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Morus, Samuel Frederic Nathaniel

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Morus, Thomas

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a distinguished German Lutheran divine, was born at Lauban, in Upper Lusatia, November30, 1736. He received his first education from his father, who was professor in the grammar-school at Lauban, and in 1754 Samuel went to study philosophy and theology in the University of Leipsic, where he was a devoted pupil of Ernesti, and under the guidance of this celebrated master of exegetical theology laid the foundations of his future usefulness and renown. He soon distinguished himself by his learning and his sound judgment, and became successively at his alma mater professor of philosophy in 1768, and of the Greek and Latin languages in 1771. After the death of his beloved teacher, Ernesti, in 1782, Morus was appointed to fill his place as professor of theology. His learning, activity, and sound judgment rendered him eminently fitted for that position, which he retained until his death, November 11, 1792. It was as a teacher rather than as a writer that the influence of Morus was chiefly felt. His works are mostly posthumous publications, issued under the editorship of men who had been his pupils, one of whom fairly estimates the position of Morus when he says that the science of hermeneutics "ab Ernestio reformata," was "a Moro exculta et dilucidius explicata." He left valuable editions of various classical authors, commentaries on most of the books of the N.T., and other books of value. Among these, the most important are Vita J.J. Reiskii (Leips. 1776, 8vo): — Epitome Theologiae Christianae (Leips. 1789, 8vo; transl. into German by Schneider, 1795).

This manual of theology went through several editions, and was long used as a text-book of dogmatics in several universities. It is a work highly commended by Hagenbach in his Hist. of Doctrines, 2:383; and by J. Pye Smith, First Lines of Christian Theology, page 39 sq.: — Commentarius exegetico- historicus in Mori Epitomen (Halle, 1797-98, 2 volumes, 8vo), published after his death by C.A. Hempel: — Praelectiones in Lucae Evangelium, ed. C.A. Donat (Leips. 1795, 8vo): — Recitationes in Evangelium Joannis, ed. Th. J. Dindorf (Leips. 1808, 8vo): — Versio et explicatio Actorum Apostolum, eld. G.J. Dindorf (Leips. 1794): — Praelectiones in Epistolam Pauli ad Romanos; cum ejusdem versione Latina locorumque quorundam N.T. dificiliorum interpretatione, ed. I.T.T. Holzapfel (Leips. 1794, 8vo): — Acroases in Epistolas Paulinas ad Galatas et Ephesios (Leips. 1795): — Praelectiones in Jacobi et Petri epistolas, ed. C.A. Donat (Leips. 1794): — Praelectiones exegeticae in tres Joannis epistolas cum nova earundem paraphrasi Latina, cura C.A. Hempel (Leips. 1797, 8vo): — Akademische Vorlesungen uber die theologische Moral (Leips. 1794-95, 3 volumes, 8vo), published by F.T. Voigt: — Dissert. theologicae et philologicae (Leips. 1787-94, 2 volumes, 8vo; transl. into German by Rtichel, Leips. 1793-94): — Super hermeneutica Novi Testamenti Acroases academicae (Leips. 1797-1802, 2 volumes, 8vo), published by H.K.A. Eichstaedt. This work may be best described as lectures upon the Institutes of Ernesti. A collection of his sermons was published at Leipsic in 1786. See Autobiographie von Morus, in Beyer, Magazin fur Prediger, volume 5, art. 2; Recitatio de Moro, habita a Christiano Dan. Beckio (Leips. 1792); Hopfner, Ueber d. Leben u.d. Verdienste d. verewigten Morus (1793); Weisse, Museum fur sachsische Gesch. 1:26 sq.; Kahnis, Hist. Germana Protestantism; Schlichtegroll, Nekrolog. d. Deutschen, 1792, 1:304 sq.; Hoefer, Nouv. B. Biog. Generale, 36:697; Herzog, Real-Encyklopadie, 10:19; Meusel,. Gelehrten- Lexikon, s.v. (J.H.W.)