Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

In the miserably conducted school of the little village, he manifested such decided abilities, that his affectionate mother gladly embraced an opportunity which offered itself, of sending him to a friend of his father in Basel, where he could be placed in the school of that city. The noble man, to whom Hebel is so greatly indebted, and who for a time performed toward him the duties of a father, was Iselin, an under officer, and once a fellow soldier of Hebel's father. Soon afterwards Hebel lost also his kind mother; but just at this time the orphan had the good fortune to become known to Preuschen, a member of the Church Council in Karlsruh, who took an interest in him, and sent him to the Grammar School at Lorrach. From thence he took him to himself at Karlsruh, where he completed his studies preparatory to the University, 1775-78. In this latter year he entered upon the study of theology in Erlangen.

In 1780 Hebel returned to Karlsruh, sustained with honor bis examination as a candidate of theology, and parentless and poor as he was, he gladly embraced the opportunity of becoming private teacher in a family and entering upon a vicarate therewith connected offered him by Pastor Schlottenbeck in Hertingen, a village not far from his native place. During his years of study in the schools and University, Hebel made honorable progress in philosophical studies. These now served him well, securing for him in 1783 the position of Preceptor in the Grammar School in Lorrach. Here Hebel lived in the midst of paradisaic nature. A walk of two hours through the most charming scenery led to Basel. Still nearer rolled the Rhine. In the distance rose the hills and crests of the Schwartzwald, and still more remote were seen the Swiss Alps. Beside the duties of his calling, Hebel lived in the midst of nature, devoting himself to the enjoyments of intimate friendships and the muses. Here the Alemanian Poet first successfully spread his wings.

In 1791 Hebel received a call as teacher in the Gymnasium of Karlsruh, and at the same time became sub-deacon in the Church of the Court in that city. He preached with acceptance, and soon found himself contented and happy in his new relations. Especially did his teaching, in which he had now attained great ability, find much favor, and he devoted himself to this part of his work with ardent zeal. His devotion to his calling did not remain unnoticed or unrewarded. As early as 1798, Hebel was promoted to a professorship and principal of the Institution.

About this time the greater portion of his Alemanian poems had already been published, partly in single poems, and also in a collection, and were the property of the people. But the watchers on the German Parnassus as yet knew not his name; till at length Jean Paul (in a letter to the Publisher of a paper devoted to elegant literature, which at that time had great influence) got pretty keenly upon the scent of it. Jean Paul, who at the first glance saw Hebel's great poetical merits, placed him at once by the side of Herder. He says of him with justice and beauty: "The

soft golden evening light of a beautiful and peaceful soul lies upon all heights, which he causes to pass before us. He compensates for poetical flowers by poesy itself. He places with the one hand to his lips the Swiss Alpinehorn of youthful longing and joy, whilst with the other he points to the gleaming evening glory which lies upon the high glaciers, and begins to pray when the vesper bells call over to him from the mountains."

Hebel's calling as a poet was from this time forth universally acknowledged, and the Princes of the poets Herder, Goethe, Jakobi, aided in making his fame known, and were also among the first to discover and appreciate his merits. In 1805 his Prince, the excellent Charles Frederick of Bavaria, honored him with the title of Member of the Church Council, and three years later he entrusted to him the conduct of the Gymnasium as Director. The man of the people did not suffer the high duties of his new position to prevent him from publishing his literary contributions, for the cultivation of the people, in the literary journals of the time. In the Bavarian Country Almanac -known under the name of the RhineHousefriend for citizens and farmers-he published a treasure of the most valuable matter clothed in the simplest style, in the form of pleasantries, anecdotes, stories, &c., by which he accomplished untold good among the common people. The people, ever grateful for what is furnished for their improvement in a form suited to their capacities, were so delighted with his writings in this Almanac, that the demand for the numbers of past years ever increased, so that new editions had to be printed; and immigrants from Bavaria and Würtemberg in America called for it, and it had to be regularly furnished to them in their new and distant homes.

In 1814 Hebel was made a Member of the Consistory; and in 1816 his Prince elevated him to the office of Prelate and Commandeur of the Zähring Order of the Lion To these honors the theological Faculty of Heidelberg yet added that of Doctor of Theology. The zeal of the aged man for the instruction of the people induced him now to undertake the publication of his Biblical Histories, which were introduced into all the schools of Baden as text books; and which, like Huebner's Biblical Histories, will continue to prove a blessing long after Hebel's remains shall have turned to ashes in the grave. They appeared in many editions at Gotha, Stutgardt and Tübingen.

Even in old age Hebel enjoyed good health, and gave promise to his friends of yet longer life, and many more blessed labors. Yet only too soon was this hope disappointed. In the autumn of 1826 his calling led him to Manheim, to attend the School examinations in that place. He returned unwell from Manheim on the 16th of September; and with increased indisposition, he stopped with his old friend Zeyher, the Garden Director in Schwetzingen. His ailment, which was a disturbance of the digestive organs, soon gave signs that it would prove fatal. On the fifth day he fell asleep in the arms of his friends, who had gathered there from all parts of

the land. He died September 22nd, 1826, early in the morning. His grave is in the church-yard at Schwetzingen.

A word in regard to Hebel's appearance and characteristics. In bodily appearance he was well-formed, not large, but strong and symmetrical. His face was not beautiful, but interesting. His dark fiery eyes, lofty forehead, bent nose, and face lying in folds of skin, gave his countenance a peculiar appearance, which marked him at once as no ordinary man. The main features of his character were the childlike, the serene, associated with a deep inward love of his race. Every one felt himself drawn toward him. Wherever he was, the happy social man, attracted all persons toward him. His wit, his originalities, his droll narratives, his interesting fascinating conversation, rich in all manner of instruction, though presented in the most unpretending form, charmed all his hearers. His honesty and correctness of life were matchless; and the punctuality with which he attended to his duties in all the relations of life, as scholar, officer, and friend, secured him the esteem of every one. True piety, without any vain pretension, was the crown of his life. Hebel was never married.

We must reluctantly close our article on the Alemanian poet. Our only regret is, that we are not able to transfer to our pages the portrait of Hebel as it adorns the selection of his poems in the German Classics. Never was a homely face so charming and beautiful as bis. The sight of it creates an almost unconquerable desire to see the genial old man; and hear him talk. No body's grandfather ever looked so childlike and pleasant. He looks as if he loved all things; and his face seems to mirror forth the beautiful, the true, and the charming in nature, human life, and Christianity. His eyes, his cheeks, and the set of his mouth look, as if he was just about to say: "I am glad that I am looking at you; are you not glad that you are looking at me? Let us now be good friends forever!"

MURMURING AT PROVIDENCE-It is foolish as well as wicked to rebel against the allotments of Providence. It is like the eagle beating his breast against the iron bars of his cage, until he falls down all bleeding and exhausted. It does no good, but much We cannot change our condition by murmuring at it, but we can make ourselves and all round us very miserable. God knows where we can do most for him, and He puts us in the very place that is best for us and for all. It is a hard trial-one of the hardest, no doubt-for an active and devoted servant of Christ to be rendered unfit for work. But we are very unwise to murmur atit. Those who are deprived of the privilege of laboring for Christ may suffer for him, and by their suffering in a Christian spirit, do more good than they could in any other way.

THE SONG OF OUR FLAG.

AIR:-The Bells of Shandon.

We know no banner,
But the old and true;
With thirty-four Stars,
In its cloudless blue.
Hiss! that new burlesque--
That foul Treason Rag!
Sing-march--to the tune
Of the good old Flag.
NEW SONG.

With deep affection,
And recollection,

I often think of

Our glorious Flag,

Whose folds so wild would
In days of childood
Fling o'er my fancy,

Their magic spell.

See our flag yonder!
On that I ponder,
And still grow fonder,

Proud flag, of thee.

Thy bright stars gleaming,

BY THE EDITOR.

Thy broad stripes streaming, In all my dreaming,

I seem to see.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

THE PHEBE FAMILY.

SECOND ARTICLE.

BY THE EDITOR.

It appears that the ancestorial mother of the Phebe family was very nearly related to the Apostle Paul, and to all the "first families" of the early Christians. St. Paul speaks of her as "our sister." Of course this is not to be understood of blood relationship. Some now-a-days seem to think that their own blood relations are the best people in the world; but this was not so among the early Christians. They saw this matter in a different light.

The early Christians regarded Jesus Christ as the head of a new family, higher than mere earthly families. All that were baptized, and by the Spirit renewed, and thus truly united to Jesus Christ, they regarded as born anew by a higher birth than that of nature, and thenceforward as members of the higher family in Christ, and relatives of each other. Hence they called each other "brothers" and "sisters." St. Paul had reference to this when he called Phebe "our sister."

;

This new relationship was higher and more enduring than that which existed merely in nature. It rose above all national ties so that there was "neither Greek nor Jew, Barbarian nor Scythian.' It rose above all social grades in society; so that there was "neither bond nor free." It even rose above marriage ties; the tie which bound the saint to Christ having been regarded as so high and holy in its character, that one belonging to this family of Christ could not enter into marriage union with one who belonged to the world, without dishonor to the holy bond which united the members of the new family to Christ. "Only in the Lord!" was the word. They believed that a saint could no more be bound in marriage ties to one out of Christ than Christ could unite Himself to Belial, or light could be united with darkness. Strange as it may seem, though one was a Jew, a Greek, a Barbarian, a Scythian, a slave or a freeman; rich or poor, if only he was in Christ, he belonged at once to the "first families;" and to join himself with even the richest or highest outside that circle was to dishonor his own family. Thus a high order of relationship existed between St. Paul and Phebe, as well as between her and all the saints of that time.

Such is the import of the words "our sister." The natural relation of sister is a very intimate and endearing one. There is no earthly love so pure as that of a sister. There is no name which awakens and preserves such pleasant memories and associations. Home, father, mother, infancy, childhood are all associated with it.

« AnteriorContinuar »