In 1692 Philip Spener welcomed an invitation from the elector of Brandenburg to move to Berlin. That same year he persuaded Frederick, the future king of Prussia, to invite August Hermann Francke (12663-1727) to become a professor at the new University of Halle. Francke soon rose to leadership of the Pietist movement, though Spener continued writing and preaching until his death in February 1705. At Halle, Francke pioneered an array of spiritual and social ministries. The University became the hub of a host of Pietist ministries. Francke’s compassion for the neglected led him to begin a school for the poor. He also established an orphanage and bought a tavern and adjunct land to build a hospital. His on-going work included a Latin school for talented boys, a house for widows, a house for unmarried women, a medical dispensary, a book depot, a printing establishment, and a Bible house.
[tags]August-Hermann-Francke, BlogRodent, church-history, ChurchRodent, history, Philip[/tags]
