My Genealogy Hound

J. MAX HARK, D. D., Principal of the Moravian Seminary and College for Women in Bethlehem, is an eminent scholar, whose fame extends to all parts of the United States. It was a step of great wisdom that the officials of the Moravian Seminary took when they made overtures to Mr. Hark with the idea of securing him for the most important position as head of the school. His influence has been felt in all worthy directions and departments for good, and especially in the literary world has this been the case. Many times have his praises been sung in both the religious and secular press as an active and ardent worker in church, school and public.

The date of our subject’s birth was June 4, 1849, and his childhood was passed in the quiet village of Nazareth. His early education was obtained under the wise and kind instruction of his father, a physician, and a man of varied scholarship, who is still living. After graduating at Nazareth Hall, Dr. Hark entered the theological seminary at Bethlehem, where he pursued a complete theological course, and was graduated in 1870 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. On beginning the battle of life he labored for three years as pastor of the Moravian Church at Lebanon, Pa., whence he went to Philadelphia to become pastor of the Second Moravian Church of that city. While a resident there he joined the Pennsylvania Historical Society, and about that time first wrote articles for the Sunday-School Times, and various other publications.

In January, 1881, Dr. Hark went to Lancaster, where he became pastor of the Moravian Church, having charge of that flock for twelve years. In this time he wrote editorials for the Andover Review, the Christian Union, the Sunday-School Times, the Pennsylvania School Journal, and many other leading literary, educational and theological journals. Among the profound works which he has written the most important is, perhaps, “The Unity of the Truth in Christianity and Evolution,” a book of about three hundred pages. In the line of translation he is also noted. Among the latter works are the “Chronicon Ephratense,” which was published in 1889 and contains nearly three hundred pages, and “Extempore on a Wagon,” the original of which was written by Bishop G. H. Loskiel, who traveled in 1803 from Bethlehem to Goshen, Ohio.

In 1873 Dr. Hark married Miss Milla T. Crosta, of Riverton, N. J., and they have three children: Hugo, a member of the Moravian College in the Class of ‘94; Hilda and Anna. Mrs. Hark was born in Riverton, N. J., and is a daughter of Francis Crosta.

The father of our subject, whose name was Joseph, was born in Saxony, Germany, and was a graduate of the Moravian Theological Seminary at Gnadenfeldt. Coming to America, he taught at Nazareth. He studied medicine with Dr. Bute, the father of homeopathy, who introduced the method in America. For a year he practiced in Philadelphia, and later was engaged in general practice in Nazareth until he retired, about the year 1885, at the age of sixty-seven years, to make his home with our subject. Gottleib Hark, our subject’s paternal grandfather, a native of Saxony, was a book-binder, and came to the United States in his seventy-ninth year, his death occurring at Nazareth about eight years later. His father, a native of Denmark, was the owner of several merchant vessels. The mother of Dr. Hark was Maria Louisa, a daughter of Dr. George Bute, whose birth occurred in one of the small provinces of Germany. He studied medicine in his native land and later came to America. His wife, Miss Mary Bardill, was a lady of Swiss descent. He was sent as a missionary to South America, where he was stationed for several years. On his return to Philadelphia the yellow fever epidemic was prevalent, and as he was very successful in his treatment of cases he made homeopathy very popular. Late in life he removed to Nazareth, where he died at the age of eighty-four years. The mother of Dr. Hark, whose birth occurred in Philadelphia, also died in Nazareth, in 1879. In 1893 our subject was appointed by the Governing Board of the Moravian Church to be Principal of the Moravian Seminary, and in September of that year commenced his duties. He has established a post academic department, giving a full college course in the liberal arts. In 1893 he was elected by the synod as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Moravian College and Theological Seminary, and on the organization of the board was made its President. In the fall of 1891 he was instrumental in forming the Pennsylvania Chautauqua, of which he is Chancellor, and its first summer session was held the following year. This assembly, which will have a growing and extensive influence for good, is located at Mt. Gretna. There are fifty acres in the grounds, which are well supplied with lecture halls and other buildings. Dr. Hark remains there during July and August, having personal supervision of programs, speakers and everything connected with the association. As one of the charter members of the Pennsylvania German Society started in Lancaster, he has served as Chairman of the executive and other committees. In 1887 the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Franklin and Marshall College. Though his interests are very broad, he is now giving his best abilities to furthering and improving in every manner the high standard of the Moravian Seminary, which bears a reputation for excellence throughout the country too great to need special mention.