Richter, Christian Friedrich, a German hym- nologist, was born at Sorau, in Silesia, Oct. 5, 1676. He studied medicine and theology at Halle, and after the completion of his studies was appointed by Francke su- perintendent of the academy. After the death of liis brother, he was also appointed medical attendant of the Orphan-house there. In conjunction with his brother, Dr. Christian Sigismund Richter, he discovered the cele- brated Halle medicine, prepared from gold, and called
essen/ia dulcis. and which gave a great name to the Or- phan-house at Halle. The profits of this medicine he devoted to the benefit of the institution. From his twentieth year he composed hymns, and thirty-ihree excellent and deejily spiritual Christian hymns are at- tributed to him. Knajjp, in his Liederschatz, gives four- teen of his hymns, some of which have also been trans- lated into English, as, Mein Sulomo ! dein freundliches Regieren, by Dr. Bomberger, in Schaffs Kirchenfreiind, ii, 337 ("Jesus my king! thy mild and kind control"); fJuter wird die Nacht der SUnden, in Sacred Lyrics, p. 32 ("O watchman, will the night of sin"); llier legt mein Sinn vor dir sick nieder. in the Moravian Hymn-book, No. 437 ("My soul before thee prostrate lies") ; Golt,deit ich als Liehe kenne, by Cox, in Hymns from the German, p. 190 (" O God, whose attributes shine forth in turn"). Richter was also the author of a remarkable medical treatise on the Crucifixion of Christ. He died October 5, 1711, See Koch, Geschichte des Kirch en liedes, iv, 296, 355 sq. ; viii, 246 sq., 297, 434, 515; Miller, Singers ami Songs of the Chinch, p. 141 sq.; Jocher, Gelehrten- Lex- ikon, s. V. ; Richter's Leben und Wii-ken als A rzt, Theo- log und Dichter (published by the Haupt-Verein fur christl. Erbauungsschriften in den preussischen Staaten, Berlin, 1865). (B. P.)
Richter, Henry, an English painter, of German extraction, was born in 1772. He resided mostly in London, where he died in 1857. His most important historical work is Christ restoring Sight to the Blind, now in a church at Greenwich, England. See Thomas, Biog. Diet. s. v.
Richter, Johann Heinrich, inspector in the missionary institute at Barmen, (Jermany, under whose administration the missions of the Rhenish IMissionary Society were established, was born at Belleben Dec. 11, 1799, and entered on the duties of the station in which he spent his life May 28, 1827. The Barmen Mission- ary Society did not as yet send out missionaries, nor even own a house, but a number of young men were trained under its direction for work among the hea- then. Richter subsequently, aided by his brother Will- iam, became their instructor, and after about eighteen months was able to report the readiness of four of jiis pupils to begin their expected labors. The poverty of the Barmen association now induced them to invite other local societies to aid in forwarding the candidates to their foreign fields, and as a result the Rhenish Mis- sionary Society was organized. Its first mission was among the slaves of the Boers in South Africa, which,, in course of time, extended over five stations. Another was begun on the island of Borneo in 1834, but failed to achieve successful results while Richter lived; and a third, among the Indians of North America, was like- wise unsuccessful ; but the latter gave rise to a flourish- ing mission among the evangelical Germans of Amer- ica. Richter's ardent soul was continuallj' employed in devising new means for the extension of Christianity. He was incessantly busy with his pen, issuing reports, spreading information through the periodical press, ed- iting the Monalsbei-ichte d. rhein. M issions-Gesellschaft, etc., and with public appeals in sermons and addresses in every section of the land. The institution of a soci- etj' to preach the Gospel to the Jews was his work, and also the establishing of a German mission in China, which came to pass but a short time previous to his death. Richter was twice married, and became the fa- ther of a large family. A brief sickness ended his life April 5, 1847. As an author, Richter gave to the world a number of works; e. g. Erkldrte Haiisbibel, a com- mentary on the entire Bible (6 vols.), decidedly ortho- dox according to the Lutheran standard, and every- where confidently accepting the literal meaning : — Evangel, u. ro7nische Kirchenlehre (1844), a polemical work: — a LJfe of Giitzlaff'. the Chinese missionary, and others. In personal intercourse he was vivacious, stim- ulating, witty, and yet dignified. A man of scientific
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culture, he was au accomplished botanist, mineralogist, etc.; but his writings are characterized by freshness of statement rather tliau by depth of thought.— Herzog, Real-Encykkip. s. v.
Richthofen, Cuari.es, Baron i-on, canon of Bres- lau, was born of evangelical jiarents Jan. 31, 1832, in Hartwigswaldau, Silesia. In 1838 his father ([uietly joined the Konian Catholic Church, while his mother remained firm in her belief, and the sons, by law, had to follow the father. From 1845 to 18o2 he attended the Matthias Ciymnasium at Breslau, and decided to pre- pare liimself for the ofHce of woods and forests. He en- tered the academy at Neustadt-Kl)erswalde, and finished his course there, but was not satisfied with the step he had taken. He decided to study theology, attended the theological course at the IJreslau University, and in 18G0 received holy orders. In 18G9 he was stationed at Hohenfriedberg, but would not accept the decisions of the Vatican Council. The government had appointed him canon of Breslau, but bishop Fiirster, of that city, pressed by the cha|)ter, wished to have the canon sign a paper, according to which he accepted the Vatican decrees. Kichthofen refused to sell his conscience to Home, and the bishop excommunicated him in 1873. He then joined the Old-Catholic party, and acted as priest till 1875. But finding no satisfaction or peace of conscience and mind even in this party, he joined the Lutheran Church at Leipsic, being received by Dr. Ahl- feld as member Dec. 11, 1875. He died March 7, 1876, in the house of his brother at Berlin. Dr. Besser deliv- ered the funeral oration. See Schneider, Theol. Jahr- hiich, 1877, p. "227 sq. ; Carl Freiherr von Richthofen, friiher Domherr in Breslau, ein Leben.thild axis den kirch- lichen Kampfen der Gegemcart (Leijisic, 1877) ; Schiirer, Theoloyische Literalurzeitxnig, 1877, p. Gllj sq. (B. P.)