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d. at Amsterdam Mar. 9, 1754. In 1706 he began to study philosophy at Basel; then, in 1709, he changed to the study of theology. At the suggestion of Johann Ludwig Frey, he began work on the criticism of the New-Testament text. In 1714 he undertook a journey by way of Ziirich, Bern, Geneva, and Lyons to Paris and thence, in Aug., 1715, to England, searching for manuscripts of the New Testament. In Cambridge he made the acquaintance of Richard Bentley, who aided him in his researches and secured for him a position as fieldchaplain in a regiment of Swiss soldiers on service in England; in 1716 Wettstein removed to Holland, where his regiment had gone in the mean time, and in 1717 was called back to Basel as assistant preacher. After three years he became diaconus at St. Leonhard and thus colleague and successor of his father, who shortly before had become preacher in the same church. He soon became exceedingly popular as a preacher. During this period he continued his studies and resolved to publish a critical edition of the Greek New Testament. During his preparatory work on this edition the report gained currency that he intended to use the work to assail the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, and in 1730 he was in consequence dismissed from his office. Wettstein then went to Amsterdam, where Johann Heinrich Wettstein, a brother of his uncle, had founded a bookseller’s shop. Here he published [anonymously] a separate edition of the Prolegomena, which he had intended to add to his edition of the Greek New Testament, under the title, Prolegomena ad Novi Testamenti grect editionem accuratissimam, e vetustissimis codd. mss. denuo procurandam, in quibus agitur de codd. mss. Novi Testamenti, scriptoribus grecis, qui Novo Testamento ust sunt, versionibus veteribus, editionibus prioribus et claris interpretibus; et proponuntur animadversiones et cautiones ad examen variarum lectionum Novi Testamenti necessarie (Amsterdam, 1730). In 1731 Wettstein was offered the position of professor of philosophy at the college of Remonstrants in Amsterdam under the condition that he should clear himself of the suspicion of holding heterodox views. He therefore went back in the same year to Basel, where his case was again investigated with the result that the government on Mar. 22, 1732, rejected its former judgment, admitting Wettstein “ to the office of preaching and the administration of all spiritual functions.” But his foes still pressed their case against him, and he returned to Amsterdam, where he was allowed to teach Hebrew and philosophy, but only under the conditions of not expressing Socinian views, not publishing his New Testament, of submitting such works as he desired to publish to the supervision of the Remonstrants, and of printing no apology for his cause. Wettstein submitted to these conditions. Nevertheless, his edition of the New Testament appeared in two volumes at Amsterdam, 1751-52, under the title, Novum Testamentum grecum editionis recepte cum lectionibus variantibus codicum mss., editionum aliarum, versionum et patrum necnon commentario plentore ex scriptoribus veteribus hebreis, grecis et latinis historiam et vim verborum illustrante opera et studio Joannis Jacobi Wetstenti. Tt is in very beautiful, but not always correct, print.
The text chosen was [for reasons of expediency] essentially the same as‘that of the Elzevir edition of 1624 or 1633. The readings preferred by Wettstein stand between the text and the list of variant readings. The principal value of the edition lies in the extensive prolegomena and in the commentary which in consequence of its comparisons from classical and Jewish literature is still a rich treasury. At the same time they reveal Wettstein’s inclination to rationakistic explanations so that Tregelles justly said of them, ‘‘ While some parts are useful, others are such as only excite surprise at their appearance on the same page as the text of the New Testament ”’ (Account of the Printed Text, p. 76, London, 1854). Wettstein himself compared more than a hundred manuscripts, others compared others for him. (CarL BERTHEAUT.) BrsuiocRaAruy: The funeral sermon by J. Krightout was printed at Amsterdam, 1754. Consult: J. G. de Chauffepié, Nowveau Dictionnaire, iv. 688 sqq., Amsterdam, 1756; Athene Raurice, pp. 379 sqq., Basel, 1778; J. D. Michaelis, Einleitung in die géttlichen Schriften des neuen Bundes, i. 805 sqq., Gottingen, 1788; K. R. Hagenbach, Die theologische Schule Basels und thre Lehrer, p. 65, Basel, 1860; S. P. Tregelles, Account of the Printed Text of the Greek N. T., pp. 73 sqq., London, 1854; E. G. E. Reuss, Geschichte der heiligen Schriften des Neuen Testaments, ii- 145, 5th ed., Brunswick, 1874; C. R. Gregory, Prolegomena, ili. 1, 243 sqq., Leipsic, 1884; idem, Canon and Text of the N. T., pp. 447-448, New York, 1907; P. Schaff, Companion to the Greek Testament and the English Version, pp. 82, 247-249, ib. 1883; G. Salmon, Introduction to... N. T., pp. 488-544, London, 1892; F. H. Scrivener, Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the N. T., pp. 213-216 et passim, ib. 1894; ADB, xlii. 251.
WETZER, vet’zer, HEINRICH JOSEPH: Joint editor, with Welte, of the great Roman Catholic theological encyclopedia; b. at Anzefahr, Hessia, Mar. 19, 1801; d. in Freiburg (40 m. s. of Strasburg), Germany, Novy. 5, 1853. He studied theology at Marburg, also attending lectures on oriental philology, 1820-23, at Tiibingen, and at Freiburg, 1824, where he obtained his doctorate; and, 1824— 1825, he studied under De Sacy at Paris, where he discovered in the royal library a manuscript of the history of the Coptic Christians in Egypt, which he later translated and published. He became extraordinary professor of oriental philology in Freiburg University, 1828, and ordinary, 1830. He joined Van Hss in his translation of the Old Testament, Sulzbach, 1840. In 1846 he began the issue of the Kirchenlexikon (see this work, vol. i., p. xv.), with which his name and that of the coeditor, Benedikt Welte, are indissolubly connected. Wetzer put all his time, strength, and learning at the disposal of the work. The encyclopedia was authoritative, fair-minded, and impartial to a singular degree. He was the author of Restitutio vere chronologie rerum ex controversiis Arianis inde ab anno 325 usque ad annum 350 exhortarum contra chronologiam hodie receptam exhibita (Frankfort, 1827). BisuiocRApHy: KL, xii, 1418-1421.
WEYERMUELLER, vai’er-miil’’er, FRIEDRICH: German Lutheran hymnist; b. at Niederbronn (26 m. n.w. of Strasburg) Sept. 21, 1810; d. there May 24, 1877. He received his education at the school of his native town and at the hands of the pastor, gaining an excellent knowledge of German poetry. He began early to compose, and from 1838 dedicated