RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Faith Fallows
received but a limited education, until, by the intervention of friends and relatives, he was allowed to study music, and to take part in the musical entertainments in the Catholic Church. In his home he had the opportunity of learning French, which he gradually supplemented by a knowledge of English. In 1787 he was awarded a stipend which enabled him to pursue the study of theology v, the University of Halle, but gradually he forsook theology for philology and literature. Filled with plans for a literary career, he settled in Weimar, and was cordially received by Wieland, Goethe, and Herder. Falk's trend was essentially satiric, and he accordingly began to criticize the weaknesses and inconsistencies manifested by the social and poetical conditions of his time. The events which were then agitating Germany finally caused Falk to become more practical in his tendencies, and in 1806 he began the publication of a periodical instead of the belletristic Taschenbiicher. The main title of this journal Elysium und Tartarus, was still reminiscent of his former tendency, but its subtitle, Zeitung fur Poesie, Kunst und Zeitgeschichte, revealed a new interest in life. On account of its freedom of expression, however, the periodical was suppressed before the battle of Jena (Oct. 14, 1806).
This conflict marked a turning-point in Falk's career. The French commission chose him as a mediator between itself and the populace, and in this position he was enabled to prevent many an injustice and to alleviate much suffering. In recognition of his services the grand duke of Weimar created him a Legationsrat, while the people honored him with the title of " the benevolent councilor." The war claimed still other services from him. Many orphaned children sought refuge with him, and he took them into his home in the place of his own cndldren, who had fallen victims in the struggle. Together with Horn of Weimar he founded Die Gesellschaft der Freunde in der Not (The Society of Friends in Need), and remained its moving spirit. This society assumed the task of distributing the orphaned children in the homes of citizens, although Falk made it a rule to keep some of them in his house until he could form an idea of their capabilities, while a teacher's training was given those who showed an aptitude for learning.
Falk shared with Francke the pedagogic tendency to make confidence in God the center and aim of all activity; not in the punctilious spirit of Pietism, but with freedom and joy. His lofty ideals savor of Pestalozzi in his insistence on the close companionship of teacher and pupil. The beautiful songs, such as 0 dufrohliche and Was kann schimer sein, which he wrote among and for the children, form a fitting close to his literary career. Although devoid of essentially religious training, find lacking denominational character, Falk's activity, a precursor of Reinthaler's Martinstift at Erfurt and Wichern's Rauhes Haus at Horn, may ■>e said to have been a forerunner not only of educational societies, but also of home missions. This view was voiced by himself when he said, " The chief aim pursued by our society for eleven years
seems f form of missionary work, a saving of souls, a convjrsion of heathen; not in Asia or Africa, but in our own midst, in Saxony and in Prussia"; and he himself characterizes the great turning-point in his life in the following words: " I was one of a tnousand scamps in German literature, who thought that they served the world if they sat at their desks, yet by the grace of God I was not, like the rest, made into writing paper, but was used as lint, and placed in the open wounds of the age. So they tear me and pluck me the whole day long, for the wound is deep, and they use me to stanch it as long as a shred is left of me."
(Theodor Schafer.)
Bibliography: Rosalie Falk, Erinnerungsblatter, Weimar, 1868; W. Heinzelmann, J. Falk und die Gesellschaft der Freunde in der Noth, Brandenburg, 1879; Das Leben des Johannes Falk, Hamburg, 1892; W Baur, Geschichtsund Lebensbilder aus der Erneuerung des religibsen Lebens, p. 223, ib. 1893; P. Wurster, Die Lehre von der Inneren Mission, p. 32, Berlin, 1895; ADB, vi. 549.
FALKENBERG, JOHANNES: Dominican, professor of theology at Cracow; d. at Liegnitz (40 m. w.n.w. of Breslau), Silesia, after 1438. In the light of his writings thus far published and what has been published about him, he is noteworthy only on account of the accusation brought against him by the Polish delegation to the Council of Constance. Commissioned by the Teutonic Order, with which Poland was then waging a hot contest for its existence, he had written an impassioned tract against the Polish king, to the effect that as the king had supported infidels in warfare against believers, he was himself to be treated as an unbeliever. After Martin V had occupied the "orphaned" see of St. Peter, the Polish envoys succeeded by brutal proceedings, in bringing Falkenberg to trial. By the condemnation of Falkenberg, which was pronounced secretly as early as May 14, 1418, the pope secured, in Jan., 1424, the Polish support against a new council. Falkenberg was then set free, and after still plying his envenomed pen against the Teutonic Order, which had not rewarded him to his satisfaction, he is supposed to have died on the way home.
B. Bess.
Bibliography: Sources are certain of his tracts in Gersonii Opera, ed. Du Pin, v. 1020-29, Antwerp, 1706; Monumenta . . res gestas Poloniaz illustrantia, viii (1883), no. 581, xii (1891), 113, 170-174. Consult B. Bess, in ZKG, xvi (1892), part 3.
FALK LAWS. See Ultramontanism.
FALL OF MAN. See Sin.
FALLOWS, SAMUEL: Reformed Episcopal bishop; b. at Pendleton (a suburb of Manchester), Lancashire, England, Dec. 13, 1835. He emigrated to the United States at the age of thirteen and was graduated at the University of Wisconsin in 1859. He was vice-president of Galesville University, Galesville, Wis., in 1859-61 and a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1859 to 1875. He served in the Union army during the Civil War, and was promoted colonel and brevet brigadiergeneral. After the cessation of hostilities he was pastor of a Methodist church in Milwaukee. He was a regent of the University of Wisconsin 1866- 1874 and state superintendent of public instruction
Familiar Spirit
Family and. Marriage Relations