RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Meyei? Mezuzah
yond the grammatical sense. Eschatological and apocalyptical studies had great attraction for him. From this period originated such works as Schliissel zur Offenbarung Johannis von einem Kreuzritter (1833) and Blicke in den Spiegel des prophetischen Wortes (1847). Meyer's predilection for symbolism led him to study not only old-world mysteries, but also the higher degrees of freemasonry. Results of this are his works, Das Buch Jezira, die alteste, kabbalistische Urkunde der Hebrder (1831); Zur Aegyptologie (1840) and his eleven collections of Blatter fiir hohere Wahrheit (1819 to 1832) to which he added Inbegriff der Glaubenslehre (1832). He wrote also some poems and a number of criticisms for the Heidelberger Jahrbiicher, 1811-18.
(G. E. STEITZf.) Bibliography: There is a biographical introduction to Auswahl aus den Blattern fiir hohere Wahrheit, pp. v.— xl., Stuttgart, 1853. Consult also ABB, xxi. 597.
MEYFART (MAYFART), JOHANN MAT- THAEUS: German Lutheran theologian; b. at Jena Nov. 9, 1590; d. at Erfurt Jan. 26, 1642. He was the son of a clergyman of Walwinkel in the Thuringian forest; studied at Gotha, Jena, and Wittenberg. In 1616 he was called to Coburg as professor at the newly founded Gymnasium Casimirianum which distinguished itself by its strict discipline in morals, and in 1623 became its head. In 1631 or 1633 he was appointed professor of theology at the university of Erfurt. Of his Latin works, some are dogmatic: Prodromus elucidarii theologici sive distinctionum theologicarum centuries duce, ex omnium prope theologorum, qui post exhibitam A. C. floruerunt, scriptis collectce, etc. (1620, unfinished); others are polemic: Grawerus con^ tinuatus (Coburg, 1623); Anti-Becanus sive manualis controversiarum theol., a Becano collecti, Confutatio (2 vols., Leipsic, 1627) and Nodus Gordius sophistarum solutus (Coburg, 1627), an original attempt to reconcile Aristotle and Petrus Ramus. But his independent activity, awakened by the philosophy as well as the history and poetry of antiquity, united itself with a deep longing for the highest ideals, with an experience of the love of Christ, and with an enthusiastic absorption in subjective experiences of supernatural perfection. At the same time, however, Meyfart had a keen eye for corruption in the Church, for the dead mechanicalism of traditional theology, and for the moral defects of his age. This is shown, furthermore, by his German works, which fall into two groups, speculative-eschatological and practical-reformatory. To the first group belong Tuba novissima (Coburg, 1626), four sermons on Death, the Last Judgment, Eternal Life, and Damnation. There followed Von dem himmlischen Jerusalem (2 vols., Coburg, 1627), which contained his celebrated hymn, " Jerusalem, du hochgebaute Stadt " (several English translations, e.g., Miss Winkworth's " Jerusalem, thou city fair and high "); Das hbllische Sodoma (2 vols., ib. 1630), and Das jiingste Gericht (Nuremberg, 1632). To the second group belong his Christliche Erinnerung, concerning witchcraft (1636), and Christliche Erinnerung, concerning the German universities (1636), a striking description of life among theological students.
Meyfart also attempted in several of his works to reform the clergy, the church service, church discipline and service of prayer, and to counteract the ecclesiastical dissensions and the hatred of the theologians. He was one of the best of the precursors of Spener, a learned but enthusiastic mystic, and yet had his eyes fully open to the deficiencies of his times. (E. HENKEf.)
Bibliography: H. Witten, Memoria theologorum nostri sceculi, Frankfort, 1685; G. Ludewig, Ehre des Casimiriani academici, ii. 261-262, Coburg, 1729; A. F. W. Fischer, Kirchenlieder-Lexicon, vol. ii., Gotha, 1879; Julian, Hymnology, pp. 732-733; ADB, xxi. 646.
MEYRICK, FREDERICK: Church of England; b. at Ramsbury (27 m. w. of Reading), Wiltshire, Jan. 28, 1827; d. at Blickling (13 m. n.n.w. of Norwich), Norfolkshire, Jan. 3, 1906. He was educated at Trinity College, Oxford (B.A., 1847), where he was fellow, 1847-60, and tutor, 1851— 1859. He was tutor to the Marquis of Lothian, 1847-53; was ordered deacon in 1850 and ordained priest in 1852; was an inspector of schools 1859- 1868; examining chaplain to the bishop of Lincoln 1868-85; principal of Codrington College, Barbados, 1886-87; rector of Blickling, Norfolk, from 1868 till his death, and also non-resident canon of Lincoln after 1869. He was Whitehall preacher in 1856-57 and select preacher at Oxford in 1856, 1866, and 1876. He took an active part in the Old Catholic movement and attended the Bonn conference of 1875. Among his numerous writings mention may be made of his Practical Working of the Church of Spain (London, 1851); Clerical Tenure of Fellowships (Oxford, 1854); Moral and Devotional Theology of the Church of Rome (London, 1856); The Outcast and the Poor of London (1858); The Wisdom of Piety (1859); Correspondence with Old Catholics and Orientals (4 series, 1877-78); 7s Dogma a Necessity? (1883); The Doctrine of the Church of England on the Holy Communion Restated (1885); The Church of England, A.D. 697-1887 (1887); The History of the Church in Spain (1892); Scriptural and Catholic Truth and Worship (1901); Old Anglicanism and Modern Ritualism (1901) ; Sunday Observance (1902) ; Appeal to the Primitive Centuries (1904); Appeal to the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (1905); Memories of Life at Oxford and Elsewhere (1905). He contributed to the Speaker's Commentary the parts on Obadiah (London, 1876) and Ephesians (1880), and to the Pulpit Commentary the sections on Leviticus (1882) and Joshua and Judges (1895).
MEZUZAH: A rectangular piece of inscribed parchment enclosed in a wooden or metal case and attached by Jews to the upper part of the righthand door post of a dwelling. The inscription consists of Deut. vi. 4-9, xi. 13-21, and is written in twenty-two lines according to the rules made for copying the Torah. The parchment is rolled with the writing inside, on the outside at the upper end the divine name Shaddai is written, and a glass-covered aperture in the case leaves this visible. The Mezuzah is by the pious touched with the hand as they enter or leave the house, and a short prayer is recited at the same
Mezzofanti Michaelis