ZOLLIKOFER. 



from day to day, and adhered to him to the very lail hour 

 of his addreffing them. A confiderable number of young 

 members of the univerfity eagerly prefled to hear his dif- 

 courfes, learnmg from him, by example, how a fubjeft 

 fliould be iludied and difcuffed, in order to contribute, in 

 any remarkable degree, to the advancement of vvifdom and 

 virtue among mankind by the oratory of the pulpit. 



It is therefore natural to hope, that Zollikofer's genius 

 will continue to operate not only throughout his native 

 country, but likewife over many provinces of Germany, by 

 means of thefe his difciples, who are thus prepared for dif- 

 feminating truth, and virtue, and happinefs among their 

 fellow -creatures to the lateil pofterity. 



Several volumes of his excellent difcourfes have for fome 

 years been in the hands of the public, and are in high and 

 deferved repute wherever the German language is underftood, 

 by all perfons to whom religion and virtue are objefts of 

 ferious concern ; to which the number of editions through 

 which they have pafled, and which are continually publiihed, 

 bear ample teftimony, as well as to the tafte and judgment 

 of the times with regard to compofitions of this nature. A 

 German writer fays, that " Zollikofer was one of the firft 

 pulpit orators of his time. His fermons were diilinguifhed 

 by clearnefs of ideas and warmth of feeling. In regard to 

 form, they were the mod complete produdiions of the kind 

 which had appeared, at that time, in Germany. The diftion 

 is copious and varied ; the periods harmonious, and the 

 whole acquires great animation from the conneftion of the 

 ideas and the tranfitions." Of his theological creed we can 

 form no decided opinion. His difcourfes are practical, and 

 not controverfial ; and it mull be allowed that whatever were 

 his fentiments on difputed topics, they are adapted to in- 

 form the underftanding, to imprefs the heart, and to regu- 

 late the temper and conduft. Some have fufpefted that he 

 belonged to the modern German fchool of theologians. 

 Profelfor Eichorn pronounces his eulogy in the following 

 ftrain : " Zollikofer, on account of the philofophical colour- 

 ing combined with popularity, which he knew how to give 

 to his difcourfes, was an orator for the higheft ranks. He 

 unfolded the doftrines and principles of Chriftianity with 

 philofophical accuracy ; exhibited them in a concife and 

 imprefTive manner, clothed in pure and iimple language, 

 without artificial ornament ; and endeavoured to affeft the 

 heart by convincing the judgment." 



Zollikofer, conlidering that pfalmody and prayer form an 

 eflential part of public worlhip, undertook to make a col- 

 leftion of fpiritual fongs for the ufe of his congregation, on 

 a plan more fuitable to the purpofe, and more edifying than 

 the old one. In doing this he availed himfelf of the advice 

 and affiftance of his judicious friends, both in regard to the 

 improvement of the forms, and to the proper feleftion of 

 hymns from the modern poets, particularly Gellert, Cramer, 

 and Kloppllock. This performance appeared in the year 

 1766. His difcourfes and prayers for the ufe of public and 

 family worlhip were pubhlhed in 1777, and were followed 

 in 1785 by his exercifes of devotion and prayers for the 

 private ufe of reflefting and fincere Chriilians. The Rev. 

 W. Tooke,F.R.S. has done great fervice to the caufe of rational 

 religion, by the tranflation of 10 vols. 8vo. of Zollikofer's 

 Sermons, and of his Devotional Exercifes in i vol. Svo. 



Having faid fo much concerning the profeffional cha- 

 rafter and performances of Zollikofer, we cannot forbear 

 adding a few particulars from the account that lies before us, 

 with regard to his private and focial difpofition and condudt. 

 " In humility and retirement, he purfued his path of life ; 

 never wi(hing to ftiine, his only aim was to be ufeful ; be- 

 caufe in the exercife of that ftem virtue which he taught he 



found his fupreme delight. The poor and deftitute, efpe- 

 cially thofe of his congregation, beheld in him a father and 

 a friend ; though his bounty was by no means confined to 

 them, it alfo extended to thofe of other communions, rehev- 

 ing them either by his own donations or through application 

 to others." — " His advice, his judgment, his interceflion 

 with others, his admonitions, his confolation in misfortune, 

 were at the fervice of all who applied for them, and he even 

 went before their requefts. Young men defirous of know- 

 ledge, eagerly fought his acquaintance, and all thofe who 

 enjoyed that benefit have honeftly confefled, that they derived 

 from it material improvement both in heart and mind. 

 Whatever he faid was true ; every word he uttered might 

 be relied on as conveying the real fentiments of his heart ; 

 arrayed in the fimple majefty of truth, he fought no other 

 covering : and never did he commend or approve from com- 

 plaifance any thing that was contrary to the conviction of 

 his own mind, or that he faw could not be approved upon 

 the llrifteft rules of morality. His gravity was attradlive 

 and engaging, charity itfelf was in its fmiles, his converfa- 

 tion entertaining, often animated, his equal cheerfulnefs 

 amiable and inoffenfive, and his raillery, in which he very 

 rarely indulged, the mildeft poffible. To a ver)' confiderable 

 compafs of literary attainments and great brilliancy of ima- 

 gination, were added in the charafter of Zollikofer, the 

 moil undeviating reftitude, the moll amiable difpofition, 

 and the moft prepofleffing manners. The whole tenor of 

 his life was one pure, uninterrupted, captivating harmony 

 of virtue, and the fweet enjoyment of the felicities arifing 

 from it. Among his other fatisfatlions he had that of being 

 univerfally efteemed, as of necedity it could not be other- 

 wife. That happy mixture of ferioufnefs and dignity with 

 gentlenefs and affability ; his own ftricl courfe of virtue 

 combined with fo much indulgence and candour towards the 

 failings of others ; his heartfelt and firm convittion of the 

 great truths he taught, which manifefled itfelf in all his 

 actions, in the whole tenor of his converfation as well as in 

 his difcourfes from the pulpit, without entertaining the 

 flighteil intolerance towards fuch as differed from him in 

 opinion, or arrogating the fmallefl fuperiority over thofe 

 who poffefTed not the faculty of thinking for themfelves, or 

 of fully comprehending every truth ; his unwearied zeal to 

 lead his auditors to the rigorous exercife of virtue, in his 

 demands however never difregarding the rights of humanity 

 concerning what they could or could not do in thefe or the 

 other circumflances ; his impartial eftimation of mankind, 

 jullly difcriminating the opinions and principles upon which 

 they adted, carefully tracing out their good qualities, and 

 heartily rejoicing in every advantageous difcovery of that 

 nature — let the reader contemplate all this as combined in 

 the character of Zollikofer, and then pronounce, whether 

 real undiffembled veneration, the general efteem of all ranks- 

 and claffes of perfons muil not as infeparably have attended 

 his wifdom and virtue as the (hadow follows the fubftance. 

 Even the wanton wit of thofe who, in the judgments they 

 pafs on the minilters of religion, are not afhamed to fet afide 

 the refpeft that is due from man to man, was awed into 

 filence at the name of Zollikofer." 



He was twice married, and in both connexions he was 

 truly happy, though both proved childlefs. For about a 

 year before his death his faculties began to dechne, and he 

 wifhed to refign his office of preacher, and to retire to the 

 place of his nativity in Switzerland ; but at the requefl of 

 his congregation, who for the fake of retaining him expreffed 

 their wilhngnefs to be fatisfied with one difcourfe in a fort- 

 night, he was induced to remain in his ftation. At length 

 within a few weeks before his death he was obliged to 



devolve 



