johann heinrich (john henry) jung, named jung-stilling
TRANSCRIPT
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)
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Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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)
Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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
Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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
Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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...................................................................
Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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.
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Jung-Stilling at the age of 58. The portrait was created by the at that time famous painter Jacob Fehrmann (1760–1837) at Bremen.
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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
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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.
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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".
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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,
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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".
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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".
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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,
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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,
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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
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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.
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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).
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
Gerhard E. Merk: Johann Heinrich (John Henry) Jung, named Jung-Stilling (1740–1817)
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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.