GFRORER
542
GHENT
Gfrorer, August Friedrich, German historian;
b. at Calw, Wiirtemberg, 5 March, 1803; d. at Karls-
bad, 6 July, 1861. Obedient to the wishes of his
parents, but against his own inclinations, he devoted
himself to the study of theology; was a student at the
"Little Evangelical Seminary" of Tubingen from
1817-21, and from 1821-25 continued his studies at
the higher seminary of the same place. He com-
pleted his education by a series of scientific travels
through Switzerland and Italy, after which he re-
turned to his Alma Mater. In 1829, he was appointed
vicar in the city of Stuttgart. Having by this time
lost all belief in revealed religion, he became con-
vinced that to continue his pastoral duties would in-
volve him in serious conflicts; he therefore resigned
his vicarage. At the recommendation of Victor von
Bonstetten, a friend of his father, he was appointed
third librarian of the public library of Stuttgart ( 1830)
with the title of professor. During his numerous
hours of leisure he applied himself with vigour and
enthusiasm to the study of literature and history. As
the fruit of these labours he published in the following
year (1831) his work on " Philo und die judisch-alex-
andrinische Theosophie" (2 vols., Stuttgart, 1831).
This work was preparatory to his larger work entitled
" Kritische Geschichte des Urchristenthums" (Stutt-
gart, 1838, in 5 vols.). In it Gfrorer, probably im-
pelled by David F. Strauss's " Leben Jesu", sought to
conceive historically the life and teaching of Christ,
and, although writing as a rationalist throughout, he
strongly disclaims being " an adherent of the modern
champion of negative truths" (i. e. of Strauss). In
the first part, with the sub-title " Das Jahr des Heils",
lie investigates the time in which Christ lived ; in the
second, entitled "Heilige Sage", he treats of the au-
thenticity and literary character of the first three
Gospels, and in the third, "Das Heiligthum und die
Wahrheit", he di-scusses the Gospel of St. John. The
work, therefore, is a detailed investigation of the char-
acter and significance of the New Testament from an
historical point of view, and is based on a wealth of
materials. At the same time he studied the history of
the Thirty Years War, and in 1835 (in Stuttgart) pub-
lished " Gustav Adolf, Konig der Schweden und seine
Zeit" (4th ed., 1863), in which by emphasizing the
political role of the Swedish king he took a position
diametrically opposed to the views previously held by
Protestants.
An equally profound impression, especially in Cath- olic circles, was produced by his " AUgemeine Kirchen- geschichte" (4 vols., Stuttgart, 1841-46). Closing with the year 1305, it brings into prominence the impor- tant part played by the Catholic Church in the devel- opment of the German Empire, and justly extols the policy of the popes. Shortly afterwards he was ap- pointed professor of history at the Catholic University of Freiburg (Breisgau) — an appointment which at first sight appears surprising, inasmuch as he was a rational- ist, the results of whose investigations were not at all times in harmony with Christian doctrine. His call, however, is quite intelligible in view of the tendencies of his recent writings, and of his fair treatment of reli- gious questions, which seemed to indicate a gradual return to more conservative religious opinions. In 1848, he was elected to the German Parliament at Frankfort as representative of a district of Wiirtem- berg; he belonged to the greater German party, and was a fanatical opponent of Prussia. It is a notable fact that, while in Parliament, he proposed a motion for the reunion of f'atholics and Protestants, but only on condition that the Holy Sc(^ would promise never to permit the Jesuits or Ui'dcTiiptnrists to settle on Ger- man soil. In 1853 he ciilcrcil tlic ('atholic Church, after all the other members of liis family had taken the same step. His later publications are: "Geschichte der ost- und westfriinkischen Karolinger" (Freiburg, 1848, 2 vols.); "Die Urgeschichte des menschlichen
Geschlechts" (Schaffhausen, 1855, 2 vols., incom-
plete), a demonstration that neither critical history
nor the natural sciences, in treating of the origin and
earliest history of the human race, can lay claim to
certainty, when opposed to the earliest traditions of
mankind and especially to Holy Writ; " Papst Gre-
gorius VII undsein Zeitalter" (Schaffhausen, 1859-61,
m 7 vols.), a part of his "Church History", notable for
its brilliant scholarship and conscientious research.
Many volumes of lectures were published posthu-
mously: " Geschichte des 18. Jahrhunderts" (Schaff-
hausen, 1862-73; Vols. I-IV by Weiss; second part of
the fourth vol. by Tiedemann, Basle, 1884); "Zur
Geschichte deutscher Volksrechte im Mittelalter"
(Schaffhausen, 1865, 2 vols.) ; " Byzantinische Ge-
schichten " (Graz, 1872-74, 2 vols.). His " Prophets
veteres p.seudepigraphi latine versi" (Stuttgart, 1840),
with translation, is critically unsatisfactory. Gfrorer
was a man of unusual ability; he possessed great acu-
men and great powers of bold and correct combination.
He was a prolific author, although his literary re-
searches were sometimes lacking in method.
Alberdingk-Thtm, a. F. Gfrorer en zijne werken (Haarlem, 1S70). It should be noted that the author of this work is Gfrorer's son-in-law. AUgemeine deutsche Biogrnphie, IX, 139- 144; VON Weech, Badische Biographien, I, 300-304; Rosen- thal, Converlitenhilder, I, 2, 807 sqq.
Patricius Schlager.
Ghardaia, Prefecture Apostolic of, in the French Sahara, separated in 1901 from the Vicariate Apostolic of Sahara and the Soudan. It includes the region between the Prefecture Apostolic of Morocco, the Dioceses of Algeria and Tunis, the Mission of Tripoli, and 20° N. lat. The inhabitants number about 300,000, all Mussulmans, but of different races, such as Arabs and Berbers. In this vast region are nomadic Arab tribes, such as the Larba, the Chaambas, and the Said Otba; there are sedentary populations in the oases, as those of the oases of Wargla (Uargla) , Gurara, Tuat (Twat), Tedikelt, various tribes of the Tua- regs. and lastly the strong and important group of Mozabites in the district of Mzab.
At present the mission comprises three stations, Ghardaia, Wargla and Elgolea. Twelve missionaries and three lay brothers of the Congregation des Mis- sionaires d' Afrique (White Fathers) are emploved at the different tasks pertaining to a mission in a Mussul- man country. Evangelization properly so-called can- not be at once begun in such countries. The task of the missionaries is wholly one of preparation, requiring long and obscure toil of which statistics convey no adequate appreciation. It consists in overcoming by degrees, through benevolent intercourse, the exercise of charity, and instruction, the ancient prejudices which the Mussulmans harbour towards Christians, prejudices that are rooted deeply in the very religion of Mohammed. Only insensibly, therefore, and through appreciation of the benefits conferred by the mission- aries and through customary respect for the latter as men of God, do these peoples become detached from Islam, and a new generation grow up in which it is possible to make numerous and permanent conversions, permanent precisely because more numerous, for occa- sional conversions amid Mussulman surroundings are almost impossible.
Missioncs Catholicm (Rome, 1007); Calholic Mussims (Lon- don, ); Annates de la propagation de ta Foi (Lyons, 1901-
1909). Charles Guerin.
Ghent, Diocese op (Gandensis or Gandavensis), at present comprises the whole territory of East Flanders, one of the nine provinces of Belgium. It numbers 1 .1113. 930 inhabilantsand 3(i2 parishes. The see wasfrcclcil hv Paul l\' ("Super univcrsi ", 12 May, 1559) at Ihi' rc<|'urst (jf I'liilip II, King of Spain aiid Sovereign of the Low('i)untrics. Till that time Ghent had belonged to the Diocese of Tournai. Situated on the left bank of the Scheldt (Escaut), the new diocese
