Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling

Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)

A biographical and bibliographical survey in chronological order

Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)

2


3

Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung,

named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)

A biographical and bibliographical survey in chronological order

With explanations, remarks, annotations, notes and

commentaries authored by

Gerhard E. Merk, Doctor of Political Science and Economics,

Graduate Economist (University of Heidelberg),

Graduate Commercial Teacher (University of Mannheim),

Professor at the University of Siegen (Germany),

Former president of the Jung-Stilling-Society.

Jung-Stilling-Society, Siegen (Germany)


4

http://www.jung-stilling-gesellschaft.de

All rights reserved

© 2017

Typesetting: Alexander Stierl, B.Sc., Kreuztal Printing: Esser printsolutions, Bretten

ISBN 978-1-928984-44-7


5

The publication of this book was made possible thanks to a donation of the following persons, related to the memory of Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling:

Dr. Sigrid Bingenheimer, Kaiserslautern Dr. Doris Böggemann, Oberhausen Rüdiger Born, Tokyo Falk Claass, Ewersbach Thomas und Monika Gieren, Sigmaringen Professor Dr. Reinhard Düchting, Sandhausen Ulrich Hench, Siegen-Eiserfeld Patrick Hufschmidt, Siegen Hildegard und Helmut Lewark, Kaiserslautern Andreas Saßmannshausen, Hilchenbach Dr. Dr.h.c. Christian Schwarz-Schilling. Büdingen Dr. Hans G. Walde, Karlsruhe-Durlach Hartmut Weidt, Bad Berleburg


6


7


8

Contents Preface....................................................................................................9

Family, schooling and first professional experience.................

House instructor and office assistant in the

Duchy of Berg; access to ophthalmology.................................

Study; marriage; working as a medical doctor.........................

Appointment as professor at Kaiserslautern; death of his

wife; admission into the Masonic Lodge; remarriage..............

Professor at Heidelberg; Palatine councillor;

honorary doctorate..................................................................

Appointment to Marburg; death of the second wife;

remarriage; patient travels......................................................

Resignation from Marburg; move to Baden;

privy councillor........................................................................

Last years and decease..........................................................

Posthumous fame................................................................... Register of persons................................................................. Alphabetical index...................................................................


9


10

Preface

With conferences, lectures and memorial events, 2017 celebrated the bicentenary of

John Henry Jung-Stilling's death. But Stilling (will be hereafter referred to, as he

called himself this in his autobiography) must not be rescued from oblivion. His

literary work has remained – at least partially – alive until today. Clear proof of this

are the numerous reprints and new editions, in the English as well as German

language.

Moreover, streets and schools in some German towns are named after Jung-Stilling.

A hospital at Siegen (Germany) bears his name. In his home town Hilchenbach, 1871

a monument was erected to him. Stilling's tomb at Karlsruhe is maintained at the cost

of the public purse and is visited by many people even today.

Who was Stilling? Without dispute, he was nearly an all-rounder. Stilling achieved

superior performance as novelist, economist, eye doctor and lay theologian. And who

was Stilling as personality? More precisely, what can one say about his character

and the traits and qualities which were particular to him?

The professor of psychology Hans R. G. Günther writes in the preface to his study:

"Jung-Stilling. Ein Beitrag zur Psychologie des Pietismus" (Jung-Stilling. A

Contribution to the Psychology of Pietism), 2nd edition, Munich 1948, doubtless quite

rightly:

"Jung-Stilling's personality is not simple and straightforward. It is not easy to

understand, so that one could read in it like in an open book. In contrast, Jung-Stilling

is a personality full of internal problems and mysteriousness, full of strong tensions

and contradictions."

In the following text I have sought to describe the activities and accomplishments as

well as the multifaceted personality of Stilling. To do this, various options for

presentation are possible. After much deliberation, I decided on a chronological

arrangement.

As the subtitle shows, I do not intend to offer a biography according to the standards

of literary science. Nevertheless, I have tried to incorporate – as best I could – the

findings of about 300 scientific treatises on Stilling.

I hope that the reader may receive some knowledge about the economic and social

circumstances between 1740 and 1817, the lifetime of Stilling. In addition, I would be

glad if Stilling's course of life could contribute suggestions for the reader’s own life.

Without doubt, in the following text is room for corrections and betterments. The author and the publisher are grateful for suggestions that can help to improve the text.


11

Jung-Stilling at the age of 58. The portrait was created by the at that time famous painter Jacob Fehrmann (1760–1837) at Bremen.


12

Family, schooling and first professional experience

1740

September 12: Johann Heinrich Jung – he later called himself "Stilling" which means:

a humble, modest, unpretentious person – was born in the small village Grund. His

birthplace belongs to the former principality of Nassau-Siegen, situated roughly in the

middle of Germany. Stilling is the son of John Helmann Jung (1716–1802) and Joan

Dorothy, née Fischer (1717–1742).

His father is a tailor, and on occasion he acts as a village teacher. He also

occasionally helps his brother John Henry Jung (1711–1786) who is a successful

land surveyor and in later years becomes an honorary chief mine inspector in the

principality of Nassau-Oranien.

The young couple lives in their parent's home, which was usual in that time. The

family Jung, belonging to the lower middle class of their days, is deeply religious.

Morning prayer, grace at meals and evening prayer are a matter of course, as well as

the attendance of service on Sunday at Hilchenbach. Here, at the centre community,

was the church for the surrounding small villages and farmsteads.

It is quite simply wrong, to suggest that Stilling comes from a poor background: from

conditions of poverty. Nonetheless, this could be read over and over again. In fact,

however, the family had an own house, a partly self-sustaining smallholding and the

income of the grandfather as a charcoal burner and of the father as a tailor. Poverty had

a quite different face in those days – and it has even in our time.

Likewise, it is completely wrong to state that Stilling grew up in oppressive boundaries of

pietistic conventicles. Equally false is the allegation that in his parental home existed in

general a gloomy, sullen, ill-humoured atmosphere, and there was prevailing a decidedly

hostile attitude towards the world. It is also fictitious to characterise Stilling as a pietist by

birth. Regrettably, this all could be read in some treatises about Stilling. The first part of

Stilling's autobiography paints an entirely different picture relating to his childhood home.

At that time, it was quite normal that a boy, yet as a child, would grow into the profession of

his father. Stilling, therefore, became acquainted early with tailoring. Little girls helped in the

household and on the farmstead. There were still neither national child protection

associations nor international labour standards on child labour. And the neighbours did not

call the police – as happens today – because of child exploitation, if a mother sends her

twelve year old son to buy five rolls to the baker just around the corner.

The Sieg region takes its name from the Sieg: a water-rich, unnavigable tributary of the

Rhine river. This native country of Stilling is an old mining area. Here both iron ore and non-

ferrous metals were extracted since ancient times. But in the main only a small amount of

metal could be found in the rock. That means it was relatively expensive to extract the


13

mineral deposits sought after. In order to mine the pure metal, the Sieg region had numerous

smelting works. Around 1960, mining closed down. Meanwhile, the costs exceeded by far the

revenues.

Charcoal burners, like Stilling’s paternal grandfather, stoked the furnaces with coal, in which

ores were smelted or reduced. The processing further took place with water-powered

hammers, located on the numerous streams of the mountainous Sieg region.

Special forms of forest cultivation had evolved during the centuries in the Sieg region. Their

purpose was to ensure a continuous availability of charcoal. Generally, in the second half of

the 18th century – and very likely in preceding times as well – the demand for charcoal

exceeded supply. The charcoal burners, therefore, could achieve a good price.

Nearly all miners and metal workers – and the various suppliers likewise, as charcoal

burners, producers of leather aprons, bootmakers, carters, toolmakers or repairmen of all

kind – had a small farm with livestock. These smallholdings were at least partly self-

sufficient. Thus, in times of low demand for metal and consequently under-employment, they

were not starving.

Stilling grew up, as he pointed out in his autobiography, in the midst of peasants, miners,

charcoal burners, iron smelters and blacksmiths. Thus, Stilling as a boy and as an

adolescent gained important insights into farming as well as into activities of craftsmen.

He also acquired a feeling for industrial production and its various circumstances. That,

in turn, was very useful for Stilling as an assistant in the metal-working enterprise of

Flender from the age of twenty-three, and likewise as a professor of applied economics

in later years.

Almost one third of his lifetime Stilling lived at home in the Sieg region. One should not

fail to take into account the socio-economic background of his youth, if one wants to

understand Stilling as a person. Without doubt, psychologists are right when they teach

that the formative influence of the native surroundings affect the whole life. In many ways

– and even in his wording, diction and writing style – this fact had been proven with

regard to Stilling.

1742

April 19: Stilling's mother died at the age of nearly 25 years. A fortnight long fever

afflicted her. The exact cause of her death from a medical point of view remains

unclear.

As a result his father fell in to a period of depression. So the little Stilling is largely

brought up by his grandfather Ebert Jung (1680–1751), the owner of a small farm

and a charcoal burner, and his wife Margarethe, née Helmes (1681–1765).

Moreover, there are four younger aunts who helped to care for the little boy. His

father’s youngest sister was, at that time, sixteen years of age. After about a year of

melancholy Stilling’s father committed himself to the education of his son.

http://en.langenscheidt.com/english-german/charcoal

http://en.langenscheidt.com/english-german/burner

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/depressiveness.html


14

Stilling's grandfather exercised a lasting influence upon his grandson. His authentic and

masculine piety made a permanent impression on the young Stilling. Ebert Jung, by his

profession closely connected to nature, found the biblical message mirrored in the whole

of creation. Consequently, he saw no contradiction between science and faith or

between Bible and reason. In this, too, Stilling followed his grandfather.

Likewise, Stilling's firm position as to the necessity of a church, structured around a fixed

profession of faith, could be explained by the influence of his grandfather. Any formation

of groups outside the institutional church lead believers astray. Stilling later expounded

these ecclesio-political principles emphatically in his book "Theobald, or the Fanatics",

published 1784/85, and illustrated by various real-life examples.

In his largely autobiographical novel "Theobald, or the Fanatics" Stilling tells us how his

grandfather went on Sunday, with all members of the family, to the church service. During

afternoons he held a service at home. Ebert Jung distrusted preachers touring around and

proclaiming exceptional teachings. Apparently, such missionaries in those days gained a

high reputation and much trust in many families in Stilling's local area. Even more: they often

then were recognised as extraordinary messengers from God.

Such missionaries captivated pietistic people, at least temporarily, including Stilling's father.

They distinguished themselves by unduly emotional – and by this almost automatically

lopsided – commitment to faith. Stilling's grandfather, however, had fundamental doubts

about excessively pious lay preachers who visited the families offering special devotions. In

addition to their reputation as special messengers coming down from heaven, Ebert Jung

cited the Bible. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded,

though one rose from the dead" (Luke 17:31).

As we learn from the first pages of Stilling's autobiography, the paternal country estate which

his grandfather had inherited was indebted. Stilling's grandmother brought nothing into

marriage apart from religiousness and her willingness to work. But now, after about thirty

years, Ebert Jung is proud that he is not only debt-free. Even more, he can pay every child a

considerable dowry. As mentioned above, charcoal burning at that time was a profitable

craftsmanship in the Sieg region.

Evidence for the depth of which Stilling's grandfather influenced him is given by the fact

that much of Ebert Jung's nuggets of wisdom coloured Stilling's later speaking and

writing, even into his professorship. When Stilling encountered his father 1796 after

thirteen years of separation, Stilling greets him with the remark "It seems to me I stand

before my grandfather, whom you have come to resemble a great deal, dear father".

In volume four, book four of "Homesickness" 1796, Stilling reports that he often saw his

grandfather in his mind. He was behind him and looked over his shoulder while Stilling

wrote. He even heard him talk. On this occasion we also learn that Stilling's grandfather

Ebert Jung read frequently a chapter in "The Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan (1628–

1688). His comment after reading was: "It is as I myself had undertook a journey".


15

On the downside, Stilling had no good relationship to his father. The father beat his son

at every opportunity. "In his presence I never felt well", avowed Stilling in the

"Retrospect" which he annexed the "Years of Apprenticeship" 1804. In a letter to his

friend John Caspar Lavater (1741–1801) at Zurich, dated April 29, 1780, Stilling

professed that as a boy he lived permanently under great fear of the cruel and merciless

strokes from his father. The absence of a loving mother and the severe, embittered

father surely overshadowed Stilling's youth to a certain degree.

1747–1750

Stilling attended the elementary school of his native village Grund, and in the last

year the school of the nearby Allenbach where his father found employment as a

teacher.

1750–1754

Stilling was a pupil at the secondary school of Hilchenbach, a small town with, at that

time, roughly 780 inhabitants and the centre for all adjacent villages. At the same

time the main town Siegen had about 3'200 inhabitants.

Here Stilling learned to express himself fluently in Latin which was to a large extent the

language of the educated people at that time. Latin was also normally the medium of

teaching in universities throughout Europe.

1755

April 15: Confirmation: a rite by which the recipient is admitted to full communion with

the Reformed church. Since 1559 Nassau-Siegen was a Calvinistic heartland in

Germany.

In Stilling’s native country, a phasing-in of the Lutheran reformation took place since

around 1530. In 1578 the governmentally decreed introduction of the Reformed doctrine

à la façon de Genève followed.

One characteristic of the Calvinistic orientated church order was a strict church discipline.

This was exercised by the pastor and the church elders. Ebert Jung, Stilling's grandfather,

was one of the elders. Contemporaries described the average church life in the days of the

young Stilling as rather joyless with a sour prevailing mood. Stilling, in "Theobald, or the

Fanatics" 1784/85, described how various mystical groups were going to fill this gap, and

how they tried to inspire and to stimulate the spiritual life.

To be admitted for confirmation, the young people had to memorise the catechism. This

is an elementary book containing a summary of the principles of a Christian

denomination in form of questions and answers. In Stilling's home country, at that time

the Heidelberg Catechism – as the leading Reformed confessional guidebook – had

come in obligatory use. From his early days, Stilling continually had to learn a set of

questions and answers. His father forced him to do so.


16

Later, in the fourth volume of "Homesickness" 1796, Stilling emphatically expressed his

negative attitude to this method of preparing young Christians for confirmation. By being

forced to learn the questions and answers by heart, young people would be brought to an

aversion towards religion and church. Due to that, they often want nothing more to do with

religion in all their life. Besides, most of the topics in catechism could not yet be understood

by adolescents. Instead of catechism, Stilling advocates special teaching methods

appropriate to the age of confirmands.

Another statement made by Stilling concerning the catechism is noteworthy. It can be found

in the biographical introduction to his "Textbook of Political and Administrative Science"

1788. As Stilling wrote, his father taught him: to be a Christian, it is not at all necessary to

commit to memory the questions and answers of catechism. Stilling had to learn them solely

as a member of the Reformed church.

1755–1762

Stilling becomes a teacher at various villages in his local area. In addition, Stilling

works as a tailor and button maker with his father. With continuing high order entries,

Stilling also assisted his godfather now and then in land surveying. For a long time

Stilling believed his future profession to be in land surveying.

School attendance was compulsory at Nassau-Siegen for all children between six and

fourteen years: for both boys and girls. Intelligent young males and literate craftsmen

then regularly acted as teachers in the rural areas. A teacher was elected and paid by

the village community. The parish priest carried out school supervision.

In addition, the families in the village had to take it in turns to provide the teacher with

meals. This procedure of "migratory boarding" was a characteristic of Nassau-Siegen

early school system. Thus, the teacher became familiar with the personal circumstances

of his school children. On the other hand, the villagers came in close contact with the

teacher they had elected.

Is this is an inspiring role model for our time? The teacher's union surely would fervently

reject such a scheme. And without doubt, many housewives want not show that they do

hardly more understand about food preparation than to open a box of canned dinner or to

prepare an oven-ready meal, above all a pizza. Please excuse the empirical judgment on this

point.

As to his early acquaintance with land surveying, Stilling had invented a new – or at least

innovative – device for land surveying. At the expense of the Palatine Academy of

Sciences at Mannheim, a prototype was created in 1771 at Strasbourg under the

guidance of Stilling. The device should be used to determine the exact form, boundaries,

position, extent etc. of the Electoral Palatine with the aim to create a detailed map.

Stilling recommended himself at the Palatine court officials as just the right man for this

task.

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/acquaintance+with.html


17

Unfortunately, in transit to Mannheim 1772, the new surveying instrument was badly

damaged. It appears that it was not properly packed for carriage by horse and cart.

Nothing further was heard about this matter. The intended mapping of the Electoral

Palatine was postponed. Stilling, in the meanwhile, was a doctor at Wuppertal and most

probably no longer interested in surveying and mapping.

House instructor and office assistant in the Duchy of Berg;

access to ophthalmology

1762

April 12: Because he does not see any professional advancement at home, Stilling

decides to leave his homeland. As a tailor-journeyman he travels to the neighbouring

Duchy of Berg, at that time a technologically advanced and industrialised region.

After brief work-related travel breaks, Stilling got a contract as a tutor in the family of

the manufacturer (iron products, chiefly for marine applications in the shipyards on

the North Sea), wholesale trade businessman and landowner Peter John Flender

(1727–1807), acting also as the chief's right-hand man.

Flender’s business letters, handed down to us, give clear evidence that he was a

cultivated, very thoughtful and strong personality. Flender writes letters also in Dutch. He

peppers his correspondence with Latin quotations. This suggests that he had a basic

knowledge of Latin. Most likely Flender was instructed in his boyhood by a private tutor.

This was common in moneyed merchant and manufacturing families at that time.

Flender regularly visited his customers at the shipyards on the North Sea. Through these

contacts he learned of the particular requirements and specific demands of shipbuilders.

As Stilling reports, Flender read nationwide newspapers daily. He was, therefore, always

well informed about commercial and political affairs in Europe. In addition to all of these

Stilling pointed out, that Flender was a very successful agriculturalist.

It is here that Stilling had the opportunity to study both the practice and the

fundamental principles of production, business administration, agriculture and

commerce. He considers those years as university-like studies in technics as well as

in business management. During the seven years with Flender, Stilling mostly taught

himself French, Greek and Hebrew.

In addition, Stilling came from a rural and relatively coarse milieu. Here in the house of

Flender he took to the high class lifestyle, to the sophisticated manners, to the personal

hygiene, to the fine culinary culture and to the tasteful dress sense of the well-off

bourgeoisie. Certainly, all this was highly beneficial for Stilling in regard to his later

career.

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/personal.html

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/hygiene.html


18

Jung-Stilling at the age of sixty years. The picture created one of the best portraitists of this time, the

Swiss artist John Henry Lips (1758–1817). Stilling himself has attested the portrait as an exact match

with his appearance.


19

Flender and Stilling were in constant contact over the course of seven years. Undoubtedly,

political and economic topics were taken up during these discussions. For these issues

inevitably entered into the various business affairs in which Flender was engaged. Therefore,

it seems clear that Stilling, hungry for knowledge, read economic literature. He did so quite

likely by his own initiative, to add something new to his various conversations with Flender.

The relationship between Stilling and his thirteen years senior principal was sincere and

trustful. There was not a single irksome moment between the two men, as Stilling

emphasises in his autobiography.

It should not be forgotten that each individual in those days was assessed on the background

of a social class in which he or she was born. Consequently character, personal

achievements, knowledge, competences, behaviour, appearance or other traits were not

considered, although we use these to form an opinion about someone today. In Germany,

the categorisation in this regard disappeared gradually from 1815.

Likewise, each person typically interrelated and interacted only with those in his or her social

class. Everyone was aware of this fact and behaved accordingly. For example, in public

houses – and even in churches – it was quite unimaginable for a craftsman to sit in a seat

reserved for the merchant class. A sense of the division of classes can still be felt today in

many respects by the segregation of different races, or the caste systems existent in certain

countries.

Within these social ranks, Stilling was born into the lower level of the craftsman class. The

social esteem of both tailors and rural schoolteachers was relatively low. Now, as an

assistant to Flender, he enjoyed a little more esteem. Nevertheless, Stilling was merely a

servant in the enterprise and household of Flender. His position in the social system of those

days was still perceived as comparatively low.

1769

Springtime: John Baptist Molitor (1713–1768), a Catholic priest and lay

ophthalmologist at Attendorn (a little town in the surrounding area of Nassau-Siegen)

hands a manuscript over to Stilling with detailed advice for the diagnosis and therapy

of eye diseases. This is the beginning of Stilling's career as an ophthalmologist. From

1773 he performs eye surgery, and for the most part as a specialist who removes

patients´ cataracts.

Throughout his life, Stilling may have operated more than 2'000 patients. At a rough

guess, he gave ophthalmological advice to more than 15'000 people suffering eye

diseases. Stilling demanded no fee for his medical support. Often, not even his

expenses were reimbursed which Stilling had for the travel to the blind, for

anaesthetics, for haemostatic agents, for bandages, for ointment, etc.

Study; marriage; working as a medical doctor


20

1770

February 12: Engagement to Christine Heyder (1749–1781), the sickly daughter of a

small-sized textile manufacturer at [Wuppertal]-Ronsdorf, blessed with nine children.

By this Stilling refused the marriage with a rich, beautiful and righteous daughter of a

merchant who would take Stilling as a business partner. Stilling writes 1804 in his "Years

of Apprenticeship" that the reason why he decided so was a disaffection towards the

profession as a merchant.

Wuppertal (valley of the Wupper [river]) was founded in 1929 as a new town. Since it is the

common name of several formerly independent municipalities and communities situated

geographically close together. The Wupper is an unnavigable, water-rich right tributary to the

Rhine. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Wupper valley was one of the largest

industrial regions in continental Europe ("German Manchester"). Stilling lived there for

fourteen years.

In the autumn of that year, after a longer period of intensive self-study, Stilling

matriculated as a medical student at the University of Strasbourg.

At this time Strasbourg, with roughly 40'000 inhabitants, ranked upon the biggest towns

in Europe; Munich counted about 31'000 inhabitants and Frankfurt on Main around

30'000. Besides, Strasbourg had – not least thanks to the peaceful coexistence of

Catholic and Protestant faith as well as German and French lifestyle – a rich cultural life.

The University of Strasbourg – and particularly the faculty of medicine – then enjoyed

a reputation as one of the best European training institutions. Here Stilling came into

contact, among many others, with John Geoffrey Herder (1744–1803) and John

Wolfgang Goethe (1749–1832).

Regarding Herder, Stilling wrote in the third part of his autobiography that he never in his

life admired a person more than this man. Herder, so Stilling, has only one conceptual

scope: and this is the whole world. Stilling gratefully stresses that the genial Herder gave

him a push to everlasting mental movement.

Also, in this part of his life story Stilling expressed his thankfulness to Goethe. It was he

who enthused Stilling with literary works. Particularly, he introduced Stilling to classical

and contemporary English literature. Goethe gave him a new direction in his reading,

Stilling emphasised.

In 1770, a normal course of studies in medicine at Strasbourg would have taken four

years. But Stilling was invited even in his first semester to go with the clinical

professor on visits to the local hospital. This extraordinary privilege was attributed to

Stilling's profound medical knowledge and expertise, derived from his private studies.

Stilling, now in the age of thirty, was ten years over the average age of the other

students. Moreover, Stilling had over the duration of ten years undertaken a wide range


21

of occupations. From a young age he worked as a tailor and button maker with his father.

For eight years Stilling was a teacher. Occasionally he was re-engaged as a lineman in

land surveying: he did the chaining, taping and marking of points for his godfather who

was a surveyor. Finally, Stilling was employed for seven years as chief assistant to a

Europe-wide operating entrepreneur and businessman. Due to this, Stilling was regarded

by his fellow students – and most likely also by the academic teachers – as exotic.

Stilling achieved an outstanding academic performance. Hence, he enjoyed a great

deal of respect in the faculty. The professor responsible for chemistry, therefore,

commissioned Stilling with a training course in chemistry in the winter semester

1771/72. Also, Stilling offered in a private sphere, a lecture in philosophy. This course

became very well attended, as he underlines in his autobiography.

1771

June 17: Marriage to Christine Heyder; the couple had three children of whom two

survived.

The engagement and marriage to Christine Heyder raises a number of questions that are

very difficult to answer – if at all. Stilling emphasised in the "Retrospect" which he

annexed in the "Years of Apprenticeship" 1804, that he was not at all in love with the girl.

Also, carnal desire would not have played any role. Stilling assured that he got married

solely out of obedience towards God with "this cachectic and frail person." Stilling did not

once expect money from his father-in-law, as he emphasised.

Nevertheless, for long years the father-in-law had to support the couple. Likewise, Christine's

father had to bail out Stilling for loans he had taken out. In a letter to his friend John Caspar

Lavater, dated April 28, 1780, Stilling named the accrued sum of 3'000 Thaler. Roughly

adjusted to purchasing power in 2017, this sum equals to around 60'000 Euro. Accordingly,

Stilling was faced every year with a debt of approximately 300 thaler in his housekeeping

budget. In his autobiography, Stilling sheepishly admitted that neither his wife Christine nor

he himself were able to operate economically. Both were unable to handle money

responsibly.

1772

After only three semesters, Stilling attained the final degree in medicine at

Strasbourg. He received his diploma with distinction. Handing over the certificates,

the Dean stressed that Stilling achieved much more in only three semesters than

other students in double the time – and even longer.

May 1: Opening of a doctor's practice at [Wuppertal]-Elberfeld: at that time an

industrial and commercial city with roughly 7'500 inhabitants. Here Stilling acted as a

general practitioner, obstetrician and ophthalmologist for seven years.


22

During these years, Stilling established and deepened close relationships with many

writers and academics, above all with the Zurich poet, writer, philosopher, physiognomist

and theologian John Caspar Lavater (1741–1801).

1773

April 22: On presenting a doctoral thesis to the University of Strasbourg, John Henry

Jung is conferred the degree of a Doctor of Medicine. Stilling's thesis deals with the

metal mining in his home country. Sciences at that time were attached commonly to

the faculty of medicine, and medical professors regularly were competent in at least

one natural science.

It should be noted that Stilling made two significant achievements at the University of

Strasbourg. Firstly, he passed the medical examinations with outstanding achievement.

Secondly, in his doctoral dissertation he dealt with the physical structure and substance

of earth, together with metal mining, in his home country, the Sieg area. The description

of a disease process and appropriate therapeutic treatment was common at that time –

and still long afterwards – for a normal thesis in medicine.

Dedicatee of Stilling's thesis is Carl Theodor (1724/1742–1799), elector of the Palatine at

Mannheim, his sovereign, whose realm then also included the Duchy of Berg with the

capital city Dusseldorf on the Rhine river. According to former common practice, the

dedicatee took over the costs of printing a book.

Stilling partially translated the correspondence between archbishop François Fénelon

(1651–1715) and the French mystic Madame Guyon (1648–1717) from French into

German. This manuscript is believed to be lost. Perhaps it is stored in an archive.

1774

July 22: John Wolfgang Goethe visits Stilling at Elberfeld and takes the manuscript of

"Henrich Stillings Jugend" (Henrich Stilling's Childhood) home with him.

Disrespect on the part of colleagues – Stilling was branded as an "advanced commercial

clerk" – mistrust, envy and his wife's sickliness made life increasingly difficult for Stilling

at [Wuppertal-]Elberfeld. In addition, Stilling became more and more indebted. His

doctor's surgery was not at all economically profitable. To top it all off, an unfaithful

maidservant stole from the family.

On the other hand, neither Stilling nor his wife were able to “husband”. Both had never

learned to use money prudently because they were cared for at home by their families.

Money was sometimes spent for unnecessary goods, as Stilling admitted. The father-in-

law, therefore, again and again had to help out and act as a guarantor. "Money matters

were furthest from Stilling", writes his son-in-law in the annex to the autobiography of

Stilling.

https://dict.leo.org/ende/index_de.html#/search=sickliness&searchLoc=0&resultOrder=basic&multiwordShowSingle=on&pos=0


23

1775

Publication of "Die Schleuder eines Hirtenknaben gegen den hohnsprechenden

Philister den Verfasser des Sebaldus Nothanker" (The Sling of a Shepherd Boy

against the Philistine, the satirical author of Sebaldus Nothanker). A second edition

was issued by the publisher in 1779.

Writer of "Sebaldus Nothanker" was the radical Enlightenment philosopher and

bookseller Christoph Frederick Nicolai (1733–1811) at Berlin. Nicolai describes –

admittedly in a very colourfully and intellectually stimulating way – experiences of an

open-minded country clergyman primarily concerned with the authority of his church, and

then with various people from the traditionalist and pietistic milieu. All these groups are

malignant, spitefully caricatured.

Stilling plucks to pieces and rejects the insinuations and accusations of Nicolai. He

defends emphatically in particular pietists: people with a significant commitment to the

emotional and personal aspects of Christian faith.

Stilling rejects the view of Nicolai, that humans could attain perfection by themselves, solely

by reason. Likewise, Stilling refuses to accept the reduction of men only on intellect, on

nouse: understood as the ability to think and make judgments. That mankind is in need of

redemption seems to him an empirical fact. Stilling also rejects the thesis that in the Lord's

prayer is the quintessence of all religious truths.

Nicolai warns about preserving the Christian doctrine through Catechisms, as such

cementing the principles Christian religion. Instead, dogmas should be adjusted to the

thinking, advancement of knowledge and likewise to the language of each generation. But in

this respect Nicolai generally sees things to be in a very bad state. In the final analysis, that

would be the reason why churches lose more and more intelligent believers.

Stilling considers these arguments only in passing. He lengthily refutes the opinion that

dogmas of faith are changeable like fashion. On closer inspection, however, Nicolai, has not

said this directly. As other enlighteners of his days, he appeals – at least superficially, on the

outside – just for an adjustment of dogmas to the changes in sciences and society.

In addition, Stilling is outraged over the manner in which Nicolai pours biting mockery and

mordant irony on the Christian religion. Stilling does not reject criticism on the church and

faith in general. But such criticism must remain objective and should not have a hurtful effect.

Also, Stilling regards it to be extremely mean and shabby that the most famous illustrator of

those days, Daniel Chodowiecki (1726–1801) prostitutes himself to enliven and vivify the

satirical figures in this book of Nicolai. – Curiously enough, some years later, in 1777, the

same Daniel Chodowiecki illustrated properly the first part of Stilling's autobiography.

1776

Publication of "Die große Panacee wider die Krankheit des Religionszweifels" (The

Great Panacea against the Malady of Religious Scepticism). "Panacea" means a


24

remedy for every ill or difficulty: something that would make all of one's troubles and

problems disappear. A second edition was issued by the publisher in 1779.

More precisely, panacea is named after the Greek goddess of universal remedy Panakeia.

Panacea was not only supposed to be a remedy that would cure all diseases, but also a

substance which prolongs life indefinitely. It was sought by the alchemists as a connection to

the elixir of life and the philosopher's stone, a mythical substance which would enable the

transmutation of common metals into gold. Without doubt, Stilling from early childhood had a

preference for occult doctrines and myths of all kind. The term "panacea", therefore, was

familiar to him.

It is supposed that Stilling's doctrine of Hades as outlined later in the "Theory of

Pneumatology" 1808 has its origin also in secret traditions. In this case it may chiefly come

from Greek mythology. Hades, in the teachings of the ancient Greeks, is an afterworld where

souls go after death.

Reviewers criticised the basic theological position of Stilling in the "Panacea". It was

blamed as a "religion of human effort". The tenor is: everybody has to work hard on

himself in order to be able to reach God.

By this, it was said, Stilling would not realise that man can decide only for God because

God decided preliminarily for man. Neither would Stilling enunciate clearly the Christian

doctrine: that Jesus Christ not only chronologically but indeed factually precedes any

attempt to develop, to improve and to fulfil oneself. And it also was complained about,

that Stilling does not highlight in this publication at all – as he did so in his later writings –

the promise that Jesus Christ is with us always, to the close of the age (Mt 28:20).

The treatise is followed by the "Theodicee des Hirtenknaben als Berichtigung und

Vertheidigung der Schleuder desselben" (Theodicy of the Shepherd Boy as a

Correction and Defence of his Sling). The term "theodicy" refers to the defense of

God's goodness and omnipotence regarding the existence of evil in the world. A

second edition was issued by the publisher in 1779.

Right at the beginning Stilling diagnoses that people obviously are not as they should be.

The widespread wrongdoing of individuals suggests a basic corruption. That raises the

question: is the corruption implanted into a human being by God the creator? Or is it

culpably acquired? Stilling discusses this matter in detail. Successively, Stilling tries to

prove that reasonable religion, pure philosophy, Holy Scriptures and the Reformed

confessional documents – considered correctly and properly understood – are

compatible and in harmony with one another.

Ultimately, for Stilling it is an important concern to prove that Christian faith could neither

be based on nor explained by reason alone. The devout acceptance of revelation in

Jesus Christ is the only way to counteract the decline of Christianity. In addition, it is

important to reduce the domination of concupiscence which leads to a general corruption

of morals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panacea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immortality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elixir_of_life

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher%27s_stone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopoeia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold


25

Stilling writes "Theosophischer Versuch vom Wesen Gottes und vom Ursprung aller

Dinge" (About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being. A theosophical Attempt).

"Theosophical" means philosophical speculation based on a mystical insight into the

divine nature. Stilling points out in the preface his aim to outline an introduction to a

"true philosophy".

The draft contains 82 paragraphs. It was not yet published in print, though analysed in

detail by several authors, in particular by Jaques Fabry (1931–2012). Some of the main

ideas, Stilling took up and revived in his book "Glances into the Secrets of Natural

Wisdom", published in 1787.

Ultimately, Stilling's aim is to enrich the Protestant dogmatic theology with "pure

Gnosticism" and "secret theology". He confirmed this in a surviving letter to Philipp

Matthew Hahn (1739–1790), dated June 17, 1779. In other words, working out a clarified

Christian gnosis is Stilling's goal.

"Secret theology" means a doctrine that affirms the existence of a single, true theology that is

present in all religions and that was given by God to man in antiquity. – Gnosticism is

collective name for a large number of greatly-varying esoteric religious movements. However

unsatisfactory this definition may be, the obscurity, multiplicity and wild confusion of Gnostic

systems will hardly allow another. Many scholars, moreover, would hold that every attempt to

give a generic description of Gnostic groups is labour lost.

Catholic theology at that time was based on scholasticism everywhere. Simply put, this is a

system of harmonisation on the part of medieval Christian thinkers to bring into accord the

various authorities of their own tradition, and to reconcile theology with classical and late

antiquity philosophy, above all that of Aristotle (384–322 b. Chr.). Writings suspicious of

Gnosticism were banned. the "(Roman) Index of Forbidden Books” acted as a means to that

end. It was established in 1559 and continued until 1966.

The understanding of Gnosticism in general reveals only if one puts aside the law of the

excluded third. Generally speaking, this principle says that there is no mediate between

conflicting things. N is either M or it is not M. A number is either even or odd. The

Gnostic tradition knows, however, the inclusion of the opposition.

In "About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being" Stilling relies also on the old colour

mysticism. Yellow is the colour of the light. Blue is the colour of the dark area of the sky.

They emanate from a common centre. However, they are in the opposition between light and

darkness. The other colours arise from these two basic colours. Red and green are there

next colour pair. Stilling modifies this all and attributes the colours to individual spirits and

powers. In the end, the spirit of wisdom radiates in the seven colours of the rainbow.

As we know, Stilling got such insights during his student days in Strasbourg. John Wolfgang

Goethe as well as John Geoffrey Herder may have encouraged him. Religious, philosophical

and esoteric tradition, based primarily upon writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus,

enjoyed a great deal of interest and were popular among some groups of students of these

days. It is today universally accepted that the Hermetic writings have various unknown

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes_Trismegistus


26

authors – all probably Greeks – and they contain popular Greek philosophy combined with

some Jewish and possibly some Persian influences.

Stilling wrote 1804 in the fifth part of his autobiography in retrospect, that he had

been attacked by doubts in his faith. In particular he should have wrestled with

determinism. By this term is meant the idea that the entire past as well as the future

was determined at the origin of the universe. As a consequence, INTER ALIA, prayer to

God is unnecessary and useless. However, reading 1788 the book "Critique of Pure

Reason" by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) should have

released him from such doubts.

Stilling emphasised dramatically that by reading Kant his struggle with determinism was

successfully completed once and for all. For Stilling understood henceforth that reason is

not able to comprehend God's action. Allegedly, such a key finding would have given him

back a firm belief and trust in God.

However, this statement of Stilling is not at all in accordance with the facts. As it is clearly

evident from "About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being", Stilling indubitably had

already found a solution regarding the problem of compatibility between theological

tradition and deterministic view of the world in 1776. "Glances into the Secrets of Natural

Wisdom" 1787 confirm this unmistakably too. Both writings reveal a sharp contrast to

Stilling's statement in 1804 that he had been in the stranglehold of determinism for

twenty years. Also, his letters reveal nothing of faith doubts caused by determinism.

In a letter to his friend John Caspar Lavater, dated April 19, 1781, Stilling asked for prayer in

dire need. But in this letter religious doubts are not at all thematised, as often alleged.

Rather, Stilling was at this time in a tricky debt crisis. His father-in-law had bailed him out for

1'500 Thaler. The creditors demanded their money back. Stilling, however, was not able to

pay.

Sixteen years later Stilling reports a painful fear which oppressed him at this time. Surely the

lack of success of his medical practice, the social disregard he had to face, the sickliness of

his wife, his growing debt burden and other troubles had caused this.

Stilling was principally always rooted in Christ and established in the faith. He did not

doubt nor did he distrust being led by God in all his ways. Stilling expressed this in 1795

in the introduction to "Key to Homesickness" as well as in other places. Besides, this is

the tenet in all parts of his life story. Hence it remains a mystery why he in retrospect

claims to have been a captive of determinism.

1777

Thanks to Goethe's mediation, "Henrich Stillings Jugend. Eine wahrhafte Geschichte"

(Henrich Stilling's Childhood. A true History) is issued in one of the most famous

publishing houses of those days. It quickly grew into a bestseller. Since then John

Henry Jung-Stilling has his place amongst the classical authors of German-language

literature. This first narrative description as well as the following autobiographical


27

reports of Stilling are translated into many languages and made him famous in the

global literary world.

Literary criticism is believed to have had strong influences on Stilling's "Childhood" by the

"The Vicar of Wakefield", subtitled "A Tale, Supposed to be written by Himself". The

author is the 18th century Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith (1728–1774). The novel was

published 1767 at Leipzig in a German translation. Stilling also took inspiration from the

British poet Henry Fieldling (1707–1754) and some others. As Stilling 1778 wrote in the

third part of his life story, his university friend John Wolfgang Goethe, during his student

days in Strasbourg, pointed him towards contemporary English literature.

Leo Reidel (1876–1961) is certain to have discovered striking similarities between Oliver

Goldsmith and Stilling. He explains this at large in his doctoral thesis 1906 which was

reissued 1994. Reidel assumes that the original text of the first part of Stilling's

autobiography had an exuberant pietistic (whatever that may mean) bias. At Strasbourg,

Goethe draw the attention of Stilling to Henry Fielding and Oliver Goldsmith. He advised

him to draft the report about his early life period according to the tenet of storm and

stress. This type of literature came into fashion from the late 1760s.

Stilling followed the advice of Goethe. He thus – so Reidel believes – took Goldsmith as

a model. He even implemented details from the "Vicar of Wakefield" in his own life story.

In this way Goethe had a crucial impact on "Henrich Stilling's Childhood". Besides,

Goethe has promoted the manuscript to print.

Suppose one describes a lime-tree. Then, this description has striking similarities with the

description of an oak-tree. Each time the basic structure consists of root, stem and crown.

The lime-tree and oak-tree are subjected to the same phytophysiological life process.

Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in the two trees. Also, the intracellular substance

transportation follows the same rules. However, both are indubitably fundamentally different

trees. – Analogously, it has to be seen the "Vicar of Wakefield" and "Henrich Stilling's

Childhood". Stilling's autobiography is a literary product in its own right. It is unique and

surely distinguishable from similar writings.

Other experts contradict the view of Leo Reidel. Lastly, there could be detected in

"Henrich Stilling's Childhood" striking parallels connections to Greek and Roman

classical authors. In addition to it, the poems which Stilling weaved into the "Childhood"

reveal remarkable similarities with ancient Babylonian poems. Seen in this way, nothing

written would ultimately be an original.

In addition, award-winning works of literary criticism tried to demonstrate that Stilling is a

typical author of storm and stress. This was a movement in German literature and music

that took place from the late 1760s to the early 1780s, in which individual viewpoints,

feelings, beliefs, emotions and desires were given free expression.

Other famous authors present Stilling as a perfect example of German romanticism.

Romanticism was a movement in Europe at its peak in the late 18th century

characterised by its emphasis on emotion and glorification of all the past and nature,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_literature

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Germany


28

preferring the medieval rather than the classical. In her 1931 doctoral thesis, published in

1985, Anne Marie Pagenstecher (1900–1997) compiled sufficient evidence of Stilling as

a romanticist.

Still others, first of all John R. G. Günther, classify Stilling generally to pietistic literature.

But it can be turned round any way one likes, "Henrich Stilling's Childhood" could hardly

be associated with pietism.

Anyhow, the "Childhood" of Stilling and the further parts of his autobiography are

manifesting the peculiar character and the individual personality of Stilling – not more nor

less. There should be no doubt about that. Whoever wishes to do so, may find

similarities in the life story of Stilling to pietism, romanticism, storm and stress,

freemasonic or whatever else. And it seems a fact that much written in literary science –

admittedly like in other social sciences too, and alas economics not excluded – are

suppositions based on a hardly solid foundation.

However, like every document, the autobiography written by Stilling must also be viewed

critically, that means using careful judgment about the particular reports and statements.

This is indispensable, but unfortunately all too often neglected. Evidently, some things

did not happen, as Stilling described it. Also, some facts which would have cast a

shadow on Stilling recede into the background or are left out.

Thus it is only vaguely presented – though admittedly it is mentioned – that his maternal

grandfather Frederick Maurice Fischer (1683–1740) was an idler and waster. He scarcely

could feed the family on a permanent basis. It is completely wrong that he should have been

a clergyman. Nevertheless, this could be read again and again – even in reputable

encyclopedias, and likewise in hundreds of documents published online or in print. Stilling's

grandfather never attended an institution of higher education. And least of all was he a

parson.

Instead, Frederick Maurice Fischer has spent much effort on finding the philosopher’s stone.

This is a mythical stone capable of turning base metals as iron into gold or silver. The

philosopher's stone is also able to extend life, to achieve rejuvenation and even to realise

immortality. The stone is solely attainable through alchemy. Stilling's grandfather on his

mother's side has wasted between thirty and forty years of his life searching for this

mythological stone. As Stilling reported in the first pages of his life story, Frederick Maurice

Fisher confessed himself, that he has misspent his life. He could not make anyone happy: a

fact that he bitterly regretted.

Surely, the grandmother Marie Wilhelmina Christine Fischer, née Manger (1679–1736) was a

pastor's daughter. But already at the age of sixteen, she gave birth to an illegitimate son

Peter. Throughout their life, the grandfather’s family did not succeed in moving out of poverty

and hardship. Stilling’s mother was a beggar girl who toured through the villages in order to

save her widowed father from starving.

Another example of the necessity to regard the autobiography with critical eyes is that Stilling

suggests to the reader that visiting Latin school 1750 was his first instruction given at school.


29

Until this time he was educated only at home by his father. Obviously, in the life story the

impression should be given that a rising genius grows up secretly in a remote village and cut

off from the world.

This portrait of Jung-Stilling was created 1801 by the painter and engraver Franz Hegi (1774–1850) at

Basle.


30

But this is proven wrong. For Stilling entered school in his childhood village at seven years of

age. However, he withholds the primary school attendance in his life story. Admittedly, in his

handwritten notebook which has come to us, Stilling specifies his school career as it really

had been.

However, it should also be mentioned that, from the perspective of literary science, the

first part of Stilling's life story is an important contribution to peasant literature. It is

regarded as the first autobiography of a man from the 18th century who was able to work

his way out of the rural milieu. Furthermore, authors who followed Stilling have

acknowledged it as the first village story. This was a literary genre in the first half of the

19th century. Presented through simple and straightforward narrative structure, village

stories are stories about ordinary, everyday events in villages. They include inevitably the

lives of peasants and support staff in the peasantry, such as maids and menials.

Despite its supposed new pulses of life and the relative popularity of literary ecocriticism –

that means the study of literature and the environment from an interdisciplinary point of view

– literary scholars are scarcely discussing peasant literature. In particular, the presentation of

the peasants’ relationships to and interaction with nature has gone largely ignored despite

the rise of ecocriticism. Very little is written about the portrayal of nature in peasant literature,

and until now in this regard almost nothing about Stilling. Perhaps this is so because it

seems to be uninteresting, too simple in the eyes of most scholars.

However, the total absence of a view on the lower classes of the people in Stilling's life

story was rightly criticised. Servants and maids – at that time largely without any rights –

do not occur in his autobiography. Likewise, paupers, cripples and bedlamites are not to

be found. But as we know from research in social history, such people were

unquestionably living in Stilling's immediate environment. Later, in his "Peoples

Teacher", Stilling took notice of such humans at least on the sidelines.

From the viewpoint of Marxism, therefore, Stilling is classified as a typical exponent of the

bourgeoisie. In popular speech, this frequently used term implies in Marxism philistinism, a

striving concern for proper behaviour or conventional conduct and the belief that material

wealth is a very important thing.

Stilling stands, from the Marxist perspective, for the writers and men of letters in his day,

characterised by ignorance and blindness with regard to the situation of the rural proletariat

(the class of wage-earners, whose only possession is their ability to work) and all the more of

the subproletariat (the class of outcast, degenerated and submerged elements that make up

a section of the population, specifically beggars, prostitutes, gangsters, racketeers,

swindlers, petty criminals, tramps, chronically unemployed or unemployables). Those people

are non-existent for Stilling.

The same applies, according to the Marxist accusation, to his friends from university, John

Wolfgang Goethe and John Geoffrey Herder. However, Stilling's aim was not to write a social

novel. He sought explicitly to detail his own life, and not to describe the economic and social

conditions. Apart from that, it could be questioned whether Stilling is a typical representative

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/bourgeoisie.html


31

of a bourgeois in the sense of Marxism. They could be better found among leading Marxist

theoreticians. And more than a few classify Karl Marx (1818–1883) as the prototype of a

bourgeois.

After some years Stilling felt too ill to practise medicine. As he writes in the

"Retrospect" which he annexed the "Years of Apprenticeship" 1804, he combed

through all the old and new medical literature. What he found there confirmed his

mistrust towards medicine. There were more probabilities and even pure speculation

than statements based on scientific evidence.

In a letter to his friend John Caspar Lavater, dated April 28, 1780, Stilling complains

about the charlatanism of most colleagues. They are just blowing smoke in the majority,

the minority could cure. Indeed, it was not for another century that medicine found a firm

basis. This was achieved due to the advancement of knowledge in natural sciences,

especially in biochemistry and the insights and findings thereof.

Somewhat surprising: in his – mostly autobiographical – novel "Theobald" 1784, we find

another explanation for Stilling's professional failure, for his lack of success as a

physician. Stilling openly admits that he was not sufficiently advanced in medical

science. Furthermore, his belief in miracles was an obstacle. He believed he could

achieve healing through simple home remedies and prayer.

Philosophy was closer to his research-based spirit than medicine, Stilling confessed when he

wrote "About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being" which later in parts was imbedded in

"Glances into the Secrets of Natural Wisdom" published 1787. What Stilling failed to mention

is his frequent absence from Elberfeld as an itinerant ophthalmologist. What patient would

trust a doctor who is not present in the case of an emergency.

Appointment as professor at Kaiserslautern; death of his wife;

admission into the Masonic Lodge; remarriage

1778

Stilling has published some well-founded articles in a scientific journal about technical

and business-related questions. Thus he attracted attention at the Palatine court and

the Electoral administration at Mannheim. As a result, Stilling was appointed

Professor of Applied Economics (Agriculture, Forestry, Technology, Commerce and

Veterinary Medicine) at the Kurpfälzischen Kameral Hohen Schule (Academy of

Economic and Administrative Sciences of the Electoral Palatinate) at Kaiserslautern.

The town at that time was named "Lautern."

The Academy at Kaiserslautern was then regarded as a model example – and not just

inside Germany. In 1774, when the Academy was founded, academically trained

economists did not exist. If ever economics was taught at universities, this was done by

lecturers with standard legal training, and accordingly in general at the law faculties.


32

More than a whole century had to pass before full academically trained merchants and

economists leave German universities.

Also, the Academy at Kaiserslautern had no constricting traditions. The German tongue

was the sole language of instruction. At most universities then Latin was the language in

which lessons were conducted. The four-semester programme at Kaiserslautern was

predominantly focused on German conditions and domestic circumstances.

This was all tolerated at the heavily French-oriented court at Mannheim. The native tongue of

the elector Charles Theodor was French. He grew up at his great grandmother’s home in

French-speaking Belgium. At Mannheim, a large number of court officials were francophone.

Moreover, a majority of the inhabitants of the town of Mannheim was French-speaking.

Mannheim offered after 1685 (revocation of the Edict of Nantes from 1598 as the charter of

religious and political freedom of French Reformed christians) a home to oppressed

Protestants from France. The Mannheim council minutes were written in French even until

the midst of the 19th century.

Moreover, the leading social class of the Palatine – and perhaps the majority of the

population too – was full of admiration for the French lifestyle. By contrast, Stilling in the main

was averse to French culture. Quite often he criticised the influence of the French on

Germany. Stilling sees the corruption of morals in Germany as originating in France. Surely

this judgment comprises projection in the sense of psychology. Projection in psychology is

defined as a form of defense in which unwanted feelings and realities are displaced onto

another person. They then appear as a threat from the external world.

Even the melodious French language is abhorrent to him. Stilling labelled the sweet-

sounding French contemptuously as "cacophonous tintinnabulations". It is noteworthy that

Stilling learned French in 1763. His employer Peter John Flender payed for an immersion

course with a regional language teacher. Stilling then taught the children of Flender in

French. As mentioned above, Stilling later translated the correspondence between

archbishop François Fénelon and the French mystic Madame Guyon from French into

German.

Stilling furthermore disliked the basic religious tendency in the Palatinate. The average

Palatine man is reluctant to commit himself clearly and definitely in regard to matters of faith.

Perhaps, this attitude was brought about by several compulsory changes of confession in the

centuries before. Others say, this propensity should be attributed – a great deal – to the wine

that is cultivated and enjoyed quite a lot in this region.

Whatever the case, preachers of repentance consequently are perceived as bothersome and

annoying. In retrospect, Stilling writes, three years before his death, that he knows of no

people more careless towards faith than the folk of the Palatine.

Due to his broad experience in all the subjects he had to teach, Stilling without doubt was

the ideal person for a professorship at this new type of institution of higher education.

Accordingly, Stilling was able to realise the struggle to transfer theoretical knowledge into


33

practice and VICE VERSA. This is reflected in all of his related textbooks as well as by later

written memoirs of his students.

By the way something droll and amusing. In his autobiography, Stilling usually designated

persons, places and landscapes by own-given characteristic names. So he calls

Kaiserslautern "Rittersburg", which means "Castle of Knights", and the Western Palatine

"Austrasien". For "Austrasia" was called a territory which formed the northeastern section of

the Merovingian Kingdom of the Franks during the 6th to 8th centuries, and at that time

Kaiserslautern may have very likely belonged to it.

In the translation from German to Norwegian by Mrs Kirsten Dorothee Aargard Hansen

(1850–1902), published at Christiania (former name of Oslo, the capital of Norway) in 1880,

"Austrasien" was mistranslated into "Australia". So it said Stilling was appointed professor at

Rittersburg in the faraway Australian continent.

But even in German publications about Stilling, his aliases and invented names are

frequently not recognised. So one can read "Eisenhart" (a man solid as iron) instead of the

real name "Medicus"; or "Rosenheim" (home of roses) for what is actually [Wuppertal-]

Ronsdorf where Stilling met – and later married – his first wife. According to a leading

German encyclopedia, Stilling's first appointment as a teacher was at "Zellberg". This is the

name which Stilling attributed in his autobiography to Lützel, a small village in the

neighborhood. Many other examples can be found which indicate that the hidden names of

Stilling were not detected.

Publication of "Henrich Stillings Jünglings=Jahre. Eine wahrhafte Geschichte"

(Henrich Stilling's Youthful Years. A true Story) and "Henrich Stillings Wanderschaft.

Eine wahrhafte Geschichte" (Henrich Stilling's Wanderings. A true History) as the

second and third part of his autobiography.

The repeatedly used subtitle "a true history" by Stilling should demonstrate that the text

contains experienced reality. What Stilling writes is not existing only in his imagination or

fancy, in other words: it is not a novel, nor a fictitious prose narrative.

Theologians with a critical view on Stilling pointed out that Stilling, beginning with this second

part of his autobiography, put great weight on the assurance of salvation and on religious

certainty in his inner experience: into the depths and complexities of his own personality. As

a substitute for the Scripture-bound church doctrine, in the life story of Stilling a creed would

shine out which lies merely in the reality of own faith experience: in a credo which is

characterised by a special, a personal way of encountering God.

Factually, thus the Bible would become divested of its character as a witness to the unique,

historical act of salvation by Jesus Christ. Instead, Stilling sees the Holy Scripture

predominantly as a book of inner religious edification. Hence, the Bible is principally reduced

to a comparative yardstick, to a standard of comparsion of Stilling's own religious experience.

Hackneyed phrases via the Herrnhut Watchwords – started in 1728 and highly esteemed by

Stilling – widely take the place of a coherent whole, especially in the Gospels and Epistles of

the New Testament.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_the_Franks


34

Likewise – such the continuing reproach by theologians – in the autobiography of Stilling, it

would not be God PER SE who is believed. Rather the focus lies on the person who is inclined

to accept or to reject the acts of God as right for him, Stilling, and in his special situation. God

seems to be watched and tested as to whether he is able to reveal before the human being

that he, God, really exists.

All that would be Stilling’s basic religious idea in his life story. It could hardly be, as is said in

disapproval, subsumed to general Christian doctrine. Instead, Stilling may have borrowed

these positions from special branches of German pietism with which he came into contact at

an early age and/or later in the Duchy of Berg. – Other church historians doubted this. They

presented different approaches to an explanation.

Mainly the growing financial burden obliged Stilling to write not only course books for

his students but also novels. However, Stilling also found pleasure fulfilment in writing

novels.

1779

At Kaiserslautern "Versuch einer Grundlehre sämmtlicher Kameralwissenschaften

zum Gebrauche der Vorlesungen auf der Kurpfälzischen Kameral Hohenschule zu

Lautern" (Approach to a basic Theory of Cameralism as a Whole for Use in the

Lectures at the Palatinate Academy of Economic and Administrative Sciences at

Lautern) was published. Roughly speaking the book can be seen as a programme of

key themes Stilling intends to teach. It furthermore shows that Stilling had delved

deeply into the subject literature. The book was reprinted in 2003 at Kaiserslautern

with an introduction by the writer along these lines.

Dedicatee of the "Basic Theory" is the regent of Palatine, Baron Francis Albert

Oberndorff (1720–1799) as the protector of the Academy at Kaiserslautern. The Palatine

elector Carl Theodor as the founder of the Academy entered into the inheritance of

Bavaria and moved from Mannheim to Munich in 1778. Nevertheless Mannheim

remained the capital of the Palatine.

Mannheim is located at the confluence of the Rhine and the Neckar. Both rivers are

important for the water transport. The eighteenth century Mannheim Palace is the largest

baroque palace in Germany. The site of the palace is impressive, even though the

construction of roads and railway tracks unfortunately had diminished its dominating look. To

the southwest, it faces the Rhine. To the northeast, the palace presents its 450 meter long

front to the Mannheim town centre. The palace was destroyed completely in World War II

and re-erected after the war. Nowadays it houses the University of Mannheim.

The two-volume novel "Die Geschichte des Herrn von Morgenthau. Von dem

Verfasser der Geschichte des Henrich Stillings" (The Story of the Lord of

Morgenthau. Written by the Author of the Life of Henry Stilling) was published at

Mannheim and was translated into Dutch some years later.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neckar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannheim_Palace


35

The story deals with the life of a prince who is betrayed of his birthright by false

suspicions. He withdraws into solitude and does a lot of good. Finally, after many

pursuits, he can assert his right as the ducal heir. Stories of this kind were well received

by the reading public of those days. – At the same time Stilling begins to write romantic

tales for a Palatine almanac.

As we know from his correspondence, Stilling has completed the novel already in 1777.

It is striking that Stilling deals with questions of faith in "The Story of the Lord of

Morgenthau". He presents positions which are to some extent different from later

standpoints, especially in his novel "Homesickness" 1794–1796 and in his "Grey Man"

1795–1816.

Stilling criticised the orthodoxy, that is to say those who merely adhere to correct creeds

and dogma. As to Stilling, their representatives are – though not completely but mostly –

illiberal, narrow-minded and cold-hearted. Most of all through purity of doctrine, they do

have no true compassion, no generosity and, therefore, are principally unable to carry

out the just human behaviour: to help others, and most of all to bring forth good fruits.

In all his publications Stilling strongly defended pietism. Pietism – in the broadest sense:

there are many different definitions in detail – is a movement within Christianity that

attempts to focus on individual holiness and a consistent Christian life. Consequently,

personal piety stands above religious formality and orthodoxy. Stilling designates this as

"right pietism".

But Stilling has no sympathy at all for an escapist pietism. Pietism, standing apart the

"sinful world", is inevitably allied with separatism. Pietists, by their withdrawal from the

church and even from general public, are idle members of the human society. In the final

analysis escapist pietism – Stilling speaks repeatedly in his writings about "wrong

pietism" – it is anti-social. Moreover, their awareness of personal election by God leads

pietists unavoidably to spiritual pride: to the illusion that they had an elite or special

status compared with ordinary Christians. They come before God in self-righteousness.

Stilling also rejects neology. In those days this was a method of theological interpretation

essentially alone through reason. The truths of faith in this way should be made

accessible, understandable and acceptable even to those who were without faith.

Stilling places emphasis on the fact that neology destroys the authority of the Bible, disavows

the atoning death of Jesus Christ, reshapes all traditional religious service and leads finally to

a vague, nebulous religion of humanity. Reason, Stilling emphasises, clearly has a firm place

in the Christian faith. But faith could be neither justified nor explained solely by reason.

Incidentally: a special feature in the stories and novels of Stilling is that he – as a learned

tailor – describes the character of the persons acting very detailed from their specific

clothing.

In the same year at Frankfurt on Main "Heinrich Stillings ascetische Schriften"

(Ascetic Works of Henry Stilling) was published. The book contains reprints of "The

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/self+righteousness.html


36

Sling of a Shepherd Boy", first issued 1775, "The Theodicy of the Shepherd Boy",

first issued 1776 and "The Great Panacea", first issued 1776.

In the preface to this edition, the publisher expresses his hope that Stilling’s texts inhibit

the torrent of freethought. For this dangerous flood threatens to sweep away everything.

Fortunately, Stilling had gained a large readership through his early biography. The

publisher – John Conrad Deinet (1735–1797) – expects, therefore, that the readers of

the first part of Stilling's autobiography would also be interested in the religious opinions

of the author in his early manhood. By 1779, the second part of Stilling's life story was

not yet published. – In 1806/1808 these three early theological publications by Stilling

were issued again at Frankfurt on Main in a pirated edition.

It is very doubtful whether the term "ascetic" does apply here. For "ascetic" means avoiding

physical pleasures and living a simple life for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. If at all,

Stilling has in each of the three publications given only marginal consideration to such

aspects. It really would be much more correct to describe the three books of Stilling as

"apologetic", that is: defending the Christian faith.

1781

Publication of "Versuch eines Lehrbuchs der Landwirthschaft der ganzen bekannten

Welt, in so fern ihre Produkten in den Europäischen Handel kommen. Den

Vorlesungen auf der Kurpfälzischen Kameral=Hohenschule zu Lautern gewidmet"

(Approach to a Textbook of Agriculture in asmuch as the Products are merchandised

in Europe. Presented to the Lectures at the Academy of Economic and Administrative

Sciences of the Electoral Palatinate at Lautern). This comprehensive textbook shows

that Stilling has a broad knowledge of worldwide agricultural production and trade.

During his time as an assistant in Flender's enterprise, Stilling became familiar with the

trade in colonial goods. The term chiefly refers to foods and other consumer goods

imported from European colonies of this period. In particular, this includes sugar, rice,

coffee, tea, cocoa, tobacco, cotton and dyewood. Flender procured those goods directly

from the importers at the sea ports of Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Antwerp. He sold them

at a profit chiefly in the Duchy of Berg.

Typically, Flender traded his finished products without the exchanging of money against

colonial goods. Such barter agreements were not seldom to be found at that time. Both

parties thus escaped a currency risk. They also saved a lot on banking fees. Thus, Flender

capitalised on the extensive and sound market knowledge of the businessmen on the North

Sea coast.

At Mühlheim on the Rhine, Flender had a warehouse. The town, situated on the right bank of

the Rhine river and today a district of Cologne, then was part of the Duchy of Berg. The

goods arrived at Mühlheim by ship. From there they were transported by horse and cart, in

the main to commercial consumers. At that time there was still no railway and no lorries.


37

Page from the diary of Jung-Stilling from August 1799. The memoir is written in a secret code. Stilling

is regarded as a prominent representative of applied cryptography.


38

In his textbook, Stilling, as a physician, further deals with the potential medical

application of plants. Thus, through this book healing effects of herbal agents, hitherto

forgotten, came to life and were used again.

The remarkable "Textbook of Agriculture" was newly printed 2009 in easy readable fonts,

published by the Jung-Stilling-Society Siegen. A detailed index was added. Unfortunately, in

all of Stilling’s original books there are no alphabetical lists of subjects, mentioned in the text.

Such a burdensome and time-consuming activity formerly had to be performed manually.

Computers did not exist yet. On the other hand, professors in those days were not yet

surrounded by a swarm of university assistants, student assistants and secretaries, as is the

case today. An academic author, therefore, had to compile an index unaided.

Moreover, Stilling’s teaching obligation at Marburg was twenty-four hours per week. As such

Stilling saw himself permanently subjected to time pressure. This explains a lot and excuses

much, especially Stilling's sometimes unpleasant style of writing.

1781

October 18: Decease of Stilling's wife Christine at Kaiserslautern. The cause of death

given was emaciation.

The term "emaciation" was often used in medicine of those days describing loss of

weight, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite. In addition, Stilling

mentioned phthisis which probably means inflammation of the lungs or perhaps

tuberculosis.

In general, it is very difficult to translate the old disease names in to the medical language of

today. Even contemporary specialists in this field are repeatedly at a loss with such issues.

The main reason is that the description of a malady in old documents often proves to be

defective, insufficient and vague.

The novel "Die Geschichte Florentins v. Fahlendorn" (The Story of Florentin of

Fahlendorn) is published at Mannheim and soon translated into Dutch, English and

French. Following contemporary taste in novel literature, Stilling portrays the

development of a orphan originating from a noble but pauperised family. He works

his way up from poor rural milieu to a high level career in civil service. Finally, he can

renew his rights as a member of an aristocratic family. In a letter to his friend John

Caspar Lavater, dated December 30, 1781, Stilling considered this novel as one of

his best opuses.

In some respects, Stilling's own development is reflected and mirrored in the novel. This

is also true with regard to a lot of the statements about religious life: positions he had

presented before in the novel "The Story of Lord of Morgenthau" 1779. Faith would be a

horror in the eyes of God if it was not always accompanied by good deeds. Stilling

identifies the tendency to separatism as the cardinal sin of escapist pietism. In Stilling's


39

opinion, the pietistic contempt for all forms of civic culture ultimately indicates pride and

egotism; namely an inflated sense of superiority.

Theologians revealed that the doctrinal base line in "Florentin of Fahlendorn" is the same

as in the first parts of Stilling's autobiography. God has set a calling, a destiny for every

human being. The path to this goal is directed by God. Hence, a man gets led out from

circumstances that divert from reaching his destiny. He is guided in settings which

correspond to his calling. In this way, God realises his intention for an individual.

Consequently, in Stilling's "Florentin of Fahlendorn" it is not the desire for eternal

salvation which determines the actions of the hero of the novel. Rather, it is the

realisation of his role, assigned to him by God.

In other words: God's way with the hero of the novel does not lead him from remoteness of

God to closeness of God. Instead, from the very start nearness to God is deeply embedded

him. The implanted calling must simply be awakened, maintained, developed and kept up.

Consequently, there is hardly any need for the teaching office of the church nor for the

ecclesiastical life as a whole. Accordingly, the church and her service is brought up in the

novel merely on side-lines.

Some church historians point out that Stilling finally presents the doctrine in regard to God

and the man in this novel, typical for a strong movement within the German Enlightenment

theology of his days. There is no existential necessity for an intimate connection with Jesus

and through this, a personal communion of love with the triune God, such as Stilling aimed

for a goal in the publications of his last stage of life.

More precisely, Stilling teaches: "It is an eternal rule of the divine government: God forces no

free rational being to act according to God's will. Instead, he rules all by such institutions

which give them better insight: which can direct their inner self to live their purpose in

accordance with their destination" (Theodicy [German edition] 1776, p. 107). As already

noted above, some experts consider this attitude as characteristic for a special track in

pietism, which Stilling came across early on his childhood. Others disagree; Stilling has, they

say, borrowed these views from Enlightenment theology of his time, or perhaps from ideas

stretching back to early Greek philosophy.

Other critics find no serious lines regarding any form of pietism, either from

Enlightenment, or Greek philosophy. Stilling’s early three novels – as well as his

autobiography – are said to be typical novels of formation, novels of education. This is a

very old literary genre that focusses on the inner growth of the protagonist from youth to

adulthood. Perceval (13th century) and Simplicissimus (1668) are cited as examples.

In general, this may well be true. But here specifically the relationship of the single

person to God, and the role of the church in the course of this, is brought up for

discussion. It surely does not achieve much to point out – from the viewpoint of literary

history – that we are dealing with the genre of the formation novel.


40

Possibly, as it is said by some experts, Stilling was acquainted with the evident

proposition: "every self-active being realises itself in action". In other words: "it is by his

own action that man attains his fullness, his self-perfection" (OMNE AGENS AGENDO

PERFICITUR).

An illustrative example: a little boy learns to tie his shoes by doing it himself. If overprotective

parents or meddling siblings constantly tie junior’s shoes, then he will never learn how to do

it. Thus, everyone is personally committed, he alone is obliged to do everything in his power

in order to achieve his fullness.

One could discuss whether this may or may not applicable to the teachings of Stilling as

pointed out above. In particular, again the question arises, how this – undoubtedly accurate –

proposition had to do with the process of developing oneself as described by Stilling.

But without a doubt, there exists a goal-orientated or purposeful behaviour in every human.

This is neither a Masonic nor an Enlightenment idea, as was claimed. Rather, Stilling is in

line with the Aristotelian doctrine and the mainstream Christian philosophy. A drive for full

improvement is implanted in, built into and impressed upon every man (it is an APPETITUS

INNATUS). By purposeful doing, by telic action, the fulfilment of personality has to be

developed by each individual. But the implanted basic drive is completely satisfied only

through the contemplation of God. This is the final goal of every person.

Finally, one last point to the perhaps never ending discussion. It is alleged by theological

professionals that this attitude in the early novels of Stilling (God works in every human being

principally without their own cooperation and, consequently, we need in the end no church

with all the bells and whistles) would be widespread even today as misconceived "Protestant

freedom". This often is seen in contrast to "Catholic righteousness through works". Church

attendance, prayer to God, participation in the sacraments and good deeds generally would

be assumed in common Catholicism as indispensable for salvation. – However, the "Joint

Declaration on Justification", 1999 signed by Lutherans and Roman Catholics, stated that the

churches now share a common understanding of our justification only and alone by God's

grace through faith in Christ.

Stilling was accused to have taught: what promotes the achieving objectives of a person

is ethically good. By contrast, all that hampers its pursuance is bad. – This is a

thoroughly spiteful supposition. At no time and nowhere Stilling has presented such an

ethical system, neither directly nor in the slightest indirectly anywhere.

It is as well spiteful and malicious to portray Stilling as a disguised egoist. Essentially, the

German professor of psychology John R. G. Günther (1898–1981) did this in his book "Jung-

Stilling. Ein Beitrag zur Psychologie des Pietismus" (Jung-Stilling. A Contribution to the

Psychology of Pietism) which was published 1928 and in a second edition 1948. Craving for

recognition, Stilling should have arrogated a prophetic ministry for himself. With tremendous

effort he would have sought to present himself as a charitable, self-denying tool of God. But

ultimately, his aim was always to signalise and to document the excellence of his person, to

show his quality of being outstanding.

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/righteousness.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/through.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/works.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_the_Father

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_in_Christianity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/achieving+objectives.html


41

Self-presentation and self-admiration, says Günther, would have been the main purpose of

Stilling's activities. In no sense Stilling could be regarded as a loving person for whom he

pretended to be. Quite the contrary, he did oblige and even force people to love him. Stilling's

personality could be characterised by a thirst for power. All his actions would reveal a

breathless chase for enlargement and increase of his sphere of influence.

Anyone who has dealt with Stilling will shake his head in astonishment about such

misinterpretations and calumnies. How awful that all these is brought forth under the claim of

psychological science. The history of Günther's influence on the image of Stilling is

disastrous. To this day, many authors adopted more or less uncritically Günther's unfair,

unreasonable and preconceived statements. Likewise, a lot of Günther’s contextual mistakes

and factual errors are frequently found in publications about Stilling.

"The Story of Florentin of Fahlendorn" was soon printed in a pirated edition which

indicates its popularity. The next two centuries saw many new editions.

Stilling is initiated as a member of the Masonic lodge "Karl August zu den drei

flammenden Herzen" (Charles August to the three flaming Hearts) at Kaiserslautern,

a deputy lodge of the "Karl zur Eintracht" (Charles for Harmony) at Mannheim. – All

secret societies were prohibited in 1784 in the realm of elector Charles Theodor. The

lodge at Kaiserslautern, therefore, had to be closed.

As Stilling pointed out, the lodge at Kaiserslautern brought about and did much good.

Surely, this elitist male society contributed substantially to the interconnection of diverse

groups. Thus, the lodge helped to establish better social relations among men of culture

who were at that time separated above all by barriers due to different religious

denomination. Roughly one third of the inhabitants of Kaiserslautern in those days

belonged to the Reformed church, another third to the Lutheran church and remaining

third to the Roman Catholic church.

In the meantime freemasonry, in the run-up to French Revolution of 1789, had been –

creeping nearly all over Europe – converted to a large extent into radical revolutionary

cells with a strong anti-Christian touch. That was unbearable and insupportable for

Stilling. In later residential locations, therefore, Stilling was not active as a freemason

from this point. Nevertheless he held close contact with leading freemasons. Also,

respectable masonic principles and values evidently left a mark on him.

Thus through the decades John Frederick Mieg (1744–1819), member of the Reformed

ecclesiastical council at Heidelberg, was his friend and even the foster father of his daughter

Elisabeth (1786–1802) from the second marriage with Selma. The girl grew up in the

childless Mieg family in the centre of Heidelberg.

John Frederick Mieg was a leading freemason, and in addition clandestinely chief of the

Illuminati Order in Palatine. This was a secret society founded 1776 in Bavaria with the goal

of confronting what they called superstition, to oppose illiberalism, Church influence over

public life, together with arbitrariness of princes as well as abuses of state power in general.


42

The famous writer Friedrich Matthisson (1761–1831), member of the lodge "To the three

Clover Leaves" at Magdeburg, was godfather to the Stilling's daughter Caroline, born in

November 1787. On his first journey to treat patients with eye disease in Switzerland, Stilling

visited 1801 Matthisson at Stuttgart. Here Matthisson had acted since 1812 as a theatre

general director. Before, Matthisson visited Stilling at Marburg in October 1794.

Another close friend of Stilling was Frederick Rudolph Salzmann (1749–1821) at Strasbourg.

He was a prominent member of the lodge "La Candeur et Ferdinand aux neuf étoiles" and

also a member of the Illuminati order. Both were in an active exchange of letters. Nearly 130

letters from Salzmann to Stilling have come down to us. Max Geiger (1922–1978), a leading

authority on Stilling, believes that the friendship between the two men goes back to Stilling's

years of study at Strasbourg.

Besides, Stilling distinguishes between true and false freemasonry. Loosely speaking,

true freemasons are Christian male fraternities working for the benefit of humankind.

False masons are anti-Christian revolutionary cells.

1781–1782

Publication of the two-volume textbook "Versuch eines Lehrbuchs der

Forstwirthschaft" (Approach to a Teaching Book on Forestry) which was newly

printed in a second edition 1787 and 1789. Stilling grew up at the edge of a forest,

and as a child he accompanied the grandfather into the woods. His great uncle

fabricated wooden spoons. Because of this he learned from immediate proximity not

only about woodworking but also about timber processing, charcoal burning and

other kinds of use. He also took up an impression of professional silviculture and

sound forest management.

The theme of the textbook benefits from these early familiarities. There is a strong

emphasis on forest administration too. Other contemporary authors rarely thematise

these issues in detail. In forest science it is pointed out today that Stilling contributed

substantially to the awareness of the high economic importance of forests as well as to

the need for a well-functioning forest organisation and reliable forest administration.

1781–84

Stilling published the monthly magazine "Der Volkslehrer" (The People's Teacher).

All the articles and stories are written by him alone. The periodical is provided as a

support in the ordinary people’s struggle for life. To this target group Stilling presents

educative stories and practical advice for home, leisure and garden: from animal

husbandry to children’s bed care through to healthy eating. As in later publications of

this kind, Stilling cleverly adapts his writing by presenting specific topics in the style of

thinking and speaking of the envisioned readership.

In any case, Stilling directly approaches the subject matter. He also has the masterful

ability to capture the interest of potential readers in the first lines of a story. However, the

articles in the "The People's Teacher" are no linguistic masterpieces. Often enough, after

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/theatre+general+director.html

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/theatre+general+director.html


43

a brief and clear written introduction, Stilling strings together overlong sentences which

he connects again and again with the conjunction "and". But it should be remembered

that Stilling wrote down these stories in a period of professional and domestic stress. No

time remained for him to refine and to polish the texts. – Besides, this is also true with

regard to Stilling's other publications, mentioned above.

Two anthologies with stories taken from "The People's Teacher", issued in German language

by the writer of these lines, break up the long-winded sentences. Abridged sentences are to

be found in both volumes. New subheadings are inserted and an index is added. In the

original, sections in the text are extremely rare. At least today, nobody reads such an

unpleasant and disagreeably presented edition. It remains to be proven whether this was

different in earlier times. Probably – and this seems realistic to assume – long sentences and

a multipage text not divided in sections and without cross heading deterred the readership

even back then.

1782

August 14: Stilling marries Maria Salome (Selma) von St. George (1760–1790) at

Kreuznach, a town on the lower Nahe river (a little tributary of the Moselle and,

ultimately, the Rhine). Six children were born of this second marriage, but only two

survived.

Stilling wrote "Briefe eines reisenden Schweizers über die Einrichtung der

Pfälzischen Fruchtmärckte herausgegeben von einem Pfälzischen Patrioten" (Letters

of a Swiss Traveller regarding the Institution of Markets for fresh Products in the

Palatine. Edited by a Palatine Patriot). In six letters Stilling gives lessons on the law

of supply and demand. He shows that where market forces could operate freely on

earth, any demand is sooner or later met by supply.

This applies as well to the market for agricultural products. Peasants, therefore, should

be allowed to plant their grounds themselves and sell their products on the free market.

A lot of general statements on market theory, valid even to this very day, are to be found

in these letters.

The manuscript has been stored at the Karlsruhe General State Archive and was not

published until 1993 by the Jung-Stilling-Society at Siegen (Germany).

1783

"Leben der Theodore von der Linden" (Life of Theodore von der Linden) appears in

two volumes as a novel at Mannheim. The story tells the internal and external

development of a poor peasant girl and her brothers from simple, untaught rural

children to people of broad education and high social prestige. In this novel, as it was

before in "The Story of Florentin of Fahlendorn", many parallels to Stilling's own

development are to be found.


44

Stilling's three early novels already dealt with the subject of pilgrimage: with the course of

existence of man on earth. However, the religious life is not the dominant theme, as it is

later discussed extensively in Stilling's four-volume novel "Homesickness" 1794–1796.

Rather, the pilgrimage of Stilling's early heroes is realised in their development to

intelligent, experienced, efficient citizens who are able to build a prosperous economy

and a peaceful society. To live a life pleasing God is a perequisite to achieve these aims

– nothing more. In Stilling's early narratives, the characters of the novel need no

repentance, no rebirth, no diligent search for the will of God, no helping grace of the

Divine Holy Spirit, such as is the case in his later publications.

Theologians have pointed out that Stilling in the most essential respects shares the

optimistic view of humanity prevailing in the 18th century. This seems scarcely

compatible with the Calvinistic doctrine of original sin.

Calvin believed that humans inherit Adamic guilt. Consequently, they are in a state of sin

from the moment of conception. This inherently sinful nature is the basis for the Calvinistic

doctrine of total depravity, of total corruption. This means that all humans born into the world

are morally corrupt, enslaved to sin. Even the good which a person may intend, is faulty in its

premise, false in its motive and weak in its implementation. There is no mere refinement of

natural capacities that can correct this condition. It is impossible for humans, therefore, to

achieve reconciliation with God based on their own abilities. Jesus Christ is the only remedy.

Obviously, Stilling recognises the corruption rather as a repairable weakness. After its

removal, humans are quite able in accordance with God's guidance to arrive in their purpose.

This would be – more or less clearly recognisable – the tenet of Stilling's three early novels

and of his autobiography.

Even contemporary literature critics censured that Stilling always harps on about the

same theme in his three early novels: that he repeatedly and tediously dwells upon a

single topic, which is the development of persons and improvement of conditions.

This is largely true in relation to the core subject. In each of the novels, however, Stilling

reflects on the story thoroughly from different aspects, and he discusses special features

in each novel. This is mostly the religious environment in "Life of Lord of Morgenthau,"

and primarily the ideal constitutional order in "Life of Theodore von der Linden".

1784

November 13: Stilling becomes an ordinary member of the "Kurpfälzische Deutsche

Gesellschaft in Mannheim" (Mannheim German Society of the Electoral Palatinate),

which had been founded in 1775, not least with the aim of promoting German-

language writings as a counterweight to the leading French-written literature in this

century. The membership brought Stilling into contact with important personalities of

the Palatinate and beyond.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvinism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_depravity

http://www.theopedia.com/Sin


45

Professor at Heidelberg; Palatine councillor; honorary doctorate

1784

Autumn: The Academy of Economic and Administrative Sciences at Kaiserslautern is transferred to Heidelberg. Here the Academy was organised as a semi-autonomous department of the university under the name of "Staatswirthschafts Hohe Schule" (National Economy Academy) and assigned to the Faculty of Philosophy. Stilling and his family had to move from Kaiserslautern to Heidelberg.

Stilling was glad to come from outlying – and in the world of letters unknown – provincial

Kaiserslautern with just over 2'000 inhabitants to Heidelberg with at the same time nearly

10'000 peoples. The famous university, founded in 1386 on instruction of Pope Urban VI,

is the oldest university in Germany and one of the world's oldest universities.

Situated at the Neckar river, a water-rich affluent into the Rhine, Heidelberg has a romantic

and picturesque cityscape, including Heidelberg Castle. Its ruins are among the most

important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. What is more: Stilling met colleagues

and learned men from all subject areas here. Figuratively speaking, Stilling flourished at

Heidelberg.

But regrettably a negative remained. The National Economy Academy was not popular

with a few of the professors at the old-established faculties. In addition – or perhaps even

because of the lower level of esteem and respect – there were persistent quarrels

between the head of the Academy, Frederick Casimir Medicus (1736–1808), and the

university management. Stilling had to suffer from this unpleasant internal strife too.

It seems that this was the main reason for a growing personal alienation between Stilling and

Medicus. After all, Medicus was the man who favoured Stilling. He had launched and

achieved the appointment of Stilling as a Professor at Kaiserslautern at court at Mannheim in

1778. Through the years, Medicus on several occasions protectively stood before Stilling.

Most probably it was also Medicus, who in 1781 presented and introduced Stilling into the

lodge at Kaiserslautern. The breakdown of relations with Stilling undoubtedly filled his

benefactor Medicus with deep grief and bitterness.

1784–85

The novel "Theobald oder die Schwärmer eine wahre Geschichte" (Theobald, or the

Fanatics. A True History) appears in print in two volumes at Leipzig. The descriptions

in it are to no small extent autobiographical. However, as it is in similar novels by

other authors, it has also proven difficult – if not even impossible – to separate real

experiences of Stilling in his life on the one hand and imaginary on the other hand.

Nevertheless the precise description of the activities within enthusiastic Christian groups

is surely based on Stilling's empirical knowledge in his home country and in the Duchy of

Berg. This is confirmed by other reliable historical sources. The novel was translated into

Dutch, Russian and English. A series of reissues and reproductions of the German


46

original were published too.

Stilling identifies "false" pietists very carefully by listing a number of typical features. They

dress themselves in an old-fashioned way, thereby they look older than they are. They are

marked by a disinclination to friendly social relations with their normal fellow citizen: they are

unsociable. They are unable to view things as they really are and, therefore, marked by an

inappropriate behaviour in their social environment. They tend to judge others. They have

disdain for reason. They have difficulties articulating themselves in a normal manner and fall

easily into an excessively pious, sanctimonious tone.

Further, "false" pietists tend to reveal their thoughts and feelings without being asked. Normal

persons keep all this secret. Such an effusive demeanour damages the reputation of

Christian faith; it drives people away from religion at all. Their assurance of salvation

generates an undue pride and proud contempt of others.

At every opportunity "false" pietists grumble about the depraved world. But they never place

the blame for troubles in the world on themselves. Instead, they look for others to blame. By

their separation from the civil society they fail Christ's command to serve humanity and the

world. Their routinely devotional hours reinforce their quirky way of live.

In some pietist communities Stilling's "Theobald" is still regarded as a misstep, as a lapse

of Stilling. But those ignore that Stilling – like virtually no other author of these days –

defended wholeheartedly "true" pietists. This can be seen already in his "Sling of a

Shepherd Boy" published 1775. What Stilling blamed at all times are the "false" pietists.

In the second volume of "Scenes in the World of Spirit", issued 1801, Stilling shows once

again and clearly enough the main features of "false" pietism.

"Theobald" is available for download (in the German original edition), free of charge and

without registration, from the Bavarian State Library at Munich. The book is also offered in

English as facsimile reprint of the original translation by the Presbyterian clergyman Samuel

Schaeffer (1803–1883) and published 1843 at Pennsylvania.

1785

March 31: Stilling is appointed '"Kurpfälzischer Hofrat" (Electoral Palatine Councillor)

by his sovereign, the elector Charles Theodor. At this time the title of "Councillor" was

associated with considerable increase in social esteem.

That in turn was a strong advantage for Stilling as a travelling ophthalmologist. For in

those days an eye surgeon came to the domicile of the blind. On the other hand, small

German states and cities sealed themselves off by entry and transit walls. So Stilling

often had to pass five or more customs barriers on the way to his patient. As a Palatine

Councillor, in most cases he got a preferred clearance and more prompt passage on the

borders.

Stilling published "Gemeinnütziges Lehrbuch der Handlungswissenschaft für alle

Klassen von Kaufleuten und Handlungstudierenden (Textbook of Commerce useful

for


47

Title leaf of an issue of Stilling's autobiography in the United States of America 1844. The British

translator Samuel Jackson (1786–1861) was a Methodist minister and very familiar with the German

religious literature. Further editions by Harper & Brothers were published 1848, 1852, 1855 and 1856.


48

Everyone and especially for all Traders and Students of Commerce). The textbook is

written with a valuable practical orientation. It reveals the far-reaching knowledge

Stilling has acquired during his time in Flender's enterprise.

A second edition appeared 1799, and a Danish translation by Hans Frederik Hellesen

(1785–1849) also in 1825. A reprint of the book was published 1995 in the difficult to

read original typeface with broad counters and thick ornamental serifs. Regrettably, the

editor avoided the hardship of adding an index.

Publication of "Versuch eines Lehrbuchs der Fabrikwissenschaft zum Gebrauch der

Akademischen Vorlesungen" (Approach to a Textbook of Applied Technology for Use

in academic Lectures). The book is divided in the two parts; mechanical technology

and chemical technology. A second edition was issued in 1794. Mainly the part about

the methods of mechanical technology includes many observations and experiences

Stilling has gained in his native country, the Sieg region, and later in the Duchy of

Berg.

At Heidelberg "Lehrbuch der Vieharzneykunde. Erster Theil, welcher die Physiologie

und Pathologie enthält" (Textbook of Veterinary Medicine. First Volume enclosing

Physiology and Pathology) was printed. The second part "Zweyter Theil, welcher die

medizinische Materie und Clinick enthält" (Second Volume enclosing Medical

Subjects and Clinical Methods) was published in 1787.

About 80 percent of the German domestic product (the total of material goods created)

derived in 1780 from the agricultural sector. Animals as cows, sheep and horses,

therefore, belonged to agricultural capital goods. Hence, veterinary medicine generally

had its place in the economic sciences.

In his inaugural speech at Heidelberg, held on November 10, 1784 "Einige wichtige

Bemerkungen über das Studium der Staatswirthschaft, Nebst dem Beweiß, daß auch die

Vieharzneikunde wesentlich dazu gehöre" (Some important Remarks about the Study of

National Economics, including the Proof that Veterinary Medicine aptly belongs to it),

Stilling shed light on these facts.

It was been perceived with displeasure that veterinary medicine now was introduced from the

Palatinate Academy at Kaiserslautern into the famous University of Heidelberg. Nevertheless

Stilling, in the inaugural speech mentioned above, favoured separate academies of

veterinary medicine as were already in existence in Germany at Hanover and Dresden.

Later at Marburg, Stilling did not teach veterinary medicine again. But a second issue of

his two-volume book was printed by John David Busch (1755–1833), professor of

medicine at the University of Marburg and director of the Veterinary College at Marburg.

He was a close friend of Stilling. Many textbooks published later on this subject are

based on the course book of Stilling.


49

But Stilling was not dispensed from lectures on agriculture and forestry at Marburg, which he

had to also give at Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg, even though this often could be read.

Stilling taught both subjects at Marburg willingly. For agriculture as well as forestry were his

deepest concern, doubtless much more than business science and economics. Stilling, as a

textbook author, was highly competent and qualified to communicate agricultural economics

and forest science.

1786

November 8: The honorary doctorate "Der Weltweisheit Doktor" (Doctor in

Philosophy) is awarded to Stilling by the prestigious University of Heidelberg.

The textbook "Anleitung zur Cameral=Rechnungs=Wissenschaft nach einer neuen

Methode des doppelten Buchhaltens" (A Guide to Accounting following a new

Approach of double Bookkeeping) is published at Leipzig. It reveals that Stilling has

detailed knowledge of all cases and subtleties of bookkeeping. This suggests that

Stilling was assigned the task of accounting in his years at Flender’s enterprise.

Stilling presents some account entries and booking transactions which are not to be

found in parallel publications of these days.

Appointment to Marburg; death of the second wife; remarriage; patient travels

1787

Appointment at the University of Marburg to the Chair for Economic Sciences under

very favourable contractual conditions: Stilling's renumeration was almost doubled.

From the beginning Stilling felt very comfortable at Marburg, probably not least

because he was closer to his land of birth.

Marburg belonged at that time to Hesse-Cassel. It is said to be one of the loveliest towns

in Germany. The town area spreads along the valley of the Lahn river, a non-navigable

tributary of the Rhine. From the viewpoint of religious history, Marburg is important

because 1529 Luther and Zwingli came here together and discussed the Lord's Supper

(Marburg Colloquy). By and by Stilling grew into an important personality in scholarly,

literary and public life of those days not only at Marburg but also beyond.

Without doubt, in 1787 Stilling was one of the most famous and also one of the most diligent

academic teachers at Heidelberg. He would have loved to stay there for much longer, if his

salary would have been increased. Strangely enough, Stilling earned less than mediocre

professors in other faculties. His pay rise request was rejected – for whatever reasons.

Nonetheless he left the Palatine profoundly grateful, as he writes in his farewell letter to the

regent of the Palatine, Baron Francis Albert Oberndorff.

As previously at Heidelberg, Stilling also undertook excursions with students at Marburg.

They went around Pentecost on a three day hike to Cassel. Measured in bee-line, both

towns are about 75 kilometer away from each other. On the way, Stilling taught about


50

many different matters, predominantly on agricultural and forestry issues. The private

diary of a Swiss student, Melchior Kirchhofer (1775–1853) from Schaffhausen, came

down to us and was printed in 1988. It conveys us a lively impression of these

excursions to Cassel.

There were some hours scheduled to visit of points of interest too. The visit to the mental

hospital at Haina on the small stream Wohra, a former Cistercian monastery, left an

especially lasting impression on the minds of the young men. Today it is hardly conceivable

the dire conditions in which mentally ill people in earlier times vegetated.

Stilling was conceded to carry on the honorary title "Electoral Palatine Councillor". The

Palatine elector Charles Theodor by succession law inherited Bavaria. He moved 1778

the electoral court from Mannheim to Munich. Stilling, therefore, was allowed to call

himself "Electoral Palatine-Bavarian Councillor". We find this title on the front page of

Stilling's textbooks from his time as a professor at Marburg.

Students as well as most colleagues and people which came in contact with him addressed

Stilling as "Mr Privy Councillor (Jung)" rather than "(Mr) Professor Jung". The honorary title

"Privy Councillor" formerly had a higher prestige than the academic title "professor".

Nevertheless a professor then enjoyed a high reputation. In our days they often associate

"professor" – at least in humanities – with a self-important eccentric who has lost touch with

reality. Obviously, the bearing of some professors on television has promoted this image.

Stilling is co-editor of the short-lived "Intelligenzblatt für Hessen" (Information Leaflet

for Hesse) and also contributes articles to that weekly publication.

Publication of the "Blicke in die Geheimnisse der Natur=Weisheit; denen Herren von

Dalberg Herdern und Kant gewidmet" (Glances into the Secrets of Natural Wisdom,

dedicated to Messrs Dalberg, Herder and Kant). The book appeared without any

indication that Stilling was the author. At least partly, Stilling integrated quotes into it

from "About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being" written in 1776.

In Stilling's "About the Nature of God and the Origin of Being" 1776, it is easy to detect a

close correlation to the biblical story of creation in the cosmological statements. Besides,

they follow mostly a continuous line. In an ascending sequence of steps the created

beings, under God's creative power, climb up to man.

In the "Glances" 1787 however, Stilling goes considerably further. He tries to penetrate

into the mysteries of the divine nature. Stilling takes it for granted that the accurate

observation of the physical nature reveals the idiosyncrasies of godhead.

Undoubtedly, in this way he intended to come close to the spirit of the Enlightenment of

his days. Stilling also believed that he had found in the "Glances" the balance between

faith and knowledge. To steer a middle course was always his general aim. Stilling

accentuated this in much of his writings. He choose even "You will go most safely by the

middle course" (IN MEDIO TUTISSIMUS IBIS) as the motto of his novel "Theobald" 1784.


51

Apparently, the "Glances" show striking parallels with writings of the dedicatee John Geoffrey

Herder. Above all, to mention is the idea of an ascending form of organisation of all things

and of all life. Also, the chain of successive forces in nature refers to Herder. Moreover,

Herder's tracts are also found in terminologies. So Stilling used – as Herder did – for the

biblical story of creation the designation "old literary message" and "poetic narrative of

Moses". Also, statements of Immanuel Kant and Charles Dalberg can evidently be

recognised in the "Glances".

But Stilling certainly did not mix merely thoughts of the three dedicatees. The "Glances"

contain also a lot of Gnostic and Cabbalistic ideas. So Stilling propounds an account of the

origin of God. He also deals with the origination of the world by a series of hierarchically

descending radiations from the Godhead through intermediate stages of matter.

Such ideas of theogony and the explanation of the creation of the world by an emanational

manner are characteristic for a philosophical undercurrent which flourished again in the 18th

century. Hermetics – and occult sciences in general – were opposed to radical

Enlightenment with its belief in the exclusive competence of human reason.

Especially, when enlightened thinking threatened to escalate in materialism and atheism, the

"secret wisdom of the ancients" attracted a lot of attention in Protestant intellectual circles

and even in some branches of pietism. They saw in secret teachings a connecting link

between Christian faith and philosophy.

In the Catholic world, the dominating Aristotelian-Scholastic doctrinal system provided a

rather safe protection against wrong ways of philosophy. Additionally, the magisterium – the

Catholic church's authority and office to establish authentic teachings – offered a reliable

compass with respect to the manifold aberrations of sound thinking.

"Glances into the Secrets of Natural Wisdom" reveals that Stilling has rooted himself

deeply in secret doctrine and esoteric teaching. This fact – as well as his membership in

the Masonic lodge – is concealed in all parts of his life story. Undoubtedly, he did so not

without good reason. Stilling seems to have feared that the simple-minded Christians

throughout the Protestant world, his loyal reader base since about 1790, would have

blamed him because of this.

Even in these days some people persistently repeat: it could not be true that Stilling, the

brother in Christ, was a freemason, nor adept in secret teachings. They simply are unable to

understand that Stilling ostensibly was a multi-layered personality and a man with manifold

abilities and multifarious faculties. Stilling, therefore, could not be illustrated simply as a

single line, although such attempts have often been made.

Without any doubt, Stilling had a high preference for occult doctrines. Also, he had a

natural liking for – and understanding of – secret societies. This is revealed particulary in

his "Homesickness". The first volume 1794 already deals with such subjects. Even

previously, mysterious fairy tales had been the favourite reading matter of Stilling as a

boy.


52

Moreover, Stilling was an adherent of numerology, understood as the conviction in the

mystical relationship between a number and one or more circumstances. Thus it is not

surprising that the "Glances" are permeated with it. The book has 271 paragraphs, and

an annex about the basic lines of Stilling's philosophical system. Two is the number of

dichotomy, seven the number of perfection of the universe and one the number of divine

unity, which comprehends all diversity.

The nine sections of the book contain paragraphs whose sum of the digits in each case

have a certain connotation too. Thus, for example, paragraphs 202–226 deal with the

pneumatology, understood as the doctrine of spiritual beings. They contain the sum of

the digits 14 = 2 times 7. The number 7 expresses the perfection of the universe.

Likewise, all other sections of Stilling's "Glances" have a numerological meaning.

In his study about the literary work of Stilling, Gotthilf Stecher (1887–1944?) labelled the

"Glances" as whimsical combination of elements from science, esoterica, philosophy and

Christian religious ideas. In addition, the "Glances" reflect Stilling's acquaintance with

cabbala. This is a body of mystical teachings, based in the main on an esoteric

interpretation of the Bible.

Indeed, the evaluation of Gotthilf Stecher is correct. And surely such is also intended by

Stilling. He wanted to create something new, inventive and original. However, it is

another question whether he was successful in this aim. Only very few readers

understood him. And it is quite a different question to answer, if the causes for the failure

to understand is attributable to Stilling or to the readers. The later Catholic bishop

professor John Michael Sailer (1751–1832) wrote to Stilling in a letter, dated January 6,

1788, that he read the "Glances" with delight, and sometimes even with his spirit coming

to a standstill.

It is worth asking why Stilling never refers at all to Aristotle (384–322 b. Chr.) and never

mentioned him. After all, it was he who constituted the first comprehensive system of

Western philosophy. Even more, Aristotle's theological ideas were accepted by many early

Christian academics. In Christian theology, the key philosopher influenced by Aristotle was

indubitably Thomas Aquinas (1483–1546). He amalgamated extensive Aristotelian ideas

throughout his own theology.

But this is exactly the reason why Aristotle was rejected by Christian reformers, and most

notably by Martin Luther (1483–1546). Due to the fact that Aristotle became the academic

theology's great authority in the old church, he was banned by Protestantism. To refer to

Aristotle until today is condemned as paganish in Christianity which originated in the

Reformation. Exceptions confirm the rule. It is, therefore, easy to understand that Stilling

disregarded Aristotle totally. Additionally, Aristotle was the Enlightenment philosopher's BÊTE

NOIRE, although – or precisely because – surely none of them was on a par with him.

Next "Virgils Georgicon in deutsche Hexameter übersetzt" (Vergil's Georgics

translated into German Hexameters) was published at Mannheim in 1787. The

hexameters now and then show up doggerel: more than a few verses are evidently

irregular in measure. But all agricultural technical terms are translated completely and

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/b%C3%AAte.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/noire.html


53

accurately from Latin, unless as is the case in highly acclaimed versions of other

translators. It plainly shows that Stilling has knowledge and detailed practical

experience in all the thematic areas pointed out by Vergil in the four books of this

poem.

As Stilling reports in the preface, he had read his translation of Vergil in winter 1785/86 at

the meetings of the Mannheim German Society of the Electoral Palatinate. He included

helpful comments given on these occasions by the members in the final version.

Stilling writes "Virgil" instead of "Vergil". At some point, the doubtless correct original Latin

spelling "Vergilius" had been corrupted to "Virgilius". The error most likely originated with

copyists reproducing manuscripts by dictation. Principally, the germanisations and

anglicisations "Vergil" and "Virgil" are regarded as both acceptable. But in the literary world,

in German as well as in English, "Vergil" is usual today. By contrast, as a male first name

"Virgil" seems to prevail in English-speaking countries.

Also the "Jubelrede über den Geist der Staatswirthschaft gehalten den 7ten

November 1786, als die Universität Heidelberg ihr viertes Jubiläum feierte"

(Celebratory Speech on the Spirit of National Economy, delivered on the Occasion of

the 400th Anniversary of the Foundation of Heidelberg University) came into print

1787.

The mostly boring anniversary speeches were held in the poorly heated, gloomy

auditorium maximum of the university and additionally for the mort part in Latin language.

Stilling delivered his speech in the well heated National Economy Academy. Plenty of

light was there also, as Stilling writes in his autobiography. Furthermore, Stilling spoke in

German.

Such, Stilling's academic celebratory speech found – without exaggeration – thunderous

applause amongst all members of the festival gathering. Stilling's presentation was

interrupted several times by clapping. At the end of the speech, the regent of Palatine,

Baron Francis Albert Oberndorff, expressed his thanks. The guests of honour, one after

another, came to Stilling, and embraced and kissed him.

Both, in form and content, without doubt this rousing speech could be rated as the best

speech given at that event. It is most likely the best speech ever delivered by Stilling. It

was a matter of discussion to what extent Stilling's commemorative address had a

freemasonic background.

Stilling’s outstanding celebratory speech on the occasion of the anniversary celebrations at

Heidelberg 1786 was newly edited and annotated in 1988 by the writer of this biography.

In the same year the "Lehrbuch der Staats=Polizey=Wissenschaft" (Textbook of

Political and Administrative Science) with the biographical introduction (instead of a

preface) "Meine Geschichte als Lehrer der staatswirthschaftlichen Wissenschaft" (My

History as a Teacher of Public Economy) was published at Leipzig.


54

Over thirty pages Stilling unfolds his curriculum vitae in the foreword. Ostensibly he did

so to give reasons for his competency as a teacher of economic sciences. For – as it is

in no small part the case until today – most professors came from a moneyed family.

They had no knowledge about the daily struggle for survival in the lower classes:

absolutely no idea about the economic endeavour in needier private households.

Also such teachers are in the dark about the labour effort in profession and industry. Many

professors were not even to have a work placement in a business establishment. They draw

their knowledge about economy from books, often written by authors who likewise do not

know the real economic life. They resort, therefore, to model theories. As a consequence,

their students are often enough thoroughly misguided. They believe that generally

commercial activity follows mathematical equations.

It would be quite unthinkable that a professor of medicine has never had to deal with sick

people. Also, it is expected of any professor of pedagogy that he or she once stood in front of

a class. But for a business economist, practical experience seems not only unnecessary. It

could even prove to be a barrier in the eyes of a Teutonic appointment commission for a call

to an academic chair. The writer of these lines has made his own experiences on this point.

1788

A pirated edition of "Herrn Professor Jungs Abhandlungen, Oeconomisch und

statistischen Inhalts" (Treatises of Professor Jung about Economics and Politics) was

published at Copenhagen and Leipzig. With many sloppy mistakes, the book reprints

six of the most important articles Stilling published during his time at Kaiserslautern,

written between 1776 and 1782.

This reissue shows clearly that there was a high demand in professional circles for

Stilling's treatises. Otherwise the collection would not have been brought forward. In the

preface, the anonymous compiler excuses the piracy. He pretends that these essays are

difficult to obtain.

Stilling learned about this matter much later. However, there was no legal possibility to

react efficiently and effectively against an issuer in Denmark, although one can assume

that the "Treatises" were printed in Germany.

Even until the present day it is neither known who the compiler was nor where the book was

actually printed. At any rate, one can assume that the place of printing is as false as the

name of the publisher and printer. Apparently, the information on the title page are solely for

concealment and disguise.

As to the title of the book: in those days "statistics" meant "state affairs", and in a

narrower sense "politics" as the art or science of government. Today statistics signifies

the branch of mathematics dealing with numerical data, and specifically how to collect,

summarise, combine and present them.

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/thoroughly.html


55

1789

The "Lehrbuch der Finanz=Wissenschaft" (Textbook of Public Finance) appears in

print. Stilling is said to be the first German economist who itemised the public

revenues and public expenditure systematically. Without exaggeration one can say

that all of the basic statements in this textbook are timelessly valid. This also applies

to the demarcation of functions and limits of the tax state.

Besides, in this textbook Stilling submits some unusual ideas relating the tax receipts,

astonishing even for his time. Stilling describes the legal obligation to submit a tax

balance by every entrepreneur as despotism and interference in human rights. Financial

authorities should in no case be allowed to poke their noses into the financial matters of

a firm. In consequence, a tax should be imposed in an aggregate on the

entrepreneurship as a whole. The respective professional associations should split this

given amount amongst the individual members.

Stilling follows here the principle of subsidiarity. Any central authority should have a

subsidiary, a supporting function. Individual and group initiative is given maximum scope to

solve problems. For ultimately, all authorities and all social bodies exist for the sake of the

individual. That what individuals and small societies are able to do, therefore, should not be

taken over by superior hierarchy elements – and still less by know-all public authorities,

bloated government agencies and hugely inflated state offices. In short, decisions always

should be made at the lowest social level appropriate to the issue being decided.

A considerable mistrust towards the administrative fiscal machinery on the part of Stilling is

obvious in the "Textbook of Public Finance". Aside from die-hard Leninists and well-paid tax

officers, most people would agree with Stilling's critical attitude towards an extensive tax

regime and towards a bloated bureaucracy in general.

Publication of "Henrich Stillings häusliches Leben. Eine wahrhafte Geschichte"

(Stilling's Domestic Life. A true History) as the fourth part of his life story. It covers the

period between 1772 and 1787.

1790

May 23: Death of his second wife Selma. Cause of death was postpartum fever: a

bacterial infection of the female reproductive tract following childbirth. This happened

at that time very often amongst women giving birth. The causes of this disease was

not investigated in depth until nearly a whole century later.

Selma had predicted her imminent death half a year earlier. She insistently asked Stilling

to marry her friend Elisabeth who would be able to manage housekeeping and to take

responsability for Stilling's large family.

November 19: Third marriage to the well-mannered Elisabeth Coing (1760–1817),

daughter of a professor of theology at Marburg. There were four children arising from

this wedlock, three of them survived.


56

Publication of the "Lehrbuch der Cameral=Wissenschaft oder Cameral=Praxis"

(Textbook of State Economic Affairs or Cameralistic Practice). Stilling presents most

of the subjects in this textbook in one form or another in the second part of his "Basic

Teachings of Economic and Administrative Science", issued later in 1792.

1791

Publication of the teaching book "Methode den grauen Staar auszuziehen und zu

heilen, nebst einem Anhang von verschiedenen andern Augenkrankheiten und der

Cur=Art derselben" (Method of Removing and Healing a Cataract, together with an

Appendix on various other Eye Diseases and the Ways to cure them).

The faculty of medicine of the University of Marburg asked Stilling for a lectureship in

surgical ophthalmology. He agreed and gave training courses in which he passed his

knowledge and experience as an eye surgeon on to the next generation of doctors. The

textbook about the techniques of surgical ophthalmology was a very welcome guideline

for his students.

The flood of patients suffering from an eye disease reached an early peak during

Stilling's time at Marburg. This leads to "a steady stream of correspondence and visits by

ophthalmic patients of all sorts, from near and far, such that one man could fill his

vocation just in this manner", as Stilling comments on the situation in his autobiography.

Against this backdrop, Stilling saw himself compelled to draw up a plan for the

accommodation, subsistence and post-treatment of those patients who came to Marburg for

treatment. He then realises this plan. Bandages needed to be switched thrice daily. Also,

potential infections had to be healed. Most of the patients were lodged at the Lutheran or

Reformed church orphanages. In terms of the history of medicine, it could be seen in these

arrangements the origin of later eye clinics.

The cost of accommodation generally fell to the patients themselves. However, most of the

patients were poor and destitute. Stilling himself, therefore, had to pay the costs of

accommodation, treatment and medication. This fact constituted a growing financial burden

on Stilling and his family.

As a result of this, Stilling established a charity fund in 1790. Payment from better-off patients

and royalties from Stilling's own publications flow into the charity fund. With these resources,

costs are covered for needy patients at the two orphanages. In addition, wages for the

surgeon (who helped with operations and changed the dressings) as well as payment to the

pharmacist for medicine and bandages were paid from this fund. At least in parts, the

accounting books of this fund are still existing. They are kept at the Hessian State Archives.

The famous German professor of medicine Ernest Geoffrey Baldinger (1738–1804)

witnessed in 1791: "I myself have seen with what security, skill and incredible speed

privy councillor Jung operates on a cataract without all the apparatus which I saw at

Taylor’s and other cataract operating doctors. Privy councillor Jung had only a very few

failings".


57

Envious and malicious persons grudged Stilling this success. For example, the much read

and even until today influential historian Frederick Christoph Schlosser (1776–1861), brother-

in-law of Goethe, called Stilling venomously "a tailor-journeyman who afterwards was

engaged in eye quackery."

From all quarters Stilling received requests from blind people begging for his help. So

Stilling sallied during the semester breaks as a travelling eye doctor. This touring was

very tiresome and stressful for Stilling. Routinely, he was forced to ride for days in

shaking carriages along rough and bumpy roads, and he had to spend the night in

musty, unclean inns and shelters.

At that time there were scarcely – if at all – single bedrooms. The overnight guests normally

slept together side by side on a large plank bed. Also, the sanitary conditions were often

terrible. Many caught diseases on these trips. Against this background it is understandable

that Stilling 1801 bought his own two-seat coach. Thus he was no longer dependent on

public stagecoaches. He also could book in advance for a private bed for the night.

Stilling and seven professors of the university established the "Marburg Institute for

National Economy" in 1789. Its aim was to promote knowledge about economic and

administrative issues. It existed until 1970. In this year it became a victim of university

"reforms". In 1791 was published "Abhandlungen des Staatswirthschaftlichen

Instituts zu Marburg" (Treaties of the Marburg Institute for National Economy). In this

collection of essays Stilling contributed a very important and timelessly modern article

about the ideal state constitution.

1792

Stilling is elected the vice rector of the university; rector was – formally, in name only

– the sovereign at Cassel. When Stilling handed over the rectorate to his successor

in January 1793, he delivered a speech in Latin about the origin of mountains and

metalliferous lodes. The audience was surprised about Stilling's detailed geological

knowledge. Only very few people might have known that Stilling explored this

questions – at least to some extent – previously in his doctoral thesis in 1773.

This academic speech was reissued in Latin with a translation in German 2004 by the Jung-

Stilling-Society at Siegen, Germany. The text is presented in modern types.

April 13: Hanna, daughter of Stilling's first marriage, tied the knot with Frederick

Henry Christian Schwarz (1766–1837), who was at the time a country parson. In

1804 he was appointed professor of theology at the University of Heidelberg. The

couple had ten children. The descendants are flourishing until this day.

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/stagecoaches.html


58

Jung Stilling bust made of stone. This work of art created the sculptor Professor Ernst Müller-Blensdorf

(1896–1976). The bust is now in the central library at Wuppertal. It was donated 1928 by Elberfeld

citizens to the new building of the library.


59

Stilling published "Die Grundlehre der Staatswirthschaft ein Elementarbuch für

Regentensöhne und alle, die sich dem Dienst des Staates und der Gelehrsamkeit

widmen wollen" (Basic Teachings of Economic and Administrative Science for

Princes and all those who intend to serve the State and the Eruditeness). Stilling

dedicated this textbook to the Prince Regent of Hesse-Cassel, whom he had to give

lessons in these disciplines at Marburg.

Apparently, Stilling planned to follow this volume with additional textbooks in a series.

But most likely the adverse circumstances – more precisely: the invasion of Germany by

French troops involving hardship and misery connected with a withdrawal of young men

from universities – have prevented the realisation of this project.

In France, 1792 Jacobin masses stormed the Tuileries Palace, massacring the Swiss

Guard. King Louis XVI was imprisoned and in January 1793 executed. These events

affected Stilling very deeply. They initiated in him a spiritual change, an internal

turnabout. Stilling believed that the apocalyptic end with imminent disaster and

universal destruction here and now had started.

At the same time and resultant from these events, Stilling felt himself by the Divine

Providence entrusted with a new task. He, Stilling, should proclaim the reign of God and

provide a foretaste of the church's glorious consummation. Henceforth, more or less all

publications and letters written by Stilling are designed for this purpose.

1793

Stilling published "Über den Revolutions=Geist unserer Zeit zur Belehrung der

bürgerlichen Stände" (About the Revolutionary Spirit of the Time as an Instruction to

the Middle Classes) in which he warns against a devastating and demoralising

development in Germany similar to the chaotic conditions throughout the course of

the French Revolution.

In particular, Stilling complains the mania of the uneducated or even illiterate people for

questioning and criticising, associated with a know-it-all attitude with regard to

government business. The book was translated into Italian in 1996, which indicates that

Stilling wrote down observations applicable even in the present day – and perhaps more

so than ever in the past. For today, any fool feels called to make public his myopic view

of the world in social media.

Critics, however, accused Stilling for being too shallow and too narrow in the treatment of

this issue. In dealing with a revolutionary situation, one should always be aware of

adopting a static position. Ideas which have become crystallised as conventions could

remain valid only so long as their original context endures. This especially seems to be

true of the economic conditions, the social relationships and the state structure.

However, Stilling clearly identified the beginning of a deep ideological transformation in

his days. This change can be best described as a transition from various forms of

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/eruditeness.html


60

authoritarianism to liberalism. In this context liberalism means the cardinal belief that

every human being, without distinction, has a natural right to freedom of thought, speech

and action. It also means that the primary function of society is to provide him with the

opportunity to gratify his own desires – so far as it may be physically possible and

without harm to others.

Stilling exposed and outlined this extensively in the second part of his "Basic Teachings of

Economic and Administrative Science" 1792 as well as in other writings. The even today

highly interesting publication "Basic Teachings" was newly issued 2015 with footnotes and an

index by the author of these lines and published by the Jung-Stilling-Society.

1794

The first volume of the novel "Heimweh" (Homesickness) appears in print. The

"Homesickness" belongs to the genus roman à clef (novel with a key: any novel that

represents events and characters under the guise of fiction). It portrays the way of

the Christian church throughout the ages. This pilgrimage is marked by numerous

encounters and battles with figures and personalities. Their respective name reveals

their particular mission.

The main focus in the novel is nobleman of Easthome. He plays the role of the

returning Prophet Elias. His mission is to guide the faithful through a dangerous life,

characterised by many hazardous situations. The final destination is the eternal East.

Stilling had already dealt with the topic of pilgrimage in his first three novels, although in

a somewhat broader sense than in "Homesickness". Stilling was originally inspired to

write "Homesickness" around 1790. He was motivated by "The Life and Opinions of

Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" by the Anglican clergyman Laurence Sterne (1713–1768).

It was published in nine volumes, the first two appearing in 1759, and seven others

following over the next seven years. "Tristram Shandy" at that time was read all over

Europe.

But the main motivator for Stilling to choose the typical literary form found in

"Homesickness" was the Baptist preacher John Bunyan (1628–1688) and his novel "The

Pilgrim's Progress from this World to That which is to Come". It is an allegory, written

during Bunyan's twelve-year' imprisonment at Bedford County gaol; Bedford is a county

town of Bedfordshire, England. This metaphorical novel with its immediate success

around the world was translated into German 1694 and since reprinted in various

German-language editions. As mentioned previously, Stilling's grandfather was familiar

with this book.

In the introduction to the "Key to Homesickness" 1796, Stilling reports that he read "The

Pilgrim's Progress" as a boy at the age of eight years. Since this time John Bunyan had a

place in his soul. In a letter to his friend John Caspar Lavater, dated October 12, 1794,

Stilling wrote that he always had the intention to modernise – but not to copy – John

Bunyan. In the motto printed on the front page in Greek letters ("I shall open my mouth in

parables") this would be expressed.


61

Originally, Stilling had doubts whether the special style, the distinctive features of literary

expression he had chosen in "Homesickness" would be received by the readers he

wanted to reach. He therefore asked two close friends for advice. Then, as Stilling wrote

in his autobiography, he read out aloud text samples to seven men, which met every two

weeks to a home group with him. They all gave the go-ahead and such encouraged him

to proceed.

Without doubt, many people today could learn from Stilling how to conduct successful market

research. And how many books are sold to a loss these days! This indicates that an author

disregarded the expectation of potential readers. Or is it – in some cases at least – more

likely a shameful indictment of the intellectual horizon of the reading public? This side note

should be permitted by a man who was working seven years professionally as a market

researcher in the group management of a worldwide operating concern, and who watched

tremendous market failures.

Stilling is blamed until today of having idolised an authoritarian form of government in all

his novels, and particularly in "Homesickness". In each case a mild, fatherly duke or

bishop directs the people. – Undeniably, this criticism is to a large extent correct. But one

has to consider that Stilling was under the straight impression of the French Revolution

of 1789. The cruelty of the violent populace shocked him, and the deep-seated, blind

hatred for religion traumatised him. And it should not be forgotten that even Germany

widely was in a revolutionary frenzy, as Stilling reported and other contemporary authors

attest.

As well, the reproach is true that Stilling in his writings practically never reflects unfair

execution of princely power. Without doubt Stilling, by doing so, influenced and strengthened

the politically conservative attitude among his readers and – at least to some extent – of the

German revivalist movement in general.

1795–1816

"Der graue Mann, eine Volksschrift" (The Grey Man. A popular Magazine) appears in

thirty issues. The magazine generally is directed predominantly at the lower social

classes which have become uncertain of their Christian belief in the course of the

confusion of the time between 1789 (French Revolution) and 1815 (Congress of

Vienna and the restructuring of Europe). The "Grey Man" was partly or full translated

into Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English and Russian. As regards content,

Stilling writes about everything and anything across all areas of life and time.

No similar periodical at the beginning of the 19th century was present consistently on the

magazine market as long as the "Grey Man." This fact suggests a broad and loyal

readership. Derisive and even malicious reviews of the "Grey Man" could be found in the

contemporaneous liberal press aplenty. But such attacks rather supported the popularity

of the "Grey Man".


62

Hardly any other similar periodical had such a wide variety of topics, notwithstanding that

there was a fundamental theme: a call to repentance, to conversion and to prayer.

Furthermore, no periodical was exclusively the work of a single person, namely Stilling.

In a way, the "Grey Man" could be regarded as the progenitor of modern bloggers.

Who was, more specifically, the "Grey Man" who came through the decades in numerous

households not only in Germany, but also in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark,

Russia and in the English speaking world?

In a narrow sense, the "Grey Man" is nobleman of Easthome from the novel "Homesickness".

He is a messenger with important messages. His gray dress is the colour of old age and

dying. He comes from Solyma. It may be that Solyma should be read backwards. In that

case it means AMYLOS, namely the strengthening, the firming. More probably, this name is

formed as a shortening of HIEROSOLYMA, the Greek and Latin name of Jerusalem.

Accordingly, the "Grey Man" is at home in the eternal East. So he is introduced in the first

issue of the magazine. As a messenger of God, he has the mission to recruit fighters for the

final battle between light and darkness. The "Grey Man" is often a keynote speaker in the

dialogues and group discussions of the magazine.

In "Key to Homesickness" 1796, Stilling presents the "Grey Man" as the conscience. In a

broader sense the "Grey Man" is Stilling himself. He came to his readership as one of them

and dressed in a grey frock. Such a habit with non-contoured cut was at that time the regular

clothing of the poor people. Likewise, the colour grey symbolises oldness and death.

Admittedly, about subjects such as sin, death, judgment and damnation Stilling wrote quite

enough. A contemporary criticiser, therefore, insulted Stilling as a "death owl" (owls in

popular belief are considered as bad omen signifying the imminent death of a close relative

or someone important; they represent also a funeral bird and a monster of night). He further

called Stilling a "religious cannibal", destroying any joy of life in an already in many respects

bleakly time.

For sure, it could be that Stilling by his admonitions for repentance reduced the zest of life of

a few bon viveurs, hedonists and epicureans – although they were scarcely found among the

readership of the "Grey Man". But Stilling provided hope of eternal life and joy in communion

with God to an army of people. An immense number of thank-you letters, addressed to

Stilling, support this fact.

Stilling achieved a complete hit with his "Grey Man". It is hardly exaggerating to say that

his magazine was read all around the world in those days. Very happy and thankful

towards God, Stilling reported this fact in a letter to his fatherly friend Charles Frederick

at Karlsruhe, dated July 12, 1796.

The "Grey Man" was even imitated. Between 1800 and 1805 "Der Freund des grauen

Mannes. Auch eine Volksschrift" (The Friend of the Grey Man. Also a popular Magazine) had

been published at Frankfurt on Main by John Rulemann Lewis Eylert (1731–1813), a

Protestant preacher at Hamm, a German town located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhr_area


63

area. Stilling recommended this periodical to the readers of his "Grey Man." He did not – or

perhaps more realistic: he would rather not – see it as a substitute to his own magazine.

Professor Ernest Lewis Hazelius (1777–1853) presented an own translation of Stilling's

autobiography. Hazelius was brought up in the Moravian faith in Germany and emigrated to America

1800. He left the Moravians in 1809 and joined the Lutherans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhr_area


64

The many comments on current events in the "Grey Man" show that Stilling – albeit like

most contemporaries as well – was lacking a deep insight and forward-looking estimation

of the political and social development. For a long time he adulated Napoléon, especially

when he occupied the Catholic Spain in 1808.

Later, from about 1814, Stilling becomes incredibly zealous. He describes the whole

Prussian army as moulded by a spiritual revival. In reality, the Prussian soldiery was not a bit

better than other troops. Reading the "Grey Man" in these years, the Prussian king Frederick

William III (1770/1797–1840) seems to be a demigod.

Before, in the first volume of "Homesickness" 1794, Stilling idealised Frederick II of Prussia

(1712/1740–1786). The militarist Frederick II took the throne in 1740, in the year of birth of

Stilling. Immediately he launched an unprovoked attack on the Austrian region of Silesia,

triggering an eight-year war. With an army drilled to perfection, Frederick annexed and held

Silesia and invaded Bohemia with an army of 140'000 soldiers. The huge army consumed 86

percent of the state budget. The infrastructure felt into disrepair. Millions of distressed people

suffered from hunger. All these facts Stilling did not – or possibly even would not – recognise.

After the death of Stilling, the "Grey Man" was continued until 1833 by two other editors.

In the meantime a new generation was grown up. Magazines as the "Grey Man" were

not longer asked.

The whole "Grey Man" is available as an online-edition at no charge and without registration

from the Bavarian State Library at Munich. An annotated edition in German was published

2007. An index volume to this edition was issued 2009.

1796

The fourth (and last) volume of the novel "Das Heimweh" (Homesickness), whose

first part came out in 1794, appears in print. It is supplemented by the "Schlüssel zum

Heimweh" (Key to Homesickness).

"Homesickness" soon proved to be a best-seller. Stilling finds the pulse of the time

exactly, characterised by a deep-seated uncertainty across all layers of society,

caused by the various changes in the course of the French Revolution.

"Homesickness" went through a number of print runs as well as new editions in

German language and was translated full or in part into Dutch, Swedish and Russian.

The novel triggered a voluminous correspondence with people of all classes in nearly all

parts of the world, INTER ALIA with Charles Frederick of Baden (1728/1746–1811) and

with the brother of his sovereign landgrave William of Hesse-Cassel (1743–1821), the

influential Charles of Hesse (1744–1836). In a variety of direct and indirect ways Stilling

benefitted from these connections.

Charles of Hesse-Cassel lived in Denmark. He was a prominent freemason and since 1783

also a member of the Illuminati Order. Stilling, in his autobiography, described him as a true

and enlightened Christian. In the "Manual for Friends of Christianity" 1806, Stilling presents


65

an image of Charles in the frontispiece. In January 1805 Charles was granted the title

"Landgrave of Hesse" by his elder brother, who had assumed the higher dignity of "Imperial

Prince-Elector" in the Treaty of the Confederation of the Rhine. After Stilling gave up his

lectureship at Marburg in 1803, Charles of Hesse-Cassel supported him with a small annual

pension.

Contemporarily, "Homesickness" also encountered partly strong criticism. To nullifidians

and Jacobins (members of an influential extremist group advocating elimination of

Christian faith, engaging in terrorist activities during the French Revolution, and likewise

with an army of sympathisers in Germany of those days) the profoundly religious

"Homesickness" was a thorn in their flesh.

The group of intellectuals was displeased because of the mixture of real and imagined

worlds as well as the style of writing. Many of them condemned "Homesickness"

pretentiously from the top down. Most commonly, they did so because they had lost

contact with the thinking and of the emotional state of the common folk – if at all they

where in touch with ordinary people in the first place. In others certainly pure envy due to

the tremendous success of "Homesickness" played a role.

But even Stilling's friend John Caspar Lavater blamed him. "Homesickness" would

disseminate superstition. Besides, the general tendency seems to be expressed in the

fictional narrative that an encounter with Jesus Christ takes place in the future at Solyma.

Lavater rejects this as heretical. For Jesus Christ should be sought and found in the here and

now. In a series of letters and in a long message to Lavater at Zurich, dated July 12, 1797,

Stilling defended himself. Similar criticisms came from other friends, for example from

Théophile Conrad Pfeffel (1736–1809), an influential French-German writer and translator at

Colmar (Alsace).

Later on, "Homesickness" – as well as the "Grey Man" – has been disparagingly

categorised as "pious kitsch". Chiefly, matters as Stilling's proposals for establishing an

authoritarian Christian state provoked sharp criticism and harsh attacks. Until this very

day such criticism can be found, written by newer commentators.

However, it should be kept in mind that Stilling wrote explicitly for his time. His goal was to

present a model of a perfect social, religious and political system to the worried, destitute and

completely despairing people of those days – and not for the centuries later with very

different ways of thinking, with different goals and attitudes, influenced by experiences from

close contact with foreign cultures, having a new environment experience, living in an

affluent society, and so on.

That this aim was well received by Stilling's contemporaries is proven by the many print runs

and re-issues in German language as well as by the translations of those writings,

stigmatised afterward as "pious kitsch".

1797

http://www.dict.cc/english-german/frontispiece.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/Treaty.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/of.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/the.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/Confederation.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/of.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/the.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/Rhine.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/revolutionaries.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/profoundly.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/religious.html

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/reissues.html


66

The first volume of "Scenen aus dem Geisterreiche" (Scenes in the World of Spirits)

is published. A second volume came to print in 1801. Here Stilling describes mystic

experiences: elations into the world beyond. His angel guardian Siona at times

accompanied Stilling, and the angel even dictated him scenes.

The book has been published until now in a variety of print runs and new editions.

Moreover, the "Scenes in the World of Spirits" had been translated into English, Dutch,

French and Russian.

Next to his autobiography, the "Scenes" probably is the publication which made Stilling

most famous in the present day. Nonetheless: the text is far from easy to read. The

"Scenes" apparently are not addressed to a broad public but rather to a thin community

of readers with an antenna for the supernatural. Besides, some passages in the text

could hardly be conceived without the explanations which Stilling appended to the end of

the single scenes. For good reason, some newer editions furthermore added notes to

facilitate the understanding of the scenes.

Stilling described in the "Scenes", INTER ALIA, the arrival of his friend John Caspar Lavater in

the hereafter. In his autobiography, Stilling wrote how this report astonished, even startled

him. For it turned out that already thirty years before this all was foreseen, at least in the

main. Likewise another scene, namely the report of Mary about Jesus, proved to be recorded

in a publication by Lavater.

It was very spitefully alleged that the only purpose of the "Scenes" should be that Stilling

exerts an arrogated judgeship about the life and actions of his fellowmen. Stilling sends

false pietists, Christian Pharisees, pure rationalists and other scapegoats to hell. On the

other hand, he promotes all people favourably disposed towards him, all "friends of

Stilling", into eternal happiness. In reality, for the criticists and above all John R. G.

Günther, Stilling did not at all believe in a realm of spirits. In particular, a single line could

not be found in his autobiography which indicates such a conviction.

What is overlooked or disregarded here, is Stilling's interpretation of the Revelation of St.

John, written in 1799, as well as his "Theory of Pneumatology", published in 1808.

Indisputably in both publications Stilling describes – in detail – the realm of spirits.

Moreover, when Stilling leaves his home in 1762, his father recommends him to the support

and guidance of the holy angels, as Stilling writes in the first part of his autobiography. In the

second part of his life story, Stilling describes how the two daughters of his landlady shot

Cupid's darts on him. His guardian angel parried off such attacks.

In the the third part of Stilling's life story he reports about a planned journey to his native

country in 1803. His angel guardian warned him to continue the voyage. In the forth volume

of his "Homesickness 1796, Stilling expressed his firm belief that in every minute of our live

we are escorted by angels. Generally speaking, the existence of angels was a matter of

course for Stilling. Therefore, it did not need to be repeatedly highlighted.


67

The Reformed academic theology of those days was well aware of angels. This is evidently

demonstrable from contemporaneous collections of sermons. Not until much later were

angels declared by Protestant theologians as "false spirits". Today angels widely are

interpreted as "disempowered deities" of ancient peoples who had crept into the texts of the

New Testament. In modern Catholicism, they also dropped back a couple of gears. In the

final analysis, magisterially no more is taught than that angels exist.

1798

Publication of "Staatswirthschaftliche Ideen" (National Economic Suggestions)

containing eight articles about different subjects on economics, forestry, agriculture

and fire prevention.

The treatises reflect the broad focus of Stilling as an economist and his power of

judgment in view of the various problems he deals with. Thus, for instance, his article

about the labour-saving technological progress is correct to every last detail even after

more than two hundred years.

1799

"Die Siegsgeschichte der christlichen Religion in einer gemeinnüzigen Erklärung der

Offenbarung Johannis" (The History of the Victories of the Christian Religion. A

Popular Explanation of the Revelation of St. John) is published anonymously. Stilling

estimates his book as great success, while critics state the opposite. In particular has

been criticised that Stilling apparently took little note of other contemporary

interpretations of the Revelations. The book was translated into Russian, Dutch and

Swedish.

Stilling spread abundantly throughout this book the ban in the name of God upon other

Christian communities. The Orthodox Church as well as the Roman Catholic Church are

condemned by God for all eternity according to Stilling. In Russia, where Stilling had a

broad readership, such harsh, unfriendly and insolent verdicts, proposed by Stilling in the

name of theological research, were received with consternation, dismay and bitterness.

Far-reaching consequences had the doctrine of Stilling that the Pope in Rome is the

"man of sin" and the Antichrist personified. Other interpreters of the Book of Revelation

before Stilling, such as Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) or John Geoffrey Herder

(1744–1803), dismissed this assignment as incongruous and absurd.

As Herder writes: "Rome was not in the circle of the prophet's vision, nor is Rome in

coincidence with the symbols and metaphors; but the resemblance to Jerusalem is as perfect

as the case can be supposed to furnish" (Commentary on the Book of Revelation 1778, p.

153)."The seven heads of the Beast are said to be seven mountains; assuming the woman to

be a city founded upon seven mountains. Such was the situation of Jerusalem", p. 156).

Stilling, however, brings forward over and over new "evidence" that only the Pope at

Rome – and the Catholic church respectively – would be the Antichrist. Later, in "Answer


68

in Truth and Love", dated 1811, and in the "Grey Man", put out in 1814, Stilling forcefully

reaffirmed this doctrine. Thus, like almost no other, Stilling has fuelled the anti-Catholic

sentiments – culminating often enough in bitter hatred against all Catholic matters – in

the German revival movement and beyond.

This, in turn, had a range of impacts, particularly in the form of a very rigorous policy

towards the Catholic Church in later Germany. It can be felt even today. In the eyes of an

average pietist the pope is a perversely bad creature: the Archfiend. And even if he

proclaims the Gospel, he does so cunningly only to dissemble and to feign.

In "The History of the Victories", Stilling himself did not directly claim that all Catholics

are "beasts out of the abyss" (Rev 11:7; 17:8). But if the Pope is the Antichrist, in the

simple minds of Stilling's adherents and devotees, all Catholics must be classified as

Antichrists. Stilling, therefore, stated explicitly in the "First Supplement to The History of

the Victories of the Christian Religion" 1805 that not every Catholic believer would be an

Antichrist and automatically end in the hell – such providing pleasant news for all

members of the Catholic Church.

Previously, in the third volume of "Homesickness" 1795, Stilling categorised two groups in

Catholicism. The first he characterised as blind, stupid and superstitious. The second group

identifies Stilling as bloated with Enlightenment. In any case, a Catholic believer has no idea

about the pureness and unspoilt beauty of religion. According to Stilling, a Catholic merely

knows religion as tyranny, generating a tremendous pressure which sooner or later explodes.

The Gospel has undergone, in every nation on earth, an acculturation, that means:

adopting cultural traits of the respective people. This happened merely through

language. For words, as an example "concentration camp", actuate associative clusters.

Through this is understood the tendency for items with pre-existing associations in

memory, to be recalled together during the verbal recall of a word is. In the example, the

word "concentration camp" is associated the emotional memory of suffering and death of

millions in Germany.

Moreover, in any case the Gospel was amalgamated with the settings and circumstances

in a state. So the Roman hierarchical order was absorbed and incorporated by the

Catholic Church, and even to a large extent the clothes of the pagan priesthood were

adopted. Latin language and a centralised system, with Rome as the centre, left their

marks on Catholicism and produced thus a particular appearance of Christian belief. In

Lutheranism, in contrast, much typical German thinking is included in.

Stilling has not taken all this into account. He was fixated on a "pure Gospel" which, for the

reasons stated above, is a chimaera. "Pure" Gospel cannot be real, it cannot exist. However,

it should not be ignored that even today, "pure Gospel" is a most popular slogan. Above all,

this watchword can be heard in Protestant religious fringe groups. It often simultaneously

acts as a battle cry against mainline churches and academic theological science.

Besides, it is a little disappointing that Stilling sees Martin Luther (1483–1546) in the

evangelising angel in Rev 14: 6. As a member of the Reformed church, Stilling rather should


69

have identified John Calvin (1509–1564). Stilling perceived Jakob Böhme (1575–1624) as

the second angel in Rev 14:8. He was a German Christian mystic and considered to be an

original thinker by many of his contemporaries. As to the third angel in Rev 14:9, Stilling is

undecided.

In the "First Supplement" 1805, Luther remains in the first place. But the second angel is now

John Albrecht Bengel (1687–1752). Bengel was a German Lutheran pietist clergyman and

known for his edition of the Greek New Testament and his commentaries on it. Stilling took a

lot of inspiration from Bengel's writings.

It is difficult to understand that Stilling admired on the one hand the Moravian Brethren and

on the other hand he perceived John Albrecht Bengel as a biblical angel. For Bengel carried

on a nearly 20-year-long controversy with Nicholas Lewis of Zinzendorf (1700–1760), leader

of the Moravian Brethren. This led to a break between the Moravian Brethren and the dour

Pietism typical of southern Germany and represented above all by Bengel. With his

determined certainty giving him systematic insight into the divine plan of salvation, Bengel

dogmatically opposed the dynamic, ecumenical, missionary efforts of Zinzendorf, who was

indifferent to all dogmatism and pietistic narrowness.

1799

June: A compatriot of Stilling published his experiences under God's direction. Stilling

introduces this book with an important essay "Berichtigung der gewöhnlichen Begriffe

von der Mystik" (Clarification of common mystic-related Terms). "Mystic" is to be

understood here as relating to spiritual life. Roughly speaking, the spiritual life of any

person is the path that a person chooses to follow in response to the God within.

Spiritual life is a path. It is more than doctrine or belief. It is the conscious choosing of a

direction. The spiritual life is also a response. In the Christian tradition, this is called a

conversion. It means that we set off on the spiritual path in response to something greater

than ourselves. It may be a sudden and dramatic experience. But it may also be a long, slow

process. In any case, something happens to set us on the path. The something that happens

to us is God. The only way that we can experience God is within. Generally, all religious

experience is an inner experience.

Stilling dealt in this article with some aberrations and undesirable developments in

pietistic groups in detail. This relates in particular the topics of reason, celibacy,

poverty and solitary life.

Regarding reason, Stilling defends its rightful use. The ability to think in an intelligent way

as well as to understand – that means to become aware of the nature and significance of

something – and to form consistent arguments is a God-given gift. Stilling rejects the

misuse of reason to subtlety, understood as specious or fallacious reasoning. Stilling

defends the pietist Gerhard Tersteegen (1697–1769). Tersteegen emphasised the need

for a religion of the heart instead of the head. But he was wrongly blamed as a one of

those who generally refused the use of reason.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_mystic

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheran

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietist

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergyman

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textus_Receptus


70

With respect to celibacy, Stilling does not deny the advice on celibacy by Jesus. But

Stilling explicates this by the bold claim, that Jesus would have had in mind the downfall

of his people. It should not be discussed here, to what extent this interpretation by Stilling

is appropriate. – Undoubtedly, also the Apostles have preferred the celibate life. They did

so, Stilling expounds, because they were expecting the end of the world. Nevertheless,

the Apostles at the same time endorsed and denounced matrimony. Consequently, there

could not be a plausible reason for celibacy. Due to the depraved nature of man by

original sin, concupiscence as a strong desire of a sexual nature is a burden for both

married and unmarried, but more for celibate people. Reproduction is a divine law. It is

imposed to the whole of nature and to humans as well.

Relating to poverty, Stilling considers it to be a matter of fact that the acquisition and

administration of earthly goods could hardly be compatible with striving for the kingdom

of God with all energy. In addition, wealth was often misused. But Stilling is also against

poverty as an end in itself. Stilling believed prominent pietists were too one-sided

regarding poverty. In particular, if wealth is used for the purpose of establishing the

kingdom of God on earth, then it was and will always be a blessing.

As to solitary life, Stilling warns against one-sidedness. In general, God is easier to meet

in solitude than in professional life. But not everyone is destined to a contemplative life in

seclusion from the world. In order to make it easy, the individual must seek solitude and

retreat as much as is possible with his outward calling.

1801

Stilling bought his own two-seat couch with a folding top and with a luggage

container, pulled normally by two horses. Thus he was no longer dependent on

public stagecoaches. But each time, he had to rent a coachman and a horse.

March to May: First home visit to a patient with eye disease in Switzerland. A wealthy

woman at Winterthur, Canton of Zurich, freed from blindness by Stilling, made a

generous donation to him. With this sum he was at long last debt-free. Homeward

bound, Stilling had his first personal encounter with Charles Frederick of Baden with

whom he had hitherto had merely an exchange of letters.

April 20: The famous painter and engraver Professor John Henry Lips (1758–1817)

at Zurich created a portrait of Stilling.

Due to this we have a very reliable picture of the 60 year old Stilling. Besides, Stilling is

described by his contemporaries in his physical appearance as tall and slender. His

voice had a melodious sound. All the portraits we have of Stilling indicate well shaped,

expressive dark eyes. In his students memoirs, Stilling's lecture is applauded as very

clear and vivid. As a learned tailor, Stilling always presented himself in the lecture room –

as well as in general – well-dressed. Memoir writers characterise Stilling's attire as

fashionable and in a very special way inconspicuously elegant. He was dressed in

clothing remarkably well designed and tailored.

http://www.linguee.de/englisch-deutsch/uebersetzung/stagecoaches.html

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/inconspicuously.html


71

Apparently, Stilling was an attractive personality. He was blessed with a quality with

which only a few people are endowed: charm. Stilling pleased fellow humans from the

first with his air, with his bearing. The same applied to his third wife Elise. Indeed, all

contemporaries who spent time with Stilling and Elise agree on that. And further, Stilling

openly approached other people and enjoyed talking with them. In the face of this, it

seems quite incomprehensible that John R. G. Günther utters that Stilling showed

himself as anxious and insecure towards people.

Stilling was a pipe smoker. Even on his death-bed he smoked a pipe, as his son-in-law

reports. Pipe smoking as a sign of unity among men was common between about 1760

and 1920. In his partly autobiographical novel "Theobald", Stilling also writes that he

enjoyed snuff tobacco. Moderate consumption of coffee and alcohol are no problem for

Stilling's fictional characters. This all shows that Stilling was not at all a grumpy pietist,

particulary as John R. G. Günther presents him.

In the annex to Stilling’ autobiography, his son-in-law emphasises that Stilling was very

orderly. Above all he appreciated a systematic arrangement. Besides, the son-in-law reveals

that Stilling spoke in his sleep. Such a peculiarity is good fodder for psychologists. They and

the many armchair psychiatrists, with whom we are blessed (or punished?) enough can

surely discern much about Stilling’s soul from this information.

Parenthetically: Stilling, as John Wolfgang Goethe or the later German chancellor Conrad

Adenauer (1876–1967), was born with one myopic and one hyperopic eye. He could,

therefore, see well near and far throughout his life. Stilling needed no eyeglasses.

Up until the 19th century, wearing spectacles in public was regarded as unfitting and

indecorous. Even character defects were associated with a wearer of glasses. This explains

why in portraits of that time rulers, military leaders, great minds and even merchants are not

seen with glasses, even if they were visually impaired and wore spectacles permanently at

home.

Moreover, Stilling had – as already mentioned above – a very effective way of reaching

people who met him. Even people less inclined towards Stilling, acknowledge this fact.

But Stilling was not in the least a man who just said what people wished to hear. Nor was

Stilling a man who agreed with everything that someone said. This too is shown clearly in

his publications and in his correspondence.

Stilling wrote about 18'000 letters in his life. The correspondence soon became an often

bemoaned burden for him. From about the year 1800 onward, up to thirty letters

addressed to Stilling arrived per day. This flood of letters reached extraordinary heights

around Christmas and New Year's Day. From Stilling's diary in 1803 we learn that he

received 887 letters by the end of that year. Just over 1'200 Stilling’s letters have come

down to us. A selection of nearly four hundred of them were published in 2002 with

explanatory notes.

When Stilling moved from Heidelberg to Karlsruhe 1812 he destroyed around 15'000 letters,

as he wrote in a letter to Charles Frederick of Baden, dated June 9, 1807. Later in life, Stilling


72

felt compelled to reserve two days a week for only correspondence. At the end of his life,

around fifteen percent of Stilling's income was spent solely on paying postage.

Everyone familiar with the art of letter writing understands what tremendous effort was

demanded of Stilling in this respect. Only Stilling's extraordinary creative powers and his

physical strength – despite some restrictions, such as recurring stomach cramps and

anxiety attacks, for example on his return journey from Switzerland 1801 – could explain

how he met such cumbersome demands. God alone knows how much help,

encouragement, assistance and advice, suggestion and guidance Stilling gave to his

contemporaries through this service.

In particular should be underlined that Stilling was, for many of his correspondents, a life-

determining spiritual rector. For numerous others he was valuable advisor. However, Stilling

had to empathise deeply with the life situation of the respective person.

To give an example, through the years Stilling provided strong backing and support to

Frederick Charles Moser (1723–1798). He was a former chief minister at Hesse-Darmstadt.

In a highly unfair manner Moser was dishonestly dismissed. It is hardly an exaggeration to

state that Stilling saved him from slipping into despair and losing his will to live with his

letters. There are many other examples of this.

In addition to all this, Stilling was engaged in crafting. Apparently, this served as his

personal form of relaxation and recreation. From his diaries (which are written in a

homemade cypher) we learn that he built, among other things, a strap for a wrist watch,

a briefcase, a game from cardboard, a guitar case, a sand dial, and even a standing

desk. Stilling was also a keen gardener. In addition, he enjoyed drawing. As can be seen

in his diaries, certain visual ideas draw Stilling's attention over longer periods. Most of the

pictures drawn by Stilling contain Biblical themes. Finished images were given to friends

as gifts. For the most part, Stilling sewed his clothes himself.

According to the report by Sophie F. Mereau (1770–1806, one of the most fascinating figures

of German Classism and Romanticism and married a second time to famous poet and

novelist Clemens Brentano [1778–1842]) the elderly Stilling recited names of aristocrats who

were his friends. His third wife would prompt him with the names he had not yet mentioned.

If this is true, it would indicate an inner insecurity of the elderly Stilling which could be

scarcely explained. For scholars – and much more merchants who had lost their fortunes –

widely looked down upon in those days with disrespect and even contempt by nobility. In

their eyes, the dissolute lifestyle of this class caused the French Revolution 1789 which

brought so much suffering and misery towards Germany.

The psychologist Hans R. G Günther generally ascribes to Stilling a deeply rooted insecurity,

a significant lack of self-confidence. As to Günther, Stilling's behaviour did not originate from

within his personality. Rather, Stilling would have been dependent on the approval of his

environment. For that reason, Stilling has presented his life story again and again to the

readership. In this way he longed for validation of his activities from the audience. To what

extent this estimation is true, may be left undecided.


73

September 28: Stilling suffered a major accident with his coach near Rotenburg on

the Fulda. The cause was the coachman’s negligence. Stilling incurred serious

injuries and almost died.

The Fulda river is one of two tributaries of the Weser river which runs into the North Sea.

Stilling describes in "Years of Apprenticeship" all the details of the accident. Throughout

his life Stilling felt pains in his side as a result of this coach accident, as his son-in-law

reports in the annex to Stilling’s autobiography.

The Methodist minister Samuel Jackson (1786–1816) who translated several writings of Stilling in

English, attached notes to the text which facilitated considerably the understanding of the subject

matter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weser


74

1802

September to November: Second home visit to a patient with eye disease in

Switzerland. On the outward journey and on the return journey meeting with Charles

Frederick of Baden at the Karlsruhe Palace for intensive discussions.

Stilling and his wife Elise visited some acquaintances who they had already met in 1801

on their first trip to Switzerland. They established new contacts as well. Worthy of

particular mention is the second encounter with the famous artist Marquard Wocher

(1760–1830) at Basle. The year before, Wocher drew a portrait of Stilling. On this

occasion, Wocher gave Stilling a highly valuable picture of the suffering Christ. When

Stilling saw this painting he was moved to tears. Wocher noted this and presented it

generously to Stilling as a gift.

Stilling also visited John Henry Pestalozzi (1746–1827), the prominent educational reformer

and co-founder of the Zurich branch of the Illuminati Order at Bergdorf in the Canton of

Berne. In his biography, Stilling expressed serious doubts with regard to the long-term

success of Pestalozzi’s educational methods.

1803–1807

"Der christliche Menschenfreund in Erzählungen für Bürger und Bauern" (The

Christian Philanthropist. Stories for Townsmen and Country People) is published at

Nuremberg in a series of four pamphlets which were soon translated into Dutch.

The first issue in 1803 clearly features the thematic guidelines in the following

publications. The end of the world is imminent, and therefore the end of life for everyone.

Hence it is necessary to do penance and to convert by turning to Christ. Otherwise one

ends up in the hell. In the second issue Stilling describes the eternal torments of hell.

In the following issue, Stilling complains in particular about luxury and hedonism in the

upper class. But sexual debauchery and drunkenness in the lower classes are

addressed too. Especially in the fourth pamphlet, Stilling considered the adverse

circumstances of the time – namely war, hunger, inflation and disease – as God's

judgment on men because of apostasy: of desertion from Christian belief and values. All

in all, Stilling presented, in different literary forms, a wake-up call in his time.

The texts on the whole are easily readable, although the sentence structure could be

clearer and consequently more comprehensible. There prevails a friendly, but

nevertheless patronising and sometimes even a somewhat schoolmasterly tone. But

obviously Stilling's readership accepted and liked that. Meanwhile, Stilling was to many

of them an all-seeing, dominant father figure.

This series of pamphlets was financed by the British "Religious Tract Society" London,

founded in 1799 with the chief aim of disseminating Christian literature for evangelisation.

Stilling received £28 from London. A Pound in 1800 was, in terms of purchasing power,


75

worth roughly 180 times a Pound in 2017. Hence, Stilling received about £5'000 in today's

currency. This sum converted into Euro amounts to approximately 5'700 Euro.

As an aside, Stilling founded 1803 his own "Erbauungsbücher-Gesellschaft" (Society for the

Distribution of Devotional Books). For his "Grey Man" he was courting members and

donations. The selection of books to be printed and dispersed should be done by the

associates. However, it had to be publications which announce the good news of Jesus

Christ and his great work of redemption. By autumn 1806, the number of members had

grown from ten in 1803 to forty-one. Thus, money was raised for the first editions of "Biblical

Stories of the Philanthropist" which appeared in 1808.

Resignation from Marburg; move to Baden; privy councillor

1803

Autumn: Stilling gives up his position as professor at the University of Marburg. The

immediate reason was reprimands against him from the government at Cassel. But

what is much more: Stilling has undergone a deep inner change. He now felt called

to strengthen the Christian faith for the rest of his life.

The spiritual situation at the University of Marburg steadily worsened during the course of

the French revolution 1789. Stilling profoundly deplored that. As he spelled out in 1793,

about this time the academic life was dominated by subversive student fraternities. At

Marburg, a revolutionary spirit prevailed in general. Plainly visible, this influenced the

behaviour of students. They were now animated with basic convictions and sentiments

which ran completely counter to Stilling's teaching. As a result of this, the number of

students visiting his lectures declined steadily.

In later years, the total student body of the University of Marburg sunk below 150 as the

result of the Napoléonic wars. Most students whose origins were not in the immediate

vicinity returned home. Economics lost popularity. Stilling's audience declined more and

more. He often lectured to two or three students. For him this situation was unbearable,

as he wrote in his autobiography.

By contrast, the huge number of war-injured people made the prospect of studying medicine

look a lot better. Regarding the unjust conditions prevailing at all levels as a result of the

wartime, the study of law became more attractive. As Stilling pointed out, the spirit of the

time, marked by prevailing ground-breaking ideas, and the general disposition of German

intellectual and political elite, left him without a shimmer of hope that his principles of political

economy would be of any use. Stilling was sadly disappointed and deeply frustrated about

this development. He was weary of his position as a teacher of economic and political

science.

As for the reprimands against Stilling from the government at Cassel at the beginning of

the year 1803, a brief explanation. This is presented regularly as a typical example of a


76

princely arbitrary act. Even Stilling in his autobiography expresses this view indirectly.

However, the particulars should be seen from the perspective of the employer as well.

The elector held the easily understandable view that any civil servant should dedicate

himself fully to his tasks and duties for which he is renumerated. Stilling for many years

manifestly violated this basic principle. His religious writing increased steadily. This had

been tolerated for more than ten years at court at Cassel. But when Stilling took positions

in his "Grey Man" that evidently ran contrary to the policy of his sovereign, intervention

seemed necessary.

This was done in a way which was obviously lenient towards Stilling. He was not directly

addressed in the concerning decree. But in his life story, Stilling hardly realises these

circumstances. He complained that they had not admonished him earlier. And besides, his

"Grey Man" had never put out anything contrary to the imperial censorship bill.

Stilling apparently does not see at all that he carelessly, even wantonly, ignored the concerns

of the elector at Cassel. Instead, Stilling felt deeply hurt. As mentioned above, in the

meantime Stilling felt called himself to prophesying. Roughly speaking, he did not care about

anything else.

A character trait appears here which was categorised as typical in pietistic milieu. When one

realises their own vocation, any consideration for other people is disregarded.

Stilling is appointed counsellor to the monarch Charles Frederick of Baden. For years

Stilling was connected with Charles Frederick in a form of elective affinity. This term

means a connection with, feeling of sympathy, and attraction towards a person.

In June 1803 Stilling and his family moved to Heidelberg, where they lived before,

between 1784 and 1787. Stilling leads the life of a freelance religious writer,

ophthalmologist and counsellor to his fatherly friend Charles Frederick.

1803–1804

Reconstruction and reorganisation of the University of Heidelberg. Charles Frederick

requested Stilling's opinion on the candidates, first of all on the aspirants for a chair in

theology. Stilling's son-in-law Frederick Henry Christian Schwarz in 1804 received a

professorial chair for Lutheran theology at the University of Heidelberg.

1804

"Heinrich Stillings Lehr-Jahre. Eine wahrhafte Geschichte" (Henry Stilling's Years of

Apprenticeship. A true Story) appears in print as the third part of Stilling's life story.

Unlike as before, the first name here is written "Heinrich" (instead of "Henrich") which Stilling

uses in his civic life and in his various publications. One can assume that as a child he was

called "Henrich" at home. In the Latin recorded certificate of birth is written HENRICUS. The


77

name "Heinrich" (Henry) is derived from the old high German "Haimirich" which means a rich

ruler.

1805

Publication of "Erster Nachtrag zur Siegsgeschichte der christlichen Religion in einer

gemeinnüzigen Erklärung der Offenbarung Johannis" (First Supplement to The

History of the Victories of the Christian Religion. A Popular Explanation of the

Revelation of St. John).

A second supplement was not issued. – In the "Supplement", Stilling offers clarification to

a whole series of questions. As to his doctrine, that the Pope is the apocalyptic beast out

of the abyss, Stilling on this occasion qualified and modified his former interpretation.

Firstly, the Antichrist may not necessarily be the Pope in person. Stilling now rather identified

the beast within the papacy in general. Particularly, the totally degenerated and corrupt

hierarchy, namely the clergy of the Catholic Church, Stilling now detects as the beast who

ascends from the bottomless pit. However, Stilling fails to explain why, for what reason, the

whole Catholic leadership should be degenerated and corrupt. Generally, it was just not

Stilling's way in the "History of the Victories of the Christian Religion" to explain lengthily or

justify damning indictments which he proclaimed on others.

Secondly, Stilling clarifies in the "First Supplement" that honest and righteous Catholic

believers will not automatically end up in hell. Surely, this comforting assertion caused

Catholics to breathe a sigh of relief – if they ever took notice of the insolent verdict and the

spiteful condemnation which Stilling put about Catholicism as well as the Orthodox Churches

in his "History of the Victories".

Apropos, in the third volume of his "Homesickness" 1795, Stilling pointed out that by the

sacrifice of Christ all human beings in the whole world are redeemed. With this statement

Stilling followed the teachings of Enlightenment theology. In the prevailing opinion of

traditional theologians at that time everybody without baptism should be eternally lost.

1805–1816

Stilling put out "Taschenbuch für Freunde des Christenthums" (Manual for Friends of

Christianity) in twelve volumes. All the volumes were translated into Russian. Each

annual book encloses between 156 and 180 pages in small octavo, in total 2'037

pages.

The range of subjects presented by Stilling again is widespread. It includes memories of

his childhood and adolescence as well as warning of inconsiderate inheritance contracts,

biographical and historical notes of all kind, consequences of drunkenness, personal

religious conversion, maltreatment of the elderly, child rearing and many other excerpts

from daily life as well as riddles again and again. Through the "Manual" Stilling entered

homes as a fascinating entertainer, as a teacher, as a qualified advisor in all matters and

not least as admonisher to a righteous and godly life.


78

The Presbyterian minister Professor George Bush (1796–1859) issued 1851 a new edition of the

"Theory of Pneumatology". The publisher is Justus Starr Redfield, New York.


79

In the dedication to nobleman of Easthome, preceded to the forth volume of "Homesickness"

1796, Stilling emphasises that his eternal destiny would be to act as a teacher. He

underlines, not without pride, that he had great success in this profession, as a village

teacher as well as a professor at universities.

1806

Relocation to Karlsruhe, the residence of Charles Frederick of Baden. The ageing

monarch demanded daily personal contact with his trusted friend and counsellor.

Stilling himself found accomodation in the Karlsruhe Palace. He was, together with

the personal physician, at table of the monarch. Stilling's family moved into lodgings

within the town.

Meanwhile, Stilling was a celebrity. From all over, people from all strata of society, from all

backgrounds, came to Karlsruhe. Many wanted to communicate with Stilling. His reputation

grew with each new publication, especially with each new issue of the "Grey Man".

Admittedly, these visitors were a great honour for him. On the other hand, it cost Stilling a lot

of time to meet his guests. Nonetheless, as far as we know, Stilling was open to all each time

and dealt with their problems as best he could.

Publication of "Stillings kleine gesammelte Schriften (Collected small Writings of

Stilling) in two volumes (volume 2 was printed in 1808) at Frankfurt on Main. Neither

the editor nor the publisher could be identified.

The pirating of editions was common at this time. In addition, Frankfurt in 1806 was part

of the Confederation of the Rhine, an association of client states of the Napoléonic First

French Empire. German imperial law relating to print products was not longer valid. The

first volume reprints the "Great Panacea" from 1776 and the "Sling of a Shepherd Boy"

from 1775 together with three tales. The second volume comprises a re-issue of the

"Theodicy of the Shepherd Boy" from 1776, four tales and a poem.

April to June: Third home visit to a patient with eye disease in Switzerland.

Meanwhile Stilling had many friends and a large community of readers in German-

speaking Switzerland. Stilling undertook further home visits in 1804 and 1805, INTER

ALIA to Stuttgart where Stilling had cured eye disease previously.

1807

Publication of "Vertheidigung gegen die schwere Beschuldigungen einiger

Journalisten von Dr. Johann Heinrich Jung genannt Stilling, Grosherzoglich

Badischer Hofrath" (Defense against serious Accusations of some Journalists

brought against Dr. John Henry Jung named Stilling, Grand-Ducal Baden Councillor).

In it Stilling defends himself against malicious insinuations. Annoying occurrences in

the religious and political arena were identified as the fruits from Stilling's

publications.


80

The false information was disseminated that before each meal Stilling would pray for half

an hour, that he predicted exactly the last day, that Napoléon had been designated as a

son of God and a lot of other falsities. In short, the idea was hammered into the public's

head that Stilling was a maniac and, therefore, highly dangerous to the political

establishment.

In his writings, Stilling warned emphatically against separatism in all kinds. Deceitfully he was

now accused of having promoted conventicles, namely religious meetings of laypeople

outside the auspices of the church. Likewise, Stilling was denounced for exciting and

stimulating religious rapture and millennialism. He would teach the imminent physical end of

the world, brought about in such a way that certain favoured people would survive into

paradise, while the rest of the world would perish. A separatist called him a whoremanger

because Stilling was married.

In the same year 1807 "Mein Blick auf Jung-Stilling von S. Ringier allié Burkhardt (ehemals

allié Seelmatter)" (My View on Jung-Stilling by S. Ringier, married Burkhardt [formerly

married Seelmatter]) is published at Basel with the aim to defend Stilling. Samuel Ringier

(1767–1826) acted as a town judge at Aarau, the capital of the Swiss canton of Argovia.

Ringier was angry about the slanderous accusations against Stilling and felt obliged to

counter them under his own initiative. Ringier was also the editor of "Schweizerischer

Stillings-Bote" (Swiss Herald of Stilling) which was published 1807 at Basle.

1808

April: Stilling is appointed Grossherzoglich Badischer Geheimer Hofrat (Grand-Ducal

Baden Privy Councillor).

By cleverly adapting during the turmoils of the time, Stilling's fatherly friend Charles

Frederick has risen, due to favours of neighbouring France and its new Emporer

Napoléon, from Margrave to Grand Duke, with the associated title "Royal Highness". His

territorial dominion was increased fourfold. The population of Baden increased from

about 175'000 inhabitants to nearly 1 million citizens.

The short-lived grandson of Charles Frederick, Charles (1768/1811–1818) had to marry in

April 1806 the stepdaughter of Napoléon, Stéphanie Beauharnais (1789–1860): "Son Altesse

Impériale Mademoiselle Stéphanie Napoléon, fille adoptive de Sa Majesté l’Empereur des

Français, Roi d’Italie“. Hence there was a family relationship between Paris and Karlsruhe.

The French republican calendar – each day in this calendar was divided into ten hours, each

hour into 100 decimal minutes, and each decimal minute into 100 decimal seconds: it was

part of a larger attempt at decimalisation which also included decimalisation of currency and

metrication) – as well as the Code Napoléon were introduced at Baden. However, Napoléon

abolished the (commonly called) "Calender of the Revolution" on January 1, 1806.

Correspondingly, the Gregorian calendar was reestablished in Baden in the same year. It

has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months; a leap day is added to February every

four years.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimalisation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_day


81

Karlsruhe, where Stilling had lived since 1806 and where he died in 1817, had become a

cultural centre in the southwest of Germany in this time of unrest all over Europe. This

was a considerable advantage for Stilling as a Grand-Ducal Baden Councillor.

At court Stilling as a close confidant of the sovereign was highly regarded. More or less

Stilling acted at Karlsruhe as a court chaplain to Charles Frederick. Accordingly, Stilling

was dressed in the kind of clothing worn by clergymen.

Publication of "Theorie der Geister=Kunde in einer Natur= Vernunft= und

Bibelmäsigen Beantwortung der Frage: Was von Ahnungen, Gesichten und

Geistererscheinungen geglaubt und nicht geglaubt werden müße" (Theory of

Pneumatology. In Reply to the Question, what ought to be believed or disbelieved

concerning Presentiments, Visions, and Apparitions, according to Nature, Reason,

and Scripture). Until now this book had been repeatedly reprinted and was also in

one or another form reissued. It has remained on the market until the present day.

Translations are put out in Swedish, Dutch, French and English.

The book, probably singularly on account of the word "Pneumatology" in the main title,

has established in some circles Stilling's fame as a ghost seer. But the opposite is

correct. Stilling takes a determined stance against any form of irrational belief in this

treatise.

Nonetheless the sale of the book was strictly prohibited in some territories, as Basle and

Wurttemberg, and in circles such as the Moravian Brethren too. With a decree, at

Wurttemberg all future publications by Stilling were banned. Stilling was very displeased

about this, as we know from many letters written by him on this issue. In a letter to his

friend Frederick Matthisson at Stuttgart, dated September 25, 1813, Stilling bitterly

remarked that he preferred a territory where his writings were appreciated by the ruler

and the people.

Stilling had a fundamentally positive attitude towards the Moravian Brethren. The first time he

expressed this clearly was in "The Sling of a Shepherd Boy" in 1775. He points out that

among those people love, affability and friendliness prevail, though sometimes perhaps

somewhat exaggerated. In "The History of the Victories of the Christian Religion" in 1799,

Stilling recognises indubitably the Moravian Brethren in the apocalyptic woman clothed in the

sun (Rev 12: 1–6).) In "First Supplement to The History of the Victories" 1805, Stilling

emphasised this assignment.

In 1803 and 1804 Stilling visited the headquarters of the Moravian Brethren at Herrnhut. This

was the centre of the German speaking religious exiles from Moravia on the estate of

German nobleman Nicholas Lewis Zinzendorf (1700–1760). Stilling presented himself as

impressed and excited about the faith of the Brethren. Stilling was also deeply fascinated

about their organisation: about their working together, about their fraternal co-operation at all

levels and in all age groups.

In a letter dated 1803, however, Stilling brought forward more shadowy aspects too. Stilling

would have detected luxury, tepidity and even corruption of morals. A strict cleansing,


82

therefore, stood ahead. Nonetheless, Stilling is convinced that God would not leave the

Moravian Brethren in the lurch.

Dedicatee of the "Theory of Pneumatology" is Charles Frederick of Baden, Stilling's

fatherly friend. As is obvious from his correspondence, Charles Frederick suggested that

Stilling writes about this subject. This was occasioned above all by apparitions of the

White Woman in the Karlsruhe Palace. Before the demise of a princely person, the White

Woman made herself visible and spoke to those doomed to. Those occurrences were

witnessed in numerous contemporary reports. The book, therefore, contains a portrait of

the White Woman opposite the front page. In ten paragraphs, 245 to 254, Stilling deals

with the White Woman.

Stilling's didactical principle was: "words move, examples win over". So he tells, with

regard to presentments, of an astonishing experience which his former principal Peter

John Flender had.

Flender was on a business travel at Rotterdam. Next he planned to visit customers at

Middelburg in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Hence, he booked a place on the regular cargo

ship. The ship carried cargo along the coastal towns, and it conveyed passengers as well.

Flender was just at lunch in his hotel when a sailor found him. He announced to Flender that

the ship soon will leave. He should come on board as quickly as possible.

Suddenly, Flender was inexplicably afraid. An inner voice told him that he should not board

the ship. He communicated to the sailor his decision to stay in Rotterdam. The seaman told

him that in such a case the prepaid fare could not be refunded. As soon as the sailor left,

Flender made fierce self-reproaches. He could not understand why he rejected this

opportunity. – That evening the message came that the ship sank with all hands. Flender

knelt down and thanked God for his warning.

As to visions, Stilling reports an episode with Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). A

businessman from [Wuppertal-]Elberfeld, Rüdiger Lausberg (1720–1801), supplied ships

on the coast of the North Sea with food and beverages. To that end he spent some time

at Amsterdam.

Lausberg had a friendship with a theologian at Duisburg. This man caught tuberculosis and

died as a result. Shortly before his death, Lausberg had a deep discussion with his friend.

Since Swedenborg stayed in Amsterdam at that time, Lausberg visited him. He wanted to

know from Swedenborg about the discussion with the friend and about an answer to the

issues raised in the last interlocution. Swedenborg promised to contact the deceased friend.

Lausberg visited Swedenborg some days later. Swedenborg reproduced the whole course of

conversation between the theologian and Lausberg exactly. Swedenborg could also clarify

the unsolved theological problem from the last meeting of the two friends.

The English translation of the "Theory of Pneumatology", provided in 1834 by the

Wesleyan Methodist minister Samuel Jackson (1786–1861) of Tulse Hill, later Herne Hill,

attracted attention too. The subject matter of the book was a burning issue as well in

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeeland


83

England in those days. In the main, the "Theory of Pneumatology" has been reviewed

favourably, the more so as the translator annexed helpful explanatory remarks ("notes")

on seventy pages.

A second edition was issued in 1843, and a new version 1851 at New York, adapted by

George Bush (1796–1859). Bush was ordained in the Presbyterian ministry, and in 1831 he

became professor of Hebrew and oriental literature at New York University. Like Samuel

Jackson, George Bush was a great admirer of Stilling. Moreover, Samuel Jackson was the

translator of "The Autobiography of Heinrich Stilling", published 1835–1836 and re-published

several times since then.

1808–1816

Publication of the periodical "Des Christlichen Menschenfreunds Biblische

Erzählungen (Biblical Stories of the Philanthropist); the publisher is Raw at

Nuremberg. In fourteen issues Stilling recounts the biblical stories of the Old and

New Testament in a comprehensible manner and in relatively easy to understand

language. In contrast to most of the writings of Stilling, major headings and

subheadings can be found here.

In the preface to the first issue in 1808, Stilling specified the purpose of the "Biblical

Stories". Firstly, he intends to keep the biblical faith alive. Secondly, Stilling intends to

promote knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. Thirdly, Bible reading

should be made attractive. Sad to say that this last purpose seems difficult to attain,

since Stilling fails to quote the places where he found the stories.

Stilling was criticised because he did not present the biblical stories in the original order. He

would have made an arbitrary selection. But nowhere has Stilling announced that he wants

to adopt the existing order. And evidently, due to the nature of the subject, a selection is

unavoidable. Stilling intended to present stories from the bible, and not a translation of the

biblical texts.

There were further objections that Stilling brings a lot of personal, self-invented text additions

into his narration of the biblical books. This is also true. But Stilling's aim is not merely to tell

biblical stories. He furthermore wants to explain those for his contemporaries. Wherever he

integrated own thoughts and considerations, the understanding of the biblical text should be

supported and facilitated. Until today, such paraphrases are customary in similar publications

too.

Another question is whether the interpretations given by Stilling are always appropriate and

correct. Ultimately, this should be seen from the fundamental purpose, from the basic

intention of the "Biblical Stories". Stilling's declared aim was to preserve the biblical faith and

to encourage Bible reading. It is almost unbelievable how many wiseacres, hidden enviers

and hidebound theological critics put down – often in a contemptuous manner – Stilling's

successful "Biblical Stories". This is hard to explain rationally.


84

Stilling adds self-composed poems at the end of most of the fourteen booklets and also at

the end of individual sections. With regard to thought content and formal structure, the

poems are no masterpieces in general. But they express emotions and invite the reader to

move the heart to God.

Last years and decease

1809

Various public attacks against Stilling because of the "Theory of Pneumatology"

prompted him to publish "Apologie der Theorie der Geisterkunde veranlaßt durch ein

über dieselbe abgefaßtes Gutachten des Hochwürdigen geistlichen Ministeriums zu

Basel. Erster Nachtrag zur Theorie der Geisterkunde" (Apologia of the Theory of

Pneumatology occasioned by an Expert Assessment written by the Reverend

ecclesiastical Authority at Basle. First Amendment to the Theory of Pneumatology).


85

The Methodist minister Samuel Jackson (1786–1861) who translated the autobiography and the

"Theory of Pneumatology" presents here a selection of miscellaneous tales written by Stilling.

"Apologia" means a defense or justification. Ideas, statements and declarations have

been attributed to Stilling which he never had put forward in the "Theory of

Pneumatology". However, Stilling in his terminology, at various points in the text,

obviously is not precise enough. Accurate definitions are repeatedly missing. This seems

to be a serious oversight, even on a matter as complex and difficult as this one. Almost

inevitably leads it to misunderstandings.

Reverend Samuel Jackson, the translator of the "Theory of Pneumatology" into English, not

least due to this fact, added explanatory notes to his edition. These notes mostly were

implemented into the American edition of 1843 by professor George Bush. – A second

amendment to the "Theory of Pneumatology" was not published.

1810

A higher school for young ladies was founded at Karlsruhe. Stilling taught science at

this institution. For that purpose he writes a textbook which came in print 1816:

"Lehrsätze der Naturgeschichte für Frauenzimmer" (Doctrines of Natural History for

Wenches). It is Stilling’s last textbook which came in print when he was still alive. The

book is dedicated to Amalie Graimberg (1776–1829), the foundress of the girls'

school.

1811

June 10: Death of Charles Frederick of Baden. Stilling has to give up his two rooms

at the Karlsruhe Palace. He moved to his family into the town. For the rest of his life,

however, his remuneration remains undiminished.

Publication of "Antwort durch Wahrheit in Liebe auf die an mich gerichteten Briefe

des Herrn Professor Sulzers in Konstanz über Katholicismus und Protestantismus"

(Answer in Truth and Love to the Letters of Professor Sulzer at Constance addressed

to me about Catholicism and Protestantism).

The jurist John Anton Sulzer (1752–1828) taught history and philosophy in preparatory

courses for prospective students at a secondary school at Constance. Sulzer is

entangled in a rigid and rear-facing Catholic faith. In fourteen letters addressed to Stilling

as well as to "other Protestant Christian brethren and friends" he indirectly calls on them

to become Catholics.

Stilling felt himself greatly compelled to answer Sulzer, and unmistakably to set himself

apart from Catholicism. For as a herald of faith in the Protestant world he had every

reason not to be positioned in the vicinity of the Catholic Church. Stilling's broad – and in


86

some parts also deep – reasoning in his response to Sulzer was translated into Dutch

and Swedish.

By the way, Stilling did present a remarkable opinion on the variety of Christian

denominations in his answer to Sulzer. Stilling accentuates that God has granted freedom of

thought and freedom of worship to every human being. This would be applicable as well with

regard to its decision on the various Christian religious parties. It is important alone that

Jesus Christ is the centre of teaching, preaching and worship. Everything else remains

secondary. Ultimately, it is lying in the hand of God to separate on the day of the crop the

chaff from the wheat.

1814

July 09: Stilling, together with three other guests, is asked to take seat at the dinner

table at Bruchsal Castle with the Russian Csar Alexander I (1777/1801–1825), then

the most powerful man in the world. The day after, Jung-Stilling had a 75-minute

private meeting with the Czar. Because the mother of the Czar was a princess of

Wurttemberg, and since 1793 the 15 year-old Alexander was married with a 14 year-

old princess of Baden, the Czar spoke a fairly good German. Furthermore, Alexander

was fluent in French.

Two years later the Czar took Frederick (1795–1853), the son of Stilling and his third

wife, into his service. He made him Russian State Council and chief postmaster of Latvia

with domicile at Riga. Latvia at this time belonged to the czarist Empire. 1818 Frederick

was ennobled.

Stilling was full of admiration for the Czar. Previously, he idolised Napoléon, at least as long

as he re-established law and order in France and fought against the Catholic Spain. For like

most Protestants, Stilling was animated with a deeply rooted Hispanophobia: an aversion

against Spain and against everything that is considered Spanish. In the third volume of

"Homesickness" 1795, Stilling describes in book three the Iberian states as "emaciated

bodies". In the "Manual for Friends of Christianity" 1815, Stilling presents Alexander as an

instrument in the service of God. A portrait of the Csar bears the title "Alexander the

Blessed". In the introduction of the "Manual" 1815, Stilling shows himself enthused about the

nice face of Alexander.

The critics are undeniably right: Stilling was rather naive in his judgments in regard to rulers.

But it also should be said that Stilling was not alone in his admiration for Napoléon and then

for Czar Alexander. The majority of contemporaries – at least in the Protestant camp –

shared his view. It remains an open question, to what extent at this point feelings of

Protestant inferiority and, as to Spain, deep-rooted jealousy towards the Iberian culture –

arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc. – found expression.

1814–1815

"Erzählungen von Heinrich Jung genannt Stilling" (Stories by Henry Jung called

Stilling) came out in three volumes with a preface by the editor, church councillor


87

John Lewis Ewald (1747–1822), Stilling's friend at Karlsruhe. Twenty-eight didactic

stories, issued by Stilling in various publications, are re-printed here. The "Stories"

were translated into English.

The first volume introduces the dedication "Stillings Freunden gewidmet" (Dedicated to

Friends of Stilling). The selection of the narratives indicate that the "Stories" are intended

for a broad readership.

1816

Stilling published "Heinrich Stillings Schatzkästlein" (Treasure Chest of Henry Stilling)

at Nuremberg. It contains paraphrases in hexameters about biblical passages written

by Stilling. Further editions were printed in the following year by a publisher in

Reutlingen and also by a publisher in Prague. Both were pirated editions. This

demonstrates that there must have been a strong demand for the "Treasure Chest",

though the verses – and especially hexameters as metrical lines of six feet and most

often dactylic, that means: an accented syllable followed by two unaccented syllables

– are not easy to read.

In most of his religious writings in the latter stage of his life, Stilling fled constantly into

the biblical linguistic pictures and comparisons. In their vagueness they offer a wide-

ranging meaning, a broad spectrum of opinion as well as manifold insights and

conclusions. Additionally, biblical metaphors and analogies have, due to their

indistinctness, the proper characteristic to immunise against all sorts of criticism. They

appear as a protected room giving a seemingly untouchable security.

Because of all these reasons the biblical language is able to connect people of very different

educational backgrounds and life experience. And consequently, Stilling had – and has until

the modern day – a multi-layered community of readers: from academics to peasants and

craftsman.

But it should be seen, from a historical perspective, that Stilling represents a worldly Pietism:

a Pietism which should have a shaping influence on society, and a pietism which should not

be detached from the "sinful world". Persistently Stilling argued against the shallow

Enlightenment of his days. He, therefore, deserves the merit having defended Pietism

against the shortsighted Enlightenment philosophers, beginning in 1775 with "The Sling of a

Shepherd Boy". By this, he performed an important service to the Protestant church and

theology at that time, widely ensnared by pure rationalism and by contempt for the traditional

church's teachings.

1817

Publication of "Heinrich Stillings Alter. Eine wahre Geschichte" (The old Age of Henry

Stilling. A true History) as the sixth part of Stilling's autobiography. The work

remained a fragment.


88

Stilling wrote this last report of his life in 1816. On the whole he restrained himself with

statements on Providence, which he stressed in the previous parts of his autobiography.

In these chapters before, Stilling tried to harmonise stages of his life with divine

Providence. With some exaggeration, Stilling described his whole life from the viewpoint

of Providence. However, there are also some who say that if Stilling had written more

than eighteen printed pages in this last part of his autobiography, he surely would have

accentuated this favourite topic over again.

Everything that had been written about Providence – and that through the centuries had

undergone profound theological research – can be summed up in two thoughts. First of all,

God is good (Mk 10:18). God, therefore, has always good plans for his creatures. He only

wishes the best of them. For God is pure and unbounded love (ὁ θεòς ἀγάπη ἐστίν ,1 John

4:16).

Secondly, way and means whereby he wants to lead us to the objectives – as joy and

sorrow, happiness and sadness, long and short life – are unknown to us. This makes

Providence cryptic for the individual. The hidden ways of God's care for a person are

principally undetectable and normally not understood. Apparently, Stilling hardly – if at all –

perceived and realised this fact.

There is also wide agreement that perpetual meditation and pondering over single acts of

Providence, as Stilling continually did, easily results in internal unrest and to existential

problems. In the end there may even prevail scrupulosity as a fear, that what one does is so

weak and defective to be presented unto God, that he is displeased and indignant. This in

turn may even lead to feelings that God has rejected and is punishing a person. But as much

we know from his diaries, this did not happen in respect to Stilling.

Consequently, we should try to avoid such spiritual aberrations, accept trustfully the divine

guidance and submit our confidence unto the love of God for every human being. This

includes our gratefulness to God. And surely, the soul that is always grateful lives in the light

of experience in closer contact with God than one who never looks to Him in thankful

acknowledgement.

In short, from the viewpoint of theology it is not advisable to seek to understand actions of

divine Providence, as Stilling did. Rather a man should gratefully accept everything out of

God's hand.

And beyond that, every Christian is invited – but not obliged or even forced – to live

permanently with Jesus and in Jesus. Stilling highlights this comforting offer time and again

in the publications of the latter period of his life. However, Stilling emphasises that a close

relation to Jesus does not require a withdrawal from the world into separated communities of

true believers, as some Pietist authors taught. But Stilling explicitly acknowledged that there

are some men and women who God has called in a monastic community. The vocation to

monastic life, however, should generally not lead to perpetual vows.


89

April 2: Stilling passes away at Karlsruhe, where he is also buried. His sepulchre is

located at the central cemetery. Stilling died eleven days after his third wife. Three

wives and seven children deceased before him.

Posthumous fame

1817

William Henry Elias Schwarz (1793–1873), Protestant parson at Mannheim and

eldest grandson of Stilling, edits the fragments of the last part of Stilling's life story. It

is amended by a heartfelt though critical report by Stilling's son-in-law, professor

Schwarz at Heidelberg.

Professor Schwarz recognised an inherent propensity to melancholy in Stilling's

character: a constitutional tendency to gloominess or depression. Also, Stilling should

have been habituated somewhat to didacticism, understood here as an inclination to

teach and to moralise in a way that is felt somehow or other as annoying or unwanted.

However, professor Schwarz underlines Stilling's outstanding eloquence, his profound

piety, his upright conscientiousness, his perfect sincerity, his unpretentious modesty. The

son-in-law also praises his openness. To the last: Stilling never failed to accept new

ideas, methods or changes.

Several other publications commemorating Stilling are printed. So the young Swabian

theologian Christian Gottlob Barth (1799–1862) published "Stillings Siegesfeyer. Eine

Scene aus der Geisterwelt. Seinen Freunden und Verehren" (A Victory Celebration

for Stilling. A Scene from the World of Spirits. Dedicated to his Friends and

Admirers). In line with the "Scenes from the World of Spirits" by Stilling, the author

gives an insight into the warm welcome which Stilling is given in paradise.

Ecclesiastical councillor John Lewis Ewald (1748–1822), Reformed theologian, a

popular pedagogical and very productive writer, an old friend of Stilling, published in

1817 "Leben und Tod eines christlichen Ehepaars" (Life and Death of a Christian

Couple) in which he wrote warm words about Stilling. He calls him an organic relation

between amicability and earnestness. This whole-hearted obituary by Ewald was

translated also into Dutch.

The romantic lyricist Baron Maltitz (1794–1857) brought to print the poem "Beym

Tode des Geheimhofraths Jung genannt Stilling" (On the Death of Privy Councillor

Jung named Stilling) in the same year. In very artistic verses he portrays the

pilgrimage of Stilling into the eternal homeland.

A year later, in 1818, "Worte der Erinnerung an den entschlaffenen Vater, Herrn Dr.

Johann Heinrich Jung genannt Stilling ... von einigen Freunden des seelig

Entschlaffenen" (Words of Remembrance of the blessed deceased Father Dr. John

Henry Jung called Stilling ... by some of the Friends of the blessed Deceased) was

https://www.dict.cc/englisch-deutsch/perfect+sincerity.html

http://swb.bsz-bw.de/DB=2.1/SET=1/TTL=2/CMD?MATC=&ACT=SRCHA&REMEMBERFORMVALUES=N&IKT=4070&NOABS=Y&TRM=%22Worte+der+Erinnerung+an+den+entschlaffenen+Vater,+Herrn+Dr.+Johann+Heinrich+Jung,+genannt+Stilling%22%23%23%23%23%23%23

http://swb.bsz-bw.de/DB=2.1/SET=1/TTL=2/CMD?MATC=&ACT=SRCHA&REMEMBERFORMVALUES=N&IKT=4070&NOABS=Y&TRM=%22Worte+der+Erinnerung+an+den+entschlaffenen+Vater,+Herrn+Dr.+Johann+Heinrich+Jung,+genannt+Stilling%22%23%23%23%23%23%23


90

published at Nuremberg. Two warm obituaries and some poems from various authors

are to be found here. The book was translated into Dutch and Russian.

1818

Publication of the versified "Chrysäon oder das goldene Zeitalter in vier Gesängen"

(Chrysaeon or the Golden Age in four Songs) as a book. Stilling had placed this epos

by and by in his "Taschenbuch für Freunde des Christenthums" (Manual for Friends

of Christianity) between 1809 and 1812. Deeply engrossed in the world beyond,

Stilling portrays – similarly as in the "Homesickness" – the pilgrimage of man into

eternity.

Relating to poetry, "Chrysaeon" is an artwork. Stilling selects in "Chrysaeon" eight-line

stanzas with pentametrical trochees and alternating male and female rhymes. For the

most part, the text reads fluently and in some parts even excitingly.

Stilling's name in the "Chrysaeon" is "Selmar". This very likely is a hint at "Selma", his second

wife. Like in the "Scenes from the World of Spirits", as well here Stilling's guardian angel

Siona is his leader across the beyond.

Doubtlessly, to some extent Masonic thinking seems to resonate in Stilling's

"Chrysaeon", and especially in song 3, verses 77 to 84 ("God confession of a

Freemason"). This text until now could be found in many Masonic sources. And it should

not be forgotten that Stilling was a friend of "true" freemasonry.

1820

The wholehearted memorial for Stilling: "Sieg des Getreuen. Eine Blüthe hingeweht

auf das ferne Grab meines unvergeßlichen väterlichen Freundes Jung=Stilling"

(Victory of the Stalwart. A Blossom blown to the faraway Tomb of my unforgettable

paternal Friend Jung-Stilling) is published. The writer is the Swiss author and lay

theologian Helen Schlatter-Bernet (1764–1832). For years, Stilling had been in

correspondence with her.

In several scenes she portrays the transition of Stilling into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here, his grandfather, his father and his three wives welcome him. Furthermore, his

benefactor Charles Frederick greets him cordially.

1821

Publication of "Gedichte von Johann Heinrich Jung genannt Stilling. Nach seinem

Tode gesammelt und herausgegeben von seinem Enkel Dr. Wilhelm Elias Schwarz"

(Poems by John Henry Jung named Stilling. Collected and edited after his Death by

his Grandson William Elias Schwarz, Phil.D.).

The collection of texts contains poems by Stilling from different publications during the

course of his life. Stilling's translation of Vergil, published 1787, is not included. The book


91

is available as an online-resource. – William Elias Schwarz (1793–1873), the eldest son

of his daughter Hannah Jung, was most of his lifetime Protestant parson in Mannheim.


92

Stilling’s tomb and his third wife at the central cemetery at Karlsruhe. The care of the sepulcher is

made by the municipality Karlsruhe.

1835–1838

In fourteen volumes are printed in Stuttgart "Johann Heinrich Jung's, genannt Stilling,

... sämmtliche Schriften. Zum erstenmale vollständig gesammelt und herausgegeben

von Verwandten, Freunden und Verehrern des Verewigten (The complete Works of

John Henry Jung, called Stilling. For the first Time collected and edited by Relatives,

Friends and Devotees of the Deceased).

Compared with the original editions, smaller changes in the texts and adjustments in

orthography can be detected. The economic and technical writings of Stilling are not

included in this publication. Here, Stilling’s publications are chopped together without any

recognisable system.

The quality of paper is very bad, and the lines are printed narrowly together. An index is

missing. An edition on better paper was reproduced in seven volumes in 1979.

The preface is somewhat bizarre and full of errors. As a result, it says that Stilling first

received a professorship at Marburg. Stilling was actually appointed professor 1778 at

Kaiserslautern. It is also entirely wrong that Stilling died in Heidelberg. Without any doubt he

was deceased in 1817 in Karlsruhe, where his tomb is located until today in the central

cemetery.

These all evidently indicate that the editors only had a vague knowledge about the life of

Stilling. Undoubtedly, Stilling did not deserve such relatives, friends and devotees.

1841–1843

Publication of "Johann Heinrich Jung's, genannt Stilling, sämmtliche Werke. Neue

vollständige Ausgabe (The complete Works of John Henry Jung, named Stilling. New

complete Edition) in twelve volumes.

This issue suffers from the above-mentioned inadequacies. The paper quality is even

worse then in the first edition. Acid paper had been used. However, acid paper tends to

deteriorate very rapidly, perhaps in as short a time as fifty years or less.

1842

Publication of "Johann Heinrich Jung's (genannt Stilling) ausgewählte Werke in vier

Bänden" (Selected Works of John Henry Jung, called Stilling, in four Volumes). This

edition includes the novels of Stilling and other widely-read literary writings.


93

The writings of Stilling here are ostensibly pieced together randomly. Compared with the

original editions of Stilling, a lot of textual and orthographic deviations could be detected.

To the present day:

Some of Stilling’s core books are available as new editions in Antiqua fonts. These

publications – in German language – mainly are edited by the Jung-Stilling Society

Siegen (Germany). They all include an alphabetical register and helpful notes.

Nearly Stilling’s all writings could be bought or downloaded – in the main free of

charge – in the original version from public libraries. This also applies to translations

in English, Dutch, French, Swedish, Russian and some other languages.

But a tiresome problem remains. The original publications and reproductions are mostly

written in blackletter typefaces (Gothic type, Fraktur): relatively narrow letters and formed

by sharp, straight, angular lines when compared to the smooth curves of Antiqua used

today. The line interleaf (interlinea: the distance between base-lines of successive lines

of text) in Stilling’s original editions as well as in the reprints often is very narrow.

Some Fraktur typefaces also included a variant form of the letters r and s, and also a ligature

in several . Here two or more letters are joined as a single glyph; an example is the character

æ. Stilling’s old publications, therefore, could hardly be deciphered by the present

generation. Unfortunately, there is still no convincing programme to convert the often rather

squiggled Gothic letters into Antiqua fonts in the present day.

In the meantime the reprints are offered in large numbers and in diverse languages. But

it should be mentioned that none of the books published by Stilling had an index. Without

an alphabetical listing, however, themes outlined in the book must be sought

painstakingly.

What is more: some words have now changed in meaning. This frequently leads to

misinterpretations of the text. In addition, Stilling, especially in his autobiography,

encrypted names and places. One had to know the factual, true name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86

Date post:	11-Sep-2021
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	12 times
Download:	0 times

Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling

Documents