• Stoinius John

     

     

    Stoinius John

      

    Stoinius  John, (Polon. Stoienski,) called also Statorius, was a Polish Knight, and son of Peter Statorius, Junior. His father and grandfather are both commonly known by the name of Statorius; but he is more frequently designated Stoinius. It appears from the Manuscript Synodical Acts, that he was ordained at tbe Synod of Racow, in May, 1612, and appointed, at the same time, one of the Ministers of the Church in that town. He afterwards removed to Lublin ; but, when he had been there some time, he was recalled to Racow, of the Church of which place he was the last Minister. When the troubles broke out at Racow in 1638, he was proscribed, and obliged to seek refuge abroad. Some writers say, that he retired into Holland after the decree of banishment was issued ; but it appears, from the Manuscript Acts, that he was already living at Amsterdam in 1638, and was not present during the persecution at Racow. We learn from his own letters to his friends in Poland, written at that time, that he was then recovering from a severe illness, and desirous of returning to his native country ; but wholly unconscious of the calamities which had befallen his Brethren at Racow, and of the sentence of banishment pronounced against himself. It further appears, however, from a letter of Curcellaeus to Ruarus, written Oct. 9th, 1641, in which Stoinius is mentioned under the feigned name of Histiams, that he had then left Amsterdam. (Ruari Epp. Cent. i. N. 85.) It was probably about the early part of that year, or the end of the year preceding, that he returned to Poland, where he lived a retired life, with his friend and patron, Stephen Woynarowski ; and officiated as Minister to a small congregation of Unitarians, at Szersznie, in the Ukraine, where he is said to have had, for a short time, Andrew Wissowatius as a colleague. After contending with many difficulties, and overcoming them, he finally settled at Czarcow, where he died in the year 1654, at the age of sixty-four. Like his father, he was one of the most eloquent of the Socinian Preachers. He had two brothers, Christopher and Peter, who were strenuous advocates of the Unitarian doctrine, but did not hold the same elevated and influential position as himself in the Socinian body. The following list comprises the titles of his principal writings, both published and unpublished.

      

    1. A Disputation with a Jesuit, held at Lublin, in the year 1615. On the same occasion, the Reformed party issued "A brief, simple and candid epistolary Account of a Disputation held at Lublin by the Jesuits, on the 9th and 10th of August, 1615," 4to. Wengerscius says, that James Zaborowski was the author of this Account. 

    2. Report of a Disputation between John Stoienski, Minister of the Gospel, and John Maria, an Italian Carmelite, held in the Carmelite Church at Lublin, July 13th, 1616, on the Divinity of Christ, and the Remission of our Sins obtained through him, written by the said John Stoienski, Minister of the Church at Lublin. Racow, Typ. Sternacki, 1618, 4to. 

    3. Another Disputation with the same, held in the same Church. Racow, 1620. It was this, and the preceding Disputation, which led Daniel Clementinus to compose and publish his celebrated work in the Polish language, entitled, "The Contradictions and Absurdities which flow from the Opinion of the Socinian Anabaptists," of which Bock made great use in his " Historia Antitrinitariorum," and of the contents of which he gives an outline in his account of Jonas Schlichtingius, No. 2 (T. I. P. ii. pp. 773—776).

    4. A Conference with a Frenchman, named Claude, held in the Year 1626, on the Question, Whether Christ, as he is not the Supreme God, is a proper Object of Adoration? MS.

    5.  Against Pax Ulus the Monk. MS.

    6. Pious Prayers on different Subjects, by John Stoinius. 1633, 12mo. Polon. This book of Prayers consists of two parts, the former of which contains general forms of prayer, adapted to the various circumstances of life ; the latter, prayers on particular subjects. It was drawn up at the request of the Synod, held in the year 1630.

    7. Preface to John Crellius's Commentary on Matthew. Racow, 1636, 8vo. Sandius remarks, that this, with slight alterations, is the Introductory Epistle, prefixed to the Works of Crellius in the "Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum." 

    8. Preface to John Crellius's Declaration of Opinion on the Causes of the Death of Christ. Racow, 1637, 8vo., and " Bibl. Fratr. Polon." 

    9. A Hymn on the Apostles' Creed, inserted in the Collection of Psalms and Hymns, used in the Churches of the Polish Brethren. Racow, 1610 and 1625, 12mo. 

    10. Letters written to the Polish Churches, during his Exile at Amsterdam, 1638. MS. 

    11. Three Questions proposed to John Crellius.  

    12. A Letter to Adam Franck, Minister of the Church of Clausenburg, written from Amsterdam, July 24th, 1638. This letter was intercepted in Transylvania ; and a copy of it was returned to Holland by George Rakotzi, Prince of Transylvania. Sandius says, that it was sent under the name of John Sartorius, Sartorius being substituted for Statorius.

    13. Songs of an Abstinent, in which the Excesses now prevalent are glanced at ; composed in 1650. MS. Polon.

    14. Sacred Addresses. MS.

    15. Chronology of the Steps, by which celestial Truth gradually attained its Height, especially as regards God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This little work was appended, with other tracts, to Sandius's "Bibliotheca Antitrinitariorum" (pp. 181—188). 

    16. Account of a Journey into Transylvania. MS. Polon.

    17. Various Manuscript Letters. 

    18. A Book on Ecclesiastical and Congregational Reform. MS. Mention is made of this Book in the Manuscript Acts of the Assembly of Siedliski, held in the year 1643, at which it was resolved, that several copies of it should be made by the pupils in the Schools of Kissielin and Luclavice ; and one sent to each congregation. At the Assembly of Andreaswalde, in Prussia, instituted in the year 1682, it was determined, that the ecclesiastical discipline in the celebration of divine worship should be regulated by the rule laid down in this Book.

    19. A Dialogue concerning Piety. At the Synod of 1626, Stoinius was enjoined to write such a Dialogue, and the injunction was repeated in the year following, at which time he was required, in conjunction with Rupnovius, and the Racovian Brethren, to revise The Shorter Catechism.

    20. We learn also, from the Synodical Acts of 1637, that Stoinius undertook to compose a work On Divine Providence ; and towards the composition and printing of such a work, which met with the assent of all, one individual contributed a thousand florins, and offered a reward of a hundred florins to the author. Florian Crusius and others were requested to treat upon the same subject ; and Theodore Simonis, in 1642, incited by the reward offered, entered upon the composition of such a treatise.

     

    (Vidend. Sandii B. A. pp. 121, 122. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. pp. 938—947. Ruari Epp. l. c) 

     


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