Prev TOC Next
[See page image]

Page 489

 

489 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA society sooinus th.p-,amendencyin Poland. Many small congrega tions were composed almost entirely of the nobility distinguished by humanistic culture. s. Early The most important society was at Socinian Rakow (55 m. me. of Cracow), a city Movement. founded by the Reformed Johannes Sieninaki in 1569, which soon became a colonial center for a free-thinking spiritual life, specially after the accession to_Vocmiamsm of the younger Sieninski. Its excellent school was at tended at one time by 1,000 students. Philosophy and theology were taught; and associated with it was a publishing-house transferred from Cracow. Rakow was also the meeting-place of the annual general synod. The prosperity of Socinianism was mainly due to the influence of its great ministers, theologians, and scholars, proceeding from its aca demic center at Rakow. Valentin Schmalz (b. in Gotha 1572; d. at Rakow 1622) was won to Uni tarianism while studying at Strasburg, 1591; came to Poland and was rebaptized; was rector of the school at Szmigel; became preacher at Lublin, 1598; and teacher and preacher at Rakow, 1605. He made many journeys in the interest of Unitarian ism, and left fifty-two writings of a vehement po lemical nature. Johann Volkel (b. at Grimma, 17 m. s.e. of Leipsic; d. 1618) became a Socinian in 1585, after the completion of his studies at Witten berg; was rector of the school in Wengrow; and later preacher in Poland. His chief work, De vera religions (Rakow, 1630), was a systematic presen tation of the Socinian doctrine and was authorita tive. Christoph Ostorodt (b. at Goslar, 40 m. s.e. of Hanover; d. at Buskow, near Danzig, 1611) studied at Konigsberg; became rector of the school at Luchow in Pomerania; entered the Unitarian soci ety, 1585; fled to Poland and became preacher at Rakow. He was strongly Anabaptist, and war fare, public office, litigation, the oath, and riches were repugnant to him. His most popular work was Unterrichtuug von den vornehmsten Hauptpunlo ten der christlichen Religion (Rakow, 1604). Hier onymus Moskorzowski (d. 1625) founded the Uni tarian congregation in the town of Czarkow; and wrote polemical works beside an " Apology of the Socinians." In the following generation Johann Crell (b. at Hehnersheim, in Franconia, 1590; d. at Rakow 1631), by his eminent endowments, thor ough culture, and tireless energy, takes first rank. He was educated at Nuremberg and Altdorf; was converted to Unitarianism partly by Ernst Soner at Altdorf; fled to Poland, 1612; became professor of the Greek language in Rakow, 1613; rector of the school, 1616; and preacher at Rakow, 1621-31. Crell was an extremely prolific writer, producing commentaries on the New Testament; two books, Ve uno D_ea_tze~.a.r~arlz.atta,Ck,l.s SOcizian upon. the orthodox.tnjenhe-y; and Ad librum H. Grotii, quem de satisfactions Christi ad versus Faustum Socanum Senensem scripsit, responsio. All the works of Crell are published in Bibliotheca fratrum Polonorum, vols. iii. and iv. (ut sup.). Jonas Schlichting (b. at Bukowice, near Strasburg-on the-Drewenz, 80 m. s.s.e. of Danzig, 1592; d. at Selchow, near Teltow, 11 m. s.w. of Berlin, 1661) studied at Rakow and at the University of Altdorf;

became preacher at Rakow; went to Transylvania, 1638, to settle the controversy of the Non-adorantes, but without success; was outlawed by the diet which burned his confession of faith, 1647; and left Poland, 1658. He left commentaries on most of the books of the New Testament (Bibliotheca, vol. iv.); the Confessio fidei ehristiance (1642), translated into Polish, German, French, and Dutch; and De trinitate, de moralibus Veteris et Novi Testamenti (1637). Johann Ludwig von Wolzogen (b. at Neuhausel or Ersek-Ujvar, 50 m. n.w. of Budapest, 1599; d. 1661) was a distinguished exegete, and, besides his commentaries, wrote a Compendium religionis Christian& and a severe criticism of the doctrine of the Trinity (Bibliotheca, vols. viii.-ix.). Samuel Przypkowski (b. 1592; d. in Brandenburg 1670) studied at Altdorf (1614-16); was compelled to flee from Poland; and wrote Vita Fausti Socini (1636); and a comparison of the Apostles Creed with the symbols of his day. Andreas Wiszowaty (b. 1608; d. at Amsterdam 1678) was a grandson of F. Socinus; educated at Rakow, Leyden, and Amsterdam; pastor of various congregations in Poland; expelled by the edict of 1657; lived at Mannheim, 1661-66, as pastor of the Socinian exiles; and subsequently at Amsterdam. The most important of his sixty-two writings was Religao ration.. alis. Stanislaus Lubienik or Lubienicki, the younger (b. at Rakow 1623; d. at Hamburg 1675), was the author of the Historia Reformationis Polonicce (Amsterdam, 1685). Peter Morskowaki was the author of Politia ecclesiustica or Socinian agenda, written at the order of a convention at Dazwie, 1646 (3 books, Leipsic, 1745).

Sn..~ d->lthe.fimt decades. oftt~watla~umbed to the.Roman %tlr _reacttgn started under Sigis mund III. At the instigationof the Jesuits,* the church at Lublin was ,destroyetj~ 1627. g. The Under Ladislaus IV., by act of the Dispersion. senate at Warsaw (1638), the school at Rakow was suppressed, the Socinians were deprived of their church and printing-estab lishment, and their preachers and teachers were pro scribed. Un_dgF,.(1.¢$-f>_,e final bl,, fell upon .the.reaanutg, JJnitapa, co~rgga tions. The Swedish invasion occasioned a respite, ant-some resorted to the party in favor of the Swedish king, hoping for relief. In consequence they were accused of treason and suffered indescribable afflictions. AftetAhe_aLoj, t_he Swedes (1638) the Diet of ~tthe confession and promotion of "Arianism " on pain _pf death. Many migrated to other lands, many joined the Roman Catholics, and others remained, secretly pro tected by Roman Catholics and Protestants. A new edict (1%*_ dtreed a_strjc^,enfprcement of the laFff ag in . .he. SQ9iniana. Soon the same fate be fell the other Protestants, and the Jesuit reaction reached its climax with the massacre of Thorn, 1724. Soia iauiam secured an influential promoter 111.ygEruaLSnner.(b, at Nuremberg 1572; d. at Altdorf 1612). HejAudiJA.j~_j5g7- 1598,..whmw-.pstnrodt-.au&-Woki .cwverted him to_S_Mtndsutam.. As professor of medicine and physics at Altdorf he clandestinely labored in the