Vorse, D. W., a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Smyrna, K Y., July 16, 1812. He experienced religion in 1830, was licensed to preach in 1837, and in 1839 was received into the Erie Conference and appoint- ed to Hendersonville Circuit. In 1840 he was sent to New Castle ; in 1842, to Cambridge ; in 1843, to M'Kean ; in 1844, to Napoli; in 1845-46, to Gerry; in 1847-48. to Youngsville ; in 1849-50, was superannuated ; in 1851, went to Girard ; and at the close of that year took the superannuated relation, which he sustained till the time of his death, in 1869. Zeal and fidelity characterized the ministrj' of Mr. Vorse. See Minutes of Annual Conferences, 1869, p. 251.
Vorstermans, Lucas, the FJder, an eminent Flemish engraver, was born at Antwerp about 1580. He first studied painting in the school of Rubens, but afterwards devoted himself entirely to engraving. He made a specialty of engraving plates after Rubens, un- der the immediate advice of that master, besides the ■works of other masters. His plates are executed en- tirely with the graver, and express with great fidelity the life and spirit of the original painting. He visited England in the reign of Charles I, where he resided from 1623 to 1631, and was employed by the king and the earl of Arundel. The time of his death is not known. A few of his subjects are subjoined : The Fall of the Evil Ani/els : — Lot and his Daufjhters Learinrj Sodom : — Job Tempted bi/ hit Wife and Tormented by J)(emons: — Susanna and the Elders: — The Natirity : — The A deration of the Mayi (regarded as one of the finest productions of the art) : — The Return from Ef/ypt, and several others, all after Rubens : — The Holy Family. after Raphael: — The Enlombiny of Christ, after the same •.^Christ Praytny in the Garden, after Caracci : — Christ Bound to the Pillar, after (J. Seghers, and various others. See Spooner. Biog, Hist, of the Fine Aiis,s, v.
Vorstermans, Lucas, the Younger, a Flemish engraver, son of the preceding, was born at Antwerj) about 11)06. Although he had the advantage of his fatlier's instruction, he w'as not equal to him in skill. Some of his best prints are, The Trinity, after Rubens: — The Virgin in the Clouds, surrounded by Angels, after Vandyke: — and The Triumph of Riches, after Hol- bein. See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts, s. v.
Vorstius (Voorst), Conrad, an Arminian theolo- gian, was born July 19, 1569, at Cologne, of parents who became converted from the Roman Catholic to the Prot- estant faith. He was educated at Uiisseldorf and Co- logne, but could not obtain the academical degrees at the latter place because be would not subscribe the Confes- sion of Trent. He now resolved to adopt a mercantile career, but, after two years (in 1589), went to Herborn and resumed his learned studies. He was made doctor of theology at Heidelberg in 1594, and in 1596 accepted a theological professorship at Steinfurt, after having de- clined a position offered him at (ieneva through Beza's intervention in his favor. At Steinfurt he so distin- guished himself as a teacher that calls to other schools were repeatedly addressed to him ; but he also began to earn the name of a Socinian through the books which he gave to the world, and even found it necessary to prove his orthodoxy at Heidelberg (1599). The Socin- ians endeavored to win him to their side by offering him the presidency of the Lublin gymnasium, and sub- sequently a theological professorship, but without suc- cess. In 1605 Vorstius became preacher and consisto- rial assessor at Steinfurt, and in 1610, after the death of Arminius, he accepted a call to Leyden. He was preceded thither by his Disjmtationes X de Natura et Attributis Dei (1st ed. Steinfurt, 1602; and again 1610), and was at once violently assailed by the Contra-Re- monstrants, or Gomarists, as a Socinian and archhere- tic, because of the views he had set forth in that work respecting God, his attributes, and respecting Christ and predestination. He was charged with denying the fiure spirituality of the divine nature, and its simplicity, eternity, immutability, and omnii)resence ; and also the Trinity, the personal iniion of two natures in Christ, his deity, and perfect satisfaction made for our sins. The Heidelberg theologians also decided against his book, and the Leyden zealots managed to involve even king James I of England in the dispute. Vorstius's book was publicly burned at London, Oxford, and Cambridge, and the king wrote out a list of errors which he had found it to contain. Vorstius reijlied to the Heideli)ergers in Protestatio Epistolica contra Theologorum IhiiUlb., etc. (Hag. 1610); and to the king in Christiana uc Modesta Responsio ad A rtieulos quosdam wiper ex A nglia Trans- missos (Lugd. 1611). The Estates were, however, obliged to dismiss him from his post, and to oblige him to re- tire to privacy at Tergow ; but even then the assaults upon him were not interrupted. His principal adver- saries were J. Bogeririann, S. Lubbert of Franeker, M. Sladus at Amsterdam, etc. Vorstius defended himself vigorously in a series of tractates, until the Synod of Dort (1619) banished him from the country as a here- tic, after which he lived in concealment until 1622, when the duke of Holstein afforded a refuge to Armin- ians. He arrived at Touningen July, 1()22, but died on the following Sept. 29. He was buried at Friedrich- stadt. It is said that he wrote out a confession of faith a short time before his death, in which he avowed his ado()tion of the Socinian views. See Walch, Hist. u. theol. Einl. in d. Religionsstreitigheiten (.Jena, 1734), iii, 566 sq. ; (1736), iv, 281; Schrockh, Chr. Kirchengesch. seit d. Reformation (Leips. 1806), p. 240 sq. ; and the lit- erature there cited. — Herzog, Real-Encyklop. s. v.