Schwenkf elder hymn-book of 1762.[1] In 1898, the Americana Germanica published a treatise on the subject of German hymnology in America, in which the writer confines his account of Schwenkfelder hymn-writing to the following brief mention:[2] "Other sects, such as the Schwenkfelders, who came to Pennsylvania in 1734, may be passed over with the mere mention. The hymn-book of the Schwenkfelders, known as the Neu-cingerichtetes Gesangbuch, left Saur's press in 1762; it contains no hymns written in this country, but is interesting for its scholarly preface and excellent arrangement."
In the course of the present work, however, it will be seen that Schwenkfelder hymnology is entitled to more than mere mention, and that the statement, "it contains no hymns written in this country," is certainly without foundation. In 1904 appeared the Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania, a historical study of the Schwenkfelders since their exodus from Saxony.[3] This contains a partial list of the Schwenkfelder hymn-writers whose hymns were admitted into the hymn-book printed in 1762. But all these references to the hymn-book in question merely suggest that Schwenkfelder hymnology holds a place in the hymnology of the Fatherland.
The larger works on hymnology have also been consulted. In Julian,[4] but two Schwenkfelder hymn-writers receive mention. They are Adam Reissner and Sebastian Franck. Even Daniel Sudermann is not named. Koch[5] distinguishes two schools of Schwenkfelder hymn-writers, namely, that of the Reformation period and a post-Reformation school. He treats a total of eight authors. We have already observed, in our preface, that Koch
- ↑ The article was written by the Rev. J. H. Dubbs, D.D., LL.D. Since reprinted. This account is quoted in our last chapter.
- ↑ William A. Haussmann: German American Hymnology (1683-1800). Americana Germanica, Vol. II, No. 3.
- ↑ Howard Wiegner Kriebel:The Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania: A Historical Sketch. Lancaster, 1904.
- ↑ John Julian: A Dictionary of Hymnology. New York, 1892.
- ↑ Emil Koch: Gesehichte des Kirchenlieds und Kirchengcsangs. Stuttgart 1866-1876.
