The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Schmidt, Nathaniel

SCHMIDT, Nathaniel, American Orientalist: b. Hudiksvall, Sweden, 22 May 1862. He was educated at the universities of Stockholm, Colgate and Berlin. He became professor of Semitic languages and literature at Colgate University in 1888 and since 1896 holds the same chair in Cornell University. In 1904-05 he was director of the American School for Oriental Study and Research in Jerusalem. He was president of the Society for Biblical Literature and Exegesis in 1914. Among his publications are ‘Introduction to the Hexateuch’ (1896); ‘Biblical Criticism and Theological Belief’ (1897); ‘The Republic of Man’ (1899); outline histories of Egypt, India, Babylonia and Assyria, Syria and Arabia (1901-04); ‘The Prophet of Nazareth’ (2d ed., 1907); ‘The Original Language of the Parables of Enoch’ (1908); ‘The Messages of the Poets’ (1911). He has written a number of articles on the books of the Old Testament for The Encyclopedia Americana, and has also contributed largely to other encyclopedias and to theological publications.