eHymns.org

Born: November 25, 1697, Moers, Niederrhein, Germany.

Died: April 3, 1769, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.

Buried: Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany.

Though the name is almost universally shown as the Germanized “Tersteegen,” his real name was Dutch: Gerrit ter Steegen. His father abandoned his mother, and Gerhard grew up in poverty. He wanted to study theology, but could not afford an education, so he went into commerce instead; he first worked in Mülheim an der Ruhr (next to Moers and Duisburg, in the Ruhr area). But Gerhard preferred the solitary life, so he gave up his sales job and worked as a weaver, knitting ribbons, studying at home in cloister-like asceticism, and reading theological books. He became an outstanding lay theologian, lay pastor, and mystic of the Protestant Pietism movement. From 1728 on, he was an itinerant preacher in the Protestant Erweckungsbewegung (“spiritual awakening movement”) in the Niederrhein region, and hosted home worship and prayer meetings.

Tersteegen was one of the two most famous 18th Century German hymn writers (the other being Joachim Neander). Beginning in 1729, he edited his famous book Geistliches Blumengärtlein inniger Seelen (Spiritual Flower Garden for Ardent Souls), a collection of hymns, spiritual lyrics and epigrams.

Sources

* Erickson, pp. 407-8
* Julian, pp. 1142-5
* Stulken, p. 324

Hymns

1. Ach Gott, es taugt doch draussen nicht
* Ah God! The World Has Nought to Please
2. Ach, könnt ich stille stein
* Ah, Could I But Be Still
* Oh! Could I But Be Still
3. Allgenugsam Wesen
* All-Sufficient Being
* Thou All-Sufficient One! Who Art
* Thou, Whose Love Unshaken
4. Bald endet sich mein Pilgerweg
* Weary Heart, Be Not Desponding
5. Berufne Seelen! Schlafet nicht
* Ye Sleeping Souls, Awake from Dreams of Carnal Ease
* Sleep Not, O Soul by God Awakened
6. Das ässre Sonnenlicht ist da
* Outer Sunlight Now Is There, The
* World’s Bright Sun Is Risen on High, The
7. Das Kreuz ist dennoch gut
* Cross Is Ever Good, The
8. Die Blümlein klein und gross in meines Herren Garten
* Flowers That in Jesu’s Garden Have a Place
* Full Many Flowers, in My Lord’s Garden Blooming
9. Die Liebe will was ganzes haben
* Love Doth the Whole–Not Part–Desire
10. Du schönstes Gotteskind
* Thou Fairest Child Divine
11. Freue dich, du Kinder-Orden
* Children Rejoice, for God Is Come to Earth
* Little Children, God Above
12. Für dich sei ganz mein Herz und Leben
* Constrain’d by Love So Warm and Tender
* My Soul Adores the Might of Loving
13. Gott ist gegenwärtig
* God Himself Is with Us
* God Reveals His Presence
* Lo, God Is Here!
14. Gott rufet noch, sollt ich nicht endlich hören
* God Calling Yet
15. Grosser Gott, in dem ich schwebe
* God, in Whom I Have My Being
16. Jauchzet ihr Himmel! frohlocket ihr englische Chören
* Triumph, Ye Heavens! Rejoice Ye with High Adoration
17. Jedes Herz will etwas lieben
* Heart of Man Must Something Love, The
* Something Every Heart Is Loving
18. Jesu, Den Ich Meine
* Jesus, Whom I Long For
19. Jesu, der du bist alleine
* Jesus, Whom Thy Church Doth Own
20. Jesu, mein Erbarmer! h&oum;re
* Jesus, Pitying Savior, Hear Me
21. Nun so will ich denn mein Leben
* Lo! My Choice Is Now Decided
* Now at Last I End the Strife
22. Jesus-Nam, du höchster Name
* Jesu’s Name, Thou Highest Name
23. Liebwerther, süsser Gottes-Wille
* Thou Sweet Beloved Will of God
* O Will of God, All Sweet and Perfect
24. Mein ganzer Sinn
* My Whole Desire Doth Deeply Turn Away
25. Mein Gott, mein Gott, mein wahres Leben
* My God, My God, My Life Divine!
26. Mein Herz, ein Eisen grob und alt
* A Rough and Shapeless Block of Iron Is My Heart
27. Mein’n Augenblick
* Each Moment I Turn Me
28. Nun lobet alle Gottes Sohn
* Give Glory to the Son of God
29. O Jesu, König, hoch zu ehren
* O Jesus, Lord of Majesty
30. O liebe Seele! könnst du werden
* Dear Soul, Couldst Thou Become a Child
* Soul! Couldst Thou, While on Earth Remaining
* Wouldst Thou, My Soul, the Secret Find
31. Siegesfürste, Ehrnkönig
* Conquering Prince and Lord of Glory
32. So gehts von Schritt zu Schritt
* Thus, Step by Step, My Journey to the Infinite
33. So ist denn doch nun abermal ein Jahr
* Thus, When Another Year of Pilgrim-Life
34. Sollt ich nicht gelassen sein
* Should I Not Be Meek and Still
35. Verborgne Gottesliebe du
* Thou Hidden Love of God
36. Von allen Dingen ab
* From All Created Things
37. Wie bist du mir so innig gut
* How Gracious, Kind, and Good, My Great High Priest Art Thou
38. Wie gut ists, wenn man abgespehnt
* How Sweet It Is, When, Wean’d from All
39. Wiederum ein Augenblick
* Of My Time One Minute More
* One More Flying Moment
40. Willkomm’n, verklärter Gottes Sohn
* Glorious Head, Thou Livest Now

Source: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/t/e/tersteegen_g.html

Born: 1650, Bremen, Germany.

Died: May 31, 1680, Bremen, Germany, of tuberculosis.

Grandson of a musician and son of a teacher, Neander studied theology at Bremen University, 1666-1670. His family name was Neumann (“new man”), but, as was popular at the time, his grandfather (also a preacher, and also named Joachim!), changed it to a foreign equivalent, in this case Greek.

In 1671, Neander moved his studies to Heidelberg (locale of The Student Prince musical). In 1673, he moved to Frankfurt, where he met Pietistic scholars Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) and Johann Schütz (1640-1690).

From 1674-1679, Neander was principal of the Reformed Lateinschule (grammar school) in Düsseldorf. During these years, he used to wander the secluded Düssel River valley, which was, until the 19th Century, a deep ravine between rock faces and forests, with numerous caves, grottos and waterfalls. Probably, Neander wrote and sang many of his poems there, but also held gatherings and services. In the early 19th Century, a large cave was named Neanderhöhle after him. In the mid-19th Century, the cement industry started to quarry the limestone, and the narrow ravine became a wide valley, which was now named the Neander Valley (in German, Neanderthal). The “Neanderthal Man” was found there in the summer of 1856, giving Joachim the distinction of being the only hymnist with a fossil hominid named after him!

In 1679, Neander moved to Bremen and worked as assistant preacher at St. Martini church. The next year he became seriously ill and died, presumably of the plague.

Sources

* Hustad, pp. 292-3
* Julian, pp. 417, 508, 525, 683, 790, 1057, 1143, 1544
* Stulken, pp. 267-8

Hymns

1. Auf, auf, mein Geist, erhebe dich zum Himmel
2. Der Tag ist hin, mein Jesu, bei mir bleibe
3. Grosser Prophete, mein Herze begehret
4. Heaven and Earth, and Sea and Air
5. Jehovah ist mein Licht und Gnadensonne
6. Meine Hoffnung stehet feste
* All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
* All My Hope Is Fixed and Grounded
* All My Hope on God Is Founded
7. O allerhöchster Menschenhüter
8. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
9. Unbegreiflich Gut, wahrer Gott alleine
10. Unser Herrscher, unser König
11. Wie fleucht dahin der Menschenzeit
12. Wo soll ich hin? wer helfet mir?
13. Wunderbarer König

Music

1. Arnsberg
2. Coblentz
3. Unser Herrscher

Source: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/n/e/a/neander_j.html

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Born: 1650, Bremen, Germany
Died: May 31, 1680, Bremen, Germany

Joachim Neander was the grandson of a musician and son of a teacher. He studied theology at Bremen University from 1666 to 1670. His family name was Neumann (“new man”), but, as was popular at the time, his grandfather (also a preacher, and also named Joachim!), changed it to a foreign equivalent, in this case Greek. In 1671, Neander moved his studies to Heidelberg (locale of The Student Prince musical). In 1673, he moved to Frankfurt, where he met Pietistic scholars Philipp Jakob Spener (1635-1705) and Johann Schütz (1640-1690).

From 1674 to 1679, Neander was principal of the Reformed Lateinschule (grammar school) in Düsseldorf. During these years, he used to wander the secluded Düssel River valley, which was, until the 19th Century, a deep ravine between rock faces and forests, with numerous caves, grottos and waterfalls. Probably, Neander wrote and sang many of his poems there, but also held gatherings and services. In the early 19th Century, a large cave was named Neanderhöhle after him. In the mid-19th Century, the cement industry started to quarry the limestone, and the narrow ravine became a wide valley, which was now named the Neander Valley (in German, Neanderthal). The “Neanderthal Man” was found there in the summer of 1856, giving Joachim the distinction of being the only hymnist with a fossil hominid named after him!

In 1679, Neander moved to Bremen and worked as assistant preacher at St. Martini church. The next year he became seriously ill and died, presumably of the plague.

Links to other Sites:
Joachim Neander (Cyber Hymnal) - http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/n/e/neander_j.htm
Joachim Neander (CCEL) - http://www.ccel.org/w/winkworth/singers/htm/neander.htm
German Hymn-writers of the 1600’s James Kiefer's Christian Biographies) - http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/10/24.html

Source: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Neander.html

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To these Lutheran hymnwriters, we may add a Calvinist, Joachim Neander, born in Bremen in 1650. After a rowdy life as an undergraduate, he underwent conversion and amendment. He became a schoolteacher, then undertook a life of solitary meditation. There is a cave named for him near Mettman-am-Rhein, which he perhaps used as his hermitage, until his death at the age of thirty. He is accounted the principal Calvinist poet in Germany, but only a few of his hymns are known in English. The best-known is "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation" (Lobe den Herren, den maechtigen Koenig der Ehren!), based on Psalms 150 and 103:1-6.

Neander was originally surnamed Neumann (New man). However, like many others of his time (such as Martin Luther's colleague Philip Schwartzerd, whose name means "black earth," and who changed it to "Melanchthon," which means the same thing in Greek), he adopted a Greek surname with the same meaning (NE- meaning "new" as in "neo-Marxist" or whatever, and ANDER meaning "man" as in "android, polyandry, andrology," and so on. In Greek, ANTHROPOS means "man (gender-inclusive)" while ANER, ANDR- means "man (gender-specific)". Thus, "anthropology" is the study of humans in general, while "andrology" is the medical study of the male body, just as "gynecology" is cencerned with the female body. The respective equivalents in Latin are HOMO, HOMIN- (gender-inclusive) and VIR (gender-specific). In English, "man" does double-duty for both. Some feminists are trying to substitute "person" for "man" in all gender-inclusive uses, but this is awkward, because the gender-inclusive meaning is the primary one for "man". I have thought of reviving "were" (pronounced "weer") as in "werewolf" and "weregeld" for the gender-specific meaning, but am not optimistic about the chances of success.). When Joachim Neander went to live in a cave by a river, the river came to be named for him as the Neander River, and the valley of that river was called the Neander Valley, or Neander Dale. The German word for "dale" is "thal" (the "th" is pronounced much like English "t"), and so the valley and general region is the Neanderthal. It is here that remains were first found of an early European population that have accordingly come to be called Neanderthal Man.

Source: http://elvis.rowan.edu/~kilroy/JEK/10/24.html

Born in the Van Wert Ohio County Hospital on June 27, 1960, Alvin (Bud) Herman Manz, Jr. was the 3rd of 4 sons born to Betty Manz and firstborn to her second husband, Alvin.

His older siblings, John Paul Rose, Jr. (1956) and Joseph Henry Rose (1957), were born to John Paul Rose. In 1958, John Sr. passed away leaving Betty with 2 little boys to care for until she met Alvin Manz and got married to him on October 3, 1959.

Bud's younger sibling, Robert James Manz, Sr., was born on August 23, 1961.

Bud never married, instead he lives with his father just south of Defiance Ohio.