George P. Fisher (Professor in New Haven, b. 1827) has written the best manual in the
English language: History of the Christian Church with Maps. N. York, 1887. He has also published
a History of the Reformation (1873); Beginnings of Christianity (1877), andOutlines of Universal
History (1885),—all in a calm, amiable, and judicious spirit, and a clear, chaste style.
Contributions to interesting chapters in the history of Protestantism are numerous. Dr. E.
H. Gillett (d. 1875) wrote a Monograph on John Hus (N. York, 1864, 2 vols.), aHistory of the
Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (Philad. 1864, 2 vols.), and a History of
Natural Theology (God in Human Thought, N. York, 1874, 2 vols.); Dr. Abel Stevens, a History of
Methodism, viewed as the great religious revival of the eighteenth century, down to the centenary
celebration of 1839 (N. York, 1858–’61, 3 vols.), and a History of the Methodist Episcopal Church
in the United States (1864–’67, 4 vols.); Henry M. Baird, a History of the Rise and Progress of the
Huguenots in France (N. York, 1879, 2 vols.), andThe Huguenots and Henry of Navarre (1886, 2
vols.).
The denominational and sectarian divisions of American Christianity seem to be unfavorable
to the study and cultivation of general church history, which requires a large-hearted catholic spirit.
But, on the other hand, the social and national intermingling of ecclesiastical organizations of every
variety of doctrine and discipline, on a basis of perfect freedom and equality before the law, widens
the horizon, and facilitates comparison and appreciation of variety in unity and unity in variety;
while the growth and prosperity of the churches on the principle of self-support and self-government
encourages a hopeful view of the future. America falls heir to the whole wealth of European
Christianity and civilization, and is in a favorable position to review and reproduce in due time the
entire course of Christ’s kingdom in the old world with the faith and freedom of the new.^45
(e) Finally, we must mention biblical and ecclesiastical Encyclopaedias which contain a
large number of valuable contributions to church history from leading scholars of the age, viz.:- The Bible Dictionariesof Winer. (Leipzig, 1820, 3d ed. 1847, 2 vols.); Schenkel (Leipzig,
1869–’75, 5 vols.); Riehm Kitto (Edinb., 1845, third revised ed. by W. L. Alexander, 1862–’65, 3
vols.); Wm. Smith(London, 1860–’64, in 3 vols., American edition much enlarged and improved
by H. Hackett and E. Abbot, N. York, 1870, in 4 vols.); Ph. Schaff (Philadelphia, 1880, with maps
and illustrations; 4th ed., revised, 1887). - The Biblical and Historical Dictionariesof Herzog (Real-Encyklopädie für Protestantische
Theologie und Kirche, Gotha 1854 to 1868, in 22 vols., new ed. thoroughly revised by Herzog,
PlittandHauck, Leipzig, 1877–’88, in 18 vols.), Schaff-Herzog (Religious Encyclopaedia, based
on Herzog but condensed, supplemented, and adapted to English and American students, edited by
Philip Schaff in connection with Samuel M. Jackson and D. S. Schaff, N. York and Edinburgh,
revised ed., 1887, in 3 vols., with a supplementary vol. on Living Divines and Christian Workers,
1887); Wetzer and Welte (Roman Catholic Kirchenlexicon, Freiburg i. Breisgau, 1847-l860, in 12
vols.; second ed. newly elaborated by Cardinal Joseph Hergenröther and Dr. Franz Kaulen, 1880
sqq., promised in 10 vols.); Lichtenberger. (Encyclopédie des sciences religieuses, Paris, 1877–’82,
in 13 vols., with supplement); Mcclintock and Strong (Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and
Ecclesiastical Literature, New York, 1867–’81, 10 vols. and two supplementary volumes, 1885 and
(^45) Comp. the author’s Christianity in the United States of America (a report prepared for the seventh General Conference of
the Evang. Alliance, held at Basle, Sept., 1879), printed in the Proceedings of that Conference, and his Church and State in the
U. S., N. York, 1888.
A.D. 1-100.