RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
John Frederick John of Nepomuk
Bibliography: A. Beck, Johann Friedrich der Mittlere, 2 vols., Weimar, 1858; F. von Bezold, Geschichte der deutschen Reformation, Berlin, 1886; and literature under Luther; Reformation.
JOHN OF GOD. See Charity, Brothers of. JOHN OF GORZE: A monastic reformer of the tenth century; b. at Vendiere (near Pont-a-Mousson, 18 m. s.s.w. of Metz); d. at Gorze (9 m. w.s.w. of Metz) Mar. 7, 974. His tastes early led him in the direction of theological study and asceticism, but when he wished to retire from the world he could find no monastery near him in which strict discipline was maintained. After a visit to Rome and Monte Cassino, he drew still closer the relations which had bound him to several men of like aims, especially Einald, formerly archdeacon of Toul; and in 933 they were charged by Bishop Adelbero of Metz with the restoration of the decayed monastery of Gorze, of which Einald became abbot, with John as his principal assistant. The number of monks soon became considerable, and the influence of the movement wide-spread. Gorze became a model for the reform of all the monasteries of the diocese, and in 950 Pope Agapetus II. sent thither for monks to restore discipline in the monastery of St. Paul in Rome. After many years of zealous activity at Gorze, John was sent to Cordova by Otho III. on a mission to the Calif Abdalrahman III., and spent several years in Spain. Returning to Gorze, he was elected abbot on Einald's death in 960. The life of Gorze by his friend John, abbot of St. Arnulph at Metz (MGH, Script., iv (1841), 335- 377) takes a high rank among historical documents of the tenth century.
Bibliography: The Vita by John, ut sup., with commentary, is also in ASB, Feb., iii. 686-715. Consult: W. Giesebrecht, Geschichte der deutschen Kaiserzeit, i. 745, 785, Brunswick, 1855; Wattenbach, DGQ, i (1885), 344, i (1893), 370.
JOHN, GRIFFITH: Welsh Congregational missionary; b. at Swansea, Wales, Dec. 14, 1831. At the age of fourteen he began to preach in Welsh, and from 1850 to 1854 studied at Brecon College, after which he spent a few months at the Missionary College at Bedford, England. In 1855 he was assigned by the London Missionary Society to China. Until 1861 he lived in or near Shanghai. Then he removed to Hankow, being the first Protestant missionary in Central China, and made that city his headquarters until 1906. As at Shanghai, he made numerous journeys into the surrounding country, and established many churches and missions in neighboring provinces. He was in Great Britain on furlough in 1870-73 and again in 1881- 1882, the latter time visiting the United States, where he has resided since 1906, when failing health obliged him to retire from active missionary life. He is the author of a large number of tracts in Chinese, and also translated the New Testament and a portion of the Old into both easy Wen-li and Mandarin colloquial. Bibliography: R. W. Thompson, Griffith John, the Story
of Fifty Years in China, New York, 1908.
JOHN OF LEYDEN: The common designation of Jan Beukelszoon, the leader of the Anabaptists in Minister. See Anabaptists; Munster, Anabaptists in.
JOHN THE LITTLE (Johannes Parvus, Jean Petit): French theologian; b. in Normandy; d. 1411. He became known in 1394 by the publication of Complainte de I'eglise, a French poem discussing the ecclesiastical schism and the remedies recommended in 1394 by the University of Paris. He represented the Norman people at the university and was professor of theology there 1400. He treated of the church politics of Burgundy at the national council of 1406 with unusual rigor, and on Mar. 8, 1408, defended the murder of Duke Louis of Orleans, committed at the instigation of John the Fearless of Burgundy. In this he appealed to the scholastic doctrine of tyrannicide regnant since John of Salisbury; but a council of Paris condemned the doctrine (Feb. 23, 1414). A commission of cardinals instituted by John XXIII. reversed the decision on Jan. 15, 1416; moreover, after the death of John, the rising power of Burgundy so tied the hands of Martin V. that there followed a vindication of the theologian.
(B. Bess.)
Bibliography: J. B. Schwab, Johannes Gerson, pp. 429 -qq., 608 sqq., Wiirzburg, 1858; P. Tschackert, Peter von Ailli, Gotha, 1877; M. D. Chapotin, La Guerre de cent ans, Paris, 1889; B. Bess, Studien zur Geschichte des Konstanzer Konzils, Marburg, 1891; M. Lossen, Die Lehrevom Tyrannenmord in der christlichen Zeit, Munich, 1894; H. Denifle and E. Chatelain, Chartularium universitatis Parisiensis, vols, iii., iv., Paris, 1894-97; KL, vi. 1746-1748.
JOHN OF MONTECORVINO: Franciscan missionary in China; b. at Montecorvino, Rovella (14 m. e. of Salerno), Italy, 1247; d. at Khanbaligh (now Peking), China, 1330. In 1272 he was sent by the Byzantine Emperor Michael Palseologus to Gregory X. in the matter of the union of the Greek with the Roman Church. Subsequently he visited Mongolia. On his return in 1288 he reported to Nicholas IV the willingness of the Tatar princes to receive Christian teachers, and in 1289 he was sent by Nicholas as a missionary to the Mongolian empire. After laboring for a time in Persia and India he settled at Peking about 1292. Until 1303 he carried on his work alone. He won the friendship of the Great Khan, enlisted his interest, and, despite the determined opposition of the Nestorians, by 1305 he had built two churches and baptized 6,000 heathen adults, besides 150 boys, whom he had bought of heathen parents and collected into a school. He taught them Greek and Latin, and wrote for them psalteries, hymnaries, and breviaries. He also translated the Psaltery and the whole of the New Testament into Tatar. On hearing of the great work accomplished by him Clement V., in 1307, made him archbishop of Khanbaligh (Peking) and gave him a number of suffragans. His work was continued by his successors till 1368. His two letters are in Wadding, Annul, frat. min., for year 1305, one in Eng. transl. in Yule's ed. of Marco Polo (London, 1875). Bibliography: KL, vi. 1719-1721, ix. 292.
JOHN OF NEPOMUK: The most popular national saint of Bohemia, considered the protomartyr of the seal of confession and a patron against calumnies and floods. The historical startingpoint of the Nepomuk-legend is the person of John of Pomuk or Nepomuk, a city of Bohemia (55 m.
John of Nepomuk John of Salisbury