RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Levi, Levites Leyser
N. Y. (M.A., 1863), Alfred Theological Seminary (graduated 1863), and Union Theological Seminary (1870-71). He was pastor at Westerly, R. I., 1864-67 and New York City 1867-69; general agent of the American Sabbath Tract Society 1869-73; pastor at Shiloh, N. J., 1873-76; professor of church history and homiletics at Alfred University 1876- 1880; pastor at Plainfield, N. J., 1880-96. From 1896 until his death he was corresponding secretary of the American Sabbath Tract Society and editor of The Sabbath Recorder. He was editor of The Outlook and Sabbath Quarterly 1882-94, and was corresponding editor of The Philanthropist. In theology he was a liberal orthodox adherent of his Church. He wrote: Sabbath and Sunday (Alfred Centre, N. Y., 1870); Biblical Teachings concerning the Sabbath and the Sunday (1884); Critical History of the Sabbath and the Sunday in the Christian Church (1886); Critical History of Sunday Legislation from 321 to 1888 A. D. (New York, 1888); Paganism Surviving in Christianity (1890); Swift Decadence of Sunday; What Next ? (Plainfield, N. J., 1899); and Letters to Young Preachers and their Readers (1900).
LEWIS, TAYLER: Reformed Dutch lay Biblical scholar and author; b. at Northumberland, Saratoga County, N. Y., Mar. 27, 1802; d. at Schenectady, N. Y., May 11, 1877. After graduating from Union College in 1820 he studied law and began to practise at Fort Miller in 1824. Having become interested in Biblical and classical studies he gave up the law and in 1833 opened a classical school at Waterford, N. Y., which he moved to Ogdensburg in 1835. He was professor of Greek in New York University 1838-49, and from 1849 till his death professor of Greek and instructor in Oriental languages and Biblical literature at Union College. He was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. He was an able apologete and a prominent exponent of Oriental and classical studies. His more important works are: Plato contra Atheos (New York, 1845), being the Greek text of the tenth book of the dialogue on laws, with luminous notes and discussions; An Essay on the Ground and Reason of Punishment with Special Reference to the Penalty of Death (1846); The Six Days of Creation (Schenectady, 1855); The Bible and Science (1856); The Divine Human in the Scriptures (New York, 1860) ; State Rights, a Photograph from the Ruins of Ancient Greece (Albany, 1864); and The Light by which we see Light (Vedder lectures, New York, 1875). He also translated and supplemented the notes on Genesis for Schaff's edition of Lange's commentary (1868), and prepared for the same work metrical versions of Job and Ecclesiastes.
Bibliography: W. Wells, in the Methodist Quarterly, xxxviii (1878), 604 sqq.
LEWIS, WILSON SEELEY: Methodist Episcopal bishop; b. at Russell, N. Y., July 17, 1857 He was educated at St. Lawrence University, N. Y., and Cornell College, Mount Vernon, la. (B.A., 1889), after which he was principal of Epworth Seminary, Epworth, la., until 1897 and president of Morningside College, Sioux City, la., until 1908, in which year he was elected a bishop of bis denomination.
LEYDECKER, lai'dek-er, MELCHIOR: Dutch Protestant; b. at Middelburg Mar. 11, 1642; d at Utrecht Jan. 6, 1721. After serving for 'fifteen years as pastor in different places of Zealand he became professor of theology in Utrecht in 1679 and labored there till his death. He was perhaps the last representative of strict Reformed orthodoxy. From his orthodox standpoint he wrote polemical works against Balthasar Becker, the Cartesians, Hermann Witsius, and especially against the federal theology of the Cocceians. His principal works are: De aconomia trium personarum in negotio salutis humanm (Utrecht, 1682); Synopsis controversiarum de f aider e el testamento Dei (1690); Commentarius in Catech. Heidelberg, sive de veritate et sanctitate fidei Reformatm (1694); and De republica Hebrceorum (2 vols., Amsterdam, 1704-10).
(E. F. Karl Muller.)
Bibliography: A. J. van der Aa, Biographisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, xi. 387 sqq., Haarlem, 1852 sqq.; Sammlung von alten und neuen theologischen Sachen, pp. 1012 sqq., Leipsic, 1721; F. W. J. H. Gass. Geschichte der protestantischen Dogmatik, iii. 290, Berlin, 1862.
LEYSER, ldi'zer (LEISER, LYSER) : A family of Lutheran theologians and learned men, which in the sixteenth century removed from Swabia to North Germany, where its descendants are still flourishing.
1. Caspar Leyser: The oldest known member of the family, was born at Winnenden (12 m. n.e. of Stuttgart), Wurttemberg, c. 1527; d. at Ntirtingen (13 m. s.s.e. of Stuttgart) 1554 or 1555. He entered the University of Tubingen in 1541, in 1550 became pastor in his native city, and in 1553 at Nurtingen. He joined his brother-in-law, Jakob Andrea, in a proposal to Duke Christopher of Wurttemberg to introduce a church discipline modeled after Calvin's and "presbyteries," i.e., church courts for the correction of offenders. The duke received the proposal favorably, but Brenz and the secular councilors opposed it, and it was not carried into effect.
2. Poly carp Leyser (the Elder): Only son of Caspar Leyser, was born at Winnenden Mar. 18, 1552; d. at Dresden Feb. 22, 1610. In 1570 he became master and repetent at Tubingen, and in 1573 preacher at Gellersdorf in Lower Austria, whence he was frequently called to preach at Vienna and thus became known to Emperor Maximilian II. After declining a call to Graz, in 1577 he became pastor, superintendent, and theological professor at Wittenberg. Here the ungrateful task devolved upon him of pacifying the excitement prevailing since the overthrow of the Cryptocalvinists in 1574 and of assisting in the introduction of the Formula of Concord as well as in the reorganization of the university. His modesty, amiability, and oratorical talents soon won the respect and love of his congregation, of the university, and of the elector. He was active in the final arrangement of the Book of Concord (1577-80), in the reform of the university, and the revision of Luther's translation of the Bible. In 1582 he attended the colloquy of Quedlinburg (see Chemnitz, Martin, § 3), in 1583 a synod at Dresden, in 1584 and 1585 conventions at Magdeburg, Leipsic, and Herzberg. When the Philippists regained the ascendency after the death
Leyser
Liber Pontificalis