Encyclopedia of Living Divines and Christian Workers of All Denominations: In Europe and America

The PREFACE:
THIS book contains biographical sketches of contemporary divines, celebrated preachers, Christian workers, theological professors, church dignitaries, and editors of prominent religious periodicals. It is intended as a supplement to the "Religious Encyclopedia" published in 1884, in three volumes. The German Encyclopedia of Herzog excludes living authors.
The value of such a book depends on the extent of its authentic information. In this respect we have been highly favored. When the senior editor resolved, somewhat reluctantly, to undertake the delicate task, he issued a circular letter to distinguished divines of Europe and America, requesting them to furnish for publication exact facts and dates concerning their birth, their education, titles, offices, publications, and other noteworthy incidents. To his great encouragement he received prompt and full replies from nearly all, and takes great pleasure in expressing to them publicly his sincere thanks for their kindness.
The information thus obtained is presented without note or comment. Where the gentlemen chose to indicate their theological standpoint in a distinctive way, it is given in their own words; if not, it is left to be inferred from their reputation and works.
To secure still greater exactness, proof was sent for revision to each living person named; and their corrections and additions have been inserted as far as possible.
Additional information and corrections received too late for insertion in the proper place have been printed in the appendix.
When no response was received to the circular, the dates and facts desired were derived from the best attainable sources, chiefly the following: HoltzmannHoltzmann and Zopffel's Lexikon fur Theologie und KirchenwesenZopffel's Lexikon fur Theologie und Kirchenwesen, for German Protestants; Schapler's Handlexicon der Katholischen TheologieHandlexicon der Katholischen Theologie, for German Roman-Catholics; the thirteenth volume of Lichtenberger's Encyclopedie des sciences religieuses, for French authors; Crockford's Clerical DirectoryClerical Directory, and the latest (eleventh) edition of the Men of the Times, for English authors and church dignitaries; denominational cyclopaedias, - Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., - manuals, year-books, and catalogues of colleges and theological seminaries, for Americans. The articles thus compiled are marked by a star.
Besides living celebrities, the volume includes notices of divines who have died since the completion of the Religious EncyclopediaReligious Encyclopedia (1884), and a few - others who were inadvertently omitted.

Simultaneously with this Supplement will be published a new and revised edition of the Religious EncyclopediaReligious Encyclopedia, which will embody the corrections made by the authors of the several articles, as well as the editors. Copies were sent to foreign contributors with the request to correct the translation of their articles, and to bring them down to the latest date, which was done.
As to the distribution of labor, the senior editor has procured the material, and written biographical sketches of departed friends (as Drs. Ezra Abbot, Dorner, Lange, Prime, Thiersch), besides aiding in the final revision; while the junior editor has prepared the material for the press, and devoted himself to the work for nearly two years.
The editors have aimed at the greatest possible accuracy and completeness, as well as strict impartiality, in the desire to make a useful and reliable book of reference for readers of all denominations and theological schools.