FRANCKE
653
FRANCKE
them alms ; he then took into his house some orphans, the number of whom nipidly increased. In this char- itable work he was aided by some benevolent citizens of Halle, and his charitable institutions increased from year to year. In 101)8 was laid the lirst stone of tlie buildings which now form two rows eight hundred feet long. Sums of monej' poured in to liim from al) quarters; and frequently, when reduced to tiie utmost embarrassment in meeting the expense, the providence of God, in which he implicitly trusted, appeared for his relief. A clicmist, whom he visited on his death-bed, left him the recipe for compounding several medicines, which afterwards yielded ;m annual income of from twenty thousand to thirty thousand dollai's, bj' wliich he was enabled to prosecute his benevolent undertak- ings without any assistance from government"'
The following account of the several institutions founded by Francke is taken from an excellent article by professor Stoever, in the Evangelical Quarterly lie- view, April, 18G8 :
1. The Orphan House engaged Francke's most assid- uous attention. The main edifice, six stories high and 150 feet wide, was the largest in the city, colossal in proportions, handsomely finished, and imposing in appearance. Connected with this were other build- ings, adapted to the various wants of the children, and intended to accommodate upwards of 1000 orphans. This was erected without capital, without soliciting the funds for the purchase of the material, or for the pay- ment of tlie workmen. Tiie Lord, from day to day, in answer to prayer, su]iplied everytliing that was re- quired. In 1704 it was educating 12b orphans ; at a subsequent period, as many as 500. 2. T/ie Norma'. Semindri/, designed for tlie education of teachers. Poor young men received gratuitous instruction and board- ing, and, as an equivalent, rendered services in the Orphan House, In ITOi there were seventy-five stu- dents in this department. The course of instruction extended to five years. For its maintenance no con- tributions were ever asked. 3. The Divinity School grew out of the necessity of assisting in their studies indigent students in theology. From the very first Francke had employed the services of these j'oung men studying in the university as his co-laborers in the Orphan House and the schools for the poor. Many were thus prepared for the ministry. They received special instruction from Francke and other professors in the university, and funds came in freely for their support. In this institution many of the earlier Amer- ican Luther.m ministers were trained. 4, The Seven Schools, partly designed for the children of citizens wlio were able to pay tuition, and partly for those in the humble walks of life. In 1704, the pupils in these schools, independently of the orphan children, amount- ed to 800, the teachers to 70. 5. The Royal Pedayo- giuni, an institution designed for the sons of noblemen and men of wealth. Its benefits were subsequently extended to others. The school at first consisted of only twelve pupils, but in 1704 numbered seventy scholars and seventeen teachers. Instruction was here communicated in the ancient and modern languages, the sciences, and in literature. 6. The Colleyium Ori- entale, designed to advance the critical studj' of the Scriptures in the Oriental languages in 1704, consisted of thirteen individuals, but accessions to the number were made from time to time. 7. The Institution to provide free Board for poor Students. This was a most excellent feature in Francke's operations. Without any special resources, he furnished, at first, gratuitous boarding to twelve young men ; the numlier gradually increased, until nearly one hundred regular!}' sat down to their meals in the great hall of the Orphan House. 8. The Book-store and Publishing Department, small in the beginning, expanded till it became one of the most extensive enterprises of tlie kind in German}'. Not only were school-l)ooks issued, but standard relig- ious books, and also works in the Hebrew and Orien-
tal languages. The fonts in the Greek, Hebrew, Syr- iac, and Arabic characters, in the course of time, were the most complete in tlie countr\'. The presses were also extensively used for printing the Scriptures. In the early liistory of the American Lutheran Cliurch, the Bible, through this instrumentality, was furnished to hundreds who were destitute of the Word of Life. This department always sustained itself, as the greater part of the labor was performed by the older boys in tlie school, all of whom were trained to industrious habits. 9. The Chemical Laboratory and Apothecary Department. Occasional cases of sickness, at the be- ginning, rendered it necessary to make provision for such exigencies. This department soon became very much enlarged. A dispensary, with separate rooms for putting up medicines connected with it, was exten- sivel}' used liy the people of Halle. 10. Other Elee- mosynary Departments. In these are included various benevolent agencies, viz. The Difirmary ; A Home for indigent Widows; An Institution for the care of the Poor in Glaucha; A Home for itinerant Beggars. In 1714, 1775 scholars and 108 teachers were connected with the different schools under Francke's superintendence. At the present time there are nearly 4C00, and a corps of 200 teachers.
The whole establishment forms one of the noblest monuments of Christian faith, benevolence, and zeal ; and the pliilological and exegetical labors of Francke are gratefulh' acknowledged bj' Biblical scholars of the present day, whose views of the doctrines of reve- lation widely difter from his. In his Collegia Biblica, at Halle, there was a return from human forms and systems to the sacred Scriptures, as the pure and onl}' source of faith, and the substitution of practical relig- ion for scholastic subtleties and unfruitful specula- tions. Thus Scripture interpretation again became, as among the first Reformers, the basis of theological studv. His labors as a lecturer were as industrious and thorough as if he had no other occupation ; the philanthropist never trespassed on the student in his well-balanced life.