Morstinius Severin

Morstinius Severin,  (Polon. Morsztyn,) sometimes called "Serinus Morstinius" in the Manuscript Synodical Acts, was the son of Christopher Morstinius, and inherited his father's zeal, as well as his landed estates. But there were two persons of the name of Severin Morstinius. Of these one gave notice, at the Synod of Racow in 1634, that he was unequal, through bodily weakness, to the continued discharge of his ministerial duties. This is probably the same Severin Morstinius, of whom we read, that, at the Synod of Racow, in 1630, he was invited to enter the lists of controversy with Zarnovecius. Whether he complied with this request, or not, is uncertain. The other Severin Morstinius, at the Synod of Siedliski, in 1643, was invited to offer himself as a candidate for the ministry to the Racovian Church, the members of which, after the catastrophe of 1638, were accustomed to assemble for religious worship at Radostow; and it was resolved that his ordination should take place in the General Assembly, either at Luclavice, or Czarcow.

In 1647, at the Assembly of Daszow, he was nominated to the vacant pulpit of the Church at Luclavice. In 1650, he visited, in company with some others, four Churches in the mountains. In 1652, he was appointed to preside over the Church at Raciborsk. He was preaching before this, for some time, to the Church at Robcow, where he was succeeded by Andrew  Wissowatius in 1652. After the universal exile of the Socinians, Severin Morstinius still continued in Poland in 1662, and, together with his son Theophilus had the religious superintendence of those who remained concealed, and dispersed throughout the kingdom, in conformity with a resolution passed at the last Assembly held in Poland; and it appears from the Manuscript Acts of the Assembly of Kreutzburg, in Silesia, held in the year 1668, that he still continued to discharge the duties of that onerous office.

In addition to the Morstinius already named, and to be alluded to hereafter, several are mentioned in the Manuscript Acts, of whom Bock particularizes Gabriel Boguslaus, (who in 1687 was admitted into the number of Synodical Elders,) Maximilian, and Sbigneus. Andrew Morstinius of Raciborsk, Referendary of the kingdom, is celebrated among the Ambassadors Plenipotentiary of the kingdom and republic of Poland, at the peace of Oliva in 1660. He is probably the same person of whom mention is made in a letter of the Swedish Senate to the Senates of Poland and Lithuania, written at Stockholm, March 8th, 1655; and is called Royal Chamberlain.

(Vidend. Bock, Hist. Ant. T. I. pp. 510, 511.)

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