NAST, William, clergyman, born in Stuttgart, Germany, 15 June, 1807. He was educated at the University of Tubingen with a view to entering the ministry, but preferred literary pursuits, and after his graduation was connected with the press. Mr. Nast emigrated to the United States in 1828, taught at the United States military academy, and subsequently became a professor" in Kenyon college, Ohio. He united with the Methodist Episcopal , church in 1835, was licensed to preach, and at the conference of that body in 1837 was appointed to establish a German mission in Cincinnati, Ohio. He proved so successful in that enterprise that in the course of twenty years German Methodist , churches were established in almost every state in the Union, and in various parts of Germany, Norway, and Sweden. Since 1859 he has edited the German publications of the Methodist church, and since 1840 has been in charge of the " Christian Apologist," the organ of his branch. He has translated a large number of religious works into German, and is the author of "Christological Meditations" (Cincinnati, Ohio, 1858) ; a commentary on the New Testament in German (1860); the " Gospel Records" (1866) ; " Christologische Betrachtungen" (1866); and "Das Christenthum und seine Gegensattze" (1883).