Hymns and Hymnwriters of DenmarkAaberg, J. C. (Jens Christian)
History
Hymns and Hymnwriters of Denmark
Aaberg, J. C. (Jens Christian)
Hymns, Danish -- History and criticism; Hymns, Danish -- Translations into English
Kingo was an able administrator, and the institutions and finances of the
diocese prospered under his care. But it was as an earnest Christian and
a tireless worker for the spiritual improvement of his people that he won
their respect. He was known as an "eloquent man, mighty in the
Scriptures." One of his contemporaries said of him: "Were we not forced
after hearing him preach to say with the disciples, 'Did not our hearts
burn within us when he opened the Scriptures to us and, like a son of
thunder, published the sins of the house of Jacob, or, like Barnabas, the
son of comfort, bound up our wounds and comforted us with the comfort
with which he had himself been so richly comforted by God.'" The few
extracts of his sermons that have come down to us verify the truth of
this statement. They show us a man firmly grounded in his own faith and
zealous in impressing its truth upon others. His preaching was strictly
orthodox and yet fiery and practical. The poetical language and forceful
eloquence of his sermons remind one of the best of his spiritual songs.
Kingo's writings and frequent travels brought him into contact with most
of the outstanding personages of his country in his day. His charming
personality, lively conversation and fine sense of humor made him a
welcome guest wherever he appeared. On the island of Taasinge, he was a
frequent and beloved guest in the stately castle of the famous, pious and
revered admiral, Niels Juul, and his equally beloved wife, Birgitte
Ulfeldt. His friendship with this worthy couple was intimate and lasting.
When admiral Juul died, Kingo wrote the beautiful epitaph that still
adorns his tomb in the Holmen church at Copenhagen. On the island of
Falster he often visited the proud and domineering ex-queen, Carolina
Amalia. He was likewise a frequent visitor at the neighboring estate of
the once beautiful and adored daughter of king Christian IV, Leonora
Ulfeldt, whom the pride and hatred of the ex-queen had consigned for
twenty-two years to a dark and lonely prison cell. Years of suffering, as
we learn from her still famous book _Memories of Misery_, had made the
princess a deeply religious woman. Imprisonment had aged her body, but
had neither dulled her brilliant mind nor hardened her heart. She spent
her remaining years in doing good, and she was a great admirer of Kingo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account