THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
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Ghost to the Father. The truth that the one God is triune in his very essence, without necessarily being Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is “ the mystery of God.” The procession of God from himself in revelation is construed by Urlsperger as the transit from the infinite to the finite, the Son blending the two. With the exaltation of Christ the purpose of the economic Trinity was fulfilled and ceased to be. The Son, subjecting himself to the Father, ceases to be the Son, though remaining, as before his procession, a divine person. And the Holy Ghost, also proceeding from the Father to be with the Son, is the power which effected the procession of the divine Son by birth.
Feeling himself isolated in theological position, Urlsperger sought to get in closer touch with the few who entertained similar views with himself. With this end in view, and also to organize a society for the defense of Christianity along the lines of the English Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the Swedish De Fide et Christianismo, he undertook, in Aug., 1779, the tour of sixteen months which resulted in the foundation of the Deutsche Christentumsgesellschaft. Remaining in Holland for a time on his way home, Urlsperger reached Augsburg in Nov., 1780, where he received word of the foundation of the first society at Basel. The English branch, on the other hand, soon succumbed, and even the Basel branch, with its affiliations, quickly turned to works of practical piety rather than to a theoretical defense of Lutheran principles. Though such a step was diametrically opposed to his original idea, even if closely akin to the plans of his early days as a theological candidate at Frankfort, Urlsperger accepted the changes with faith and hope, never losing confidence in the success of the society. (H. ANSTEIN.)
BrsitiocRaPpHy: Gradmann, Das gelehrte Schwaben, pp. 694- 704, Nuremberg, 1802; J. G. Meusel, Das gelehrte Teutschland, x. 759-761, Lemgo, 1803; ADB, xxxix. 355-361.
URLSPERGER, SAMUEL: German Lutheran; father of the preceding; b. at Kirchheim-unter- Teck (22 m. e. of Tiibingen) Aug. 31, 1685; d. at Augsburg Apr. 19, 1772. He was educated at Tibingen, and after traveling extensively and holding several other pastoral positions, he became court chaplain and consistorial councilor at Stuttgart in 1714. In this capacity, though lacking the strength of character to protest openly against the moral conditions prevailing at court, he was active in behalf of the new missions in Malabar. In Nov., 1717, he was converted to Pietism by Francke and incited to rebuke the duke, who punished him by securing his suspension till 1720; in 1723 he became senior pastor of St. Ann’s in Augsburg. For fortytwo years Urlsperger retained his post, forming devotional societies within his church and taking an active part in philanthropic work. The influence of Urlsperger was destined to spread beyond Augsburg. In 1731 the archbishop of Salzburg expelled all Protestants from his domain (see Sauzpure, EVANGELICALS OF), and when the emigrants began to pass through Augsburg, Urlsperger aided them with money as well as by the influence of his sermons and pamphlets, and also appealed for financial assistance for them to England, and large sums
of money passed through his hands. He had agents in many German cities to supervise and provide for the needs of the emigrants, and brought his influence to bear at the courts of Stuttgart, Hanover, and Mecklenburg, and especially of Wernigerode and Copenhagen. His duties were further augmented when he was appointed confidential agent for Oglethorpe’s projected colonization of the Salzburg refugees in Pennsylvania. Urlsperger provided for the minutest details of the transportation, and gave special attention to securing proper religious instruction for the emigrants. Thus, under his supervision, Ebenezer, as he named the colony, became a center of Protestant faith and German industry, and developed into an important factor in the religious life of the new world. On the other hand, he came in sharp conflict with Count Zinzendorf (q.v.), deeming the antichurchly Pietism of Herrnhut a dangerous foe. Urlsperger’s declining years were cheered by the deep affection in which he was held and by the devotion of his son, Johann August Urlsperger (q.v.). In 1764 he retired from active life. He was the author of several hymns, and of Ausfiihrliche Nachrichten von den Saltzburgischen E’migranten die sich in Amerika niedergelassen haben (3 parts, Halle, 1738-52) and its continuation, Amerikanisches Ackerwerk Gottes (1766). (BERNHARD Kocu.)
Brsrtiograpuy: A. Stein, Samuel Urlsperger, Halle, 1899; J. A. Urlsperger, Wohlverdientes Ehrengedichtnis des . . . Samuel Urlsperger, Augsburg, 1873; J.G.Meusel, Das gelehrte Teutschland, xiv. 213-215, Lemgo, 1815; E. E. Koch, Geschichte des Kirchenlieds, ii. 166-173, 6 vols., Stuttgart, 1866-72; L. Renner, Lebensbilder aus der Pietistenzeit, pp. 332 sqq., Bremen, 1886; ADB, s.v.
URSA’CIUS: Bishop of Singidunum (Belgrade). The date and place of his birth and death are unknown. His significance comes from the fact that with Valens, bishop of Mursa, he was a leader of the anti-Athanasian party in the fourth century. Both Ursacius and Valens, in all probability, imbibed their Arian views from Arius himself; they cherished especial animosity against Athanasius, against whom they brought false and reckless charges of theft, sacrilege, and murder. When it was convenient, they altered their declared opinions, at one time to the extent of professing orthodoxy; but for the most part they led the homoian party. They yet managed to retain the favor of the Emperor Constantius. See ARIANISM.
BrstiocRaPHy: Hefele, Conciliengeschichte, vol. i., Eng. transl., vol. ii., and Fr. transl., vol. i., consult Index in each case under “ Ursacius”’ and ‘“‘ Valens’’; DCB, iv. 1067; and the literature under ARIANISM, especially Gwatkin.
URSINUS, ir-sin’us: Antipope to Damasus (q.v.). On the death of Liberius (Sept. 24, 366), two of his deacons, Ursinus and Damasus, were elected to succeed him, the former apparently being enthroned Sept. 24 and the latter Oct. 1, 366. Ursinus seized the Basilica Julii across the Tiber, and the efforts of Damasus to dislodge him led to such tumults that the prefects interfered and exiled Ursinus with two of his deacons. Seven presbyters of his party, however, continued to hold services in the Basilica Liberii, whereupon there was a second scene of bloodshed on Oct. 26. The faction of Ursinus now begged the emperor to convene a synod to decide the mat-
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