1846.] His Course of Life at the University. 549 decline these gymnastic sports. He consequently devotes himself to them without much gainsaying; yet he takes counsel with his heart's friend, the all-worthy Saviour Jesus Christ, in order that he would give him skill in these things, that he might soon leave with honor all such matters and have liberty to dedicate some hours of the day to more solid pursuits and those more befitting his feelings and future circumstances. My only and true Confidant has not let me on this subject pray in vain." Zinzendorf's main concern was to adopt a course of life by which he might secure the salvation of his soul, and thus consecrate all his thoughts to religion. Hence theology became his favorite study. Public and private devotions were his delight; he read the Bible, sung pious hymns, sometimes spent whole nights in meditation, observed the festivals of the church and was more earnest in attending on the means of grace than at any earlier or later period. Still, while his conduct was more circumspect, his heart enjoyed less freedom and peace. The theological controversies, in the midst of which he was placed, occasioned an unpleasant confinement to his mind and sorrow to his heart. There were many unnecessary, harsh and long-protracted disputes, as he describes them, which, during twelve years, afflicted his soul. His peculiar religious experience was thus exposed to repeated censure, and the more so as he remained firm to the religious convictions which he had embraced at Halle, and which he was not at all backward to avow. He defended, against many assaults, the labors of Franke and the whole course of life and instruction which was concentrated at the Orphan House. The departed Spener, as whose disciple he had come to Wittenberg, he eulogised in a public and extended discourse. The Wittenberg theologians, the most prominent of whom was Wernsdorf, allowed this out-flow of well-meant zeal to pass without censure, and Zinzendorf himself soon regretted that he had cherished those unfounded prejudices, by which he was led to regard the Wittenberg theologians as pertinacious wranglers. When he knew them more intimately, he began to esteem and love them. But while it might appear as if he would be won over to the views prevailing at Wittenberg, the reverse actually took place. In confidential conversations with the Wittenberg professors, he ventured, both seasonably and unseasonably, to remind them of their errors in respect to the Halle school, and to tell them truths which it was hardly decorous for a young student to advance. Indeed he did not refrain from pub lic exhibitions of his zeal. At the same time, his uncle, as Zinzendorf himself relates, made it his object to implant in his nephew, as far as possible, different principles. He had laid it down in his instructions, that he should never defend a theme, hoping thereby that the young scholar would be drawn off from his pietism and be the more influenced to take the opposite course. But Zinzendorf found two ways of evading his uncle's wishes. In the first place," he writes, "I was not commanded not to oppose others, and secondly, it had not occurred to my uncle, (for he cherished a hope, altogether excessive that I should abandon my Pietism at Wittenberg,) that I might, on the contrary, cherish the good design of making Pietists of the theological Faculty at Wittenberg." This result did not indeed altogether take place, yet considerable approximation was made towards it by his zealous labors. The stripling of eighteen years was esteemed by both parties as a welcome umpire, and he had already formed the design of travelling to Halle, in company with Wernsdorf, to see Franke, so as to complete his favorite scheme of reconciling the two schools; but he desisted from the project in compliance with the wishes of his mother and for other reasons. In the meantime he carried on an active correspondence with his friends, partly in Latin and partly in French. He also wrote much in addition both in prose and verse, and, among other things, a dissertation on "Self-Love as the primary Source of the Affections." He made great advance, likewise in the study of eloquence, poetry, history, languages, law and theology. His social intercourse was pleasant and edifying, there being something in his personal appearance very striking, while an acquaintance with him was much sought after. Travels. Zinzendorf completed his studies at Wittenberg in the spring of 1719. His uncle had in the meantime died, and his mother and grandmother resumed their oversight of him. Though they were highly gratified with the proofs which he exhibited of pious feeling, yet they hardly thought of any other course of life than one befitting his name and noble rank. His own mind, however, was busily engaged with other thoughts and purposes. Still, he did not choose to act in opposition to the proposal of his friends in regard to foreign travel. He first went to Holland, accompanied by his elder brother, and his tutor, whose name was Roederer. 1846.] Foreign Travel. 551 The peculiar direction of his mind was seen in many little incidents. Frankfurt on the Maine, was particularly attractive to him on account of Spener who had there lived and labored. Among the paintings which he saw in the gallery at Düsseldorf, one representing the suffering Saviour made the deepest impression, which was increased by the words underneath, "Every thing have I done for thee, what hast thou done for me?" He felt a sense of shame that he could answer this question no better, while he devoted himself to the Saviour with a stronger determination. At the close of May, 1719, he came to Utrecht, whence he journeyed to Rotterdam, the Hague, Leyden and Amsterdam. He then went back to Utrecht, where, with his tutor, he attended the university exercises. He busied himself industriously with law, history, medicine, to which he had a special attachment, the English language, but most of all with religion, in comparison with which other things were of little account. "In my nineteenth year," he subsequently wrote, "I went to Holland and studied under various foreign teachers, who excited my mind, but did not touch my heart. The whole tour was the means of leading off my feelings in a sensible manner from all earthly things. The constant sighing of my heart was everywhere for Jesus and his blessing upon others." He now read the Bible with new zeal, and also other writings which were fitted to edify and instruct. Meditation, also, was a favorite duty. An intercessory prayer, which he composed, for his own daily use, was drawn out into more than a hundred particulars, embracing the emperor, all Christian kings, the government under whose protection he then lived, his teachers, friends, enemies, all the sick and dying, his Roman catholic relatives, all studying theology, the universities of Halle, Wittenberg and Leipsic, the Jansenists in France, the conversion of the Jews, etc. He now began to feel that attachment to litanies which he ever afterwards cherished. At the same time his general character and learning commanded much respect. He contracted an intimate friendship with several young noblemen from different parts of the continent. He became acquainted with the princess of Orange, who invited him to the birth-day festival of her son, which occasion he celebrated by a poem. He lived on intimate terms with the great lawyer, Vitriarius, and with the celebrated theologian James Basnage, of whom he used to say, "that Basnage would receive the truth even from an adversary." He here came in contact with men entertaining all kinds of religious be lief. The effects of the warm discussions into which he entered were not without salutary effects on his own character. The determination, to which he came, to let his opponents have the last word, conciliated their esteem and increased his reputation for fairness. He met four of his friends every day in a religious exercise, when he expounded a portion of the Scriptures. The meeting was opened and concluded by prayer. With the count von Reuss, who went before him to Paris, he formed a special covenant that they would live only for the Saviour and heartily serve him. At Utrecht he heard of the death of the baron von Canstein at Berlin, that man of elevated piety, of whom it may be said that he maintained in the midst of the world the character of a child of God, though he exhibited nothing of austerity in his demeanor. He left his estate to the Halle Orphan-house. In commemoration of his death, Zinzendorf wrote a poem, which breathes nothing of lamentation, but on the contrary, the most joyful confidence in respect to death. His fearlessness on this subject was at that time remarkable. He thought that a true Christian could be afraid of death only from ignorance. He made it his increasing aim to be ready for that event. He had already adopted for his motto, aeternitati. In September, he went to Paris by the way of Antwerp, Brussels and Cambray. He remained in the French capital through the autumn and winter. Among the individuals with whom he formed an acquaintance were the duchess of Orleans, Lord Stairs the English ambassador, Marshall Villars, the baron Nicolas von Watteville from Germany, the Abbe La Tour, the cardinal Noailles, etc. On one occasion, he heard a Dominican monk preach, who appeared to him to be a second Tauler. The monk spoke with the utmost earnestness, insisted on the conversion of the heart, from which a change of life would of necessity follow, maintained that there should be no peace with the world, and showed the necessity of a reformation, not only among the poor, but especially among the great. Zinzendorf sought the acquaintance of the preacher, whose name was d' Albizi, and who introduced him to the acquaintance of the bishops of Boulogne and Montpellier, who were then with others contending for the necessity of an appeal from the pope's famous bull, called unigenitus, to a general council. By his intercourse with this class of men, by his zealous maintenance of the cause of the Jansenists, by the boldness with which he defended the great principles of Protestantism, Zinzendorf in 1846.] His Residence at Dresden. 553 curred not a little danger of losing his liberty and perhaps, his life. It was reported that an attempt was actually made to poison him. He was also exposed to dangers of another kind. The French monarchy was then in the height of its splendor, while in no country in Europe did the Roman Catholic religion hold such dominant sway as in France. Paris was the centre of fashion and taste, where vice was clothed in it most attractive forms, and where everything was found which could seduce a young man like Zinzendorf, of noble birth, of warm feelings and of winning manners. Efforts were not wanting to induce him to swerve from the path which he had chosen and even to renounce his Protestant and religious principles. Yet he remained true to his convictions. His affectionate trust in the Saviour seems not to have been chilled in the frigid atmosphere around him. At the same time his feelings were liberalized, and he learned to estimate others, especially Roman Catholics, with more candor and forbearance. On the whole, his travels proved of essential benefit to him. They were the means of enlarging his views, extending his knowledge in various departments of science and literature, and of introducing him to many estimable persons, with a few of whom he formed an endearing friendship. But the great practical lesson which he learned was the unsatisfactory nature of earthly good, and the blessedness of living in communion with the Redeemer. Every step of his wanderings convinced him that like Mary, he had chosen the better lot. To sit at the feet of Jesus was worth more than all which Europe could bestow. From Paris Zinzendorf returned home by way of Strasburg, Bâle and Zurich. Residence at Dresden and Marriage. In October, 1721, Zinzendorf became a court-counsellor and judge at Dresden, in compliance with the earnest wishes, or rather what amounted to the commands of his friends, though in direct opposition to his own inclinations. He wished to become a preacher of the gospel and to employ all his talents directly in the service of the church. For the business and pleasures of courts he had no relish. Among the various motives urged upon him by his zealous relatives, was the example of some eminent civilians who had spent a life of simple devotedness to the Saviour in the midst of worldly avocations. Though he was now twenty-one years of age and authorized to determine his own |