OOstorod Christopher   was one of the most learned and active among the Socinian leaders ; and is called, by Albert Graver, "homo pereruditus, ac artis disputandi optime gnarus." Zeltner describes him as the most rigid of all the followers of Socin. The name by which he was familiarly known among his Socinian contemporaries, was Paschasius, or Paschalodus. The latter of these is a rude Greek compound, from , the Greek word for Easter, (in German Oster,) and ', a way.

He was born at Goslar. His father, Henning Ostorod, was Pastor, first of the Lutheran Church at Eimbeck ; then of the Church of St. Cosmas and Damianus, at Goslar ; and lastly, of St. Stephen's in the same town. His mother was the daughter of the former Pastor of St. Stephen's.

John Mich. Heineccius, in his "Antiquitates Goslarienses," (pp. 518, seq.,) has given a long account of Christopher Ostorod ; of his conversion to Socinianism ; and of a conversation which his mother, Catharine Ostorod, had with some Ministers of the Lutheran persuasion, taken chiefly from a manuscript, communicated to him by Justus a Dransfeld.

Ostorod's father is said to have augured ill concerning him to his wife, and to have foretold, that he would involve her in distress and danger, when he was himself in his grave. "Christoph, mein Sohn," said he, "ist ein Schalk, und will nicht folgen, wie die andern, und wird dich, liebe Catharina, wann ich nun einmal das Haupt lege, in grosse Noth und Fahr bringen."

While yet a boy at school, he gave proofs of singular ability ; and when he grew up, he far outstripped all his fellows, of the same standing with himself. When sufficiently prepared for College, he went to the University of Konigsberg, and matriculated on the 21st of January, 1581, during the Rectorship of Paul Von Stein ; but was excused the payment of the usual fees, on the plea of poverty. On his return home, after having completed his education, he endeavoured to procure the situation of a Chorister ; but failing in his efforts to obtain this, he left Goslar, and went into Pomerania. In this Duchy, he was appointed Master of a Lutheran School at Sluchow, on the confines of Poland, where he was brought into frequent contact with Socinians, and led to imbibe their sentiments. Books were lent him by the Antitrinitarians of Dantzic, which completed his conversion ; and he was sent, by the Brethren in that city, as a delegate, with one Zyblicki, a Minister of Cujavia, to the Synod held at Chmielnik, in the month of September, 1585, where he delivered a Latin speech in the presence of the members, publicly professed himself a Unitarian, and was re-baptized.

On his return to Sluchow, he recommended Socinianism in every possible way; and entered into a discussion concerning it with the Ministers of the Church, and the inhabitants of the town. He was accordingly deprived of his situation as Schoolmaster, and found it necessary to leave the place. He went first to Dantzic, where Matthew Radecius confirmed him in his new opinions ; and then to Goslar, his native town, where he converted his mother. On a second visit to Goslar, he sowed the seeds of Unitarianism among many of the inhabitants. The mother was no less zealous than the son: and the Magistrates, in order to prevent the matter from spreading further, determined to commit both to prison. Christopher, being apprized of their intention by his sisters, made his escape; but his mother was seized, and incarcerated. When she had been in confinement about a week, she feigned repentance ; and on making a public recantation of her alleged errors, was set at liberty. Soon afterwards, however, she made it known, that her contrition was only assumed; and her son commended her for her constancy. The rest of the inhabitants, whose minds had been unsettled, returned into the bosom of the Lutheran Church ; but the four sisters of Ostorod, and his brother John, remained true to the principles which they had embraced. The two brothers were present at the Synod of Chmielnik, in the month of September, 1586, where, after much discussion, it was determined, that Andrew Lubieniecius and John Balcerovicius should go as a deputation to Goslar, and intercede for the widow Ostorod, and her four daughters. The proposal emanated from Andrew Lubieniecius, who offered himself to undertake this delicate mission, and was seconded by John Balcerovicius, who volunteered to accompany him ; and by their prudent management, the negotiation with the authorities at Goslar was brought to a successful issue.

The widow and her daughters were allowed to accompany their generous benefactors, on their return into Poland. The daughters were afterwards respectably married ; and the mother found a comfortable home, first in the house of John Balcerovicius at Lublin, and subsequently under the hospitable roof of Andrew Lubieniecius, where she died. Christopher, and his brother John, received a cordial welcome, as members of the Church. The former learned the Polish language, during his residence with Andrew Lubieniecius at Racow, who liberally supplied him with food and clothing, and under whose direction he soon prepared himself for the office of a public religious instructor. The latter had the management of a School at Conitz entrusted to him. Christopher, after a short stay at Racow, was appointed one of the Masters of the School at Chmielnik, in which office he was succeeded by Peter Statorius, in the year 1587. He seems then to have visited the two brothers, Stanislaus and Christopher Lubieniecius, and afterwards to have settled at Smigel. From Smigel he removed to Buskow, near Dantzic, where he continued to exercise the pastoral office for many years. Whether he had settled with any other congregation than the one at Smigel, before his removal to Buskow, is uncertain. If he had, the fact was unknown to Sandius ; but Lubieniecius, in his "History of the Polish Reformation," (p. 240,) represents him as the first Minister, who officiated in the Church at Racow, and evidently considers him as the immediate predecessor of Peter Statorius in that office.

During his residence at Buskow, he had a friendly Conference with James Fabricius, of which Faust Socin gives the following account, in a letter to Valentine Smalcius, dated August 31st, 1598. "I am greatly delighted at the issue of our Ostorod's dispute with that Fabricius, and expect that God will open the eyes of many, although Voidovius, Ostorod's companion, writes to me in terms, which scarcely allow me to believe, that the end of that dispute was such as Ostorod himself describes it to me. The words of Voidovius are as follow. ' Our Ostorod has had a Conference with Dr. James Fabricius, a Theologian and Preacher, and the Conference will perhaps be resumed to-day after dinner. We parted on mutual good terms, and received no common divine blessing. This Doctor made mention of you: he had read your book De Servatore: he asks for your whole Body of Theology; and not he only, but many others also.'" (Fratr. Polon. T. I. p. 461.) Smalcius records, in his Diary, that he himself had a conversation with this Fabricius on the principal disputed points of Christian doctrine, which lasted a whole day ; and he seems to have thought, that Fabricius's mind was favourably impressed with the Unitarian doctrine. It does not appear, however, that he avowed himself a convert to it. Zeltner describes him as a very learned man, but remarkably devoted to the sentiments of the Calvinistic party ; Rector of the Gymnasium of Dantzic ; and the friend and colleague of the celebrated Bartholomew Keckermann.

On the 11th of July, 1598, Christopher Ostorod and Andrew Voidovius went together into Holland ; and endeavoured to sow the seeds of Unitarianism in that free Republic. Heineccius says, that Ostorod undertook this journey, because a longer residence in Poland was not agreeable to him. But it appears, from the Preface to Schlichtingius's "Apology for the Truth," addressed to the authorities of Holland and West Friesland, that his motive was not a regard to his own personal convenience, but simply a desire of doing his duty, and conferring a benefit on his fellow-creatures. The immediate occasion of this journey, according to Sandius, was to visit certain noble Polish youths, who were studying in the University of Leyden. Ostorod and Voidovius availed themselves of the opportunity, thus incidentally aiforded them, of making their sentiments better known to the Dutch, whose attention had not been called to the Unitarian controversy since the flight of Erasmus Johannis, in 1584. During their stay at Leyden they effected the conversion of Ernest Sohner, who was then studying in the University of that city ; and it has been said, that they imparted a bias in favour of Unitarianism to the mind of the celebrated James Arminius, who was at that time residing at Amsterdam. But be this as it may, their activity was such as to attract the attention of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities ; and they were proscribed by a Public Decree. A copy of the Rescript of the Theological Faculty, dated August 12th, 1598, and a translation of the Ordinance of the States General from the Dutch into the Latin, dated September 3rd in the same year, are transferred to the Appendix of the present work, from the second volume of Cloppenburg's Theological Writings. In the former of these documents, it is stated, that the books dispersed by Ostorod and Voidovius, and submitted to the Theological Faculty for examination, differ but little from Mahometanism, and subvert the True and Eternal Deity of Christ, the Son of God, and of the Holy Spirit ; the office of Christ, and its salutary benefits ; the institution of Baptism, and our religious duty towards Christ ; inasmuch as they deny that he should be worshiped, and invoked as the Eternal God, and True Creator. The Dean and Faculty, therefore, express a hope, that the persons circulating such writings may not be permitted to remain long in the country; and that the writings themselves may not fall into the hands of any one, likely to be misled by them, through ignorance or curiosity.

In compliance with this recommendation, the States-General ordered, that the books should be burnt on the forenoon of September 4^th ; and that Christopher Ostorod and Andrew Voidovius should leave the United Provinces within ten days; and, if found, after that time, in those Provinces, that they should receive such punishment as the States should decree, in order to prevent others from following their example. Cloppenburg, on the authority of Uitenbogaerdt, adds, that, though proscribed by this Decree, they still remained in Friesland, where they carried through the press an Apology in reference to the aforesaid Decree, written in the month of August, 1599, and printed both in Latin and Dutch, in the month of February, 1600. It appears, however, from Smalcius's Diary, that Ostorod returned from Holland into Poland on the 29th of January, 1599 ; and Zeltner says, "posteaquam aliquantisper adhuc Franequerae latuerat cum socio Voidovio." Now it is extremely improbable, that Zeltner should have used the word " aliquantisper" to denote nearly a year and a half, or from August, 1598, to February, 1600. The difficulty can only be removed, by supposing, that Ostorod left Franeker about the beginning of the year 1599, and returned to it clandestinely in the course of the same year.

With regard to the effect of that part of the Decree, which enjoined the burning of the books, it is stated, that a pile was raised, that the executioner made his appearance, and that a crowd assembled, expecting to witness the conflagration ; but that the books themselves had disappeared, in some strange and mysterious manner. "The Magisr trates," says Mosheim, "who were curious to learn their contents, had quietly divided them among themselves."

The following is Brandt's account of the mission of Ostorod and Voidovius into Holland, and its results. "In the month of August [1598] there arrived in these parts two men of the opinion of those that are commonly called Socinians by some, and Unitarians by others. One was Christopher Ostorod, a German ; the other, Andrew Voidovius, a Pole. After they had rested themselves a few days at Amsterdam, the Burgomaster seized upon all their books and papers in the inn where they lay, and caused them to be brought to the Stadthouse. It was supposed that the books contained falsities and blasphemies, and that the owners of them endeavoured to innovate in religious matters. The men affirmed the contrary, and insisted that their books should be restored. But they were sent to Leyden, to be there perused and examined by the Professors of Divinity, who pronounced concerning them, that they contained heretical notions, and such as were near akin to the Mahometan doctrines. From thence the books were sent by the Magistrates of Leyden to the Committee of the States-General. The Professors all the while laboured underhand to get these men sent away as soon as possible. At last this resolution was taken: 'That the aforesaid books should be burnt in the presence of the owners, at the office of the Generality, on the 9th of September, and that the men should be warned to leave the United Netherlands in the space of ten days after, upon pain of being punished according to the pleasure of the state, and for an example to the like offenders.' At the appointed time the fire was prepared to burn the books; but neither did the owners appear, though summoned to see the execution, nor were the books committed to the flames, the Deputies and others sharing them among themselves out of curiosity. At the same time the States writ to all the Provinces, to beware of those two persons, Ostorod and Voidovius. However, they staid awhile in the country, and particularly in Friesland, where they drew up an Apology for themselves, and caused it to be privately printed. In this writing, which was addressed to the States, we find a defence of their opinions against the judgment of the Professors, with a complaint, that 'They, together with their books, were unjustly condemned, upon the judgment of three or four Divines, who have thus instructed you ; they abuse your service. And it was by the same way (they thought) that the people were brought at last to the stake for their belief.'"

From the time that Ostorod was settled at Buskow, he was constantly engaged with his Brethren in disputes concerning War, Magistracy, Actions-at-Law, Oaths, the Possession of Riches, and similar subjects ; always pushing his views to an extreme, and never disposed to make the slightest concession to those, who differed from him in opinion. He was also a strict and uncompromising advocate of ecclesiastical discipline, and urged the exclusion of unruly members from the Church ; and he was so severe in his animadversions upon books, which had received the sanction of the whole Church, that it was at length determined, in the Synod of Lublin, held at Whitsuntide, A. D. 1610, and that of Racow, held October 3rd in the same year, that some of the Brethren should be deputed to inquire into his conduct, and apply a remedy. The Deputies sent on this occasion consisted of three laymen, and five Ministers. The laymen were James Sieninius, Jerome Moscorovius and Adam Goslavius ; and the Ministers, John Volkelius, Andrew Voidovius, Valentine Smalcius, John Grotkovius and John Cpiliovius. They set out on their journey, October l2th ; and were met at Dantzic, by Caspar Sack, — Trebiecki, Nicholas Hoffmann and others, in whose presence they entered upon the business of their mission. It appears, that Ostorod had taken offence, and had been led to entertain thoughts of withdrawing himself from the communion of the Socinians, because Smalcius had said, that the precepts of Christ and the Apostles were not all necessary to salvation. For this hasty conduct he apologized in the presence of the assembled Brethren, and thus the matter ended. Smalcius, who gives an account of this unhappy dissension, in his Diary, states that Ostorod died at Dantzic, on the 8th of August, 1611 ; and calls him his chief friend, and father according to the faith, from whom he imbibed, during his ministry at Smigel, the first principles of Christian truth.

When allusion was made to his death, in the Synod, held at Racow in the month following, all agreed in describing him as a religious, pious and profoundly learned man ; and one who had deserved well of the Church.

It appears, from his own letters, that he was a person of delicate constitution, and suffered much from protracted illness; and this may account, in some measure, for the impatience of his temper. He was a married man, and had a family ; for the Manuscript Acts relate, that his son, Christopher, appeared at the Synod of Lublin in 1607. But no particulars concerning his wife and children have been placed upon record. Although he agreed generally with Socin, who had a great regard for him, and a high opinion of his judgment, yet on some points he entertained doubts, and often wrote to Socin for a solution of them. Smalcius says, "It was found, after the death of Ostorod, as I had often predicted to the Brethren, that he had endeavoured to enflame and irritate the little Church, over which he presided, consisting of mere country people, against all the Polish Churches;" and Zeltner hesitates not to say, that it was owing to the moroseness of his disposition, that he remained in the remote situation of Buskow till his death, and was not appointed to take the charge of a more numerous congregation. His works, published and unpublished, are fifteen in number ; and two of these he prepared in conjunction with Voidovius. The following are the titles of them, with such other particulars as are thought likely to interest the reader.

1. Bekenntniss von dem einigen Gott dem Vater, und von seinem Sohn unsern Herrn J. C, und von dem H. Geist, neben etlichen Notis oder Anmerkungen auf Casp. Schwenckfelds Bekenntniss von J. C. This Confession appears to have been written some time between 1589 and 1591.

2. A Dispute with Jerome Powodowski, Canon of Posnania, concerning the only God, that he is the Father alone; concerning Christ the Lord, the Son of God ; and concerning Baptism, that it is proper for Believers, but not for Infants. This Dispute was held in 1592, at Smigel, and was published by Ostorod in the Polish language.

3. A Brief Compendium of the Doctrine of the Christian Church, now flourishing chiefly in Poland. This is one of the works, of which Ostorod and Voidovius are reported to have been joint authors ; and it is also said to have been taken from them in the year 1598, and ordered to be publicly burnt in Holland. Another edition of it was published in 1630 ; and a third, with an answer by Cloppenburg, at Franeker, in 1652, 4to. Some have supposed that Conrad Vorstius was the author of this Compendium. A Dutch translation of it was published at the end of the Dutch version of Faust Socin's treatise, " De Officio Hominis Christiani."

4. Annotations upon some of the more difficult Passages of Scripture. These were in manuscript, and were ordered to be committed to the flames on the same occasion as No. 3.

5. Unterrichtung von den vornehmstem Hauptpuncten der Christlichen Religion. Racow, 1604, 8vo. S. Sternacki. A second edition was published in 1612, a third in 1625, and a fourth in 1629. A Dutch translation of it in 4to. appeared in 1649. The many editions, through which it went, shew in what high estimation it was held by the Socinians ; but it has ever been, and still is, a work of great rarity.

6. A Dispute of Christopher Ostorod with George Tradeln, on the Divinity of Christ and the Holy Ghost. This was in German, and without date; but was printed by Alexius Rodecki, and, as Wolfgang Franzius suspected, about the year 1598. It was reprinted by Sebastian Sternacki, at Racow, in 1625, 4to. Sandius says, that a manuscript copy of this work was taken from the author in Holland, by order of the Magistrate, in 1598.

7. An Apology in reference to the Decree of their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Provinces of Holland, issued against Christopher Ostorod and Andrew Voidovius, Sept. 3rd, 1598, 4to. This Apology purports to have been written by Christopher Ostorod and Andrew Voidovius, in the month of August, 1599, and published in the month of Feb. 1600; but it is not said where.

8. On the Satisfaction of Christ. This seems to have been a reprint of the third part of No. 6.

9. Animadversions on Philosophy, as far as it has encroached on the Province of Theology. MS.

10. Metaphysics. MS.

11. A Letter to Nicholas Bernaud. MS. Nicholas Bernaud was a gentleman of Dauphiny, who translated Faust Socin's treatise " De Auctoritate S. Scripturae" into French. (Vide Art. 116.)

12. A long Letter in German to the Brethren at Altorf, particularly G. L. Leuchsner and Nic. Leimer, in which Ostorod treats of the discipline of the Church, and the joint participation of the Lord's Supper with the Calvinists.

Zeltner has inserted this Letter at full length in his "Hist. Crypto-Socinismi Altorf.," &c. (pp. 130—143.)

13. A Tract against the Herrnhutters, or Moravian Communists, who recommend and adopt a Community of Goods, and of whom frequent Mention is made in the Synodical Acts of the Unitarian Church in Poland. MS.

14. A small German work, On the Obedience of a Christian Man. That Ostorod composed a work of this kind we learn from a resolution of the Synod of Racow, under the year 1636, by which it was determined to publish a second edition of it.

15. Contributions towards a German Translation of the

New Testament, which was printed at Racow in 1630.

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