Temnere mundum, temnere nullum, temnere se, temnere se temni. haec 4 beant.

Nobilissimo Doctissimo D[omi]no Possessori

S. Scheurer V[erbi] D[ivini] M[inister] Ling[uae] S[acrae] et Theol[ogi]ae Moralis Prof[essor] Acad[emi]ae p[ro] t[empore] Rector. F[ellow of the] R[oyal] S[ociety]

Bernae, prid[ie] Non[ae] Sextileis MDCCXIX.
 

 
 

 

Fearing the world, not fearing anything, fearing yourself, fearing from making others fear – happiness consists in these four things.

I wish a happy journey full of successes to the noble and learned owner [of this book]
S. Scheurer pastor, professor of Hebrew and moral theology, and at this time rector of the academy, and fellow of the Royal Society.

In Bern, on the day before Nonae of August of 1719

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p. 241. Bern, August 4, 1719

Scheurer, Samuel
(?-1747), Swiss theologian, Hebraist

Samuel Scheurer was a pastor in Bern, and besides the professor of Hebrew, of catechetic theology, and from 1735 of elenchtic theology. (Catechetic theology – theologia catechetica – is the discipline of practical theology considering the instruction of religion and education to Christian life. The elenchetica is a method of argumentation, which refutes the opposing arguments by showing up their bias, erroneous conclusions and inner antagonisms.) Finally he was appointed first professor of theology. He was a member of the Prussian and English Scientific Societies. He died in Bern on September 18, 1747. His works: Bernerisches Mausoleum oder … berühmten und sonderlich um die Kirchen Gottes in diesem Land hochverdienten Männeren … aufgerichtetes Ehren-Maal in ihrer kurtzen Lebens-beschreibung … Bern, 1740. (Athenaeum Bernense). – Kurtz gefasste Natur und schrifftmässige Theologie.

Besides his academic and pastor's offices (V.D.M. = verbi Divini minister, that is, servant of the divine word), Samuel Scheurer also indicates his membership of the Royal Society of London (F.R.S. = fellow of the Royal Society). In the date he uses the ancient name "Sextilis" for August. In the album we find another ancient name, "Septilis" for September, in the note of Gundling (p. 151). 

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