THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
which the historians felt free to condemn or to ridicule.
Neander broke through the rules of the pragmatic school in his very first work, Julian, at the beginning of which he affirms eternal Providence to be the molding spirit of history rather than human creation. He substituted for psychological arts the rich results of a study of the historical sources. The general principle of Neander's method is seen to even better advantage in his monograph on Bernhard. Author and subject were kindred spirits; and, in the treatment of Bernhard 's career, Neander lays bare the innermost principle of his life, and derives his activity from it. In his Chrysostom, the most elaborate of his biographies, Neander displays the same method.
Neander's conception of church history is set forth in the Introduction to his great work in these words: " We look upon Christianity, not as a system born in the hidden depths of man's nature, but as a power which has come down from 4. Concep- heaven, in that heaven has opened ittion of self to a hostile world — a power which Church in its essence, as well as in its origin, History is exalted high above all that man can and create with his own powers, and which Methods, was designed to impart to him new life, and transform him in his innermost nature." He regards Christianity as also a force, a life, and not alone as a dogma, or a divine power which has come down from heaven. In his view, therefore, the history of the church is the history of the process of the interpenetration of man's life with the divine life; or the history of the divine life of Christ pervading humanity. This new life was perfectly manifested in Christ, the second Adam, and becomes concrete in the lives of individuals whose peculiarities are not destroyed, but transformed and glorified. Every Christian, therefore, repeats the life of Christ in his own characteristic way. In no one is that life repeated in its comprehensive fulness. Each only presents a single aspect of it. Neander is constantly representing the one life of Christ in its conflict with sin, and in its adoption and rejection of worldly principles and forces in the various phases of rationalism and supernaturalism, scholasticism, and mysticism, and in speculative and practical effort. To this general conception is due the edificatory character of Neander's History. One of Neander's characteristics as a historian is his talent for portraying individual traits of character and life. He honored the individual as no other historian before him, and brought out the objective features of his subject, without intruding his own subjective thoughts and opinions. Closely connected with this talent is his ability, which has already been referred to, of understanding and sympathizing with the experiences of others, and unveiling the Christian element in their lives.
The objectivity of Neander's portrayal of events and persons is the most important feature of his work; but also its weakest point, for the concrete and individual are relatively far more prominent than the universal. Neander's defect was failure to appreciate the Church and allow it due promi-
nence. Instead of the Church there is a collection of single portraits of individuals animated with the life of Christ. The biographical element predominates. Neander loves to dwell upon
5. Defect the spiritual life of his characters, and as a has depicted with a master's hand the
Historian, hidden life of the Church; but in doing so he has neglected to portray its allconquering power over the world. The influence of the Church upon the formation of dogmatic beliefs, upon civil law, social customs, art, and architecture, he does not sufficiently bring out. In spite of the variety of individual character and experience, the history of the Church in his hands does not present a harmonious and progressive development. Neander has given a commentary of the parable of the leaven, but fails to render justice to the parable of the mustard-seed.
Neander's division of church history is extremely simple. So far as the spiritual life of the Church is concerned, it falls into three periods. The boundary between the first and the second is the growth of a priesthood — a fact to which he can not call attention too often; for his history is a history of the universal priesthood. The first period is a period of pure spiritual religion; the second is characterized by a reinswathement of Christianity in habiliments like those of the Old Testament; the third is marked by a reaction and an effort of Christian liberty to reassert itself.
Neander's personal influence in the classroom was little less important than his literary activity. He labored in Berlin for thirty-eight years. In his exegetical lectures and commentaries he pursued a practical method.
His personal influence upon his students was also very great. He presents the figure of a man of simple and childlike spirit, helpless 6. Personal in the practical affairs of life, faithful Character- to his calling, severe toward himself, istics. and temperate, full of love and gentleness toward others, and wholly and unreservedly devoted to the Lord. But he could be severe; he entered a protest against the Evangelische Kirchenzeitung , and opposed, not only with great firmness, but often with heat, both pantheistic and spiritualistic speculations, and the more rigid wing in the Church which insisted upon a strict system of doctrine. Among those who contributed to the revival of faith and theology in the first half of this century he has, beyond dispute, one of the most prominent places, perhaps the most prominent if practical results be considered.
Throughout the whole of his life he had to contend against a feeble constitution. In 1847 he began to suffer with his eyesight, and was prevented from continuing his " History." Attacked with a stroke of apoplexy, he lingered only a few days before he passed away.
Bibliography: O. Krabbe, August Neander, Hamburg, 1852; P Schaff, Germany; its Universities, Theology, and Religion, chap, xxv., Philadelphia, 1857; idem, Saint Augustin, Melanchthon, Neander, New York, 1886; J. Tj. .Tacobi, Erinnerungen an August Neander, Halle, 1882; I,. Schulze, August Neander, Leipsic, 1890; A. Wigand, August Neanders Leben, Erfurt, 1890; K. T. Schneider, August Neander, Schleswig, 1895,