Samuel Urlsperger

Samuel Urlsperger

Samuel Urlsperger (also: Urlsberger; born August 31, 1685 in Kirchheim unter Teck ; † April 21, 1772 in Augsburg ) was a German Lutheran theologian with a pietistic orientation.

Life

Urlsperger came from a formerly well-respected and wealthy family in Hungary who, like many other Protestants in Hungary and Styria, had to emigrate during the Thirty Years' War .

The son of the administrator Georg Reinhold Urlsperger († July 8, 1715 in Kirchheim unter Teck) and his wife Anna Katharina Haas (July 28, 1644 in Kirchheim unter Teck; † April 29, 1712 ibid) - daughter of the mayor Matthäus Haas and his wife Ursula Daler - attended the local city school until she was 14 and then presumably high school classes in the Blaubeuren monastery . At the age of eighteen, with a scholarship, he began studying theology at the University of Tübingen, where he had received his master's degree in philosophical sciences in 1705. Then he began to concentrate on studying theology and passed the theological exam in Stuttgart in 1707. During this time he had written his unpublished treatise on the natural law Ratio et fides collatae contra Lockium et Poiretum in Tübingen . In 1708 he continued his theological studies at the Knight Academy in Erlangen . After a short stay in 1709 at the University of Jena and with August Hermann Francke at the University of Halle , he traveled to Leiden and to Henricus Pontanus (1674–1714) and Melchior Leydecker (1642–1721) at the University of Utrecht . Anton Wilhelm Böhme (1673–1722) moved the young Urlsperger to the Savoy Church in London as his assistant .

The time in England was of great importance for his intellectual development and later work. Here he came into contact with the Society for the Promotion of the Knowledge of Christ and got to know their efforts, which are related to Spener's Pietism . For example, he made himself familiar with the local catechism classes and learned how to supply the colonies and the Halle mission with Bibles and edification pamphlets, and the society elected him a member. In 1712 he and several Englishmen moved into the English house in Halle, where this time he could linger a little longer and deal more intensively with Francke. Traveling via Hanover, Hamburg, Stendal, Wolfenbüttel, Halberstadt, Magdeburg, Berlin and Leipzig, he returned to his homeland.

In 1713 he became a preacher in Stetten im Remsthal . In 1714 he went to Stuttgart , where he was court deacon , later ducal Württemberg chief court preacher and consistorial councilor . The fact that his employer, Eberhard Ludwig von Württemberg, indulged in an immoral life, subsequently expelling his wife Johanna Elisabeth von Baden-Durlach and preferring his mistress Wilhelmine von Graevenitz , aroused the displeasure of his subjects. Urlsperger dared to oppose it at a sermon in front of the court. The angry duke then had his court preacher imprisoned and tried to put him on trial through simple cabinet justice.

The worst was prevented by the intervention of Minister Johann Heinrich von Schütz auf Adelsberg (1669–1732). After Urlsperger had spent two years with his family in Stuttgart without office or salary, he was allowed - again through Schütz's approval - to accept an appointment as city pastor and superintendent in Herrenberg in 1720 . Three years later he followed a repeated call to Augsburg. There he became pastor at the main church St. Anna and senior of the Augsburg Ministry.

He died after being retired at an advanced age, at the age of 86.

Act

He wrote numerous sermons and writings of edifying content and introduced sermon repetitions in his house; he worked for a long time as head of the Augsburg hospital. In addition to this activity in his community and for Augsburg, Urlsperger also had a significant external impact. His devotion to mission and the outward expansion of the kingdom of God had already been awakened in London. When Archbishop of Salzburg Leopold Anton von Firmian had expelled his evangelical subjects in 1731/32 , it was Urlsperger who tried to get them like hardly anyone else in Germany. He got in touch with the English Society for the Dissemination of Christian Knowledge, and it entrusted him with the transfer of various sections of these Salzburg exiles to England and from there to Georgia in America, where they founded the city of Ebenezer south of Savannah .

Shortly before the first 300 moved to America, Urlsperger and Count Christian Ernst zu Stolberg-Wernigerode became acquainted with the fact that his brother-in-law Christoph Adolph Jäger von Jägersberg had been appointed court master of Hereditary Count Henrich Ernst on August 1, 1732 . The first preachers and teachers of the colony, Bolze and Gronau, as well as later ones, were ordained in Wernigerode. Subsequently, he devoted himself intensively to this German-Protestant settlement on the other side of the ocean and published repeatedly printed writings and reports on growth, income and expenditure about this work of God , until he carried out this work and the large correspondence to be carried out on this matter with his son Johann August Urlsperger left. Urlsperger tried to help wherever Protestant co-religionists suffered from severe conscience pressure and persecution.

He remembered her in addresses, conversations and correspondence with wealthy and influential patrons. His letters show how abundantly the voluntary gifts flowed together, especially from Augsburg, Nuremberg, Strasbourg, Berlin, Switzerland and other places. Since, however, it was initially impossible to help with funds where the suppressed freedom of conscience did not even grant the fellow believers the right to emigrate, Urlsperger set everything in motion to obtain a certain degree of relief and permission to leave their homeland through diplomatic channels . He used his correspondence with princely persons, especially with princesses, and tried to influence the larger evangelical courts indirectly through influential correspondents. Little could be achieved through the representation of the Protestant estates in the empire in Regensburg.

Through the pious Count Christian Ernst zu Stolberg, who adored him, he also sought to achieve his purpose with the kings of Prussia and Denmark. Finally, in association with the English Christianity Society, the States General and the courts of England, Prussia and Denmark made presentations to the Emperor in Vienna in favor of the oppressed Evangelicals in Bohemia and the Austrian hereditary lands, particularly energetically on the part of Prussia . Urlsperger's zeal in this matter may in part stem from the fact that his own ancestors had been driven from Hungary and Styria for their beliefs. He also took on the Poles and wanted to have a Bohemian hymn book printed in Halle. While working for Ebenezer, he was concerned that emigrants from the Moravian Congregation might settle there or too close by, because Urlsperger was in sharp contrast to Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf . Urlsperger was also a co-founder of the evangelical congregation in Smyrna and worked as far as Sweden. As a forerunner of the works of the inner mission, his efforts for the numerous young merchants who frequent Augsburg as well as for the craftsmen can be mentioned.

family

Urlsperger was married in Erlangen on August 7, 1713 with Sophie Jakobine (born April 30, 1689 in Kirchheim unter Teck, † February 19, 1773 in Augsburg), the daughter of the cloister master and later rector of the knight academy in Erlangen, Christian Friedrich Jäger von Jägersberg and his wife Maria Dorothea Jäger. The marriage had five sons and five daughters; of whom only one son and four daughters survived the father. Known by the children is:

• Johann August Urlsperger married . 1757 with Anna Ouchterlony
• Wilhelmina Dorothea Urlsperger m. 1733 with the pastor in Gräfenthal, later in Pösneck, and superintendent in Saalfeld Georg Wendrich
• Johanna Urlsperger married 1739 with Gottfried Holeisen, the pastor of the barefoot congregation in Augsburg
• Maria Elisabeth Urlsperger married. 1745 with the deacon to St. Anna in Augsburg Ludwig Heinrich Burry
• Maria Magdalena Urlsperger married 1751 with the pastor at the Barfüßerkirche in Augsburg Marcus Friedrich Krauss

Works

• Report from the Danish Mission to Tranquebar. . . . 1715
• CV Dr. M. Lutheri. . . . 1717
• Four main motives to bring the human heart to surrender to God; a sermon. Augsburg 1722
• The health of the sick and the life of the dying, "the step: poor teaching for the sick and the dying. Augsburg 1723 ( online ), 1751
• Funeral speech for Ms. Anna Rosina Sulzer. Augsburg 1723
• Funeral speech for Daniel Koch, councilor. Augsburg 1723
• Letter to a distinguished theologian of our Evangelical Church, in which the necessary information is given by the so-called G. Lebrecht Petrải against my teaching for the sick and unreasonable suspicion of false teachings is rejected. Augsburg 1725
• At the arrival of Pastor Gottfried Comer. Augsburg 1728
• Funeral speech on Joh. Thomas v. Spacer. Augsburg 1728
• Funeral speech for Balthasar v. Schnurbein von Untermeitingen. Augsburg 1729
• Funeral speech for Paul v. Stetten, the imperial city of Augsburg city caretaker. Augsburg 1729
• Funeral speech for Lucas Schröck, City Physician of Augsburg. Augsburg 1730
• On MC Welser's entry; a funeral sermon. Augsburg 1731
• The position of the believers before the glory of Jesus; a sermon. Augsburg 1732
• Detailed message from the Saltzburg emigrants who settled in America. In which, in addition to a historical preliminary report of the first and other transports of the same, the travel diary of the Royal British Commissarii and the two Saltzburg preachers, as well as a description of Georgia, also contain various letters pertaining to this. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1735. online
• First continuation of the detailed report of the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. In which the day registers of the two Saltzburg preachers at EbenEzer in Georgia from July 17th 1734 to 1735 ended, with some letters belonging to it included. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1738. online
• Second continuation of the detailed report of the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What includes I. The day register of the two preachers at EbenEzer in Georgia from the year 1736. II. The Herr von Reck travel diary, when the same went to America in 1735 with the third transport of evangelical emigrants, along with two letters from Neu -England. III. The preacher in EbenEzer letters from 1735 and 1736. IV. Some letters from the Saltzburgers in EbenEzer from 1735, 1737, and 1738 . Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1739. online
• Third continuation of the detailed report of the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What includes I. The day register of the two preachers at EbenEzer in Georgia from I. Ian. 1737. until June 30th. 1737. II. The preacher in EbenEzer, as well as some letters from Saltzburg, from the year 1737. 1738. and 1739. III. A brief encouragement to a Christian and voluntary love tax from EbenEzer, & c . Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1740. online
• Fourth continuation of the detailed report of the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. Which includes: I. The day register of the two preachers at EbenEzer in Georgia from. I. Jul. 1737. except for the 31st Mart. 1739. II. Committed preacher, as well as some Saltzburg and other letters, from the year 1739. III. An extract from Georg Sanftleben's little travel diario, as the same at the end of the Ianuarii in 1739. I went back to Georgia with several colonists. IV. A list of all persons, some of whom lived in EbenEzer on May 19, 1739, and some of whom died in Anno 1734 until then. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1740. online
• Fifth continuation of the detailed message from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. This includes: I. The daily register of the two preachers at Eben-Ezer in Georgia from April 1st, 1738 to the end of the same year. II. Committed preacher, as well as some Saltzburgers, and especially the Eben-Ezerischen Waysenkinder, also other letters, from the end of the year 1739. and from the beginning of the year 1740. III. A letter of acknowledgment from the Saltzburg colonists in Eben-Ezer to all their previous benefactors in and outside of Germany. The same exhortation letter to their compatriots, especially known and related to them, in and outside the empire. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1740. online
• Samuel Urlsperger (ed.): Sixth continuation of the detailed message from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. This includes: I. The day register of the two preachers at Eben-Ezer in Georgia from 1739. II. Committed preacher, as well as other letters from 1740 . Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1741. online
• Seventh continuation of the detailed message from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. This includes: I. The daily register of the two Messrs. Preachers zu Eben-Ezer from the year 1740. II. The same, as well as other letters written from there from the year 1740. and 1741. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1741. online
• Eighth continuation of the detailed reports from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. It contains: I. The register of days of the two preachers at Eben-Ezer, from the first six months of the 1741 year. II. The same, as well as other letters written from there from the year 1741. III. Reliable news of the condition of the Saltzburg emigrants established in Prussia and Litthauen, and the same letter to the Eben-Ezer community. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1742. online
• Ninth continuation of the detailed reports from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What it contains are I. The daily register of the two gentlemen Preachers at Eben-Ezer, from Isten. Jul. to 12th November of the 1741th year. II. A day register from Mr. Commissarii Joh. Gottfried von Müllern. III. The same from Mr. Vigera, the first of whom led the 4th transport from Augspurg to London, but the other from there to EbenEzer under God's guidance. IV. Some letters written there from the year 1742. V. Reliable news from the one in Jul. 1742. The Spaniards invaded the Georgian province, and God's marvelous provision was made for it. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1743. online
• Tenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What it contains: I. The rest of the day register of the two preachers in Eben-Ezer, from November 13th to December 31st. of the 1741th year. II. Some letters written from there for the year 1741. III. The daily register of the two preachers from Eben-Ezer, from January 1st to March 31st of the 1742th year, IV. Extracts of some letters from the preachers, as well as several members of the community at Eben-Ezer. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1744. online
• Eleventh continuation of the detailed reports from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. Wherein I. The rest of the day register of the EbenEzerischen gentlemen preachers of the year. 1742. II. A small travel journal from Mr. Past. Bolzius to and from Charles Town included. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1745. online
• Twelfth continuation of the detailed reports from the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America. In which the register of days of the EbenEzerischen gentlemen preachers from the beginning of the year 1743 up to the end of the same is contained. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1746. online
• The thirteenth continuation of the detailed reports of the Saltzburg emigrants who have settled in America, Part One: In which the letters of Messrs. Preachers Bolzius and Lemke, especially the first, of the years 1744, 1745 and 1746, and among them a thorough consideration of Mr. Bolzius of the harmfulness of introducing Moorish slaves into a colony; together with a country chart of Georgia and a plan by Neu-EbenEzer. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1747. online
• The thirteen-thirteen continuation of their detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who have settled in America, part two: Wherein contained: I. The daily register of Herr Prediger, Boltzius, to EbenEzer, from January 17th to June last of the 1747th year. II. Some letters written from there from the years 1746, 1747 and 1748. III. Description of the annual thanksgiving festival celebrated in EbenEzer, 10th Merz, 1744. IIII. Copies of the respective vocations and instructions given by the Preachers in EbenEzer, Bolzius and Gronau . Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1749. online
• The fourteenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who settled in America. What it contains: I. The daily register of Mr. Prediger, Bolzius, to EbenEzer from the other half of the year 1747. and the Jenner, Merz, and April of the year 1748. II. Some letters written there from the end of the year 1748. and the first months of 1749. III. Extracts of some letters from London in 1749. IIII. Sample of some of the realms of nature in August 1748. Remarks made at the special request of Mr. Bolzius. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1749. online
• The fifteenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What it contains: I. The daily register of Mr. Prediger, Bolzius, to EbenEzer, concerning the months, May, Julius, August, September and December of the year 1748. II. Further sample of some from the kingdom of nature in the month of September 1748. on special Requested comments. III. Drey letters written there from 1749. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1749. online
• The sixteenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who settled in America. What includes: I. A written encouragement speech to the Ebenezerische Gemeine, according to the editor, instead of an otherwise usual preface, wanted to let go. II. The daily register of the preacher Bolzius zu Ebenezer, concerning the sixth first months of the year 1749. III. Some letters and extracts from the two preachers there, from the years 1749 and 1750. IIII. A list of the gifts of love received for Ebenezer from May 1749 to the end of September 1750. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1750. online
• The seventeenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What it contains: I. A reminder for the old and the new world, especially in Ebenezer, of the great emigration from Salzburg that took place 20 years ago. II. The daily register of the preacher Bolzius, at Ebenezer, from July 1749 to August 1750. III. Some letters written from Ebenezer in the years 1750 and 1751. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1752. online
• The eighteenth continuation of the detailed reports from the Salzburg emigrants who have settled in America. What it contains: I. The daily register of Mr. Bolzius, preacher at Ebenezer, from Sept. 1750. up to Mart. incl. 1751. II Certain questions put to Mr. Bolzius from Europe and his answers given by Carolina and Georgia. III. A duplicated appendix, consisting of 1.) in a wedding speech on Pf. 119, 56, and 2.) in a short message from the Gospel. Poor house in Augsburg and a double jubilee in it for future Pentecost. Verlag Waisenhaus, Halle 1752. online
• Funeral speech on Joh. Thom. v. Raumer, senior. Augsburg 1736
• Funeral speech for Joh. Weidner, pastor. Augsburg 1736
• Funeral speech on JG. Ammon. Augsburg 1738
• Funeral speech on Joh. Stetten, city caretaker in Augsburg. Augsburg 1738
• Funeral sermon on MH Langenmantel, city caretaker in Augsburg. Augsburg 1740
• Funeral speech for Ph. J. Crophius, Rector at St. Annen High School in Augsburg. Augsburg 1742
• A word from the divine free hospital; a sermon. Augsburg 1743
• Funeral speech to JG Laire, merchant. Augsburg 1744
• Funeral speech on JP v. Stetten. Augsburg 1746
• Funeral speech on M. v. Schnurbein on Meitingen. Augsburg 1746
• Necessary and concise instruction, partly on the history and content of the Peace of Westphalia, which finally followed a thirty years' war in 1648 and, by God's grace, lasted nearly a hundred years, especially with regard to the partaking in it, of salvation. Rom. The imperial free imperial city of Augsburg, and the regimental parity which has always been established by virtue of such peace and its execution process, partly from the most Christ-guilty inspection of one on August 8, 1745, than on the evangelical celebration of peace, which was ordained annually by the authorities because of this peace, for the good of others , especially the Latin and German schools in our Protestant Augsburg. Augsburg 1748
• The threefold royal word of jubilation, which was proclaimed on August 8, 1748 from Ps. 119, 162. Because of the celebration of the Peace of Westphalia which was concluded in 1648 Augsburg 1748
• Funeral speech on J. v. Brandhofer, change owner. Augsburg 1748
• Speech at the jubilee of Count v. Seckendorf zu Meuselwitz, from Ps. 119, 175. Augsburg 1749
• Funeral speech on PH. A. Benz, jeweler. Augsburg 1749
• Funeral speech for JA Amman, administrator of the Protestant high school in Augsburg. Augsburg 1750
• Funeral speech for Fraulein Magdalena Sulzer. Augsburg 1750
• Funeral speech for WJ Sulzer. Augsburg 1751
• The best regent course from the 132nd verse of the 119th Psalm in the election of a Protestant caretaker of this free imperial city of Augsburg, made on July 27, in a sermon held, was presented to the Protestant regent class here in God's name, and on request it was submitted to print. Augsburg 1761
• The health of the sick and the life of the dying, or written instruction for the sick and the dying. Augsburg 1751
• Funeral speech for Mrs. Euphrosina Regina Gullmann. Augsburg 1752
• Word of the death and life of Jesus Christ in 10 sermons on Lent and Easter. Augsburg 1752
• Perception of Jesus Christ to an exemplary improvement over Luc. 13, 2-9 given casual sermon, in four penitential sermons. Augsburg 1752
• Two holy baptismal speeches at the baptismal act of a Jewish proselyte. Augsburg 1752
• Funeral speech for Ms. Sabina Barbara v. Halder. Augsburg 1753
• Three Davidic celebratory sermons, together with a sealing sermon. Augsburg 1753
• Two New Year's speeches, the same yearning for what is spiritual. Augsburg 1754
• The inheritance of the little flock, ie of the believers and saints; in three sermons. Augsburg 1754
• American word of God, or reliable news of the state of the city of Eben-Ezer, built by the Salzburg emigrants. Hall 1754–1766. 4 pieces
• Evangelical invitation to inherit on New Years; a sermon. Augsburg 1755
• Instructions on the religious peace concluded and confirmed in Augsburg in 1755; on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the peace festival. Augsburg 1755
• Encouragement and admonition to the prescribed collection, and further establishment of the common Augsburg breeding and working house. Augsburg 1755
• Inauguration speech of the evangelical chapel dedicated to the work and penitentiary. Augsburg 1755
• Funeral speech for Mrs. Regina wheels. Augsburg 1757
• Four public words in two sermons, at the ordination of two canbidates. Augsburg 1758
• Funeral speech for Mrs. Sybilla Elisabeth Kopsin. Augsburg 1760
• Funeral speech for Mrs. Euphrosinc, noble von Hartenstein. Augsburg 1762
• Farewell sermon from the St. Anna congregation. Augsburg 1763

literature

• Heinrich Doering : The learned theologians of Germany in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Verlag Johann Karl Gottfried Wagner, 1835, Neustadt an der Orla, vol. 4, p. 559, ( online )
• Eduard Jacobs :  Urlsperger, Samuel . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 39, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1895, pp. 361-364.
• Werner Raupp: Art .: Urlsperger, family of scholars. (luth.), in: Neue Deutsche Biographie (NDB), Vol. 26 (2016), Col. 668–672 (with a brief description of the genealogy).
• Reinhard Schwarz: Samuel Urlsperger (1685–1772): Augsburg Pietism between external effects and the internal world. Akademischer Verlag, Berlin, 1996, ISBN 3-05-002824-6 , ( reading sample)
• Paul Gerhard Aring:  Urlsberger, Samuel. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 12, Bautz, Herzberg 1997, ISBN 3-88309-068-9 , Sp. 943-945.
• Bernhard Koch:  Urlsperger, . In: Realencyklopadie for Protestant Theology and Church (RE). 3. Edition. Volume 20, Hinrichs, Leipzig 1908, pp. 342-346.
• Johann Georg Meusel : Lexicon of the German writers who died from 1750 to 1800. Gerhard Fleischer d. J., Leipzig, 1815, vol. 14, p. 213 ( online )
• Tresp, Lothar L. (Winter 1972). The Georgia Review: Detailed Reports on the Salzburger Emigrants Who Settled in America, Vol. III by George Fenwick Jones, Marie Hahn (Vol. 26, No. 4 ed.). Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by and on Behalf of the University of Georgia and the Georgia Review. pp. 521-522. Retrieved February 20, 2015.

Web links

• Article by Faith Voice - On the Faith of the Fathers
• Article at the Evangelical Church of Württemberg
• Urlsperger on a journey through time bb