Menius (or Menig), Justus

Menius (Or Menig), Justus an eminent German theologian of the Reformation period, noted for his part in the spread of the Protestant doctrines, was born at Fulda Dec. 13,1499. He studied for the Church. and intended to become amonastic in order to serve the cause of Rome the more faithfully, but, while living as deacon at Meilberg, he was made acquainted with the doctrines of Luther, and he became so interested in the reformatory movement that he decided to go to the very stronghold of the heretics and judge for himself. He accordingly set out for Wittenberg to hear Luther preach, and while there was made a convert to the new cause, and at once identified himself with the Protestants. In 1546 he was made ecclesiastical superintendent of Gotha, and afterwards he became pastor of St. Thomas's Church at Leipsic, which situation he retained until his death, Aug. 11, 1588. Menius was a devoted friend of Luther, whom he accompanied to the Colloquy of Marburg (q.v.) and in 1532 he signed the articles of Smalcald (q.v.). Together with George Spalatin, Cruciger, Myconius, and John Webern, he drew up the first ecclesiastical ritual used in Saxony. Among his works, we notice Commentaria in lib. Samuelis et Acta Apostolorum (Wittenb. 1532, 8vo):-Sepultura Lutheri (1538, 4to) :- Vom Geist d. Wiedertauffer (Wittenb. 1544, 4to) : - Von d. Nothwehr (Wittenb. 1547,8vo) :-Historica Doescriptio de Bello Gothico (1568, 8vo). See Motschmann, Efordia Literata; Albrecht, Sichsische Kirchengesch. 1:306; Tentzel, Suppl. Reliqua Hist. Gothance, p. 787; Schmidt, Justus Menius, der Reformator Thiiuingens (1867, 2 vols. 8vo); Jahrb. deutsch. Theol. 1870, No. iv; Herzog, Real-Encyklopidie, 9:325 sq.