Schwenkfelder Hymnology/Chapter VII

by Allen Anders Seipt

CHAPTER VII.
Balthaser Hoffmann, Christopher Hoffmann and Hans Christoph Huebner.

It is our purpose to treat here in brief the matter of how the Schwenkfelder hymn-collection, founded by Caspar Weiss and enlarged by George Weiss, came to undergo a thorough rewriting in point of arrangement, but a few years before it was chosen as the basis for the printed hymn-book. In this connection it will be necessary to discuss the relation of three immigrant Schwenkfelders to the evolution of the Saur edition. They are: Rev. Balthaser Hoffmann, Rev. Christopher Hoffmann, his son, and Hans Christoph Hubner. The matter of the relation to each other of the three folio volumes of the years 1758, 1759 and 1760 is also a part of our problem in this chapter.

Balthaser Hoffmann.^[1]

This account of Rev. Balthaser Hoffmann is limited to, first, his activity as a writer of hymns and transcriber of hymns and, second, his studies of hymns. The works cited herewith should be consulted for fuller biographical information concerning this eminent Schwenkfelder poet and theologian. We shall first recount, summarily, his interest and participation in the promoting of the Schwenkfelder hymn-collection.

In earlier chapters, we learned from Hoffmann's own pen, that he was thoroughly familiar with the circumstances of the origin of the parent collection of 1709, and that he himself made a transcription of the same immediately upon its completion. Indeed, it is not unlikely that he rendered assistance to Caspar Weiss by copying hymns for the collection. From his account of both the first and the second collection, already cited, it is also evident that he was in close personal association with the author of the "Evangelia-lieder," the "Meditationes" and the revised Sudermann hymns, when these series were being written. He had learned by personal inquiry, the purpose of George Weiss in arranging the second compilation on the basis of metre, and had conversed with him respecting the misfortune of the choice of this system of arrangement, in view of the fact that the compilation had become the accepted hymnary of the sect. It was Hoffmann also who had contributed to the second collection, the "Epistellieder" complete pro anno ecclesiastico—the idea of the series having been suggested by the "Evangelia-lieder" of his friend Weiss. Moreover, Hoffmann made a transcription of the second hymn-collection, as he had done in the case of the first.

However, as the head of the Schwenkfelder ministerium (in this capacity, Hoffmann succeeded Rev. George Weiss, serving until 1763) he had found the collection unhappily arranged, since it was altogether deficient in the matter of arrangement as to sequence of doctrine. It is further evident, that in this particular, Hoffmann regarded the compilation as unsuited to the purposes of a church hymnary. As such, it needed to undergo a thorough recompiling; and in the volumes listed in our second chapter for the years 1758 and 1759, we have carried into effect, the rearrangement which without doubt Hoffmann for some years had had in mind.

The study of hymns was for Balthaser Hoffmann an employment which he loved. Occasionally on "Gedächtnisstag"^[2] he would present the study of a favorite hymn. His analyses of numerous hymns have been preserved. They reflect both intensity of method and an amazing wealth of meditations. They are worthy of a close homiletic study. Rev. Christopher Hoffmann made a selection of these studies, of which the list follows:^[3]

Title Page of Hymn-Book. Written by Hans Christoph Hübner.

I. Bedencken über das Lied: Glaubige Seel schau dein Herr.

II. Kurtzes Summarium cines Bedenckens, über den 7. 8. und 9. Vers des Liedes: Ein Kind ist uns gebohren lient. 1746.

III. Summarium eines Bedenckens, aus dem Liede. Lobsinget all mit Freuden. 1747.

IV. Kurtzer Begrieff des Inhalts einer Betrachtung iiber das Lied: Schau siindiger Mensch! wer du bist. 1742.

V. Kurtze Vorstellung iiber das Lied: Jesus Christus lied den Tod. 1742.

VI. Kurtzer Auszug eines Bedenckens, iiber das Lied: Freuet euch heut allegleich. 1747.

VII. Bedencken über 5. Verse aus dem Liede: Frolock heut Christglaubige Seel. 1748.

VIII. Bedencken über etliche Vorstellungen an Christo. Aus dem Liede: Jesus Christus lied den Tod. 1743.

IX. Kurtzer Auszug über einige Betrachtungen vom heiligen Geiste, aus dem Liede: O Gott Schopffer heiliger Geist. 1747.

X. Bedencken iiber das Lied: Der Mensch hat einen grossen Schatz. 1751.

XI. Summarisches Bedencken iiber den iten Vers des Liedes: Der Mensch hat einen grossen Schatz. 1747.

XII. Eine kurtze Erklarung, zu mehrem und reicherm Verstande des Liedes: Schönster Jesu! Konig der Ehren. 1766.

XIII. Kurtzes Bedencken, zu einer Anweisung, iiber das Lied: O gläubigs Hertze benedey. 1746.

XIV. Kurtze Anweisung und Bedencken, über das Lied: Mensch! Erheb dein Hertz zu Gott. 1746.

XV. Betrachtung iiber das Lied: Last uns folgen sanct Pauli Lehr. 1750.

XVI. Bedencken iiber einige Verse aus dem Liede : Menschen Kind was briist du dich.

XVII. Vier Betrachtungen, aus dem Liede: Ey last uns jetzt allsamt.

At the time of the publication of the Saur edition, Balthaser Hoffmann had a more intimate knowledge of the hymn-collections of Caspar Weiss and George Weiss, both as to their history and their content, than any other Schwenkfelder living. In 1753 he had completed a transcription of the George Weiss collection, enriching the value of the collection for devotional use with interpretations and Scripture references. At this time he had also carefully recorded the facts of the origin of this collection, then the hymnary of the sect in manuscript. He was well informed with regard to the work of Caspar Weiss and that of George Weiss in the textual criticism of numerous hymns of the Schwenkfelder collection, and in 1754 had written an explanation of the motives by which these compilers had been actuated in venturing upon the work of textual revision. From 1740-1763, he filled the pastoral office of the Schwenkfelders—the period during which the hymn-book of the Bohemian Brethren passed out of use, and the publication of a hymn-book by and for the Schwenkfelders had been discussed, undertaken and realized. Moreover, documentary evidence is not wanting that Balthaser Hoffmann had long felt keenly the need of a printed Schwenkfelder hymn-book, and that he was a leader in the movement for the publication of it. Of the hymns by Balthaser Hoffmann contained in the Saur edition, twelve, including the hymn which heads the collection, were written while the hymn-book was in process of publication.

We give here, in translation and somewhat abridged, the biographical account of Rev. Balthaser Hoffmann written by Rev. Christopher Hoffmann, his son:^[4]

"Balthaser Hoffmann was born in the year 1687 in Harpersdorf, Principality of Liegnitz, Silesia, of poor plain and unpretending parents, and was brought up in such traditions. He was employed in Harpersdorf, especially in winter, as a weaver; at other times, however, frequently as a day laborer. In stature, he was a tall man, rather slender, his face longish and thin; and after his fiftieth year his hair grew entirely white. Even at an early age he had both a bent and a zeal for learning the ancient languages; and by his indefatigable diligence and the assistance of good books (which however were not plentiful, because his means were insufficient to procure them) he succeeded in acquiring a fair mastery of Latin, Greek and Hebrew, so that he knew these languages. Besides he had both the inclination and concern to devote himself to the Scriptures, in order to acquire the correct understanding of them; to this end his knowledge of the languages was extremely useful and serviceable, since by this means he was able to examine the original text of the Scriptures, so that this knowledge was of great assistance for the better understanding of them. He was also zealous in the practice of Christian doctrine, and in the confession of the untainted truth revealed by God through Caspar Schwenkfeld, desiring to apprehend and to comprehend it accurately and unalloyed. And this God granted him, so that he obtained an abounding knowledge of it. Moreover, all his life he kept a watchful eye upon it, to keep it pure and to avoid mingling with it accessory doctrines. * * *

"Upon his safe arrival in Philadelphia, he did not long remain in the city, but went into the country and, in accordance with the custom there, founded a home, since God had again blessed him so that he and his family could once more live peaceably. Moreover, his study of the Scriptures and Christian doctrine he at no time neglected, but devoted himself to them with the utmost diligence. And his liberty in Pennsylvania was to him a particularly momentous matter, which he regarded as a great divine favor and gift, bestowed upon the untainted testimony of the truth, that it might be cherished and practiced without hindrance.

"When to George Weiss had been assigned the charge of holding public worship, as well as the performance of the marriage ceremony, the preaching of the Word at burial services and the catechising of the children; and when in 1740 George Weiss quite unexpectedly heard the last summons, these duties were entrusted to him (Balthaser Hoffmann), even though a few times he secured release. Especially in 1749, when on his chest and in his bronchial tubes he had a sensation which made breathing difficult, and this gradually became worse until both singing and speaking were un- endurable. But in each instance he was again applied to, particularly to conduct the public services and catechise the children, by reason of his capability, which was divinely bestowed. And this he did, until on account of old age he was no longer able. * * *

"In 1774, December twenty-first, he was attacked with vertigo, which left him quite weak. Repeated attacks followed at intervals of about two weeks leaving him every time in greater weakness. * * * On the eleventh of July 1775, we observed that he was even weaker than usual and that his feebleness was increasing. This continued until he lost his speech, and a few hours before his departure consciousness left him. On the above mentioned day, in the afternoon at 5 o'clock, calmly and but slightly disturbed, in the eighty-ninth year of his age, he fell asleep. The Lord be praised for having thus summoned him, and grant that we may be saved and follow him. Amen. Written in the year 1777. Christoph Hoffmann."

Rev. Christopher Hoffmann's earliest and most important contribution to Schwenkf elder hymnology was the manuscript hymn-book of 1760. A general characterization of this volume is contained in our Descriptive Bibliography. The pre-eminent feature of this hymn-book is the incorporation of the textual revision or "correction" of numerous hymns, made by Caspar Weiss and George Weiss. A detailed account of the nature and design of this textual study is included in the introduction. The hymns involved are principally those of the Bohemian Brethren. It appears that Caspar Weiss compared the hymns common to the various editions of the Bohemian hymn-book, ascertained the variant readings and then, whenever possible, restored the text of the earliest print of the hymn. If, in his opinion, the text was sectarian or otherwise open to criticism, he supplied his own revision. In the same way, George Weiss revised the non- Schwenkf elder hymns which he added to his father's collection. In the volume under discussion Christopher Hoffmann has indicated and recorded about five hundred of these "corrections," by writing in the margin in each instance either the unrevised variant, or the initial of the corrector. The results of this work were applied in large measure in the editing of the printed hymn

Manuscript Hymn-Book (1760). Written by Christoph Hoffmann.

book.^[5] Another service performed by Christopher Hoffmann was the preservation, already noted, of many exegeses of hymns made by his father, Balthaser Hoffmann. Again, the manuscript appendix which many copies of the Saur edition contain, is his work. Following is the description of the hymn-book of 1760, written on a fly-leaf of the volume by its owner, Former Governor S. W. Pennypacker:^[6]

"This hymn-book of the Schwenckfelders, which may be said to represent the art of the Middle Ages, extended into the 18th Century and across the Atlantic———is the best specimen of their manuscripts known to those familiar with the subject. It was written between 1758 and 1760 in Penna. and was bound here and the clasps and mountings were made here. Christoph Hoffman, who wrote it, came to Penna. at six years of age, so that his art was learned here. It is therefore, except as to the literature, purely a Penna. production. Hoffman was born in 1728 and died Jany. 29, 1804, so that when he undertook this task he was thirty years of age. He was a Schwenckf elder minister.

"An account of the origin of this collection of hymns with a series of biographical sketches of the authors is given in the preface. The initials of the authors are written beside the hymns and are explained in the preface. Aurelius Prudentius, a pious Spaniard about A. D. 400, wrote a number of hymns in Latin, which were translated into German by Adam Reissner. This and the hymn book of the Picards or Bohemian Brethren, which was translated by Michael Weiss in 1531 and increased and corrected by Johan Horn, constituted the earliest and principal sources. Selections were also made from the hymns written by the Schwenckfelders Adam Reissner, Reimund Wecker, George Frell, Daniel Sudermann, Antonius Oelsner, George Heydrick, Martin John and others, and by some of the Lutherans and Reformed.

"Caspar Weiss, born at Deutmansdorf in Silesia, and who married Anna, daughter of George Anders, made the collection in 1709 for the use of his family and it was afterward adopted by the church. George Weiss, his son, born 1687 at Harpersdorf in Silesia and who married Anna Meschter, the leader of the Schwenckfelder emigration and their first preacher here increased the collection in 1726 and arranged it in four parts. There are also some hymns written abroad and here by Balthaser Hoffman, father of Christoph, who was born in 1686 and came to Penna. in 1734.

"In the manuscript the letter 'A' signifies that the hymn is in its old form, 'C that it has been corrected by Caspar Weiss, and 'G' by George Weiss. In the Second Register the hymns collected by Caspar Weiss are designated by red capitals and those by George Weiss by black. This collection, which up to that time had remained in manuscript, formed the basis of the hymn-book printed by Saur in 1762.

"On examining this manuscript we cannot help but feel the strongest admiration for the zeal and patience of the scribe, the neatness and excellence of his work, the strength and beauty of the binding, and the nice care with which the book has been preserved through one hundred and twenty-one years in all its original freshness and purity.

"Samuel W. Pennypacker,
"Nov. 6, 1881."

Hans Christoph Hiibner was born in 1721. His father was Christoph Hiibner and his mother Maria (nee Yeakel). He and his parents came to America in 1737. He is buried on the farm on which he lived, near the present Cedars, Montgomery County. The farm is now (1909) owned by William G. Freed. The writer is extremely glad of the opportunity to direct attention to this neglected Schwenkfelder scribe, Hans Christoph Hiibner. In 1746 he married Barbara Schultz, who in 1734, at the age of 14 years, with her widowed mother had emigrated to America. Having attained the rank of a householder, he soon acquired prominence in the life of the church. For thirty years beginning (circa) 1745, he was active as a transcriber and compiler. He wrote the three folio volumes of hymns dated 1758. 1759 and 1765. In addition, three massive collections of sermons in folio, numerous quartos of hymns and of homiletic literature, and a great variety of additional volumes. In the quantity of manuscript produced, he leads all the transcribers of the Schwenkfelders in America, admitting the possible exception of Rev. Balthaser Hoffmann. It was he who executed (1758-59) the last rearrangement of the Weiss hymn-collection, to which he added 120 hymns. In the period 1760-1780, he was prominent in the movement for the organization of the sect, and was one of the five "Haus-vater" of the Lower District at whose homes in routine the Sunday meetings for worship were held. He was also a liberal contributor to the fund established (1764) for the founding and suppot of the school system inaugurated that year. Miss Flora Krauss Heebner, missionary of the Schwenkf elder Church, who is stationed at Shansi, China, and her brother, Rev. Harvey Krauss Heebner, pastor of the First Schwenkfeldian Church of Philadelphia, are lineal descendants of Hans Christoph Hübner. He died at the age of 82 years.

The story of the folio volumes bearing the dates of 1758 and 1759, may be both simply and briefly told. In point of content, the former consists of the second collection, as compiled and arranged by George Weiss, excluding the "Psalm-Lieder," the "Biblische Geschichte," the Sudermann hymns based on the Song of Solomon, the "Meditationes," the "Evangelia-Gesange" and the "Epistel-lieder." Of these six series, three were included in the collection of 1709 and the others added by George Weiss In a word, the manuscript hymn-book dated 1758 is composed of the miscellaneous hymns of the collection of Caspar Weiss and the miscellany of the George Weiss addition. These hymns, treating exhaustively every phase of Christian doctrine, are grouped by the various articles ("Artickel") so-called, of the Christian creed and doctrine, consecutively presented. Furthermore, the hymns of each "Artickel" are prefaced with a summary of the teaching they contain. Those hymns which are translations of hymns by the church-fathers, are in most cases given in parallel columns with their Latin originals.

The re-distribution of the hymns having advanced this far, the task remained of submitting to a like arrangement the hymns of the six distinct series named above. In the volume of the year 1759 we find this work accomplished. These two volumes together comprise the Schwenkfelder hymn-collection in its final arrangement in manuscript. It is not surprising that the scribe remarks in the passage cited below, that he found the collection too massive to be bound into a single volume. The two volumes contain a total of more than twenty-two hundred pages in folio. The following excerpt, taken from the introduction of the manuscript volume of 1758, contains the author's own statement of the source of the hymns composing it:

"Weil auf dem Titul-Blatt dieses Buches gemeldet ist, dass ein Verzeichniss oder Ordnung diesem Buche beygefiiget, nach welchem die Gesänge (nach Belieben und Gefälligkeit) zu denen Evangelien auf alle Sonn- und Feyer-Tage durchs ganze Jahr, können betrachtet werden: So wil ich hiebey erinnern, dass Caspar Weiss die Gesänge gesammlet, und auss vielen Autoribus zusammen getragen, und, auf Begehren treuer Gemuther, auf die Sonntage geordnet hat, und zwar in zwey Abtheilungen, zu einer Übung in der Stille daheim im Hause mit den Seinen zu gebrauchen (Anno 1709): Und, dass die Gesange in diesem Buche, eben dieselben Gesange sind, die er also zusammen getragen; ohne die Psalmen, biblischen Geschichte, und Evangeliums-Gesange, welche zusammen in ein Buch allein sollen geschrieben werden.^[7] Weil auch ohne dem dieses Buch fast zu gross worden."^[8]

In the following passage, the author sets forth his object in submitting these hymns to a rearrangement:

"Sintemal denn die heiligen Apostel und andere alte und Christliche Lehrer der Kirchen das Bekantniss dess Glaubens und die gottselige Christliche Lehre, in unterschiedene Haubt-Puncte und Artickel verabfasset haben, zu einem Dienste für den aüsern Menschen, class er sich darinnen übe, Gotte lerne erkennen, die Wercke Gottes betrachte, und eine Lehre habe sich in gottseligem, Christlicliem Wandel zu üben. * * * Und weilen aber viele Christliche Autores, solclie Haubt-Pvincte oder Artickel der Christlichen Lehre meditirt und betrachtet, und in Reimen und geistliche Lieder verabfasset haben; ünd weilen die Christlichen Autores, so diese geistliche Lieder gedichtet, solche Lehre und Materien bedacht und Gesangs-Weise betrachtet haben: so hat man fur gutt und niitz geachtet audi sonderlich wegen der Jugend (weil durch Singen eine Sache audi leichter mag ins Gemüth und Gedachtniss bracht werden) dass solche Haubt-Articul oder die Christliche, apostolische Lehre mochte bekant, gefasset und geiibet werden, damit es ihr ein soldier Dienst und Handleitung mdchte seyn—solche Lieder, oder dieses Gesang-Buch nach den Haubt-Artickeln der Christlichen Lehre zu ordnen und einzutheilen: dass also audi die Lieder, nach deren Unterscheidung, leichter und besser mögen begriffen und verstanden werden. Und also sind die Artickel, so viel möglich, in Ordnung auf einander gesetzt: Und weil denn einige mehr oder weniger Lieder haben, so sind solche, so da viel Lieder haben und reich von Inhalt der Christlichen Lehre sind, wiederum in unterschiedene Abtheilungen unterschieden: Wie denn audi eines jeden Artickels fiirnehmster Inhalt zusammen in Kurtze in ein Summarium verf asset und bey dess selben An fang zu finden ist."

We give below the complete "Verzeichniss der Artickel" or table of contents of the manuscript hymn-book of 1758, first because this volume seems to have been compiled solely for the sake of the classification already discussed, and second, to anticipate the fact of the similarity in arrangement between this volume and the printed hymn-book:^[9]

I. Von Gott, Oder von der Heilgen Dreyfaltigkeit.

II. Von Jesu Christo, seiner Person und Ammte; folget also:

Von Christi	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$	Menschwerdung.
		Geburt.
		Beschneidung.
		Offenbarung den Weisen.
		Opferung im Tempel.
		Flucht in Egipten.
		Jugend und Gewachse nach der Menscheit.
		Leben und Wandel, Tauffe, Anfechtungen, Predigten, Wunderwercken, und Beruff der Junger.
		Einzug gen Jerusalem.
		Leiden, Tod und Begräbniss.
		Auferstehung.
		Himmelfahrt.
		Mittler-Ammte.
		Erkantniss.

III. Vom Heiligen Geiste.

IV. Von der Schopffung.

V. Von den Engeln.

VI. Vom Fall des Menschen.

VII. Von den Zehn Gebotten.

VIII. Von der Rechtfertigung.

IX. Von dem Glauben.

X. Von der Busse.

XI. Vom Gebet.

XII. Vom Worte Gottes.

XIII. Von Aposteln und Kirchen-Dienern.

XIV. Von der Christlichen Kirchen.

XV. Von der Tauffe.

XVI. Vom Abendmal.

XVII. Von der Dancksagung.

XVIII. Von den Heiligen.

XIX. Vom Christlichen Leben.

XX. Vom Creutz der Kirchen.

XXI. Von der Kirchen Verwuestung.

XXII. Vom Gebett fuer die Kirche.

XXIII. Von Verneuerung der Kirchen.

XXIV. Von der Oberkeit.

XXV. Vom Ehestand und der Kinder-Zucht.

XXVI. Vom Tod und Sterben.

XXVII. Vom Begraebniss.

XXVIII. Von der Auferstehung und Juengsten Gericht.

XXIX. Vom Ewigen Leben.

XXX. Von der Ewigen Pein.

1. Cf. Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelders, pp. xvi. and 5-9. The Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania, pp. 20-23 and 188ff.
2. The Memorial Day of the Schwenkfelders, observed annually on the 24th of September and commemorating the landing at Philadelphia, 1734.
3. From a manuscript in folio now in the possession of Hon. S. W. Pennypacker, LL. D., who most kindly placed it at the disposal of the present writer. The title of the volume follows:
   Erbauliche und Nützliche/ Betrachtungen./ Welche der treue und ein-faltige Zeuge Gottes, Je-/ su Christi, und seiner reinen Wahrheit/ Balthaser Hoffmann/ in Pennsilvanien von Anno 1737. bisz Anno 1768./ Geschrieben./ Bestehend in dreyen Theilen./ Der I. Theil enthält :/ Betrachtungen über heilige Schrifft. altes und neues Testa-/ ments, sowol iiber gantze Capitel, als auch über Verse/ aus derselben./ Der II. Theil enthalt:/ Andere nützliche Betrachtungen und Bekäntnisse./ Der III. Theil enthält :/ Betrachtungen über Lieder./ Auch mit zwey nutzlichen Registern versehen./ Gesammlet und zusammen getragen von/ Christoph Hoffmann/ M.DCC. XCV.
4. Ibidem.
5. Compare with this, page xiv of the preface of the Saur edition.
6. Printed by permission.
7. The manuscript hymn-book of the year 1759 was the fulfilment of this promise.
8. This citation mentions only the Caspar Weiss collection; but investigation has shown that the miscellaneous portion of George Weiss's addition is also incorporated in this volume. In fact, a few of the Psalm-lieder and also a number of the Meditationes found their way into this volume.
9. A comparison has shown that most of the "articles" of this table were taken from the Moravian hymn-book, edition of 1566. A few appear to have been original with the author of the manuscript volume in question. The order of the various rubrics has, however, been changed.