Zinzendorf, Nicolaus Ludwig, Count

ZINZENDORF, tsin'tsen-lerf, NICOLAUS LUDWIG, COUNT.

Early Late and Education (§ 1).
Beginnings of Religious Activities (§ 2).
Relations with the Brethren Theological Development (§ 3).
Activities as Leader of the brethren (§ 4).
Last Years (§ 5).
Leading Idea; Literary Works (§ 6).

Count Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf, founder of the Unity of the Brethren (q.v.), was born at Dresden May 26, 1700; d. at Herrnhut May 9, 1760. His ancestry on both sides was noble; his father, a high Saxon official, died while the son

z. Early was a small infant; his early boyhood

Life sad was passed under the care of his maEducation. ternal grandmother, who was a distinguished representative of . Pietism, and this influence became dominant in the formation of the boy's character, since before his ninth year the aim of his life was the attainment of a living communion with Christ. Further education was gained at the Pfidagogium at Halls (1710-16), where toward the end of his course he came into closer relations with Francke; the influence of this

period was also an abiding one, and the organization of societies of youth for the betterment of personal life and the diffusion of the Gospel gave promise of what he was later to accomplish. His own predilections were toward theology, but his family desired him to prepare himself for a career in the service of the State; he therefore took up the study of law at Wittenberg (1716-19), which did not prevent him from spending much time on the Bible, Luther's works, and the writings of the Pietiats. The years 1719-20 he spent in travel, in Holland coming into connection with prominent representatives of the Reformed theology and with those outside church circles: He came to an understanding of the bond which united all Christians, that which consisted in a relation of personal trust in Christ. In France a new circle of acquaintances was made, including the devout Cardinal Noaillea, with whom the tie of their common love for Christ became a strong one. In the choice for personal lifework a career like that of Canstein in the orphan establishment was his preference; but his family was strongly opposed to this, and in deference to their wishes he took up his work as a counselor in Dresden in the late autumn of 1721. With a part of his patrimony he bought the estate of Berthelsdorf and as patron settled there the pastor and poet Johann Andrews Rothe; and in 1722 he married Countess Erdmute Dorothea, sister of his friend Heinrich, count of Reues-Ebersdorf.

The way to the entrance upon official duties seemed at first to have been closed by Zinzendorf'e refusal to subscribe to the Formula. of Concord, and he was looking to service at the Da- 2. Begin- nish court when subscription was rings of waived and in 1721 he took up his Religious duties. But of his work there little is Activities. known. His chief interest was in the formation of an ecclesiola like that of Spener's, which found a nucleus on his own estate. With Friedrich von Watteville, Rothe, the pastor at Bertheladorf, and Melchior Schaffer-Görlitz he formed the "Union of four Brethren" bound to work for the interests of faith in Christ as a " heart religion." Missions to the Jews and to the heathen were also in mind. In the winter of 1723-24 a build ing was begun which was intended to serve pur poses like those of the Halls Padagogium, which in 1727 became an orphan asylum. A printing-press was set up in order to further the proposed move ment, and a series of tractates and two catechisms were issued. Those who were impressed by ration alism and were outside of church influences were sought through a weekly called Le Socrate de Dresde (1725-26), in which a sort of practical philosophy, proving religion to be a universal need, was ex pounded, reconciling a positive Christian piety with philosophic thought. The meetings at Görlitz and at Dresden raised up opposition, sad Zinzendorf sought to show the legitimacy of the assemblages by the Bohmalkald Articles.

The Bohemian Brethren (q.v.) had spread from Bohemia and Moravia into Poland. The Bohemians had in 1809 formed a union with the Evangelical church of Bohemia; but in the Counter-Reformation the Bohemian and Moravian branches had become

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practically extinct. The Polish branch with a Re formed tinge had maintained itself as a separate organization with the old episcopal

3. Relations consecration, while, in Poland, Mo with the ravian and Bohemian refugees had

Brethren; their independent organization which

Theological was, however, finally obliterated. But

Development.

some Moravian communities still ex fisted in Bohemia and Moravia, and under the stress of a series of edicts by Charles VI. (1717-26) a new emigration was begun which was brought to the notice of Zinzen dorf, though he knew nothing of the inner relations and of the connection with the Bohemian Brethren.

Indeed, only his official relations brought Zinzen dorf as yet into connections with them. But inter est was awakened as it became clear that the emi grants were resolved not to take on the yoke of a new church when they had just escaped from the yoke of Roman Catholic impositions. Meanwhile by the death of his grandmother (1726) Zinzendorf saw his way clear to retire from his official position, which he did in 1728. He concentrated his attention now upon Herrnhut, took advantage of the law which permitted a newly established village to estab lish its own rules of living, enabling it to form a com munity within the church, and thus preventing the danger of separatism, but possessing the right of private assembly. The ecclesiola became a great union, but with a legal basis as a part of the parish of Bertheladorf. Meanwhile, during the years 1725

and following, Zinzendorf's religious convictions had been undergoing development into their final form.

At the beginning of that period he was still an ad herent of the Halls school, though he had no inter est in the Pietistic themes of dispute. His life in

Dresden gave him also a valuable insight into the

"world" with its activities. With the development in Pietism, after Francke's death, of a party spirit,

Zinzendorf's attitude to it became less cordial.

During the period 1729-34 he found himself in position to oppose the doctrines of Johann Konrad Dip

pel (q.v.) as set forth in the letter's Vera demonstrc

do evangelica, with the author of which he had correspondence. This opposition was in spite of fun damental agreement on the part of the two men in placing stress in the doctrine of the atonement upon the love of God. Zinzendorf's attitude toward mys ticism and separatism became ever more decidedly opposed. His position toward Herrnhut was mean while developing into closeness through their com mon activities. But this course had important results upon his own fortunes and made him the ob ject of attack. An opinion gained from the faculty of Tübingen was favorable to the orthodoxy of the

Bohemian Brethren. But suspicion on the part of the authorities made itself manifest in investigations by the state authorities, and an order was issued in 1732 that Zinzendorf~ sell his goods and leave Saxony, though the next year this was with drawn because of a change in the ministry. But the general attitude seemed to indicate to the Herrn huters the wisdom of further emigrations, to which the success of missionary undertakings in North

America seemed to invite. Accordingly, in 1735 the first company took their departure for Georgia, and in connection with this appeared the necessity for ecclesiastical authority based upon ordination, the Bohemian consecration being imparted by Daniel Ernst Jablonski (q.v.) to the missionary David Nitschmann. Zinzendorf wished at that time himself to receive consecration, but Jablonski demurred because of the sensation such a step would cause. Thi$ episcopal office had no immediate relation to Herrnhut, and had in view simple leadership for the colonies and missions abroad. In the mean time the opponents of Zinzendorf had been busy; on Mar. 20, 1736, a rescript required him to leave Saxony, while a commission was appointed to investigate conditions at Herrnhut. The commission, which proceeded impartially, found little to criticize, and that practically the Lutheran standards were respected. The result was the announcement of toleration for the community upon express recognition of the standards.

Zinzendorf went to the Wetterau, a strip of land between the Taunus and the Vogelsberg, rented the castle known as the Ronneburg as a residence, and began work among the lower classes ¢. Activities in the way of Bible translation and as Leader teaching. His associates formed of the "pilgrim unions" for the carrying out Brethren. of the general plane. Out of the work here arose the work among the "Diaspora" in the Baltic provinces which the brethren later carried on. On a return journey Zinzendorf, stopped at Berlin, came into close relations with King Frederick William I. of Prussia, won him over to advocate Zinzendorf's consecration as bishop, submitted himself to examination as to his worthiness, and received consecration May 20, 1737, from Jablonski. While Zinzendorf's aim had been to maintain the Brethren as a community within the Lutheran Church, events were forcing the trend toward the formation of an independent body. Especially in the mission fields and abroad generally the work stood out as that of a church alongside of the other churches. This resulted especially from Zinzendorf's visit to the West Indies (Dec., 1738, to June, 1739), which showed him the necessity of this development. (questions of polity and government obtruded themselves, whether the episcopal or presbyterial form were the better. In 1741 Zinzendorf, on the eve of a visit to. America, laid down his episcopal office that he might work simply as " Brother Ludwig," this action being coincident with a synodal conference at London called to decide the polity of the Brethren's organization. [In America,'1741-43, his activities were considerable, centering about Bethlehem and Germantown in Pennsylvania. He was especially interested in two lines of work, missions to the Indians and endeavors after church union, the latter being sought thiough frequent conferences. But the impression was gained that union was to be brought about by merging in the Moravian communion. He acted as pastor of the Lutheran church in Philadelphia, and assumed the title of inspector-general of the Lutheran churches then in America. But the result of his activities seems to have been rather dissension than a larger unity. He was required by the mayor of Philadelphia to give up the records of the Lutheran churches so far

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Zionism

as they were in his possession, and the organization of the Lutherans was taken up by Henry Melchior Mühlenberg (q.v.).] Even among the Brethren dissident views prevailed and in various parts where their establishments were placed different tendencies not in harmony with Zinzendorf's aims revealed themselves. The reconciliation of these more or less divergent lines of development was carried on as far as possible so as to harmonize with the local conditions, with the aim, also, of avoiding sectarian tendencies and of working in harmony with the church of the region. Zinzendorf's doctrinA development proceeded also, and a statement of his belief concerning the Trinity was formulated so as to reconcile it practically with the central "heart theology" of the Brethren. But this statement and the accompanying developments in the communities aroused opposition and a considerable number of adverse brochures were issued, which affected the regard in which the entire Brotherhood was held, "Herrnhuters" becoming a term of reproach. In some parts the alternative was placed before the Brethren of sundering their connection with Zinsendorf or of removing to other regions.

The last years of Zinzendorf from 1749 contain much that is depressing. Until 1755 he was in England, except for the period July, 1750-July, 1751, and during those years he revised his teachings and eliminated much which had been or

5. Last seemed fantastic. The Unity arising Years. from the Herrnliut colony was orig inally without property, and Zinzen dorf had devoted all the income from his own pos sessions without stint to its uses. He had also made loans to carry on the work in Holland and England, and the result was that he was at the beginning of this last period on the verge of bankruptcy. The only possibility of recovery seemed to be to have the Unity consider the position of Zinzendorf bound up with its own and to have the financial side of affairs put under definite authorities. In this matter the aid of skilful jurists was invoked, the pri vate property of Zinzendorf was separated from the possessions of the organization, and the adminis tration of the latter provided for. This led to a more complete development of the administrative side of the Unity of the Brethren. In 1752 Zinzendorf was saddened by the death of his son Christian Renatus, in whom he had hoped to see his successor in the work to which he himself had given his life. From 1755 Zinzendorf's labors were chiefly in the direction of pastoral visitation of the Unity's communities. In 1756 his wife died, and in 1760, in the midst of his restless activities, he was seized with a fever which soon resulted in his own death.

The one idea which controlled Zinzendorf's life was the thought which obtained possession of him in early boyhood, which he expressed by the word Herzeresreligion, "Heart religion." The central thought here was a life in communion with God. This resolved itself into a living communion with Christ, since God was revealed to mankind only in him; religion was then an orienting of the life to the person and work of Christ. But the formulation of these thoughts in the direction of instruction led to

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