Page:Schwenkfelder Hymnology.djvu/126

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106
SCHWENKFELDER HYMNOLOGY

Weiss 26, Balthaser Hoffmann 38, David Seibt 1 , Caspar Kribel 7, Abraham Wagner 34, Christoph Schultz 7, Christoph Kribel 10.

Numerous copies of the Schwenkf elder hymn-book of 1762 contain a manuscript appendix following the indexes. It is in two parts. The first part consists of three biographical lists. Of these, the first is a transcription of the biographical sketches contained in the hymn-book of the Bohemian Brethren published 1639—the list to which we have already called attention, in our description of said hymn-book. The second is a similar biographical list of the Schwenkfelder hymn writers, and the third an account of the Lutheran and Reformed hymn writers, represented in the new hymn-book. The second part of this manuscript appendix is a complete alphabetical list of the authors of the printed hymn-book. In most of the copies which contain this appendix, the initials of the authors are given in manuscript above the hymns. These manuscript addenda are the work of Rev. Christopher Hoffmann, the bookbinder of the Schwenkfelders, and are usually in his handwriting.

The following three hymns are given as specimens of the Schwenkfelder hymns written in America. The author of the first hymn was Abraham Wagner. The author of the second was Rev. Balthaser Hoffmann. The last hymn is by Rev. George K. Meschter, M. D. It was written, July 1904, on the occasion of the departure of Miss Flora Krauss Heebner for her missionary work in Shansi, China.

I.

Ach, allerhoechstes Guth!
O liebens-wuerdigs Wesen;
Gott Vater, Sohn und Geist,
In welchem wir genesen;
Wer wolt' nicht lieben Dich,
Und loben allezeit?
Du bist das evvig Heil,
Und all Yollkommenheit.