Schrdckh, Johasn Matthias, a Protestant theo- logian of Germany of eminent culture and extended usefulness in the department of historical learning, was born at Vienna July 26, 1733, and was earlj' destined for the pulpit. His education was obtained chiefly at the Lutheran Gymnasium of Presburg, the Steinmetz School at Klosterbergen, near Magdeburg, and the University of Gottingen. Mosheim and J. D. INlichaelis were then in the faculty of the latter institution, and their influ- ence over Schriickh was such that his attention became predominantly tixed on history and the Oriental lan- guages, and he was led to form habits of independent research, and to cultivate an attractive historical style — qualities which adhered to him through life. After his graduation, he was associated with an uncle, Prof. Karl A. Bell, of Leipsic, in editing several learned periodi- cals; but he also found time to perfect his knowledge of Greek and Roman antiquities under the tuition of professors Christ and Ernesti. In 1756 he received the master's degree, and became a tutor in the universit\', and subsequently custodian of the library', and in 1761 he was made professor extraordinary. The uncertainty of further preferment in the University of Leipsic, and the unsatisfactory income which he derived from lite- rary labors, now decided him to accept a call to the chair of poetry in the University of Wittenberg, which he held until 1775, when he was transferred to the chair of history, in the duties of which station he spent the remainder of his life. He projected a three years' course, in which he was accustomed to traverse not only the history of literature, the Church, the Reformation, theology, and Christian antiquities, but also that of Eu- ropean states, Germany and Saxony in particular, and also of diplomacy; and, in addition to these labors, he issued numerous reviews, editions of works written by his friends, and independent works of more or less im- portance. His fidelity to his work was acknowledged by the government at Dresden, wlio transmitted to him a testimonial in writing and an honorary donation, to- gether with the offer of a titular patent as councillor of state, which latter he declined. He was married to Frederica Pitzschig, by whom he had four cliildren, all of whom died in earl}' childhood ; and he died Aug. 2, 1808, in consequence of a fall experienced in his library, on the seventy-fifth anniversary of his birth.
As a writer of history, Schriickh was thoroughly qual- ified by his learning, impartial love of truth and devo- tion to morality, untiring industry in the work of col- lection and research, and the clearness, simiilicity, and logic of his style. He was deficient in the critical ap- prehension and philosophical penetration needed to dis- cover the internal connection of events; and liis style, as a whole, lacks tlie picturesque coloring and preg- nancy of meaning which characterize a classical writer. He was not a master in the art of descriptive writing, but, nevertheless, a meritorious and successful author. His works were numerous, but have been superseded by more complete and thorough books of later origin. They include biographies of learned men, and of oth- er persons eminent in the history of the world; text- books and manuals of history, and other similar works, none of which possess permanent value. The His- toria RtUgionis et Eccltsice Christiamc in Usum Ltc-
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tionum, published in a seventh edition by Marheinecke in 1828, is noticeable chiefij' because of its wealth of material, its judicious references to sources and helps, the systematic arrangement of its contents, and its ex- cellent Latin. The great work of his life, beyond ques- tion, is the AuKjTihrliche Geschichte der christlichen Kirche, in 45 vols., the last two of which were completed by Prof. Tzschirner after the author's tleath. The work covers eighteen centuries of the Christian Church, and is characterized by impartiality and completeness to a remarkable degree. No work has yet ajipeared which combines so great magnitude with so many advantages as does that of Schriickh, though the earlier volumes, being intended simply to furnish a comprehensive course of reading in Church history, leave much to be desired on the part of cultured readers.
See an article by Schriickh in R. G. Bayer's All- ffem. Magazin fi'ir Predigei-, etc., vol. v, No. 2, p. 209- 222; Poiitz, J, M. SclirikWs Nehrolog (Wittenberg, 1808) ; and notices respecting the life of Schrcickh con- tributed to the Alifjem. Zei/unff, 1808, Nos. 247 and 248, p. 985-989. A faithful and instructive delineation is given by his friend K. L. Nitzsch in J. M. SchrockK's Sludienweise u. Maxiinm (Weimar, 1809). H. G. Tzschir- ner's J. M. SchrockKs Lehen, Karakter, u. Schriften was prefixed to pt. x of Schrockh's Kirchengeschichte seit der Reformation, and has also been published separately since 1812, with portrait. A complete list of Schrockh's works is given in Mensel's Gelehrtes Deittschland, viii, 314 sq. ; x, 627, and xv, 381. See also Wahler, Gesch. d. hist. Forschung ii. Kiiiisf, vol. ii, pt. ii, p. 813 sq. ; Staudlin, Gesch. u. FJt. d. Kirchengesch. ( Hanover, 1827) ; Baur, Epochen d. chi-isfl. Kirchengesch.-Schreihung (Tlib. 1852). — Herzog, Real-Encgklnp. s. v.
Schroder, Friedrich Wilhelm Julius, a Re- formed theologian of Germany, who died Feb. 27, 1876, at Elberfeld, where he had succeeded the celebrated Krummacher as pastor of the First Reformed Church, is the author of a Commentari/ on Genesis (Berlin, 1844) : — Vesperkldnge (ibid. 1846, 2 vols.): — a Commentari/ on Deuteronomy (prepared for Lange's BiUe-icork [Elber- feld, 1866]): — a Commentarij on Ezekiel (also prepared far Lange's work). Besides, he publislied a number of Essaijs, Sermons, etc. See Zuehold, Bibl. Tlieol. ii, 1182 sq. ; TheoL Jahrhuch, 1877, p. 228. (B. P.)