View source for Weydmann, Leonhard (1793-1868)

Leonhard Weydmann: Mennonite preacher in [[Monsheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Monsheim]] and [[Krefeld (Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany)|Krefeld]]; born 15 March 1793 at Krefeld, Germany, the son of a Reformed father and a Mennonite mother. Weydmann died 13 April 1868 at Krefeld.

Weydmann was educated in [[Basel (Switzerland)|Basel]]. In [[Amsterdam (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Amsterdam]] he witnessed the establishment of the [[Algemene Doopsgezinde Societeit|Algemeene Doopsgezinde Sociëteit]] (1811). The Mennonite professors at Amsterdam at that time were [[Hesselink, Gerrit (1755-1811)|Gerrit Hesselink]], who was a natural scientist rather than a theologian, and [[Koopmans, Rinse (1770-1826)|Rinse Koopmans]], who stressed the divine authority of revealed doctrine. In 1812 Weydmann wrote a paper on the "Excellence of Mathematics," in 1814 a paper on "Baptism, as It Was Practiced by the Apostles and the Superstitious Practices That Were Later Connected with It," and another work about the "Authenticity of the Books of the New Testament." He studied briefly then at the University of Berlin and in 1816 became the minister in [[Zutphen (Gelderland, Netherlands)|Zutphen]] and after that in [[Friedrichstadt (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)|Friedrichstadt]].

After several months in Krefeld he received a call to the [[Kriegsheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Kriegsheim]] congregation and then in 1820 a call to [[Monsheim (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Monsheim]]. Here he witnessed the establishment of the Palatine-Hessian Conference (1824), which was accompanied by an increased interest in [[Mission (Missiology)|missions]]. He was the first trained minister in the [[Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)|Palatinate]] and rendered valuable service there in the matter of their hymnal (1832) and their catechism (1836).

In 1836-1866 he served in his home congregation of Krefeld. Here too he did some literary work. In 1850 he published the book <em>Luther, ein Charakter und Spiegelbild für unsere Zeit</em>, and in 1852 <em>Christliche Lehre, zunächst zum Gebrauch der Taufgesinnten in Deutschland</em>.
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