Theodor Kübler

Theodor Kübler (born January 8, 1832 in Stuttgart , † August 18, 1905 in London ) was a German theologian , missionary , hymn poet and translator.

Life

Theodor Kübler studied theology in Tübingen. He then made himself available to the London Mission Society, which sent him to Madras (India) in 1855. For health reasons, however, he had to return to London in 1858, now married. There he was initially employed by the German Reformed congregation as a pastor. From 1876 to 1901 he worked as a pastor in the German community in the London borough of Islington , where Theodor Christlieb was also influential from 1859 to 1865 .

Kübler came into contact early with the sanctification movement initiated by Robert Pearsall Smith . At the famous Brighton Conference in 1875 he met the German Methodist preacher Ernst Gebhardt .

In addition to his congregation, Kübler worked through the promotion of the German hospital in London, through a poor support association and through his work in the seaman's mission. He was able to combine personal piety with social commitment and influenced the community movement through his song translations, including through the Reichsliederbuch.

Work as a hymn translator

Kübler translated a whole series of songs from the Anglo-Saxon awakening and sanctification movement into German, including “Auf, because the night will come” ( Anna Louisa Walker , 1836–1907), “When peace with God pervades my soul” ( Horatio G. Spafford , 1828–1888) and “A day's work for the Savior” ( Anna Warner , around 1820–1910). In the song “Who sees Jesus on the cross in faith” ( Amelia Mathilda Hull , 1825–1882), the Reformation “sola gratia” can be found in the awakening language of the 19th century. Ernst Gebhardt first included the translations in his various song collections, thereby ensuring that the chants were spread throughout Germany and Switzerland.

Kübler's song translations have appeared in the following hymn books:

• Ernst Gebhardt: Good news in songs, 1875
• Ernst Gebhardt: Jubilee singer, 1878
• Ernst Gerbhardt: Gospel Songs, 1880
• Reichsliederbuch, German community songs
• Hymnal of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Germany, 1926

Works

• Commemorative sermon for Prince Albert, who died on December 14th, 1861, consort of Her Majesty Queen Victoria of England, held on the 4th Advent, December 22nd, 1861, in the German Reformed Church in Hooper Square, Whitechapel. London, 1862.
• General Gordon, the hero and Christian. Stuttgart: Steinkopf [o. J.]
• The young heroine. [O. J.]
• The son of the sea. [O. J.]
• An old veteran, or how a poor Württemberg orphan became a missionary, ship's chaplain and English country pastor. Basel 1877.

literature

• Gustav Adolf Schneider: Pastor Theodor Kübler . In: The Evangelist 1905 , p. 441.
• Walter Schulz: Reich singer. Key to the German Reichsliederbuch. Ott, Gotha 1930.
• Walter Schulz: The importance of the song poetry influenced by Anglo-Saxon Methodism for our German church chants, illustrated by the songs of Ernst Gebhardt. Bamberg, Greifswald 1934.