Tersteegen yielded to the persuasions of Hoffmann and others, and began to address public assemblies at about the time when his first literary efforts Avere put forth. In 1728 he renounced his handicraft and gave himself wholly to the care of souls. His wants were supplied by the contributions of friends and by several legacies, so that he was even able to exercise a liberal benevolence. His advice was desired by great numbers of people living everywhere in the territories of Cleves and Berg. Otterbeck, a farm between JlUlheim and Elberfeld, became a station where a number of his ad- herents lived together in the practice of industry, self- renunciation, and piety. He furnished them twelve rules of conduct (given at the close of vol. iii of his let- ters), and watched over them with jealous care. A work written in their behalf in 1727 became a bulwark against Antinomianism (q. v.), and saved them from the excesses into which other, but kindred, associations were drawn. A second centre of his influence was El- berfekl, and subsequently Barmen. Tiiis region was troubled with the fanatical infiuence of EUer (q. v.) and his supporters. To counteract that influence, Terstee- gen wrote an effectual admonition (corap. Weg derWahr- keit, xi). Solingen was a third station, and it was there that Tersteegen delivered the only seniion ever preach- ed by him. At Crefeld extraordinary manifestations accom])anied a work of grace, which were controlled through his judicious counsel. He was also brought into relations with the Jloravian Brotherhood, and was soliciteil by Zinzendorf, Dober, and other leaders to cast in his lot with theirs; but he steadily refused, less on the ground of their unusual methods than because he believed their teachings to be erroneous. He charged them with identifying sancfitication with justification and with misrepresenting the legal and the evangelical elements of religion. He found in them no earnest striving in the way of a progressive sanctification. and
no willingness to receive the doctrine of the necessity for thorough-going self-denial and persistent watchful- ness and prayer, which they denounced as legalism. His position hindered the Moravians from securing an establishment in the regions of the Lower Rhine.
In 17-10 an occurrence at Solingen led the authorities to issue a positive prohibition of conventicles, and Ter- steegen saw his extended and successful labors inter- rupted. During ten years he was able to hold public gatherings only in Holland, whither he frequently jour- neyed ; but his correspondence and private laliors in- creased enormously. He regarded the prohibition as a trial, and counselled submission. But when in 1750 a new awakening took place, he began once more to as- sert the right of "private assemblies." He wrote an awakening sermon at this time on 2 Cor. v, 14, which was favorably received and led to the ultimate publica- tion of a series of discourses under the title Geistliche Brosamen, etc. (1773, 2 vols, in 4 pts.). Tliey represent the culmination of his powers, and are equalled in con- tents and method by but few of the productions of his contemporaries.
The favor with which these sermons were received brought their author into general notice, and led to the appointment of a royal commissioner to inquire into the work of Tersteegen among his adherents. The person selected for this duty was a member of the high consistory named Hecker, a native of the Rhine prov- inces and a friend to Tersteegen. Through him the latter was induced to draw up a confession of his faith, and subsequently a critique of the O^uvres du Philo- sophe de Sans-souci, which elicited the approval of the king. A steady approximation on the part of Terstee- gen and his friends towards the State Church is notice- able from this period, but he was never formally identi- fied with it because of its tolerance of open sinners as communicants. He discussed this question in a tract issued in 1768, shortly before his decease. A feeble and broken constitution troubled him all his days; but he attained to the age of seventy-two years, passing away in a quiet slumber April 3, 1769.
As a poet, Tersteegen was prolific, and thoroughly, though evangelically, mystical. His apprehension of the idea of self-renunciation and a blessed loss of self in God was so profound as to prevent the Church of his day from appreciating his merit. His hymns are now found, however, in the collections of every German Church. His principal collection of hymns was pub- lished in 1729 under the title Geistliches Blumevgdiihin (15th ed. Essen, 1855). He also rendered the mystical poems of Labadie into German, and contributeil to the collection known as Gottijeheiliyles llarfenspiel d. Kin- der, etc. His works have been published in Germany by G. D. Badecker. His life was written by Dr. Kerleii (Miilheim, 1853), and Gobel in his Geschichte d. christi. Lebens, etc., iii, 289-447. See Herzog, Real-Encyklop. s. V.
Tertia (Lat. third), the name given in the early Church to the Ihiril hour of prayer; that is, nine in the morning. Different theories are given of its origin; some saying that it was observed in regard to our Sav- iour's being condemned by Pilate at that time, others that it is in memory of the Holy Ghost coming upon the apostles at that hour. This is the reason assigned by Cassian and Basil. On all festivals this service was omitted, because on Sundays the communion was used, which always began at this hour. See Bingham, Christ. Antiq. bk. xiii, ch. ix, § 11.