Schaff - History of the Christian Church Vol. 8 - Media Sabda Org

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Arminians. f321 On his return (May 21, 1619) he was welcomed by sixtyfour
Zürichers, who rode to the borders of the Rhine to meet him. Yet,
with all his firmness of conviction, he was opposed to confessional
polemics in an intensely polemic age, and admired the good traits in other
churches and sects, even the Jesuits. He combined with strict orthodoxy a
cheerful temper, a generous heart, and active piety. He had an open ear for
appeals from the poor and the numerous sufferers in the murder of the
Valtellina (1620) and during the Thirty Years’ War. At his request,
hospitals and orphan houses were founded and collections raised, which in
the Minster alone, during eight years (1618–1628), exceeded fifty thousand
pounds. He was in every way a model pastor, model churchman, and
model statesman. Although be towered high above his colleagues, he
disarmed envy and jealousy by his kindliness and Christian humility.
Altogether he shines next to Zwingli and Bullinger as the most influential
and useful Antistes of the Reformed Church of Zürich. f322
§ 56. OSWALD MYCONIUS, ANTISTES OF BASEL.
I. Correspondence between MYCONIUS and ZWINGLI in Zwingli’s
Opera, vols. VII. and VIII. (28 letters of the former and 20 of the
latter).—Correspondence with Bullinger in the Simler Collection.—
Antiqu. Gernl., I. The Chronicle of FRIDOLIN RYFF, ed. by W. Vischer
(son), in the Basler Chroniken (vol. 1, Leipzig, 1872), extends from
1514 to 1541.
II. Melchior Kirchofer (of Schaffhausen): Oswald Myconius, Antistes
der Baslerischen Kirche. Zürich, 1813 (pp. 387). Still very
serviceable.—R. HAGENBACH: Joh. Oecolampad und Oswald
Myronius, die Reformatoren Basels. Elberfeld, 1859 (pp. 309–462).
Also his Geschichte der ersten Basler Confession. Basel, 1828.—B.
RIGGENBACH, in Herzog, X. 403–405.
Oswald Myconius (1488–1552), f323 a native of Luzern, an intimate friend of
Zwingli, and successor of Oecolampadius, was to the Church of Basel
what Bullinger was to the Church of Zürich,—a faithful preserver of the
Reformed religion, but in a less difficult position and more limited sphere
of usefulness. He spent his earlier life as classical teacher in Basel, Zürich,
Luzern, Einsiedeln, and again in Zürich. His pupil, Thomas Plater, speaks
highly of his teaching ability and success. Erasmus honored him with his
friendship before he fell out with the Reformation. f324