A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

John McClintock & James Strong • SECTION 580

Section 580

← McClintock & Strong Cyclopaedia — Volume 9

Schwarz, William, a minister of the Methodist Episcojjal Church, was born in Oberachern, grand-duchy of Baden, Germany, Feb. 14, 1826. He was brought up a Roman Catholic, and attended the high-schools of Ilastadt and Freiburg, intending to prepare for the priesthood. He came to America in 1845, and united with the Church in New York the next vear. In De-

cember, 184G, he was licensed to preach, and in May, 1848, w^as received into the New York Conference. He was sent as missionary to (iermanj-in 1858, and labored also in Switzerland and Paris. He was transferred to the East-German Conference, find arrived in the United States in May, 1874. His appointment was Melrose, N. Y., where he died jNIarch 13, 1875. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1875, p. 45.

Scliwarzburg-Rudolstadt, tlic name of two German hymnists.

1. ^Emilia Juliana, countess of Schwarzburg-Ru- dolstadt, daughter of the count Adalbert Friedrich von Barby. was born Aug. 19, 1G37, at Kudolstadt, where she died Dec. 3, 170G. She wrote over four hundred hymns, among others the well-known Wer iceiss wie nahe mir mein Endei ("Who knows how near my end may be?" Lyra Germanica, ii, 2G7), which is said to have been writ- ten on the occasion of the sudden death of duke George of Saxe-Eisenacli while hunting. Her Hymns have been published by Dr. Pasig (Halle, 1855). Comp. also Koch, Gesch. d. deutsch. Kirchenliedes, iv, 5G sq.

2. LuDAMiLiA ELisAnETii. One of her hymns, Ze2(c/j uns nach dir, so eilen vir, is found in an Engl, transl. in the Monthly Relig. Mag. xxxvii, 18G7, p. 338. See Lu-

DAJIILIA. (B. P.)

Schwarzenberg, Joiiann von, a prominent Ger- man statesman, warrior, and author of works for the peo- ple in the days of the Reformation, was born Dec. 25, 14G3, received a knightly training, and was not less dis- tinguished by herculean stature and physical strength than by courage and skill in the use of arms. A rebuke from his father determined him to avoid all frivolity and immorality of life, and with iron will lie persisted through life in attaining to a high moral character. He participated in the expedition to the Holy Land under- taken by the elector Frederick the Wise in 1493 (con- cerning which see Spalatin, Hist. N'achl., published by Neudecker and Preller, i, 7G), and after his return ac- companied the emperor Maximilian in his German and Italian campaigns. But though he acquired the repu- tation of a brave and skilful soldier, he soon turned aside to the work of aiding to fit the State for the accomplish- ment of its great mission to promote peace and justice, and also the morality and prosperity of its subjects. His first field was in the episcopal principality of Bamberg, where he occupied the post of prime minister (Hofmeis- te?-) at tlie beginning of the IGth century, under the bishops Henry III and George of Limburg; and his first notable work was the introduction of a reform in the execution of capital punishments, which subsequently became the law of the empire (the so-called Carolina of 1532).

While recognising the need of reform in the State, Schwarzenberg was also convinced of the need of re- form in the Church; and as he found opportunity to make himself felt for good in statesmanship, so he read- ily admitted the claims of duty on him from the side of religion and morality. He was thoroughly prepared for the beginning of the Reformation through zealous study of the Bible, which had, even before Lutlier a|)peared, revealed to him the vast difference between genuine Christianity and the actual life of tlie Church. He was profoundly impressed with the conviction that the creat- ure owes the most perfect obedience to the will of (iod as revealed in Scripture, and this conviction was the lead- ing motive of his life; but he had likewise learned to know the weakness of human nature, and therefore laid hold on the doctrines of grace in the Bible with all his heart. He naturally threw^ the weight of bis official station, the convincing power of his speech, the iron energies of his will, and the combining and constructive powers of his statesmanship into the scale in favor of the Reforma- tion, and thus became a most powerful instrument for promoting its success. As its progress was ratlier pro- moted than hindered by tlie bishop George, Bamberg soon became a stronghold for the defence and also a cen-

SCHWARZENBERG

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SCHWEBEL

tre from which to carrj' forward the extension of the evangelical cause. Schwarzenberg's influence was pow- erfully felt even in the administration of the empire. He had been the representative or companion of his prince iu several diets, and had won a high reputation for abil- ity. In 1522-23 he was not only a member of the re- gency of the empire, but its soul (see Eanke, Ref. Gescli. ii, 48 sq.) ; and it was that body which replied to the brief of pope Hadrian VI with a refusal to stamp out Lu- thcranism as he had demanded, and urged instead that the estates be convoked in some (ierman city to insti- tute reforms of evils conceded by the pope to exist — a measure which, with some slight moditications, became an edict of the empire early in 1523, and secured a pe- riod of quiet during which the Reformation might gath- er strength.

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