Ewald Johann Ludwig

Ewald Johann Ludwig, theologian, was born at Dreieichenhain, Hesse, September 16, 1747. He studied at the University of Marburg. After serving two years as tutor to the children of the prince of Hesse-Philippsthal, he became pastor at Offenbach, 1768. He began preaching as a Rationalist, but in a few years he found reason alone inadequate for his personal guidance and for his public teaching. In 1778 he announced publicly this change of conviction. In 1781. he became general superintendent and court preacher at Detmold; but his pungent preaching soon got him into trouble. He founded at Detmold a seminary for teachers. In 1796 he accepted a pastoral charge at Bremen; and here, also, he greatly promoted the. schools, visiting the establishments of Pestalozzi and Fellenberg, in Switzerland, to inform himself on their systems. In 1805 he was called to Heidelberg as professor of ethics, and in 1807 became church councillor at Carlsruhe, where he died, March 19, 1822. He was a voluminous author. Doering gives a list of eighty-nine different publications of his. The chief are, Predigerbeschaftigung (Lemgo, 1783-94, 9 parts): — Christenthum und Kosmopolitismus (Lemgo, 1788-89, 2 volumes, 8vo): — Salomo; Versuch einer psychologisch-biographischeen Darstellung (Gera, 1800, 8vo): — Die Gottlichkeit d. Christenthums (Brem. 1800, 8vo): — Briefe fiber die alte Mystik u. d. neuen Mysticismus (Leipsig, 1822, 8vo); besides numerous sermons and books on practical religion and education. — Doering, Die deutschen Kanzel-Redner, 1:46.