schleiermacher was his favorite professor and deeply interested friend. In 1812 both teacher and pupil were made pro fessors in the new university at Berlin, the former of theology, the latter of Church history. In this position Neander worked to the end of his life, and acquired, as a lecturer, vast re nown. Even Schleiermacher's hearers were limited in number when compared with the crowds that came from all parts of Germany, and the most distant Protestant countries, to hear Neander. Many Roman Catholics also were found in his classes. All the great preachers of Germany became more or less enlightened by his ideas. His salutary influence on the religious condition of the country was immeasurably great, powerfully contributing to the overthrow both of rationalism and of dead formalism, and drawing multitudes of young men to embrace the vital doctrines of Christianity. With him religion was nothing without Christ—not only apprehended by the intellect, belt also loved and trusted with all the powers of the soul. In his view sin was not only injurious, but also in volved guilt, and could be pardoned only through the death and mediation of Christ. In 1816 Tholuck entered the University of Berlin, where he was rescued from skepticism under the in structions of Schleiermacher and Neander, aided by the influence of a distinguished Moravian friend. In 1826 he became professor of theology at Halle as the successor of Professor Knapp, who had sincerely but timidly resisted the preva lent rationalism. Out of 900 students only five avowed their belief in the divinity of Christ; and all the professors, being rationalists, opposed Tholuck's appointment. But the number of young believers in Christ increased year by year. Many thousands of young men became Christians under his instructions. Hengsten berg (1802 - 69) devoted his youth chiefly to the study of philosophy and the Oriental lan guages; but, during a season of sickness and sorrow, having turned with great ardor to the spiritual teaching of the Bible, he became fully convinced of the divine authority of evangelical religion and of the excellence with which its truths are expressed in the Augsburg Confession. In 1826 he was made one of the professors of theology at Berlin, and from that time, for more than forty years, was a conspicuous and earnest defender of Christian doctrine, as based on the divine authority of the Scriptures. Among his numerous writings may be mentioned, as having especial influence: Egypt and the Books of Moses; Commentary on the Psalms; and The Christology of the Old Testament.