GERIZZITE
823
GERMAN CATHOLICS
and no traveller now visits Palestine -without making a sight of it one of his prime objects. Gerizim is lil^e- wise still to the Samaritans -what Jerusalem is to the Jews, and Mecca to the Moiiammedans. Their pros- trations are directed towards it, wherever they are ; its holiest spot in their estimation being the traditional site of the tabei-nacle. near that on which they believe Abraham to have offered his son. Both these spots are on the summit ; and near them is still to be seen a mound of ashes, similar to the larger and more cele- brated one north of Jerusalem ; collected, it is said, from the sacrifices of each successive age (Dr. K., Bibl. Res. ii, 202 and 2'J[>, evidently did not see this on Gerizim). Into tlieir more legendary traditions re- specting Gerizim, and the storj' of their alleged, wor- ship of a dove — due to the Jews, their enemies (lieland. Diss. ap. U<jolln. Tliesaur. vii, p. dccxxix-xxxiii) — it is needless to enter. — Smith, s. v. See Sajiaritans.
Gei'izzite. See Gezrite.
Gei'lach, Otto von, a German theologian, was born in 1801 at Berlin, and studied first law and then theology at tlie university there. In lS28 he became prii-at docent in theology ; in 1834, pastor of the Eliza- beth-Kirche ; in 1847, court preacher; in 1849, pro- fessor ordinarius of theology. He was a man of ear- nest piety, and labored zealously as pastor and in fos- tering missions at home and abroad. In tliis respect he has been called " the Wesley" of the Berlin Church. The translation of Wesley's sermon on "Awake, thou that sleepest!" was his first literary work. He trans- lated Baxter's Sui7ifs Rest into German. His reputa- tion was largely extended bv his Commentar z. N. T. (Berlin, 1841 ; 3d ed. 1844, 2 Vols. 8vo ; new ed. 1858). 'ihe 0. T. was also added, the whole under the title Die heilirje Schift nach Luther's Uehersefzung init Ein- leiitmgen u. erhldrenden Anmerkungen (1847-53, 6 vols.). He also published a new edition of select writings of Lutlier (Berl. 1840-48, 24 vols.) -.—Relig. Zustund der Angli. Kircke (Potsdam, 1845) : — Kirchliche Armenpflege (trans, from Clialmers, 1847). The last two works were the fruit of a tour in England and Scotland, under- taken by Gerlacli in 1842 at the command of the king, to investigate the workings of British Christianity. Gerlach died at Berlin, greatly lamented, Oct. 24, 1849. — Methodist Quarterly Review, April, 1849, p. 268 ; Her- zog, Real-Encyklop. v, 88.
Gerle, Christophe-Antoine, a French religious enthusiast, was born A.D. 1740, in Auvergne, and died about 1805. When quite a young man he entered the order of Carthusian monks, and soon afterwards was made prior of Pont-Sainte-Marie. In 1789 he was chosen deputy to the Estates General by the clergy of Eiom, and was one of the first representatives of the clergy who supported the policj' of the Tiers Etat. In the famous Tennis-Court session of the National As- sembly (^Seance du Jeu de Paume) he exhibited so much earnestness and patriotic fervor that David assigned him a conspicuous place in his painting (Sermeiit du Jeu de Paume') (Tennis-Court Oath) representing the most imposing scene in that meeting. Having become a member of the Constitutional Assembly, Gerle pro- posed, Dec. 12, 1789, that all monks who wished to do so might be allowed to retire to the monasteries of their order and live according to their particular rules, proviilcd they conformed to the general laws, and, April 12, 1790, urged in vain the issuing a proclama- tion declaring the Roman Catholic faith to be the only one accepted liy the French nation. In June following he brought to tiie notice of tlie Convention the proph- ecies of Susanne de Bouzc, of Perigord, made eleven j^ears before, in regard to an impending general revo- lution, and the reforms consequent thereon. In 1792 he was chosen one of the electors of Paris. There was 1 strange mixture of philosophism and superstition in his nature, as was evinced b}' his becoming a Theo- tifit, or follower of Catharine Theos or Theot, au old
woman who styled herself the mother of God, and an- nounced the near advent of a regenerating Messiah, and in whose following a number of silly, supersti- tious, or intriguing characters were gathered. Gerle thought that both himself and the French Revolution were clearlj' indicated in the projAecies of Isaiah. As tliese visionaries were politically friendly to Robes- pierre, whom they invoked as supreme pontiff, Robes- pierre's enemies souglit to increase the odium against him by a public exposure of their absurdities, and ac- cordingly Vadier, the organ of the Committee of Gen- eral Safet}', made a report to the National Convention demanding the prosecution of Theos, Gerle, and others as guilty of plotting a fanatical conspiracy, which was adopted, and on May 16, 1794, these persons were ar- rested and imprisoned on the orders of the committee. In the excitement and confusion following tlie fall of Robespierre the}' seemed to have been forgotten. Theos died in prison, and Dom Gerle remained there until the advent of the Directory. He was for some time one of the editors of tlie Messager du Soir, and afterwards emploj-ed in the bureau of the minister of the interior, Benezech. A memoir written by him in regard to his arrest appeared in tlie Revue Retrospective, No. xi, 2'"« serie, Nov. 30, 1835. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. GlneraU., XX, 233-236; Alison, Historg of Europe, iii, 92 (9th ed. Edinburgh, cr. 8vo). (J.W. M.)