DISCOURSE IV.

CARL IMMANUEL NITZSCH, D.D.

We have already given some particulars as to the University of Halle (sketch of Tholuck); and, passing over now to Berlin, a few facts here may be of interest. The University of Berlin, although one of the youngest, occupies the first rank, not only in Germany, but in the world. It was founded in 1810, at the time of the deepest humiliation of Prussia, and became one of the means of its intellectual, moral, and national regeneration, which resulted in the victorious emancipation from the yoke of the French conqueror in 1813-14. Frederic William III. assigned for its use a magnificent palace in the finest part of the city, with endowments and many privileges, which his successor, Frederic William IV., an enthusiastic patron of literature and art, greatly increased. It numbers over one hundred and sixty teachers, and nearly two thousand students.

No university was ever favored with such a galaxy of distinguished scholars as Berlin during the last fifty years. The very first masters, in every department of science, have taught there together, or in succession, from the beginning, and are teaching in part to this day. Among the theologians, are the well-known names of Schleiermacher, Neander, Marheineke, De Wette, Twesten, Hengstenberg, Theremin, and Nitzsch. Distinguished among those who now fill the theological chairs, is the last-named professor, who is at Berlin much what Dr. Tholuck is at Hale.

Dr. Nitzsch was born September 21, 1787, two years before Neander and Twesten, and the very year of the adoption of the Federal Constitution of the United States. His father, Carl Ludwig, was General Superintendent and first Director of the Theological Seminary at Wittenberg, the birth-place of the Lutheran Reformation. The son received the thorough classical training for which the schools of Saxony and Prussia are distinguished. His principal theological teacher was, probably, Reinhard. He commenced public life, in 1812, as deacon of that venerable castle-church at whose gates Luther affixed the famouus Ninety-five Theses against the indulgences of the Dominican mountebank Tetzel. Subsequently he became superintendent and theological professor of the seminary at Wittenberg. In 1817 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology from the theological faculty in the University at Berlin. In 1820 he became "Propst" at Kemberg; and in 1822 was called to Bonn as professor "ordinarius," and university preacher. Here he spent years of his manhood, as the acknowledged head of the theological faculties and the chief attraction to the students. He took, at the same time, an active interest in all the practical questions and affairs of the church in the western provinces of Prussia. In 1847, he accepted a call to Berlin to fill the vacancy created in the

the

theological faculty by the death of Dr. Marheineke. He is now the oldest divine of that university, but as active and energetic as ever. In addition to his lectures, he preaches, once in two weeks, to the professors and students, and attends the sessions of the Oberkirchenrath, of which he is a regular member. Quite recently he was elected also Propst (provost) of St. Nicolai.

As a theological author, Nitzsch is best known by his "System der Christlichen Lehre," or, System of Christian Doctrine, which appeared first in 1828. It struck out a new path in the line of didactic theology. It gives, with compressed brevity, an exhibition of Christian dogmatics and ethics, as an undivided system of life. He also published, in 1837, a work (yet unfinished) on Practical Theology, besides which he put forth, between the years 1815 and 1848, six collections of sermons. Nitzsch is regarded as one of the ablest champions of Protestantism against the powerful attack of Mohler's Symbolik. His articles on the subject, first published in the "Studien und Kritiken," and then in separate book forms, in 1835, enriched by one hundred Protestant theses, greatly extended his reputation. He prepared a similar series of articles against the infidel dogmatics of Strauss. He has also written a number of Latin dissertations, and is one of the founders and frequent contributors to the three theological journals, the "Studien und Kritiken," the "Bonner Monatschrift," and the "Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Christl. Wissenshaft und Christl. Leben."

As a lecturer, Nitzsch has the singular habit of half-buttoning and unbuttoning his coat, and taking snuff at regular intervals. But the sense of ridicule is kept down by his dignified and venerable appearance, and the excellent matter of his lectures on the various branches of systematic and practical theology. He has probably more personal influence upon the students than any of his colleagues. Of all the German divines still living, it is said that there is no one who carries with him so much moral weight in his personal appearance as Dr. Nitzsch. Hengstenberg may surpass in energy and decision of will, but Nitzsch has greater dignity of character, as he is more venerable by age, and more winning by mildness and charity. He is, emphatically, homo gravis, and yet very unassuming and plain in address and manner, both in the lecture-room, in the pulpit, and at home. He moves like a patriarch, combining the present generation with the age of Schleiermacher and Neander, among the professors, ministers, and students of Berlin.

The sermons of Professor Nitzsch are not very popular in Germany, probably from the abrupt and obscure manner of expressing his thoughts. His style is at the farthest remove from the plastic and imaginative, and exceedingly involved, and difficult to be rendered into another tongue. But they abound in rich thought from the fountain of truth, and are not destitute of earnestness and depth of feeling. That which is here given, is of his own selection, for this special purpose. Among us it might be called a “Baccalaureate Discourse;" having been pronounced at the close of an academical winter semester. We mistake if it is not deemed worthy of the term magnificent, which a ripe German scholar applied to it, after a careful perusal. Much labor has been bestowed upon the translation, in order to give it a smooth and transparent rendering, and, at the same time, be just to the original. To be appreciated the discourse needs to be studied.

THE PREACHING OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED.

BELOVED FATHERS AND BRETHREN-Rapidly has this term of familiar intercourse with the sciences, both in word and life, reached its close. At the commencement, we reflected upon the sowing and the harvest; and not without reason did we inquire what was meant by sowing to the Spirit, and what, by sowing to the flesh; and from the one, to reap life; and from the other, corruption. And now it may be asked, how have we sowed, and what hopes may we entertain respecting a harvest.

At the expiration of our term, when some of us will have finished our academical course forever, and the most of us will be only interrupted in it for a while, in order to give ourselves to recreation, or to retired study, or to social intercourse at the fireside, I feel constrained, my honored and dear brethren, to call your attention, first of all, to that other career which suffers no interruption, and which presses on to a termination quite different from the present one. It is a career which admits of no vacation. It allows of no parting one from the other. And the now approaching festivals will proclaim to you, in company with large numbers of fellow-Christian champions, the aim, the help, and the succor which is granted to those who enter upon it.

It devolves upon us to conclude this semester, in the full view of what is here presented before us, and to season and complete whatever disheartening or elevating experiences we have passed through, with that wisdom which is derived from the proclamation of the cross of Christ.

For if we are now about to devote the just commencing days of rest, and separation, and varied reunion at home only to pleasure and vanity, according to our respective humors, then will these solemnities witness against us with their real character, saying, "But we preach only Christ crucified." If we exult over our own works and achievements, or lift ourselves in pride above those around us, then will these again in like manner administer their rebuke, "We believe in Christ the crucified.” Again, if we wish to ask after, or be inquired of respecting wisdom, and consent to lightly estimate that which truly moves the hearts of others, for whose sake we should be really wise, then will these again protest against our conduct and assert, "But by us is preached Christ the crucified."

He, who in the name of Christians generally, first introduced this characteristic expression, still ever kept in view that "wisdom" which at Rome, at Corinth, at Athens, throughout all the schools, was esteemed as the more important element in human life; yea, was honored only too much, as the most important object of man's regards.

With this preamble, and by the help of the Spirit of truth and sancti

fication, let us now proceed to consider the words of the holy Scripture, found in 1 Cor., i. 23, 24:

"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

The apostle, whose lot it was to be the first herald of Christ in the chief centers of secular culture, and to the remotest circuits around, insists, for this very reason, all the more strenuously on making Christ crucified the main object of his preaching; and this fact should prompt us, especially in these days, and in such an assembly as this, to contemplate afresh this cardinal doctrine of our profession and worship. With him it seemed not merely a matter of personal experience, but also a deep-felt necessity, that a proclamation of this sort, made at the first, according as persons and occasions offered, should be to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness. And now, since in both the Jewish and Greek character there existed something more than national idiosyncracies of thought-since in them there are manifested the common tendencies of the world, and of the natural man everywhere, how can we fail to perceive that from the same causes, like effects will universally follow? But Paul looked also to the divinely elect among both classes, and then was it to him, also, more than a dictate of experience; it was a necessity, penetrating both present and future, that to them Christ would be at once divine power, and divine wisdom. It is an assurance which always abides, indestructible.

Let us bring this statement more fully under contemplation as we explain in their causes:

1. The stumbling-block felt by the Jews, as well as the Greeks, in the preaching of the cross; and

2. The opposite effect of the same upon those who are called.

"But we," says the apostle, "preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness." If under the term "Christ," we imagine simply a Jesus of Nazareth, in his holy mildness and innocence, in his wondrous. beneficence, in his labors in behalf of the souls of his brethren; if by "crucified" be meant only his unmerited sufferings, and his shameful martyr death; if by "preaching" or proclamation we understand nothing but the description of his person, and the exhibition of such a human life and death as was his, it is not easy to see how, e. g., to those Jews who had taken no part as opposers in his history in Palestine, he could have proved a stumbling-block; and among the Greeks, who had a quick sense for whatever was distinguished and noble, for virtue and spiritual freedom, how he could have experienced nothing but contempt. The former ought to have placed him in the series of their holy prophets; and the latter should have ranked him among their wisest and noblest sons. For the educated and

refined portion of the world he ought to have been an object of attrac tion and great significance. But now, this crucified one is Christ, a Lord over all; and this Christ is a crucified one; and thus set before us in light or shade, he is not simply exhibited, but preached, i. e., offered to all creatures, to every soul, for believing reception, for penitent embrace, for humble submission; and that, too, in the name of the living God who has made heaven and earth-who has given in him both the law and promise-who has overlooked and forborne with sin, in order now to reveal in him his righteousness from faith to faith. This is, indeed, altogether another thing.

Here, in the first place, is disclosed to us the reason why Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews. By a stumbling-block is meant something which, according to all expectation, ought to have been most holy and most glorious, but which in appearance and reality, proves to be common, unworthy, and injurious. A just anticipation in this case feels itself to have been sadly deceived, and the most earnest longing turns away in hatred and disgust from its object, as it is seen coming forth to contradict every cherished hope. I then hate where I should and would have only loved. I fling stones at that which ought to have been worshiped. For the title, name, and birth-place of the person, the doctrine, and the whole cause have all beguiled me. Here is the stumblingblock. Christ, Messiah, kingdom of heaven, redemption-what attractive, exciting objects these for the Jew, unto whom the ends of the earth were come. But Christ, on the cross! a Redeemer delivered over into the hands of the heathen! God's Son, and no mustering of heaven and earth! no divine day of judgment and of triumph, ushering in for God's people a supremacy over all the Gentiles-and gathering together the legitimate servants of the Most High! What a contradiction was there in such divine blessedness to Jews who felt blessed only in this world! Then did the flesh begin to set promise at strife with promise, and law with law. But surely in vain. The Spirit sealed unto the Crucified his kingdom-in all lands-through all times-even unto this day. Kings and queens bow themselves, and nations are prostrate before his name; and, so far as this has happened, or still happens, does the stumbling-block in a degree vanish away. But yet is the offense rooted in the hearts of men; still it rises and acts itself out, although in various ways and degrees because of that Judaism which still cleaves to our nature throughout the world, even among Christians. An older calling, a diviner promise we can not think to have than-to be happy, to have enjoyments; and, with this, how can we reconcile Good Friday, the cross, and that holy passion which these days commemorate, and into whose fellowship these seek to draw men? I have conducted myself 'honestly, I will say; I have labored much in behalf of virtue; I therefore am looking for a reward of peace. But I am here bidden to fix my eye upon the token of forgiveness of sin! Very well. I would be