THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Hesse, is surrounded by the Prussian province of Hesse-Xassau; the southern portion, consisting of the provinces of Rhenish Hesse and Starkenburg, is bounded by Prussia, Bavaria, and Baden. Heese has an area of 2,965 square miles, and a population (1905) of 1,210,104. About two-thirds of the population belong to the State Church, which comprehends all Evangelical parishes, whether Lutheran, Reformed, or of a united confession. The majority of persons outside of the Established Church are Roman Catholics, who number about 30 per cent of the population. The Jews number some 30,000. Mennonites, Baptists, Methodists, and Quakers number all together only a few hundreds.
Under the influence of Philip the Magnanimous, landgrave of Hesse 1509-67 (see Philip of Hesse; Homberg Synod and Church Order i. Rise of of 1526), and his theological coun- Protestant- selors, Melanchthon, Zwingli, Butzer, ism. and Hyperius, the Evangelical Church of Hesse in the sixteenth century represented a mediating tendency, though until 1566 it showed a curious union of Episcopal and Presbyterian tendencies. In the interest of uniformity throughout the margravate, the Agenda of 1566 was promulgated by the church authorities. It was Calvinistic in character, represented a mediating tendency in its treatment of the sacraments, and provided ordination by laying on of hands for bishops, elders (preachers and laymen), and deacons. After the death of Philip a new Agenda was published in 1574, showing a stronger bias toward Lutheranism. This remained substantially in force till into the nineteenth century. The frequent changes that have taken place in the boundaries and political organization of Hesse render it impracticable to give here the details of its ecclesiastical history. In general, Lutheranism has gradually gained the ascendancy, and usually changes in boundaries have broken the confessional unity of the state only temporarily.
The present organization of the State Church rests upon the edict of Jan. 6, 1874. The church constitution is of the modern synodal 2. Church type and resembles most nearly that Organiza- of Baden. The grand duke, a Protestion. tant, is the head of the Church; and the highest ecclesiastical authority is vested in the consistory {Oberkonsistorium) , which is responsible directly to the grand duke. This is composed of three clerical and three lay members, the clerical members being at the same time the heads of the Church in the three provinces of Rhenish Hesse, Starkenburg, and Upper Hesse. The State Church includes all Evangelical parishes, though these are allowed to maintain their confessional peculiarities, in that they have a right to reject any ecclesiastical legislation affecting religious instruction. The individual parishes are governed by local parochial boards, consisting of the ministers and from four to twelve laymen, who are elected for ten years, and by a popular body of from twelve to seventy members. The parishes are united into twenty-three deaneries (Dekanate), each having its decanal synod, composed of clerical and lay members in equal numbers,
with an executive committee. A general synod meets every five years. This body is composed of two representatives of each of the decanal synods a clergyman and a layman, three clerical and four lay members named by the grand duke, and the prelate, who, like the Roman Catholic bishop, is a member of the upper chamber. The consistory is represented in local affairs by the deans, who are elected by the decanal synods, and, as regards finances, by certain district officials. The executive committee of the general synod is an extension of the consistory.
Salaries of clergymen are paid from the general treasury of the Church. After the candidate for the ministry has spent at least seven 3. The semesters at some German university, Clergy. he is examined in the first instance by the theological faculty of the University of Giessen. He must then spend a year in the seminary for ministers at Friedberg. He then undergoes a final examination by a special committee, composed of the clerical members of the consistory and of the professors of the seminary. The duties of ministers are regulated by law; and pastorates are filled by the consistory on petition of the parochial boards. Surplice-fees were abolished in 1891. The pastor must give weekly, three or four hours' religious instruction in the public elementary schools, basing his instruction on Biblical history and the catechism. In Lutheran parishes he uses the Lutheran catechism, in certain Reformed parishes the Heidelberg catechism, and in united parishes the catechism of 1894, which combines the Lutheran and Heidelberg catechisms.
There is no uniform liturgy for the whole state, though a movement having as its object the preparation of a liturgy acceptable to all
4. Recent parishes is now in progress. Similarly, Reforms, an effort has been made to give
church-music a uniform character; and in many places church-singing has been reformed in the interest of a lively popular rhythm. To be mentioned here is the choral book edited by J. G. Herzog, and also his book of preludes. In recent years the interests of the State Church have been furthered by the division of the larger parishes, the erection of numerous new churches, by the ordinance providing for the care of the poor, and by regulations against such sects as the Irvingites, Adventists, etc. Sunday-schools are now common. The Innere Mission maintains some thirty hospitals and a large number of other charitable institutions of an educational nature.
The Roman Catholic inhabitants are under the
jurisdiction of the bishop of Mainz. The relation
between the Roman curia and the
5. Roman Hessian government was established Catholics, by the bulls Provida solersque (1S21)
and Ad dominici gregis custodiam (1827), and the edicts of 1829 and 1830 (changed in 1853). An agreement made in 1S54 between the bishop and the Hessian government was repudiated by the curia in 1866. Since then all ecclesiastical relations have been arranged by secular legislation. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Evan-