Gerhard Tersteegen


Gerhard Tersteegen, was a German Reformed religious writer and hymnist.

Life

Tersteegen was born in Moers, at that time the principal city of a county belonging to the House of Orange-Nassau that formed a Protestant enclave in the midst of a Catholic country.
After being educated at the gymnasium of his native town, Tersteegen was for some years apprenticed to a merchant. He soon came under the influence of Wilhelm Hoffman, a Pietistic revivalist, and devoted himself to writing and public speaking, withdrawing in 1728 from all secular pursuits and giving himself entirely to religious work. He also had a great influence on radical Pietism.
His writings include a collection of hymns, such as Das geistliche Blumengärtlein The spiritual flower-garden) of [1729, a volume of Gebete, and another of Briefe, besides translations of the writings of the French mystics and of Julian of Norwich. He died in Mülheim, North Rhine-Westphalia.

Sermons

Tersteegen was well known for his deeply spiritual sermons. People crowded into his home to hear him speak of the things of God. Some of his sermons have been translated into English, including , and . Additional sermons can be found in Samuel Jackson's and H. E. Govan's Gerhard Tersteegen: Life and Selections.

Poetry

Tersteegen's poetry is beautiful and spiritual. An example from his hymns:

Hymns

Hymns by Tersteegen were printed in several hymnals internationally, for example in the Danish Roskilde Konvents Psalmebog 1855, and later in Psalmebog 1912, with one hymn, "Kom, lad trøstig vandre".
In Sweden, a popular songbook with spiritual songs and prayers by Thomas à Kempis named Lilla Kempis. Korta Språk och Böner, till uppbyggelse för de enfaldiga contained 19 hymns by Tersteegen.
In The Church Hymn book 1872 he is represented with four hymns: "God calling yet", "Thou hidden love of God", "Something every heart is loving" and "O thou, to whose all-searching sight".
In The English Hymnal with Tunes, 1933, he is represented with the procession hymn "Gott ist gegenwärtig", in the English translation by John Wesley as "Lo! God is here!". Wesley translated several of Tersteegen's texts.

Correspondence

Tersteegen corresponded with many people. He was always practical and sought to help people learn how to live in God's presence. Among the more fundamental principles he espoused were the following:

Reflections

Here are samples of his reflections:
Tersteegen was ever hopeful of God's favor, as attested in the following:
He also recognized that blessings come packaged as trials:
Tersteegen was adamant that all spiritual growth and joy was centered in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He also realized that understanding and coming into a relationship with Christ was progressive in nature, as delineated in the following:

Publications