Adolph Moraht

Moraht, Adolph , Ph.D., son of J. D. M. Moraht, merchant in Hamburg, was born at Hamburg, Nov. 28, 1805. From 1825 to 1828 he was a student of theology at the Universities of Halle, Göttingen, and Berlin, graduating Ph.D. at Göttingen in 1828. He was then resident for nine years as a candidate of Theology (licensed preacher) at Hamburg, teaching in private schools, and devoting his spare time to the work of Home Missions. At Easter, 1838, he was appointed second pastor at Mollen, in Lauenburg, and in 1846 chief pastor. He died at Möllen, Dec. 6, 1884 (Koch vii. 296; MS. from his daughter, &c).

His hymns appeared principally in his (1) Harfenklänge (90), Lüneburg, 1840; 2nd ed. (107), Hamburg, 1865. (2) Zweite Sammlung der Harfenklänge (73), Hamburg, 1880. Some of them first appeared in various papers and collections. The best are his hymns of Love to Christ, which are sweet in tone and the fruits of ripe Christian experience. Those which have passed into English are:—
i. Ich bleib bei dir! wo könnt ichs besser haben. Rest in the Lord. 1840 as above, p. 111, in 5 st.; and in O. Kraus, 1879, p. 360, omitting st. v. Translated as "I rest with Thee, Lord! whither should I go," by Miss Borthwick in Hymns from the Land of Luther., 1855, p. 62 (1884, p. 120), and in Miss Warner's Hymns of the Church Militant, 1858, p. 60.
ii. Je kleiner ich, je grösser du. Humility. Founded on St. John iii. 30. 1840, as above (1865, p. 121), in 7 st., and in O. Kraus, 1879, p. 361. Translated as “The less I am, the more Thou art," by J. Kelly, 1885, p. 31.
iii. Wo ist dein Bethel, wo die Himmelspforte. Secret Prayer, 1840, as above, p. 101, in 4 st., and in F. Seinecke's Evangelical Liedersegen, 1862, No. 192. Translated as (1) "Where is thy Bethel, where the world's control," by C. T. Astley, 1860, p. 22. (2) "Where is thy Bethel? where the gate of heaven.” by J. Kelly, 1885, p. 11.

[Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)