RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Tholuck
Thomas the Apostle
students, and was nobly assisted by his second wife, a most amiable, refined Christian lady. He loved, as he said, candidates for the ministry more than the ministers, and students more than candidates, because he was more interested in the process of growth than in the results of growth. His life was a life with the young, fruitful in blessings. He was in the habit of taking long walks with two or three students every day from eleven to twelve, and from four to five: he invited them freely to his house and table, tried experiments on their minds, proposed perplexing questions, set them disputing on high problems, inspired and stimulated them in the pursuit of knowledge, virtue, and piety. He had great regard for individuality, and aimed to arouse in every one the sense of his peculiar calling rather than to create a school. His chief aim was to lead them to humble faith in the Savior, and to infuse into them that love which was the ruling passion of his own heart. He adopted, as he says, Zinzendorf's motto, " I have but one passion, and that is He, and He alone." His lecture-room was truly a school of Christ. And herein lies his chief significance and merit. Thousands of students from different lands owe to him their spiritual life. To Americans he was especially attached, and a most useful guide in the labyrinth of German theology. He was very intimate with Edward Robinson, Charles Hodge (who studied at Halle in 1827, and was daily in his company), Henry B. Smith, George L. Prentiss (who studied there in 1840), and Edwards A. Park of Andover. He was invited to the General Conference of the Evangelical Alliance in 1873, and promised to come (with the humorous remark, " I am afraid of your American mobs, your hot cakes for breakfast, and especially of your kindness "). But his feeble health prevented him; and he sent one of his favorite pupils, Leopold Witte, as his representative, with a modest sketch of his labors and the condition of theology in Germany. It is the last public document from his pen (except some letters), and gives a faithful idea of this lover of youth, who loved them for Christ's sake.
(Philip ScHAFFf.) D. S. Schaff.
Bibliography: His Lehre von der Siinde, ut sup., is in part autobiographical, Guido representing him. Letters will be found in the biography of Charles Hodge by A. A. Hodge, New York, 1880, in that of H. B. Smith, by Mrs. H. B. Smith, ib, 1880, cf. that of Philip Schaff by D. S. Schaff, passim. The authorized " Life " is by L. Witte, 2 vols., Bielefeld, 1884-86; an autobiographical sketch with a paper by Witte is in the Proceedings of the Evangelical Alliance Conference of 1873, pp. 85-89, New York, 1874. Consult further: P. Schaff, Germany; its Universities, Theology, and Religion, chap, xxvi., Philadelphia, 1857; idem, in Presbyterian Review, 1871, pp. 295-300; M. Tholuck, Erinnerungen an Tholuck's Heimgang, Leipsic, 1892; M. Kahler, August Tholucks Gedfichtnis, ib. 1899; idem, Erinnerungen an August und Mathilde Tholuck, ib. 1899.
THOMA, to'ma, ALBRECHT: German Protestant; b. at Dertingen (a village near Wertheim, 20 m. w. of Wiirzburg), Baden, Dec. 2, 1844. He was educated at the universities of Heidelberg (1865-67) and Jena (1867-68), and at the seminary for preachers at Heidelberg (1868-69); after which he was curate in Baden (1869-71), Bremen (1871- 1872), Neunkirchen (1872), Freiburg (1872-73), Lorrach (1873-75), and Mannheim (1875-80).
Since 1880 he has been professor of German and history at the normal school in Carlsruhe. In theology his position is liberal. Among his numerous writings mention may be made of his Geschichte der christlichen Sittenlehre in der Zeit des Neuen Testaments (Haarlem, 1879); Die Genesis des Johannes- Evangeliums (Berlin, 1882); Dr. Luther s Leben furs deutsche Haus (1883); Ein Ritt ins Gelobte Land, Land und Leute in Paldstina vor 3,000 Jahren (1887) ; Das Leben Gustav Adolfs furs deutsche Volk (Carlsruhe, 1894); Unterm Christbaum, Weinachtsgeschichten (1895); Philipp Melanchthons Leben (1897); Geschichte des Klosters Frauenalb (Freiburg, 1898); Katharina von Bora (Berlin, 1900) ; Konrad Widerholt, der Kommandant von Hohentwiel (Munich, 1903); Bernhard von Weimar (Weimar, 1904); Der Sternensohn. GeschichUiche Erzdhlung aus der Zeit des Kaisers Hadrian (Bielefeld, 1908); and Jesus und die Apostel (Gotha, 1910).
THOMAS A BECKET. See Becket, Thomas.
THOMAS A JESU: Portuguese Augustinian ascetic, brother of Didacus (Diogo) Andrada (q.v.); b. at Lisbon 1529; d. among the Moors in North Africa Apr. 17, 1582. He entered the Augustinian order in 1548; studied philosophy and theology at Coimbra, and then went to Lisbon, where he became master of novices; he developed a tendency toward extreme asceticism, for the furthering of which he proposed to found a monastery under stricter rules, though this met with opposition; he carried out his own ideal in person at Penhaferma, where he became a preacher; he was taken as field chaplain to Africa by King Sebastian in his campaign against the Moors, by whom he was wounded and taken prisoner, and in prison wrote his Trabalhos de Jesus (Lisbon, 1602), which was translated into several European languages. He was sold as a slave, but was released through the efforts of the Portuguese ambassador, but preferred to stay in Morocco to minister to the needs of other prisoners and the poor, for the accomplishment of which he sought and obtained the help of the wealthy. His last illness was contracted while engaged in these works of mercy. He wrote also a " Life " of Louis de Montroya (Lisbon, 1618); Praxis verm fidei (Cologne, 1629) ; and also De oratione Dominica (Antwerp, 1623). Bibliography: His " Life " by A. de Menezes is prefixed
to an edition of the Trabalhos, published at Lisbon, 1733.
Cf. KL, xi. 1671-73.
THOMAS A. KEMPIS. See Kempis.
THOMAS THE APOSTLE: In the Synoptic lists of the apostles (Matt. x. 3; Mark iii. 18; Luke vi. 15) Thomas is paired with Matthew, but in the Acts (i. 13) with Philip. The name (translated into the Greek Didymus, John xi. 16, xx. 24, xxi. 2) means " twin " and was doubtless the personal name of the apostle, most likely as recalling the facts at his birth, possibly given after the death of the other twin. It surely was not given by Jesus on account of Thomas's native disposition toward doubt. Thomas does not figure in the Synoptic Gospels outside of the lists of the apostles, while in the Fourth Gospel he stands out clearly with marked characteristics (xi. 6, xiv. 5, xx. 25-28). His nature is positive,
Thomas the Apostle Thomas Aquinas