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Page 36

 

Righteousness THE NEW SCHAFF HERZOG

where his affiliations were at first with the radical school of theology. His position later on became more moderate. In 1850, he was called to the theological faculty at the University of Basel, teaching New Testament, pastoral theology, giving popular lectures on the life of Jesus, and engaging also in the study of church music and hymnology. He became an earnest opponent of theological radicalism, combated the leaders of the modern school, and helped to found the Kirchenfreund as the organ of the conservative group. Even in this polemical atmosphere, he never lost the personal friendship of his opponents. He was one of the founders of the Evangelisch-kirchlicher Verein, which worked in conservative interests, and was interested in the Evangelical Alliance. He was also a leader in the extension of missionary work, becoming president of the Basel missions committee in 1878. He published: Vorlesungen Off das Leben Jesu (Basel, 1858); Die'mosaisehe StiftshWte (1862); Die Zeugnisse fur das Evangelium Johannis (1866); Der Kirchengesang in Basel sect der Reformation (1870); Hieronymus Annoni (1870); Der sogenannte Brief des Barnabas (1873); Eine Reiae nach PaUstina (1873); and the commentary upon I and II Thessalonians in Lange's commentary.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Deulach-evangeliaehe Kirchemeitung, iv (1890), 494-496; P. Wurm, in Atlpemeine Mieaionaeeitachrift, :vii (1890), 580-585; Oeri, in Banter KirchenJreund, 1893, nor. 2-5, cf. 1890, no. 19.

RIGGS, ALEXANDER BROWN: Presbyterian; b. at Portsmouth, O., June 21, 1842. He was educated at Jefferson College, Pa. (A.B., 1863), and after teaching mathematics at Western University, Pittsburg, Pa., for a year, was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar. He had practised only two years, however, when, giving up law, he entered Auburn Theological Seminary, where he spent two years, and completed his theological training at Union Theological Seminary (1870), after which he held pastorates at the Reformed Church, Fort Plain, N. Y. (1870-76), the Presbyterian Church, Waterford, N. Y. (1876-90), and the Seventh Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati (1891-1902). From 1894 to 1897 he was instructor in Greek in Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, and since 1897 has been professor of New-Testament exegesis and introduction in the same institution.

RIGGS, EDWARD': Presbyterian; b. at Smyrna, Turkey, June 30, 1844. He was graduated from Princeton College (A.B., 1865) and Union Theological Seminary, New York City (1869). In 1869 he was appointed a missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and went at once to Sivas, Asia Minor, where he remained seven years. Since 1876 he has been stationed at Marsovan, Turkey, where he has been chiefly associated with the Theological Seminary of the Western Turkey Mission, having been professor of systematic theology for a number of years and president since 1903. He has also been a manager of Anatolia College, Marsovan, since its organization in 1886, and has given instruction in various departments as a missionary. In theology he describes himself as " a broad, progressive conservative, holding to the main tenets of the tra-

ditional evangelical theology, adhering strictly to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, but subjecting everything to the most rigid tests of genuine and careful scholarly examination." He likewise holds " that an honest application of the most searching criticism results in maintaining the sound orthodox beliefs in all their essential points." He prepared the chapter on The Christian Forces at Work in the Turkish Empire for W. D. Grant's Christendom Anno Domini MDCCCCI (New York, 1902).

RIGGS, ELIAS: American missionary in Turkey; b. at New Providence, N. J., Nov. 19, 1810; d. at Constantinople Jan. 17, 1901. He graduated at Amherst College, Mass., 1829, and at Andover Theological Seminary, Mass., 1832; was missionary of the American Board at Athens and Argos, Greece, 1832-38; later at Smyrna, Asia Minor; and at Constantinople 1853-1901. He visited his native country once, in 1856, and taught Hebrew in the Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1857-58. He was a remarkable philologist, having early applied himself to a mastery of the Semitic languages and Greek. In 1844 he was assigned to the Armenian branch of the Turkish mission and was engaged in translating the Scriptures into Armenian, 1845-52. He was one of a committee engaged in 1873 by the American and the British and Foreign Bible Societies to translate the Bible into Turkish; and, as a result, the entire Bible was published both in Armenian and Arabic characters in 1878. He participated also in a revision of the same issued in 1886. He is said to have had a working knowledge of twenty languages and the mastery of twelve, and to have produced either as originals or translations no less than 478 hymns in the Bulgarian language alone. He was the author of A Manual of the Chaldee Language containing a Grammar, Chrestomathy, and to Vocabulary (Andover, 1832; revised ed., New York, 1858); Grammar of the Modern Armenian. Language, with to Vocabulary (Smyrna, 1847); Grammar of the Turkish Language as written in the Armenian Character (Constantinople, 1856); and Translation of the Scriptures into the Bulgarian Language,'completed with the aid of native scholars (Constantinople, 1871); Suggested Emendations of the A. V. of the Odd Testament (Andover, 1873); Suggested Modaftcations of the R. V. of the New Testament (1883); and Notes on Difficult Passages of the New Testament (Boston, 1889).

RIGGS, JAMES FORSYTH: Presbyterian; b. at Bournabat (a village near Smyrna), Turkey, Oct. 4, 1852. He was graduated from Princeton College (A.B., 1872), where he was Boudinot fellow in history in 1872-73, and from Union Theological Seminary, New York City (1878). He was then pastor of the Presbyterian church at Cranford, N. J., in 1878-84, and of the Dutch Reformed church at Bergen Point, N. J., in 1884-92; professor of NewTestament Greek in the New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1892-98), and during that time delivered lectures on historical subjects under the auspices of the Rutgers College University Extension system. Since 1898 he has been pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, East Orange, N. J. In