Einfältige und Christliche Betrachtungen ...
Einfältige und Christliche Betrachtungen über die Jährlichen und Heiligen Evangelia, durch Gottes Gnade in öffentlicher Versammlung in Altona mündlich vorgetragen durch einen Liebhaber der allgemeinen Wahrheit unsers Herrn Jesu Christi, Und unter währender Predigt von einem Christlichen Zuhörer aus dem Holländischen ins Hochteutsche versetzt; Sodann durch einen andern Freund zu des Nächsten Erbauung zum Druck befördert, im Jahre 1730. Nebst einem Anhange unterschiedener Texte, sowohl aus dem Alten als Neuen Testamente.
This popular collection of sermons by Jacob Denner (1659-1746), the influential Mennonite-Dompelaar preacher of Hamburg-Altona 1684-1746, leader of the immersionist schism of the Altona Church (with periods of absence at Lübeck 1687-1694, Friedrichstadt 1694-98, and Danzig 1698-1702), according to the title page translated from the Dutch, appeared in Hamburg (?) in 1730 in a quarto volume of two sections of 1,366 pp. and 352 pp. respectively. The former contained 60 sermons for the Sundays and festival days of the church year; the second contained 24 sermons on selected Old and New Testament texts. The title page of the second part is identical with that of the first part except that instead of "über die Jährlichen und Heiligen Evangelia" the phrase "über einige Texte, sowohl aus dem Alten als Neuen Testament" is used. The popularity of Denner's sermons is indicated by the reprints. In 1739 it was reprinted entire at Hamburg with a double title page, the new 1739 title page being placed in front of the old one of 1730. The second part has only the old title page. This may not be a new edition, but merely a re-binding with a new title page, namely, Jacob Denners Erbauliche Betrachtungen. The [[Amsterdam Mennonite Library (Bibliotheek en Archief van de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente te Amsterdam)|Amsterdam Mennonite Library]] has a copy of an almost identical 1739 edition at "Dantzig." It differs from the 1739 Hamburg edition by having separate pagination and a new title page for each of the two parts, and a third part of 40 pages at the end, with its own title page, containing three more sermons. The title page reads: Drey Geistreiche Predigten über das Heilige Vater Unser; gehalten, unter dem Beystande des Geistes der Gnaden und des Gebets, von einem der von Herzen wünscht zu seyn ein Anbeter im Geist und Wahrheit. All three title pages carry the date 1739. In 1751 it was again reprinted (at Hamburg?) under the title Jacob Denners Christlich- und Erbauliche Betrachtungen (Pt. I, pp. 1-1144; Pt. II, pp. 1145-1156, with the three additional sermons, pp. 1457-1458, also Der Adel des Gewissens, pp. 1487-1502, and Nachricht von den Lebens-Umständen Herrn Jacob Denners, 3 pp. in Preface). This edition was reprinted at Frankental in 1792 for American use (Neue, auf Kosten Johannes Herrstein und Johannes Schmutz gemachte Auflage, welcher die Betrachtung vom Adel des Gewissens, und eine Nachricht von den Lebensumständen des seligen Herrn Denners beygefüget worden.), and again in 1860 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As late as 1901 an English translation was planned, and a prospectus issued at Doylestown, Pennsylvania, but it was never published.
Two earlier Dutch collections of Denner's sermons appeared in 1706 and 1707 under the following titles: De wysheit des Heeren, vertoont door eenvoudige Predicatien, In het uitbreiden van de gebruikelijke Sondaagse als ook eenige Feest-daagse Evangelien. Onder Gods genade gedaan en beschreven door Imant Die van herten verlangt ende wenst een getrouw Diensthnegt des Heeren Jesu te sijn ende blijven. (Amsterdam, and Danzig, 1707), 60 sermons with 2 more in a supplement; and Eenige uitbreidingen; over verscheidene Schrijtuerlijke Texten soo wel uyt het Oude als Nieuwe Verbündt, 17 sermons. Under new title pages but with identical content both volumes were published at Hoorn in 1771. The two volumes were printed and bound together in one book without volume number but with separate pagination and title pages, the former with 746 pp., the latter with 202 pp.
The 1730 German edition described at the beginning of this article is almost identical in content with the Dutch book of 1706-1707. The first part contains 60 sermons, the same as those in the 1707 and 1771 Dutch editions, but omits the two supplementary ones of the Dutch editions. The second part contains 24 sermons, 2 of which are taken from the supplement of Part I of the Dutch editions, 9 are taken from Part II of the Dutch editions, and 14 new ones are added (thus 8 from Part II of the Dutch edition were discarded). The volume is, however, not a direct translation of the Dutch book; it claims that the sermons were translated from the Dutch into German while they were being preached.
Denner's sermons, thoroughly evangelical, Biblical, and experiential (pietistic) in emphasis, were very popular, attended by people of all denominations, including the nobility of Holstein and nearby Denmark, as well as the later King Adolph Frederick of Sweden. A Lutheran pastor, Erdmann Neumeister, attacked Denner's book of sermons in a polemical pamphlet, Anmerkungen über Jakob Denners Postille (Hamburg, 1731).
| Author(s) | Harold S Bender |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1956 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Bender, Harold S. "Einfältige und Christliche Betrachtungen ...." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Einf%C3%A4ltige_und_Christliche_Betrachtungen_...&oldid=87304.
APA style
Bender, Harold S. (1956). Einfältige und Christliche Betrachtungen .... Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Einf%C3%A4ltige_und_Christliche_Betrachtungen_...&oldid=87304.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, pp. 171-172. All rights reserved.
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