BackContentsNext

HEUSDE, PHILIP WILLEM VAN. See Groningen School.

HEUSSER, heis'ser, META (SCHWEIZER): The best female hymnist in the German language; b. at Hirzel (13 m. s.s.e. of Zurich) Apr. 6,1797; d. there Jan. 2, 1876. She was the fourth daughter of Pastor Diethelm Schweizer, a relative and friend of Lavater, and spent her quiet life in Hirzel. She married Johann Jakob Heusser, an eminent physician, and became the mother of a large family. She never dreamed that her lays would be given to the world; but her friends, after many vain efforts, obtained her consent to publish anonymously some of them in Albert Knapp's Christoterpe for 1834. They made a deep impression, and passed into many collections and German hymn-books of Europe and America, especially the Easter hymn, Lamm das gelitten, and Li6eoe der siegreich gerungen, and O Jesus Christ, mein Leben. Later Knapp edited a volume of her poems, under the title Lieder einer Verborgenen (Leipsic, 1858). It was followed by a second series (1867), under her real name. A selection from both volumes was translated into English by Miss Jane Borthwick under the.title Alpine Lyrics (Edinburgh and London, 1875). Mrs. Heusser was a woman of rare genius, piety, and loveliness of character. Her memory was stored with the choicest poetry, secular and religious.

(PHiliP SchAFF+.)

D. S. Schaff.

Bibliography: O. Koch, Geschichte des Kirchenliede and KircAengesanm vii. 877-381, 8 vols., Stuttgart, 1888-1877; P. Schaff, Christ in Song, New York, 1888; ADB, xtii.339-340; Julian, Hymnology, pp. 519-520.

HEWALD (HERWALD): The name of two Anglo-Saxon monks who toward the end of the seventh century undertook a mission to Saxony. According to Bede (Hist. eccl., v.10), they had lived a long time in Ireland, and were distinguished as the "dark" (niger) and the "fair" (albus), from the color of their hair. Their request to be presented to the Saxon chief was not granted, and the barbarians slew them, torturing the dark Hewald cruelly, and throwing his limbs into the Rhine: The king punished the murderers, and the bodies of the martyrs at once began to work miracles. Pepin buried them in Cologne (which fixes their date before 714). The day of their suffering was Oct. 3. In 1074 Anno II., archbishop of Cologne, translated their relics to St. Cunibert's church; the church of St. Victor at Xanten, and the abbey of Gorze, near Metz, also claimed to possess portions of their relics.

Bibliography: ASH, Oct., ii. 205-207; Bettberg, KD. ii.

397-399; Hsu* KD, ii. 388-389; NA, ii (1877). 293.

BackContentsNext


CCEL home page
This document is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library at
Calvin College. Last modified on 08/11/06. Contact the CCEL.
Calvin seal: My heart I offer you O Lord, promptly and sincerely