Christoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil

Short Name: Christoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil
Full Name: Pfeil, Christoph Carl Ludwig von, 1712-1784
Birth Year: 1712
Death Year: 1784

Pfeil, Christoph Carl Ludwig, Baron von, was born January 20, 1712, at Grünstadt, near Worms, where his father, Quirin Heinrich v. Pfeil, was then in the service of the Count of Leiningen. He matriculated at the University of Halle in 1728, as a student of law. After completing his course at the University of Tübingen, he was appointed, in 1732, Württemberg secretary of legation at Regensburg; then, in 1737, Justiz-und-Regierungsrath at Stuttgart; in 1745 Tutelar-raths-Präsident; in 1755 Kreisdirectorialgesandter to the Swabian Diet; in 1758 Geheim Legationsrath; and in 1759 Geheimrath. He found himself however at last no longer able to cooperate in carrying out the absolutism of the Württemberg prime minister Count Montmartin. When his resignation was accepted, April 13, 1763, he retired to the estate of Deufstetten, near Crailsheim, which he had purchased in 1761. In Sept., 1763, he was appointed by Frederick the Great as Geheimrath, and accredited Prussian minister or ambassador to the Diets of Swabia and Franconia. He was thereafter created Baron by the Emperor Joseph II., and in 1765 received the cross of the Red Eagle Order from Frederick the Great. An intermittent fever which developed itself in August, 1783, confined him to bed, where he remained till his death, at Deufstetten, Feb. 14, 1784 (Koch v. 176; Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie xxv. 646).

v. Pfeil was a man of deep and genuine piety. His hymnwriting began immediately after the spiritual change which he experienced on the 10th Sunday after Trinity, 1730; and it continued to be a favourite occupation, especially in his later years at Deufstetten. He was one of the most productive of German hymnwriters, his printed hymns being about 950, besides many in manuscript. The other hymns printed in his lifetime appeared in his (1) Lieder von der offenbarten Herrlichkeit und ZuJcunft des Herrn, Esslingen, 1741, 2nd ed. Memmingen, 1749, as Apocalyptische Lieder von der, &c. (2) Evangelisches Gesangbuch, Memmingen, 1782, with 264 hymns dating from 1730 to 1781, edited by J. G. Schellhorn. (3) Evangelische Glaubens-und Herzens-gesänge, Dinkelsbühl, 1783, with 340 hymns dating from 1763 to 1783. In recent times a number of his hymns have come into German use (they originally appeared, it must be remembered, during the Rationalistic Period), and Knapp includes 26 of them in his Evangelischer Lieder-Schatz, 1850. Two have passed into English, viz.:—
i. Am Grab der Christen singet man. Burial. Written in 1780. First published in No. 3, 1783, as above, p. 201, in 10 st., entitled, "We sing joyfully of Victory at the grave of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord hath gotten Him the victory." In the Berlin Geistliche Lieder,ed. 1863, No. 1433. Translated as, "The Christian's grave with joy we see," by Dr. G. Walker, 1860, p. 111.
ii. Wohl einem Haus, da Jesus Christ. Family Prayer. First published in No. 2, 1782, as above, No. 61, in 8 st. of 4 1., entitled, "Delightful picture of a house that serves the Lord. On the Parents of Jesus." It was apparently written for the 1st Sunday after Epiphany, 1746. In the Unverfälschter Liedersegen, 1851, No. 682. Translated as:—
Oh blest the house, whatever befall. A good translation omitting st. ii., vi., by Miss Winkworth, in her Chorale Book for England, 1863, No. 175. Including, omitting the trs. of st. iii., v.t and adding a translation of st. vi., as No. 344 in the Ohio Lutheran Hymnal, 1880.

[Rev. James Mearns, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Christoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil (38)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Abba, Vater! der Du DichChristian Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German3
Am Grab des Christen singet manChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German1
Bei aller Verwirrung und Klage allhierChr. K. L. von Pfeil, 1712-1784 (Author)German2
Besser ist kein Tag zur BußeChrist. Karl Ludwig v. Pfeil (Author)German4
Betet! denn wer beten kannChristoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German2
Betgemeine, heil'ge dich mit dem heiligen ÖleC. K. L. von Pfeil (Author)German40
Blessed Jesus, all our hearts inclineC. L. von Pfeil, 1712-84 (Author)3
Church of prayer, let Christ thy LordChristoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)English3
Den heilig, heilig, heil'gen GottCh. R. L. v. Pfeil (Author)German2
Der Christen Glaube birgt sich nichtChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German14
Der Gerechten Seelen sind in Gottes HandChristoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German2
Der Glaube hilft, wenn nichts mehr helfen kannChristoph Carl Ludw. von Pfeil (Author)German4
Der Vater sieht's: Kind, lass es seinChr. K. L. v. Pfeil (Author)German2
Gehet hin, ihr Friedensbotenv. Pfeil (Author)German4
Gott ist der unsichtbare GottChristian Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German3
Guter Seelenhirt, meine Seele wird über deiner HirtentreueC. K. B. von Pfeil (Author)German3
Herr, auf jene fromme ScharC. v. Pfeil, 1712-1784 (Author)German5
Herr, bei jedem Wort und Werke mahne mich dein Geist daranChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German15
Herr Jesu, A und O, der Anfang und das EndeChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German2
Hosianna, Davids Sohn, dem GesegnetenChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German2
Ich halte meinem Jesu stillv. Pfeil (Author)German6
Ihr Christen [Menschen] auserkoren, hört gute neue Mär'V. Pfeil (Author)German1
Jesu, du allein Sollst mein Führer seinChr. K. L. v. Pfeil (Author)German10
Jesu, komm in unsre Mitte, hör' der armen Sünder BittenChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German4
Jesus gestern, Jesus heuteChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German5
Kommt, stimmet alle jubelnd ein, Gott hat uns liebC. S. Ludwig (Author)German1
Kreuzeskönig, deine SchmerzenChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German4
Liebster Heiland, liebster Heiland, guter treuer HirtChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German3
Nun weiß ichs, nun ist Jesus meinChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German3
Nur in Jesu Blut und WundenChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German8
O, blest the house, whatever befallChristoph C. L. von Pfeil (Author)English28
Rzeszo święta, serce sweChristoph Carl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)Polish2
Seele, die du hoch von AdelChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)German2
Segnet uns zu guter LetztChristoph Karl Ludw. v. Pfeil, 1712-1784 (Author)German11
Wo findet die Seele, die Heimat die RuhChristoph Karl Ludwig v. Pfeil, 1712-1784 (Author)German6
Wo soll ich hin, wo aus und anC. K. L. v. Pfeil (Author)German6
Wohl einem Haus, wo Jesus ChristC. K. v. Pfeil, 1712-1784 (Author)German42
Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus, Jesus Christ, alwayChristoph Karl Ludwig von Pfeil (Author)English3
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