PROTESTANT, a denomination in the seventeenth century, which
owed its origin to the pious and learned Spener,” as Dr. Mosheim calls
him, who formed private devotional societies at Frankfort, in order to
cultivate vital and practical religion; and published a book entitled
Pious Desires,” which greatly promoted this object. His followers laid
it down as an essential maxim, that none should be admitted into the
ministry but those who not only had received a proper education, but
were also distinguished by their wisdom and sanctity of manners, and had
hearts filled with divine love. Hence they proposed an alteration in the
schools of divinity, which embraced the following points: 1. That the
scholastic theology, which reigned in the academies, and was composed of
intricate and disputable doctrines, and obscure and unusual forms of
expression, should be totally abolished. 2. That polemical divinity,
which comprehended the controversies subsisting between Christians of
different communions, should be less eagerly studied, and less
frequently treated, though not entirely neglected. 3. That all mixture
of philosophy and human science with divine wisdom, was to be most
carefully avoided; that is, that Pagan philosophy and classical learning
should be kept distinct from, and by no means supersede, Biblical
theology. But, 4. That, on the contrary, all those students, who were
designed for the ministry, should be accustomed from their early youth
to the perusal and study of the Holy Scriptures, and be taught a plain
system of theology, drawn from these unerring sources of truth. 5. That
the whole course of their education was to be so directed as to render
them useful in life, by the practical power of their doctrine, and the
commanding influence of their example. Such, in substance, is Mosheim’s
account of the meditated reforms in the public schools. But it was not
intended to confine these reforms to students and the clergy. Religious
persons of every class and rank were encouraged to meet in what were
called Biblical colleges, or colleges of piety, (we might call them
prayer meetings,) where some exercised in reading the Scriptures,
singing, and prayer, and others engaged in the exposition of the
Scriptures; not in a dry and critical way, but in a strain of practical
and experimental piety, by which they mutually edified each other. This
practice, which always more or less obtains where religion flourishes,
as, for instance, at the Reformation, raised the same sort of outcry as
at the rise of Methodism; and those who entered not into the spirit of
the design, were eager to catch at every instance of weakness or
imprudence, to bring disgrace on that which, in fact, brought disgrace
upon themselves, as lukewarm and formal Christians. In so saying,
Master, thou reproachest us also.” This work began about 1670. In 1691
Dr. Spener removed from Dresden to Berlin, where he propagated the same
principles, which widely spread, and were well supported in many parts
of Germany by the excellent Professor Francke and others, until the
general decline of religion which has unhappily prevailed in Germany for
the last half century. See NEOLOGY.
owed its origin to the pious and learned Spener,” as Dr. Mosheim calls
him, who formed private devotional societies at Frankfort, in order to
cultivate vital and practical religion; and published a book entitled
Pious Desires,” which greatly promoted this object. His followers laid
it down as an essential maxim, that none should be admitted into the
ministry but those who not only had received a proper education, but
were also distinguished by their wisdom and sanctity of manners, and had
hearts filled with divine love. Hence they proposed an alteration in the
schools of divinity, which embraced the following points: 1. That the
scholastic theology, which reigned in the academies, and was composed of
intricate and disputable doctrines, and obscure and unusual forms of
expression, should be totally abolished. 2. That polemical divinity,
which comprehended the controversies subsisting between Christians of
different communions, should be less eagerly studied, and less
frequently treated, though not entirely neglected. 3. That all mixture
of philosophy and human science with divine wisdom, was to be most
carefully avoided; that is, that Pagan philosophy and classical learning
should be kept distinct from, and by no means supersede, Biblical
theology. But, 4. That, on the contrary, all those students, who were
designed for the ministry, should be accustomed from their early youth
to the perusal and study of the Holy Scriptures, and be taught a plain
system of theology, drawn from these unerring sources of truth. 5. That
the whole course of their education was to be so directed as to render
them useful in life, by the practical power of their doctrine, and the
commanding influence of their example. Such, in substance, is Mosheim’s
account of the meditated reforms in the public schools. But it was not
intended to confine these reforms to students and the clergy. Religious
persons of every class and rank were encouraged to meet in what were
called Biblical colleges, or colleges of piety, (we might call them
prayer meetings,) where some exercised in reading the Scriptures,
singing, and prayer, and others engaged in the exposition of the
Scriptures; not in a dry and critical way, but in a strain of practical
and experimental piety, by which they mutually edified each other. This
practice, which always more or less obtains where religion flourishes,
as, for instance, at the Reformation, raised the same sort of outcry as
at the rise of Methodism; and those who entered not into the spirit of
the design, were eager to catch at every instance of weakness or
imprudence, to bring disgrace on that which, in fact, brought disgrace
upon themselves, as lukewarm and formal Christians. In so saying,
Master, thou reproachest us also.” This work began about 1670. In 1691
Dr. Spener removed from Dresden to Berlin, where he propagated the same
principles, which widely spread, and were well supported in many parts
of Germany by the excellent Professor Francke and others, until the
general decline of religion which has unhappily prevailed in Germany for
the last half century. See NEOLOGY.