Vigilius Bartholomew , (Germ. Wach-auf,) was a Westphalian, whose German name appears to have been Latinized, not, as Bock insinuates, for the purpose of concealment, but to give it a more classical air, in accordance with a well-known custom, which had prevailed among literary men, from the time of the Reformation. In the year 1603, he was appointed Co-rector of the College at Racow, with Christopher Brockayus, after a public disputation, "De tribus Legibus Logicis," in which he gave ample proof of his qualifications for the office to which he aspired. He was present at the Conferences, or Theological Exercises, at the house of Smalcius, between the years 1606 and 1609. In the Synodical Acts, he is frequently called "Gedanensis," to intimate that he was in some way connected with the city of Dantzic. In that city, for many years, he greatly benefited the Socinian Church, by his advice and assistance. His services were properly estimated at the time, and duly registered in the Synodical Acts. One of the most important of them was, the advice which he gave, respecting the establishment of a German printing-office at Dantzic, for the use of the Socinian Church. This proposal he brought forward at the Synod of the year 1617. But at the Assembly of Czarcow, in 1652, when his period of active service was almost over, while he thanked the Presidents of the Socinian Church for the favours which they still conferred upon him, he lamented his misfortune, in being removed from an advantageous situation to one which was less so. He was living as late as the year 1655, at which time Ruarus importuned the Church not to desert him.

There is no doubt, that Vigilius had been employed in translating the works of Socinian writers from the Polish into the German and Latin languages. That this was the case, we learn from the Synodical Acts of the year 1615: but the titles of the books so translated are not given. In the year 1634 also, he sent from Dantzic to Racow some books, which he had rendered into Latin: but on this occasion, as in 1615, no mention is made of the titles of these books.

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