Horch, Heinrich, Std

Horch, Heinrich, S.T.D.

A German Pietist and Mystic, was born at Eschwege, Hessen, in 1652. He studied theology and medicine at Marburg, where he came under the influence of the great follower of Spener (q.v.), Theodor Untereyk, and embraced the doctrines of the Mystics. He also studied the Cartesian philosophy with much interest. In 1683 he was appointed minister at Heidelberg, in 1685 court preacher at Kreuznach, but in 1687 he returned again to Heidelberg. At the university of that place he obtained the degree of doctor of theology. In 1689 he went to Frankfort as minister of a Reformed Church, and in 1790 was made professor of theology at Hernborn. By his firm adherence, however, to the Mystic Arnold (q.v.), and his peculiar views of theology, holding, e.g. that divine revelations still continue, that the symbolical books are useless, that the Eucharist and baptism are unnecessary, etc., he finally lost his position (1698). He afterwards traveled about, preaching in city halls and in cemeteries. At times he even entered churches, and preached in spite of the remonstrances of the ministers. He was arrested for this conduct in 1699, and became partially insane. He recovered, however, towards the close of the year 1700, and, by the interposition of his friends, he was granted a pension in 1708, which was continued until his death, August 5,1729. Horch was also a Millenarian; he likewise demanded a second and more complete reformation of the Church, advocated celibacy, though he did not think the married life sinful, and is said to have been a member of the Philadelphia Society (q.v.), founded in 1696 by Jane Leade. He wrote a number of works, of which a complete list is given by Jocher (Gel. Lex., Adelung's Supplem. 2, 2138 sq.), and of which the Mystische u. Prophetische Bibel (Marb. 1712, 4to) is especially celebrated as the forerunner of the Berleburg Bible (q.v.). See Haas (G. Fr. L.), Lebensbeschreib. d. Dr. Horch (Cassel, 1769, 8vo); Gobel (M.), Geschichte d. christliche Lebens in d. rhein. westph. ev. Kirche (Coblenz, 1852), 2, 741-51; Herzog, Real- Encyklopadie, 6, 262 sq.; Fuhrmann, Handwörterbuch d. Kirchengesch. 2, 349 sq.; Theol. Univ. Lex. 2, 369. (J. H. W.)