Preiswerk, Samuel, Dr

Preiswerk, Samuel, Dr.

a Swiss theologian, was born Sept. 19, 1799, at Rümlingen, Switzerland. After having completed his theological studies at Basle, he was appointed in 1824 a minister at the Orphan-house, and in 1828 he succeeded R. Stier (q.v.) as professor at the Mission-house. He had hardly entered upon a new field of ministerial labors in 1830 at Muttellz, when the revolution broke out, which compelled him to leave the place, and two years afterwards he was appointed professor of Old-Testament exegesis and Oriental languages at the École de Theologie of the Evangelical Society at Geneva. In 1837 he returned to Basle, was appointed deacon in 1840, and in 1845 pastor of St. Leonard, occupying at the same time the chair for Old-Testament exegesis at the university. From 1859 he occupied the position as antistes, or superintendent, of the Church at Basle, till he was called to his rest in 1871. Preiswerk was an excellent preacher and poet, and his fine missionary hymn, "Dies ist der Gemeindcle Starke," has been translated into English by Mrs. Winkworth (Lyrac Germs. 2, 88— "Hark! the Church proclaims her honor"). He also published, Das alte cand neue Morgenland für Freunde der heiligen Schrift (Basle, 1834-40): — Die Nestorianer oder die 10 Stäeme Israels (ibid. 1843); this is a translation of The Nestorians, or the Lost Tribes, by A. Grant (q.v.): — Grammaire Hebraique, precedee d'un Precis historique sur la Langue Hebraique (3ad ed. 1871). See Fürst, Bibliotheca Judaica, 3, 120; Zuchold, Bibliotheca Theologicai, 3, 1012; Steinschneider, Bibliogr. Handbuch, p. 112; Peck, Samuel Preiswerk, in the "Evangel. Messeiner" (Cleveland, Ohio, 187 7); Koch, Geschichte des deutschen Kirchenliedes, 7:99 sq.; Knapp, Evangelischer Liederschatz, s.v. (B. P.)