Draeseke, Johann Heinrich Bernhiard

Draeseke, Johann Heinrich Bernhiard, one of the most brilliant and popular of modern preachers in Germany. Born at Brunswick, January 18, 1774, he was educated at Helmstadt, where he was greatly influenced by Henke, and devoted himself to the humanistic literature then prevalent, especially to the drama. In 1804 he became pastor at Ratzeburg, and in 1814 at Bremen. His patriotic labors during the Napoleonic wars gave him great reputation, and his great pulpit talent spread his name far and wide. In 1832 he succeeded Westermeier as bishop of the province of Saxony. He died at Potsdam December 8, 1849. His printed sermons are very numerous. The earlier ones are rationalistic, the later more orthodox and full of Christian feeling. The most celebrated of them are Predigten fur denkende Verehrer Jesu, of which the best edition is that of 1836, 2 volumes, edited by his son. He published also Glaube, Liebe, Hoffnung (6th ed. 1834); Deutschland's Wiedergeburt (2d edit. 1818); Gemalde aus d. Heil. Schrift (4 volumes, 1821-28). His Nachgelassene Predigten appeared at Magdeburg, 1850 (2 volumes). See Saintes, History of Rationalism, chapter 21.