PREFACE x;
extensive correspondence carried on to secure the given facts. Every person sketched herein, with almost no exception, has been sent a blank for biographical data. Some thought to save themselves the trouble of filling out the blank by referring to a dictionary of living persons, but it has generally turned out that the requirements of this blank were not met by the book referred to and it has been necessary to write to the subject, and frequently more than once, before the desired information could be secured. (3) The matter in proof has been sent to persons specially chosen for eminence in their respective departments. These departments with the names of those in charge of them are : Systematic Theology, Rev. Clarence Augustine Beckwith, D.D., professor of systematic theology, Chicago Theological Seminary; Minor Denominations, Rev. Henry King Carroll, LL.D., one of the corresponding secretaries of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church, New York City; Liturgies and Religious Orders, in the first volume, Rev. John Thomas Creagh, D.D., professor of canon law, Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C, in subsequent volumes, Very Rev. James Francis Driscoll, D.D., president of St. Joseph's Seminary, Yonkers, N. Y.; the Old Testament, Rev. James Frederick McCurdy, Ph.D., LL.D., professor of Oriental languages, University College, Toronto; the New Testament, Rev. Henry Sylvester Nash, D.D., professor of the literature and interpretation of the New Testament, Episcopal Theological School, Cambridge, Mass.; Church History, Rev. Albert Henry Newman, D.D., LL.D., professor of church history, Baylor Theological Seminary (Baylor University), Waco, Texas. Besides reading the proofs they were requested to make such additions as would not only bring them up to date but represent the distinctive results of British and American scholarship. (4) A much more thorough bibliography is furnished. The attempt has been made to give sources so that students may pursue a subject to its roots; second, to supply the best literature in whatever language it occurs ; third, to supply references in English for those who read only that language. (5) All articles based on German originals have been sent in proof to the writers of the original German articles when these writers were still living. Some of them had furnished the articles and they had merely been translated, but in the great majority of cases the German authors had not given that cooperation; not a few, however, have kindly read our condensations and made corrections and additions. For this cooperation thanks are due.
We here mention with gratitude the permission given by the publisher of the Realencyklopddie fiir protestantische Theologie und Kirche, Mr. Heinrich Rost, the head of the great publishing house of J. C. Hinrichs of Leipsic, and by the editor of its third edition, Professor Albert Hauck, Ph.D., D.Th., D.Jur., of the University of Leipsic, to use its contents in our discretion. Dr. Hauck has done far more than give permission. He has manifested a kindly interest in our work, has revised the condensations of his articles, and facilitated our efforts to secure from his contributors advance articles. This helpfulness is much appreciated, and we would fain give it prominent recognition.
Rev. David Schley Schaff, D.D., who holds the chair of church history in the Western Theological Seminary, Allegheny, Pa., whose father was the founder of this work and who was nimself one of its original associate editors, felt unable on account of other duties to assume any editorial responsibility for the present work, as he had been asked to do by the publishers when the new edition was determined on, but he entered heartily into the arrangement whereby the sole responsibility of general editor should be lodged with his former associate editor, and has cooperated by bringing down to date almost all the articles which he and his father contributed to the first edition.
The labor of coordinating the material sent in by the many persons who have cooperated to bring out this work has fallen upon the managing editor, Charles Colebrook Sherman, who has discharged his difficult duties with conscientious fidelity and marked ability.