STOLBERG
1042
STOMACHER
In 1790 he consummated a second marriaj:je (with So- phia, coiintc's-s von Hedern). and soon at'ttTwards undcr- totik a trip to Italy, wliicli led him to Munster and cx- pt)sed him to the intiuences that determined him to go over to the Church of Home. lie found at MUnster a type of Catholicism in which the Christian element was prominent and the Homish element not unpleasant- ly noticeable. I'rincess (iallitzin was its leading rep- resentative, and became the principal agent in persuad- ing him to make the desireti transfer. The journey was continued to Home, where he was profoundly stirred while witnessing the celebration of tiie mass by pope Pius VI, and tilled with admiration for the pontitf on being admitted to an audience. He met the brothers Droste, who had been recommended to him by the princess (iallit/in, and who advanced his progress to- wards the Romish Church very materially, though the public avowal of his renunciation of Protestantism was delayeil some years. lie returned to Kutin, and enter- ed on the performance of his duties as president of the government in the spring of 1793. The Minister cote- rie Were from this period in regular communication with him, while his Protestant friends of furmer days were gradually alienated. In 17y.S he notirted the gov- ernment that he intended to resign his offices, and in the same year he visited the Jloravian community, to find, if he could, among them the peace and rest for which his soul longed; but he at the same time sub- mitted the doubts which agitated his mind to Asseline, the exiled bishop of Botdogne, and received a reply in consonance with his desires. The transition to the Church of IJome was made on .June 1, 1800, in the pri- vate chapel (if |)rincess Gallitzin. The reasons which determined Siolberg's action may be reduced to three : 1. A bald, cold, imsatisfying rationalism was in control of the evangelical churches. The formal principle of Protestantism, submission to the Bible, was loudly pro- claimed, but the demands of reason allowed very few 8cri[itural truths to stand. So emotional a nature as Stolberg's could never rest content with such a state of affairs. 2. Stolberg lacked the keen intellect and res- olute will which might have fitted him to find and ap- ply the remedy for the evils which he saw, as his high station would have enabled him to do. He was simply a man of feeling, and, in addition, a weakling who could endure no controversy, though it might assume no greater proportions than an adverse discussion of his accepted ideas. 3. He saw Komanism under a most caiitivating disguise. The Miinster Catholics drew their inspiration from the Bible and the Christian mys- tics, and made the person of Christ the centre of their religious life. On Se[)t. 28, 1800, Stolberg, having re- signed his oflicial position, removed from Eutin to Miin- ster anil renewed his literary activity, giving some at- tention to the classics, but devoting himself more es- pecially to religious work. In 1803 he published Au- gustine's I)e Vera ReHi/ione and l)e Moribus Keel. Ca- tknlicie in (Jerman, and also composed the inscription which was placed on the stone over the grave of Klop- Btock (<|. v.), who had been the friend of his youth. Stimulated by C. A. Droste (<). v.), he began a Ge'scliich- tt <lir /{ilir/i„n JiKii Chiiili, of which fourteen volimies a()pear<-d between 180(; and 1818. His patriotism in these later days was as evident as it had been in his youth. The freedom of his expressions led to his be- ing placed under surveillance by the French invaders in 1H|2; and when the (ierman rising took place in 1813 he gave four sons to the army, and composed a number of patriotic hymns. But his day was almost over. The lalior reipiired for his history was exliausl- ing him, lie turned his attention wholly upon the Scriptures, ami wrote two e<lifying volumes entitled lie- Inir/iliini/i-n u. /ii/ifrzlf/iuti/in ilir lii-il. ,Srhrift, a life of Vincent ile Paul, ami a work styleil /iiir/ilnn <lrr lAche, with which hedosi'd his life. He.lied Dec..'), 1819, call- iiiK with his <lying breath on the"MoilMT of (;od,"and placing confidence in the intercession of saints, but, af-
ter all, drinking in comfort and strength from the solid promises of the Scriptures. This, indeed, was the pe- culiarity of Stolberg's Catholicism, that it was in the main, not Romish, but scriptural. His last words were, " Blessed be Jesus Christ." See Nicolov, /''. L. Grafzu SUilberg (Mayence, 1846) ; Von Bippen, Eutiner Skizzen, etc. (^Weimar, 1859) ; Goethe, Wahrheit und IHchtung, xviii ; Voss, in Paulus's Sophronizen, Wie ward Fr. Stolberg eiii Unfrekr'? (Frankf.-on-the-Main, 1819); Stolberg, A'«?'5e A bjertigunf/, etc. (Hamb. 1820); Kater- kamj), Leben der FUrstin Amalie v. Gallitzin (2d ed. Miinster, 1839) ; Schott, Foss w. (S^o/6e?;9, etc. (Stuttgart, 1850) ; Gesammelte Werke der Briider Stolberg (Hamb. 1825 sq., 20 vols.). — Herzog, Real-Eneyklop. s. v.
Stole ((TT-oX/j), a Greek term for (1) a vesture or garment; (2) a vestment reaching to the feet, and worn b}' bishops and priests. This garment was orig- inally of white linen, but so early as the begiiming of the 7th century some of the younger clergy of Spain had taken to "colored oraria" decked with gold, and were not even content with one only. See Marriott, Vesiiarium Christiamtm, p. 215.