Wibel, Johann Christian

WHYTE, ALEXANDER: Free Church of Scotland; b. at Mrriemuir (14 m. n. of Dundee), Forfarshire, Jan. 13, 1837. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen (M.A., 1862) and at New College, Edinburgh (1862-66); was assistant minister of Free St. John's, Glasgow (1866-70); then assistant minister, and, later (1873), minister of Free St. George's, Edinburgh; and, in 1909, became professor of New-Testament literature and principal of New College, Edinburgh. He has written Commentary on the Shorter Catechism (Edinburgh, 1882); Bunyan Characters (4 series, 1893-1908); Samuel Rutherford and some of his Correspondents (1894); Jacob Behmen: An Appreciation (1894); Lancelot Andrewes and his Private Devotions (1895); Four Temperaments (London, 1895, reissue, 1910); Bible Characters (6 vols., Edinburgh, 1896-1902); Santa Teresa: An Appreciation (1897, reissue, 1910); Father John of the Greek Church (1898); Sir Thomas Browne: An Appreciation. (1898); Characters and Characteristics of William Law (1898); Newman: An Appreciation (1901); Bishop Butler: An Appreciation (1903); The Apostle Paul (1903); Walk, Conversation, Character of Jesus Christ Our Lord (1905); and Thomas Shepard, Pilgrim Father and Founder of Harvard (1909).

WIBEL, vi'bel, JOHANN CHRISTIAN: German theologian; b. at Ernsbach near Oehringen (35 m. n.n.e. of Stuttgart) May 3, 1711; d. at Langenburg (48 m. n.e. of Stuttgart) May 10, 1772. He prepared for the university at Oehringen, and studied at Jena under Buddeus and Johann Georg Walch (qq.v.), 1728-32, especially busying himself with church history; he became chaplain at Wilhermsdorf near Nuremberg in 1732, where he began to write history; in 1746 he was called as teacher and assistant preacher to the gymnasium at Oehringen, where he undertook extensive researches in the archives; he went as court preacher to Langenburg in 1749, where he remained, exercising a wholesome and extended influence. His literary activity began as early as 1733 with a collection of poems on the Order of Salvation (q.v.). In Wilhermsdorf he became interested in the Jews, planned a new edition of the Masorah parva and collected material for a Codex diplomaticus on the history of the Jews, and came into connection with Johann Heinrich Callenberg (q.v.). His later work resulted in the production of his chief writing, Hohenlohische Kirchen-and Reformationshistorie (4 vols., Ansbach, 1752-55), an impartial and worthy compilation which, with the adjunct Codex diplomaticus, contained much original material and is indispensable as a source. On his religious side Wibel was an orthodox Lutheran and somewhat pietistic, and his activities were worthy and far-reaching.

(G. Bossert.)

Bibliography: E. F. Neubauer, Nachricht von den jetztlebenden . . . Theologen in .. . . Deutschland, pp. 10, 20 sqq., Züllichau, 1743; ADB, xlii. 300 301.