Zinzendorf, Nikolaus Ludwig von
b: May 26, 1700; Dresden, Germany
d: May 9, 1760; Herrnhut, Saxony
Early Years and Background
- Of noble birth, and inherited the position as “Count”
- Married Countess Ermuthe Dorothea von Reuss-Ebersdorf (1700-1756) in 1722
- Had 12 children, but only one survived to adulthood
- Both his wife and son wrote hymns for the Moravian community as well
- After the Countess’ death, Zinzendorf married Anna Nitschmann
Education
- Educated at Pietist School (Paedagogium) at Halle and University of Wittenberg
- Forced to study law but his true vocation was theology
Highlights and Accomplishments
- Ordained in a Lutheran church
- Consecrated as a Moravian bishop
- Devoted most of his wealth to the Moravians as they built a settlement in his estate known as Herrnhut
- Missionary to West Indies, America, England and Russia, and encouraged other missionaries to work among the slaves
- Established mission outposts in Greenland, Lapland and South Africa
- Obtained recognition from Parliament for the Moravian Societies in England
- Owned a printing press on which he printed Etwas vom Liede Mosis des Knechts Gottes und dem Liede des Lammes (Some of the songs of Moses, the servant of God, and the songs of the Lamb); also published 128 hymns, one of which was a 160-stanza hymns based on the 21 Articles of the Augsburg Confession
- Wrote 2000 hymn texts, many of them extemporaneously as the congregation sang
- Main themes in his writings were on the blood and wounds of Jesus, the fellowship of the congregation, and the person and place of the Saviour in one’s life (relating to Jesus personally)
- One of his hymns, Jesus Still Lead On, is taught to children in almost every German religious family
- Developed a characteristic form of service known as the Singstunde (‘singing-hour’) in which a series of carefully stanzas were chosen until a theme or line of truth is developed
Hymns included in the Seventh-Day Adventist Hymnal
- Jesus, Our Blood and Righteousness, SDAH 177
- Jesus Guide Our Way (originally Jesus Still Lead On), SDAH 553
Albert H. Frank. “Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf.” The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Web. 20 Aug. 2017.<http://www.hymnology.co.uk/n/nikolaus-ludwig-von-zinzendorf>
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