Less, Gottfried, a noted German theologian of the Pietistic school, was born in 1736 at Conitz, in West Prussia. He was a pupil of Baumgarten, professor of theology at Gottingen. He studied at the universities of Halle and Jena, and in 1762 became court preacher at Hanover. He was rather a practical than scholastic theologian, and was inclined both to Mysticism and Pi- etism. Less was author of a work on the authenticity, uncorrupted preservation, and credibility of the New Testament, which has been translated from German into English, and highly commended by Michaelis and Marsh. It is not .so prolix as Lardner. The (ierman title is Betceis der Wahrheit der christlichen Religion, (1768). He also wrote Ueher die Religion (1786): ■ — Ver- such ehwr praktischen Dogmatik (1779) : — Christliche Moral (1777).
Less(ius), Leoxiiard, a Jesuit moralist, was born at Brecht, in Brabant, Oct. 1, 1554, and was educated at the University of Leyden, to which, after a two years' stay at Rome, he was called as professor of philosophy and theology in 1585. The pope had just condemned seventy-six propositions of Bajus, whom the Jesuits, dis- ciples of Scotus, had attacked; but soon Less and Hamel falling into the opposite extreme of Pelagianism, the faculty, after due remonstrance, solemnly condemned also fifty-four ]iropositions contained in their lectures. Still, as several universities of note were inclined to judge moderately of Less's heretical tendency, he re- tained his position, and remained in high standing, es- pecially with his order. He died Jan. 5, 1623. His nu- merous and well-written essays on morals partake of the sophistry so often employed in his order. Among the most important, we notice his Libri iv dejustitia et jure, cetei'isque virtutibus cardinalibus, often reprinted since 1605 (last edit. Lugd. 1653, folio), with an appen- dix by Theophile Ra3-naud pro Leon. Less, de licito iisu, cequivocationum et mentulium reservationum. Also the first volume of his 0pp. theol. (Paris, 1651, foL; Antw. 1720); and his essays De libero arbitrio, De providen- tia, De perfectionibus divinis, etc. He followed the sys- tem of the scholastic moralists, of whom Schrockh (A'jV- chengesch. seit d. Reform, iv, 104) says: "They, in fact, continued the old method of their predecessors since the
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13th century, in so far as that branch of theology was then advanced, i. e. treating it as a dependence of the dogmatic sj'stem; yet they differed from them inas- nuieh as they set forth their views in large works of tlieir own, evinced more learning, a better style, and a certain regartl for the times in which they lived.'' Less attacked also the Protestant Church in his Consnltatio. gtite Jides et I'elirjio sit capessenda (Amstelod. 1609; last edit. 1701). His chief argument was that that Church did not exist before the Reformation ; he was triumph- antly answered on this point by Balthasar ]\Ieisner, of Wittenberg (f 162C), in his Consnltatio catholica dejide Luthcrana capessenda et Romano -])apistira deserenda (l()"2o). Still Less always retained the highest consider- ation in his Church, was even reputed to work miracles, and was finally canonized. See Herzog, Real-Encyklo- ^)a(/tV, viii, 340 ; Gieseler, Kirchen 6'e«V;. vol. iii; Linsen- mann, Michael Baius (Tiib. 18G7).
Lesser, Friedrich Ciikistian, a German theolo- gian, was born ]\Iay 29, 1692, at Nordhausen. \i\ early life he manifested a desire for the knowledge of natural his- torv, and m this department he afterwards distinguished himself greatly. In 1712 he entered the University of Halle, to study medicine, but soon altered his plan, and entered on the study of theology, by the advice of the learned theological professor Francke. He finished his theological studies at the University of Leipsic, and be- came pastor of a Church in his native city in 1716; in addition to it, he assumed in 1724 the supervision of the Orphan House. In 1739 he became pastor at the col- legiate church of St. Martin, and in 1743 of St. Jacob's Church. He died Sept, 17, 1754. Besides his works on natural history, in some of which he endeavored to com- bine natural history with theology, e. g. Theology of Stones (Lithotheoloffia, Hamh. 1735, 8 vo); Theology of Insects (De sapientia, omnipotentia et providentia ex par- iilrns insectorum coffnoscenda, etc., Nordh. 1735, 8vo), etc., he left productions of a theological character, of which a complete list is given by Doring in his Gelthrt. Theejl. Dtutschlands, ii, 287 sq.
Lessey, Theophilus, a distinguished English AV( s- leyan minister, was born in Cornwall April 7, 1787; en- tered the regidar ministry about 1808; and after labor- ing with great ability and success in most parts of the United Kingdom, was in 1839 made president of the Conference, and died June 10, 1841. Mr. Lessey was one of the most eminent preachers and eloquent plat- form speakers of his time, and was the familiar friend of James Montgomery, the poet, Richard Watson, and Hubert Hall. Many instances of his remarkable elo- cpience are recorded, and many souls were saved bj' his preaching. — Wakeley, Heroes of Methodism, p. 396 ; Ste- vens, IJist. of Methodism (see Index). (G. L. T.)
Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim, the generator of modern Gorman literature of the 18th century, both sec- ular and ecclesiastic, declared by Macaulay to have been '' beyond dispute the first critic in Europe," who '' in the same breath convulsed powerfully both the dramatic and theological world, and by Ins critical acuteness has laid hands on both, and has produced polemics and called forth controversy in art as well as in religion, without having left behind him a linished system in either de- (lartment, indeed without having been a professional jioet in the strict sense of the word, or a professional theologian."