Matthias Loy (March 17, 1828 - January 26, 1915) was an American

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

in the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio. Loy was a prominent pastor, editor, author, and hymnist who served as president of Capital University in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

Biography

Matthias Loy was the fourth of seven children of Matthias and Christina Loy, immigrants from

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

who lived as tenant farmers in the Blue Mountain area of

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Cumberland County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 259,469. Its county seat is Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Carlis ...

. In 1834, when Matthias was six years old, the family moved to Hogestown, a village west of

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...

. When he was 14, he was sent as an apprentice to Baab and Hummel, printers of

Harrisburg Harrisburg ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat, seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50, ...

. Here he worked for six years, while attending school. He received a classical education at Harrisburg Academy and graduated from the German Theological Seminary of the Ohio Synod, a predecessor body of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, in

in 1849. In 1849, he entered the Lutheran ministry and became pastor at

Delaware, Ohio Delaware is a city in Delaware County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located near the center of Ohio, about north of Columbus as part of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 41,302 at the 2020 census. Delaware ...

. In 1865 he resigned his pastorate to become professor in the Theological Seminary of Capital University in Columbus. In 1881 he was elected president of Capital University. Following a critical attack of

angina pectoris Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). It is most commonly a symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina is typically the result of part ...

, he retired as professor emeritus in 1902 Loy edited the ''Lutheran Standard'', official periodical of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio, from 1864 until 1890. In 1881, he founded the ''Columbus Theological Magazine'' and managed it for ten years. He was President of the Ohio Synod from 1860 to 1878 and again from 1880 to 1894. In 1887,

Muhlenberg College Muhlenberg College is a private liberal arts college in Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg College is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is named for Henry Muhlenberg, the German pat ...

gave him the degree of

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (academic discipline), divinity (i.e., Christian theology and Christian ministry, ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the Englis ...

. He wrote 21 hymns and also translated a number of German hymns into the English language. He also edited a translation of ''Dr. Martin Luther's House Postil'' in three volumes (1874–1884). He died in Columbus on January 26, 1915.

Works

Books

*''The Doctrine of Justification'', (1862) *''Life of Luther'', translated (1869) *''Essay on the Ministerial Office'', (1870) *''Sermons on the Gospels'', (1888) *''Christian Prayer'', (1890) *''Christian Church'', (1896) *''Story of My Life'', (3rd ed. – 1905) *''The Augsburg Confession'', (1908) *''The Sermon on the Mount'', (1909) *''Sermons on the Epistles'', (1910)

Hymns

* ''The Law of God is Good and Wise'' * ''The Gospel Shows the Father's Grace'' * ''An Awe-full Mystery Is Here'' * ''Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever'' * ''At Jesus' Feet Our Infant Sweet''

References

Other sources

*
Matthias Loy, Leader Of Ohio's Lutherans
' by C. George Fry, in the Scholarly Journal of the

Ohio Historical Society Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...

, Volume 76, pages 183–201. The reference notes for this article begin on pag
267
*
Matthias Loy, Theologian of American Lutheran Orthodoxy
' by C. George Fry, in the ''Springfielder'', October 1974, Vol 38, Number 4.
'' Dr. Matthias Loy and his role in the Election Controversy''
by Timothy Kant (WLS Essays.net)http://essays.wisluthsem.org:8080/bitstream/handle/123456789/2443/KantLoyElectionControversy.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

External links

Lutherans In America – The Synodical Conference
on the website of the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as Christian theology, theologically conservative, it was founded ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Loy, Matthias 1828 births 1915 deaths 19th-century American Lutheran clergy 19th-century American poets American educators American Lutheran theologians American people of German descent Capital University people American Lutheran hymnwriters Muhlenberg College alumni People from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania Harrisburg Academy alumni