With the decline of Pietism and the rising strength of rationalism German religion in the early nineteenth century seemed formal and unreal. The people needed to be stirred to an increased interest in a vital, practical religion. Several groups and individuals rose to meet the challenge. For instance, the Evangelical Union of Lutherans and Calvinists, formed in 1817 in Prussia and several other states, was an organization of Bible and tract societies dedicated to the distribution of religious literature. And John Frederick Oberlin worked tirelessly to bring the Gospel to the country folk of the Alsatian Mountains. Of particular note was John H. Wichern who founded the Inner Mission in Hamburg that was designed to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the poor. Along with Theodore Fliedner, the Inner Mission’s second great leader, Wichern’s work spread throughout central Europe. Fliedner, an organizational genius, developed deaconess associations, which established so-called “motherhouses,” including hospitals, orphanages, and rescue homes, and enrolled thousands of women for Christian service. Relocating their center to Kaiserswerth, the Inner Mission sent foreign missionaries to many countries to undertake similar services. Stimulated by the evangelistic meetings held in England and America, both ministers and lay preachers evangelized among the people, holding special tent and theater meetings.
Impact: The Inner Mission enlarged its scope beyond the expectations of its founders. Various organizations were created for children and young adults. Numerous agencies were established to cope with social ills. In short, it served a vital ministry role during the nineteenth century.