Raus(S), Lucas

Raus(s), Lucas one of the earlier Lutheran ministers in this country, was born in 1723 in thie city of Hermanstadt, in Transylvania. He was the son of Lucas Laus, an eminent German divine, under whose careful training he enjoyed the best opportunities for mental and moral culture. Designed for the Christian ministry, his studies were prosecuted at the universities of Leipsic and Jena. He immigrated to the United States in 1750, and at once identified himself with its interests. He commenced his labors in Philadelphia, and, as there were few organized Lutheran churches at the time and the members were scattered, his work was very much of an itinerant character. In 1754 he removed to York. Pa., where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred July 11, 1788. Mr. Raus enjoyed the reputation of being an accomplished scholar, particularly in the department of the Latin, Greek, and Oriental languages. He conversed with great fluency in several modern languages. His descendants are still numbered among the citizens of the place in which he so long labored. See Luth. Observer, April 19, 1878.