Mel (or Mell), Conrad

Mel (Or Mell), Conrad a German theologian, was born Aug. 14,1666, at Gudensberg (Hesse). He was the son of a Protestant minister, studied theology at the Dutch University of Groningen, then returned to Germany, and performed pastoral duties at Mittau, Memel, andKodnigsberg. In 1705 he was called to take charge of the Gymnasium of Hersfeld as director, and later received due recognition for his services from his prince, the landgrave, in the position of superintendent of the churches of Hesse. He died at Cassel, May 3, 1733. Mel had made sacred antiquity a special study, and, if his works were written too hastily, it must be attributed to the necessity of providing for the support of a large family. Mel belonged to the Royal Societies of London and Berlin. Of his works we notice Die Posaune derEwigkeit-sermons (Kinigsb. 1697, 4to; 7th edit. Cassel, 1755,4to); there is a kind of sequel, under the title Der Herold der. Ewigkeit (Berlin, 1729, 4to):-Legatio orientalis Sinensium, Samaritanorum, Chaldceorum, et Hebraeorum, cum interpretationibus (Konigsberg, 1760, fol): -Omina bruta (1704, 8vo); inserted in D'Haubert's Bibl. nagica :-Der wurdige Gast an des He-rrn Tafel-sermons (Konigsberg, 1704, 4to, eight editions):-Antiquarius sacer, seu de usu antiquitatum Judaicarum, Grecarum, et Romanarum in explicandis obscurioribus Scripturce dictis (Schleusingen, 1707, 8vo; the edition of Frankfort, 1719, 4to, is augmented by the addition of four small works):-Pantometsrum nauticum'(Hersfeid, 1707, fol.). He invented a machine by which he pretended to measure longitude at sea with great exactness, and offered models to several academies; those of London and Berlin presented several objections, to which he replied in the Pharus illustrans (ibid. 1709, fol.): Der Tabernackel oder griindiche Beschreibung der Stiftshiitte, sammt allen ihren Theilen und heiligen Gerahten (Frankfort, 1709, 1711, 4to; Cassel. 1720, 4to): -Missionarius evangelicus (Hersfeld, 1711, 8vo) :- Zion's Lehre und Wunder — sermons (Frankfort,' 1713, 4to, eight editions) :-Das Leben' der Patriarchen (Frankfort, 1715, 1716, 2 vols. 4to)':-Die Lust der Heiligen (Cassel, 1715, 8vo; 15th edit. ibid. 1779) ;- Salomon's Ternpel (Frankfort, 1724, 4to; Cassel, 1726, 4to). The manuscripts of Mel are preserved in the library of Cassel, among which is a Histoire litteraire de la Hesse. See Acta Histor. Ecclesiastes 1:105; J. H. Lederhose, Ehrengeddchtniss Conrad Mel (Cassel, 1733, 4to); Streides, Grundl. zu einer Hess. Gelehrten Geschichte, 8:391. - (J. H. W.)