resume his
studies took possession of him.

Rambach eventually became one of the outstanding theologians of Halle, as
well as preacher at the school church. In 1731 he removed to Giessen to
become superintendent and first professor of theology. Here he found
conditions vastly different from those at Halle. He was particularly
grieved over the fact that his preaching did not seem to bear fruit.
Often his efforts to bring about healthier spiritual conditions met with
opposition and scoffing on the part of his adversaries. He died in 1735
at the early age of forty-two years--from intense sorrow over the
spiritual indifference of his flock, so it has been said.

Rambach wrote many splendid hymns, among them the confirmation hymn,
"Baptized into Thy Name most holy." His fame rests principally on his
work as a hymnologist, however. During his life-time he published a
number of collections from all sources. These hymns were chosen with fine
discrimination, and Rambach was the first hymn editor to make a
distinction between hymns for congregational worship and those
particularly suited for private devotion.

The beautiful Advent hymn, "Rejoice, all ye believers," as well as the
Epiphany hymn, "O Saviour of our race," also date from the Pietistic
period. Both hymns apparently were written in 1700 by Laurentius
Laurentii, cantor and director of music in the Lutheran cathedral at
Bremen. Laurentii was not only a splendid musician, but also a
hymn-writer of high order, and no less than thirty-four of his hymns were
included in the Freylinghausen collections.

Other hymnists of the Pietistic school include Christian Scriver, writer
of the famous devotional book, "Seelenschatz;" Gottfried Arnold, a noted
church historian; Ernst Gottlieb Woltersdorf, founder of an orphanage at
Bunzlau, and Christian Richter, a pious physician and an associate of
Francke. Few of their hymns, however, are in common use today.

A Hymn of Longing for Christ

O Son of God, we wait for Thee,
We long for Thine appearing;
We know Thou sittest on the throne,
And we Thy Name are bearing.
Who trusts in Thee may joyful be,
And see Thee, Lord, descending
To bring us bliss unending.

We wait for Thee, 'mid toil and pain,
In weariness and sighing;
But glad that Thou our guilt hast borne,
And cancelled it by dying.
Hence, cheerfully may we with Thee
Take up o