Rosenfelders. See Rosenfet.d, Hans.
Rosenfeldt, Fueiikrick John, a missionary of the Episcopal Church, was born of Jewish parents Feb. 10, 1804, at Mitau, in Courland, Russia. According to the custom of that country, Rosenfeldt was instructed in the religion of Rabbinisra, and when ten years old he was taken to Berditschev for further instruction in the Talmud. One of the most learned teachers, however, at that place endeavored to awake in his students a de- sire to applj' themselves to the study of other lan- guages, and not without success. Rosenfeldt, with two fellow -scholars, was permitted by a Roman Catholic priest to take part in the instruction of his school, which he did in secret, acquiring a knowledge of reading and writing Russian, Polisli, German, and a little arith- metic. At the age of eighteen he was married, accord- ing to the fashion of the country, and for two years lived in the house of his father-in-law, spending his time in the study of the Talmud. Having returned to Berditschev, he came into possession of a copy of the New Testament in Hebrew, circulated by the mission- ary Mr. Moritz (q. v.). His two former fellow-scholars and himself resolved to embrace Christianity, and in- tended to go to Berlin. Rosenfeldt was prevented from carrj-ing out his plan by circumstances beyond his con- trol. In the meantime he received letters of introduc- tion to the missionaries in Poland, and arrived at War- saw in September, 1827. Having received the necessary instruction, he was baptized in the Reformed Church Feb. 10, 1828. His exemplary life and Rabbinical learn- ing recommended him to the London Society, and in September, 1828, he was appointed assistant to the mis- sion station at Radom. From this time on till liis death, which occurred July 11, 1853, he was connected with the London Society, his last station being Lublin. See the Jewish Intelligencer, 1853, p. 313 sq. ; A mmal Reports of the London Society, 1829, p. 52 sq. (B. P.)
Rosenkrans, Cyrus E., a Presbyterian minister, was born at Walljjack, N. J., iNIarch 12, 1809. He grad- uated at Amherst College, I\Iass. ; studied divinity in the Union Theological Seminary, New York city ; and was licensed and ordained by New York Third Presbytery April 8, 1842. He entered upon his labors as a minister in the West, at East iMay, Wis., and subsequently at Columbus, Wis. He died March 8, 1861. Mr. Rosen- krans was a man of fine conversational powers, excellent judgment, and had tiie tact necessary to carry out useful plans of action. See Wilson, Presh. Hist. A Imanac, 1862, p. 195. (J. L. S.)
Rosenkrans, Joseph, a Presbyterian minister, was born at Wallpack, N. J., Nov. 13, 1812. He re- ceived his education at Amherst College, jNIass., and Union College, Schenectady, N. Y. : studied theology in the Union Theological Seminary, New York city; and was ordained by New York Third Presbytery in 1842 as pastor of the Church in Bethlehem, N. Y. He subsequently preached for the churches of Newport, INIartinsburg, Romulus, and Onondaga Valley, N. Y., where lie was laboring when he died, June 19, 1863. Mr. Rosenkrans was a man of well-balanced mind ; or- thodox, faithful to every trust, a fair scholar, and a good preacher. See Wilson, Presb, Hist. Almanac, p. 321. (J. L. S.)
Rosenkreuz. See Rosicrucians.
Rosenmiiller, Ernst Friedrich Karl, a noted German Orientalist, who contributed largel}' to the ad- vancement of our acquaintance with the Shemitic lan- guages, literature, and customs. He was the oldest son of the rationalist theologian Jidianu Georg Rosenmiiller (q. v.), and was born Dec. 10. 17()8. The various posi- tions held bv his father introduced him to learned stud-
ROSEN INIULLEK
134
ROSH
ies at an unusually early age, and afforded him un- equalled facilities for tlieir prosecution. He became identified with the University of Leipsic, first as a stu- dent, in 1792 as tutor, extraordinary professor of Arabic in 1796, and professor in ordinary of Oriental languages from 1813 to the time of his death, Sept. 17, 1835. His principal work was authorship; his chief importance that of a learned, keen, and industrious writer on Ori- ental subjects. He promoted the study of the Arabic language {Instilutiones ad Ftimhim. LinfjiKe A rah. [Lips. 1818]; Anukcta Arabica [ibid. 18-24-27, 3 vols.]), brought within the reach of theologians the rapidly in- creasing knowledge of his day with reference to the conditions of the East (Altes ii. Neiies Morgenl. etc. [ibid. 1816-20, 6 vols.]), and endeavored to raise the exposition of the language and statements of the Old Test, to the level of the science of his day. Comp. his Scholia in Veins Test. (16 pts. ibid. 1788-1817 ; the same in epitome, 5 pts. 1828-35); Ilandh. Jur Lit. d. Bibl. Kritik u. Exegese (4 pts. Giitting. 1797-1800), and the Handb. d. Bibl. Alterthumskunde (4 pts. Leips. 1823-34). His works, with biography annexed, are fully given in Neuer Nekrolog d. Deutschen, 13th year, pt. ii, p. 766- 769. — Herzog, Real-Encyklop. s. v.
Rosenmiiller, Johann Georg, the father of the preceding, a prominent theologian, preacher, and writer of Germany in the close of the last and the beginning of the present century, was born of humble parentage Dec. 18, 1736. Unusual talents secured for him assist- ance by which he was enabled to procure an education at Nuremberg and the University of Altorf. He sub- sequently spent several years as tutor in different fami- lies and schools, and became popular as a preacher, so that a number of prominent churches were successively placed under his charge. In 1775 he beca*me professor of theology at Erlangen, in which position he secured a name, and in 1783 at the pedagogium at Giessen. In 1785 he entered on a theological professorship at Leip- sic, and in that office, joined with the pastorate of St. Thomas's Church and the superintendency, he spent the last thirty years of his life. It is not strange that he should have become tinged with rationalism from asso- ciation with the element then in control of the Leipsic University ; but he has retained the name of a pious rationalist. His influence was highly beneficial to the progress of the theology and ecclesiastical life of Prot- estantism. Many of his sermons were printed, and earned for him the reputation of an exemplary popular preacher; and devotional manuals from his pen have not yet lost their hold upon the Christian public. His literary activity was surprising, nearly 100 different writings having been given by him to the world, among tliem works on exegesis, hermeneutics, and practical theology; e. g. Scholia in N. T. (6th ed. Lips. 1815-31, 6 vols.) : — Hist. Interp. Libi: Sacroruni in Eccles. Christ. (ibid. 1795-1814, etc., 5 vols.). His practical activity was equally respectable. He founded and improved schools, labored to secure a modernized hymnology, sought to eliminate objectionable features from the ad- ministration of the Lord's supper, etc. After having been rewarded with all the titles and honorary positions usuallv conferred on a senior of the theological faculty, he died, March 14, 1815. See Dob., Dr. J. G. Rose'n- viuller's Leben itnd Wirken (ibid. 1816). — Herzog, Reul- Ericyklop. s. v.