Kircher, Konrad, a learned German philologian of Augsburg, of the IGth century, was a Lutheran pastor first at Donauwerth and later at Jaxtdorf, and died about 1622. He wrote Concoi-dia; veteris Testamenti GraccB Ebrceis vocibus i-espondentes (Francf. 1607, 2 vols. 4to; greatly enlarged by Abrah. Trommius, Amst. 1718) : — De ttsu concoi-dantiontm Grcecorum in Theologia. See Simon, Hist. Crit. dii Vieux Testament, i, 3, ch. ii ; -1 llgem. Hist. Lexikon, iii, 33.
Kirchhofer, Melciiior, a celebrated Svriss eccle- siastical writer, was born Jan. 3, 1775, at SchaflFhausen, and was educated at Slarburg. In 1797 he returned to Switzerland, and was ordained for the holy ministn.-. His first important position he secured in 1808 at Stein, and this he tilled up to his death, Feb. 13, 1853. He is quite celebrated for his able efforts in the department of Church History, which procured for him in 1840 the doctorate of theology from the University of Marburg. Among the especially valuable writings of Kirchhofer are his monographs on Hofmeister (1810), Oswald ^ly- conius (1813), Werner Stciner (1818), Bcrthold Haller (1828), Wilhelm Farel (1831), and his continuation of Hottingers' Ecclesiastical History of Sicitzerlaml. — Her- zog, Tie(d-Encykloj-iadie, vii. 708.
Kirchmayr, Thomas, a German theologian, was bom at Straubingen, Bavaria, in the early part of the 16th century; became pastor first at Stadtsulza, in Thu- ringia, and later (in 1541) at Kahla. He died at Wics- bach in 1563. Kirchmayr is noted as the author of a commentary on 1 John, in which he advocates the pre- destination theory in a somewhat peculiar manner. He teaches that the chosen ones never lose the influence of the holy Spirit, however great their transgression. He was criticised and obliged to quit the pidpit. — Pierer, Unirersal Li.rikon, ix, 534.
Kirchmeier, Johann Christoph, a noted Ger- man theologian, was born at Orphcrode, Hesse, Sept. 4,
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1674, and was educated at the University of ^Marburg. He became in 1700 professor of philosophy at Herborn, in tlie year following regular professor of theology at the same high-school, and in 1702 removed in this ca- pacity to Heidelberg. In 1723 he returned to Marburg, and was promoted to the highest honors that his almn mater coukl bestow. He died iMarch 15, 1743. Kirch- meior was the honor and pride of the German Reformed Church in Marburg, and his memory is revered to this day. A list of his writings, which are mostly of a con- troversial nature and in pamphlet form, is given by Do- ring, Gdehrte Theologai Dtutschlands d. 18'"' und 19'"' Jahrh. ii, 94 sq.
Kirchmeier, Johann Siegmund, a German theologian of note, was born at AUendorf Jan. 4, 1074, and was educated at Marburg and Ley den. In 1703 he became pastor at Schwebda. In 1704 he accepted the jirofessorship of logic and metaphysics at IMarburg Uni- versity, and at the same time became pastor of a Ke- formcd church at jNIarbiu-g. He died April 23, 1749. His writings, mainly dissertations, are enumerated by Diiring, Gdihrte Theolorjen Deutschlands d. 18™ u. 19'"' Jahrh. ii, 99 sq.
Kirghis, or Kincms-KAiSAKi {Cossacks of the Steppi:.i), is the name of a people spread over the im- mense territory bounded by the Volga, desert of Obsh- tchci (iu 55^ N. lat.), the Irtish, Chinese Turkestan, Ala- Tau Mountains, the Sir-Daria, and Aral, and Caspian Seas — a vast tract of land, not unfrequently designated as the "Eastern Steppe," and containing 850.000 Eng- lish square miles ; sterile, stony, and streamless, and cov- ered with rank herbage live feet high. The Kirghis are of Turkish origin, and speak the Uzbek idiom of their race. They have from time immemorial been divided into three branches, called the Great, Middle, and Little Hordes. The first of these wanders in the south-west portion of the Eastern Steppe ; the Middle Horde roams over the territory between the Ishim, Irtish, Lake Balk- hash, and the territory of the Little Horde. The Little Horde (now more numerous than the other two togeth- er) ranges over the country bounded by the Ural, Tobol, Siberian Kirghis, and Tiu-kestan. (A small oftshoot of them has, since 1801, wandered between the Volga and the Ural river, and is under rule of the governor of As- trachan.) South of Lake Issikul is a ^^■ild mountain tribe called the THko-Kamennaja, the only tribe which calls itself Kirghis. They are called by their neighbors Kara or Plack Kirghis, and are of Jlandshiir stock. Their collective numbers are estimated at upwards of IJ millions of soids, more than half of whom belong to the Little Horde, This people is, with the exception above mentioned, nomadic, and is ruled by sultans or khans. They are restless and predatory, and have well earned for themselves the title of the " Slave-hunters of the Stejipes," by seizing upon caravans, appropriating the goods, and selling their captives at the great slave- markets of Khiva, Bokhara, etc. Their wealth consists of cattle, sheep, horses, and camels. They are of the Moslem faith, iu a somewhat corrupt form, and, like the followers of jMohammed, are the sworn enemies of the IMongols. '• Fired by hereditary hate," says Dixon {Rus- sia, p. 339 sq.), "these Kirghis bandits look upon every man of Mongolian birth and Buddhistic faith as lawful spoil. They follow him to his pastures, plunder his tent, drive off his herds, and sell him as a slave. But when this lawful prey escapes their hands they raid and rob on more friendly soil, and many of the captives whom they carry to Khiva and Bokhara come from the Per- sian valleys of Atrek and Meshid. (Jirls from these val- leys fetch a higher price, and Persia has not strength enough to protect her children from their raids." Not- withstanding the strenuous efforts of Kussia to educate the Kirghis, there are among them at the present time only twelve schools, attended by about 370 children. See Chambers, Cyclopaedia, vol. v, s. v. ; Brockhaus, Real- Encyklopddie, vol. viii, s. v. Kirgesen.