Koster, Martin Gottfried

Koster, Martin Gottfried, a German theologian, was born at Guntersblum Nov. 11, 1734; was educated at the University of Jena, which he entered in 1752, and in 1755 became pastor at Wallersheim. In 1761 he was called to Weilburg as pastor and prorector of the gymnasium in that place. In 1773 he was appointed professor at Giessen, and died there Dec. 6,1802. Koster was decidedly orthodox in belief, and labored both by his tongue and his pen to stay the incoming tide of Rationalism. His most important work in this direction is his Neueste Relgions begebenheiten (Giessen, 1778-1796), in which several eminent German theologians assisted him. He wrote also Vorturtheilefiir und wider die christl. Religion nebst einer Abhandlung von Zulassung des Bisen (Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1774, 8o) :Ersrterung der wichtigsten Schwierigkeiten in der Lehre vom Teufel (ibid, 1776, 8vo; another work on Satm.n,Giessen, 1776, 8vo); etc. See Doring, Gelehrte Theol. Deutschlands, ii, 159 sq.