Schmolck, Benjamin

Schmolck, Benjamin a gifted German hymnologist, was born in Lieglitz, 1672. He studied theology at Leipsic from 1693 to 1697, became assistant pastor to his father at Liegnitz in 1701, but the next year accepted a tall to Schweidnitz as dean. Here he spent the rest of his life as a laborious pastor, exerting himself manfully to counteract the intrigues of the Jesuits and to preserve his people in their evangelical faith. In 1708 he was made archdean, in 1712 senior, and in 1714 pastor primarius. After a pastorate of thirty-five years, he entered into rest, 1737. By his hymns and songs, which appeared in various editions from 1704 and on, he has obtained an honorable place among the poets of his Church and nation. Their general tone is that of gentleness and simplicity, and of ardent love to Christ. Many of them, however, betray marks of carelessness in rhetoric and of lack of polish. A complete edition of his poems appeared at Tübingen in 1740. A selection was published by L. Grote at Leipsic in 1860. For his life, see this work of Grote and Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 13, 608, 609. (J.P.L.)