Myconius

Myconius (also known as Geisshiisler, his name before he joined the Protestants), Oswald, a Swiss Protestant theologian, was born at Lucerne in 1488, and was educated at Basle. He taught for a while, accepting first a call to Zurich as director of a school; but he was only three months there when he was recalled to his native place to take charge of the high school. Taking a leading part in the new doctrine, which had just made its appearance, he was in 1523 again discharged, and returned to Zurich to his old position. When Zwingle was killed at the battle of Kappel, and the citizens of Zurich became rather careless towards theological science, Myconius returned to Basle, where he was appointed deacon at St. Alban, chief minister of the city of Basle, and professor of the New Testament. He resigned the latter position in 1541, and died October 14, 1552. Myconius was a true confessor of Zwingle's doctrine. He was largely instrumental in the publication of the Basle Confession, and for the sake of a union of all Protestant interests favored the Helvetian Confession of 1536. His tolerance towards Lutherans on their consubstantiation doctrine subjected him to many trials from the Zwinglians, who often, though unjustly, questioned his faithfulness to them. His most important works are, Narratio de vita et obitu Zwingli:—Tractatus de liberis rite educandis:- De crapula et ebrietate. See Melchior Adam, Vitce Theolog. German. (Heidelberg, 1620), p. 223 sq.; Merle d'Aubigne, Hist. of the Ref. in Switzerland; Kirchhofer, Leben 0. Myconius des Reformators (1814); Hagenbach, Leben u. Schriften der Va/ter u. Begriinder der reform. Kirche (Elberf. 1857, 8vo), 2:309-447. (J.H.W.)