THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
monks were allowed to return. Their most prominent spokesman was Konrad Kling, a Franciscan monk, against whom Menius directed his polemical treatise, Wider den hochberiihmten Barfiisser zu Erfurt, D. Conrad Kling, Schutzrede (Wittenberg, 1527) and his sermon, Etlicher Gottlosen und Widerchristlichen Lehre von der papistischen Mesne (1527). Luther wrote a preface for both of these works, but in spite of his assistance and intercession the council of the town did not change its position. Under those circumstances Menius removed in 1528 with his family to Gotha where he became intimately acquainted with Friedrich Myconius. He wrote and instructed the youth, but his chief activity was the visitation of Thuringia, jointly with Christof von der Planitz, Melanchthon, and Myconius. After his return from this visitation he was appointed in 1529 pastor and superintendent at Eisenach where he labored eighteen years. He became one of the chief champions in the fight against Anabaptism, was active as a reformer, and took part in several other visitations, in 1533 and 1539 in Thuringia, subsequently in Schwarzburg, and in 1545 in the bishopric of Naumburg. In 1542 he introduced the Reformation in the imperial city of Muhlhausen. He took part in the religious colloquy of Marburg (1529), in the Wittenberg Concordia (1538), and in the meeting at Schmalkald (1537). Upon the death of his faithful friend Myconius in 1546 he became his successor in Gotha. After the unfavorable termination of the Schmalkald War he was compelled to leave Gotha for some time, but was soon able to return. Like his colleagues he protested against the Augsburg Interim. The propagandism of the Anabaptists which threatened to invade Thuringia from Hesse and Muhlhausen induced him to resume his polemical activity against them, especially against their antinomian doctrine, according to which it is impossible for man to sin if he is born of God. [Antinomianism was not characteristic of the Anabaptists, a. h. n.] In 1552 Menius was involved in the Osiandrian controversy. Elector John Frederic sent an embassy to Prussia for the purpose of allaying the dissensions caused by Osiander's teachings. Beside two of his councilors he sent Menius and Johann Stolz to Konigsberg in 1553. The duke of Prussia commissioned Funck to transmit to them a confession of faith in accordance with Osiander's views, which was answered by Menius and Stolz. Funck replied shortly afterward. As Menius was taken ill, the negotiations were delayed. A later conference between Menius and Stolz, Funck and Sciurus led to no agreement, and the delegates returned without having attained their object. A few months afterward, on the occasion of the Thuringian visitations, Amsdorf found an opportunity to involve Menius intimately in the Majoristic Controversy (q.v.). Menius returned from Eisenach to Gotha, full of the hope to resume his duties; but Amsdorf, Ratzeberger, Aurifaber, and others continued their calumnies, denouncing him as an Adiaphorist and Majorist. The ungracious attitude of the court induced him to resign his position. By the intercession of Melanchthon and Camerarius, Menius received a position at the Church of St. Thomas in Leipsic. There he defended
himself against further assaults of Flacius and Amsdorf, who did not cease their polemical attacks until his death. It is owing to the conditions of the time that Menius' literary activity was chiefly polemical. He published (Economia Christiana (1529) which was prefaced by Luther, and against the Anabaptists he wrote, Der Wiedertaufer Lehre und Geheimniss aus heiliger Schrift widerlegt (1530) and Von dem Geist der Wiedertaufer (1544). He also published a somewhat modified edition of Luther's Small Catechism under the title, Catechismus Justi Menii (1532), a copy of which is preserved in the town library of Breslau. The manual continued in use till the 19th century. Menius also wrote De usu histories sacrarum liter arum (1532) which is an exposition of I Sam.; a translation of Luther's large commentary on the Galatians (1535) and Wie ein jeglicher Christ gegen allerlei Lehre, gute und bose, nach Gottes Befehl sich gebuhrlich halten soil (1538). His treatise, Von der Notwehr Unterricht, nutzlich zu lesen (1547) was occasioned by the war of Schmalkald. The aggressive attitude of the Anabaptists induced him once more to write against them a polemical treatise, Von den Blutsfreunden aus der Wiedertaufe (1551). Against Osiander he wrote, Erkenntnis aus Gottes Wort und heiliger Schrift iiber die Bekenntnis A. Osiandri (1552), and Von der Gerechtigkeit, die fur Gott gilt: Wider die neue alcumistische Theologiam A. Osiandri (1552). (G. Kaweeau.)
Bibliography: Thirteen letters are to be found in Zeitschrift des Vereins filr thilring. Geschichte, x (1882), 243 sqq., and others are among the correspondence of Luther, Melanchthon, Jonas, Mutianus, and Eobanus Hess. Autobiographic material is communicated in ZHT, 1865, pp. 303 sqq. The one biography is G. L. Schmidt, Justus Menius, der Reformator Thilringens, Gotha, 1867. Material will be found in the literature dealing with the Reformers with whom he came into touch (e.g., J. W. Richard, Philip Melanchthon, pp. 159, 185, 254, New York, 1898) , and in that on the Reformation and on the Anabaptists.
MENKEN, GOTTFRIED: German Reformed pastor; b. at Bremen May 29, 1768; d. there June 1, 1831. In the house of his parents he imbibed a Biblical piety which was, however, free from all narrowness though consciously opposed to rationalism. While still in the gymnasium he preached, and when he entered the University of Jena in 1788 his theological convictions had already assumed definite form. The rationalism of the university induced him to devote himself wholly to the Bible , to which the mysticism of his earlier days gave way. In 1790 he went to the University of Duisburg where he found a more sympathetic atmosphere in the circle of F. A. Hasenkamp and others whose study of the Bible was governed by the spirit of Bengel and Collenbusch. In 1791 he passed his theological examination, but stayed two years longer at Duisburg. He was assistant preacher in Uedem near Cleve (1793-94), for the German Reformed congregation in Frankfort-on-the-Main (1794-96), pastor of the Reformed congregation in Wetzlar (1796-1802), second preacher of St. Paul in Bremen (1802-11), and first preacher of St. Martin (1811-25).
The theology of Menken was not original with him; but the vigor of his expressions gave him a