View source for Mehrning, Jakob (17th century)

Jakob Mehrning, of Holstein, Germany, author of the book <em>S. Baptismi Historia: Das ist/Heilige Tauff-Historia/ln welcher Die Wahrheit der Ersten-Einvnd Eygentlichen Tauffordnung Jesu Christi, Aus heiliger Schrijt deutlich wider holt/darzu aus vielen Alten vnd Newen/Kirchenhistorien/durch alle Hundert Jährige Zeiten/von Anfang der Tauff bisshieher/bezeuget/Vnd wie solche fast nach allen Haupt-stücken/offt verändert/vnd in schändliche Missbraüch verkehret sey worden .... Anfänglich durch den hochgelehrten H. Johan. Montanum kurtz/vnd mit blossen Allegaten in Niderlandischer Sprach beschrieben/Nach dessen Todt aber aus seinen hinderlassenen Schrifjten/vnd andern Autoren vollkomlich vermchret/vnd in die Hochdeutsche Sprach übersetzet/Durch Jacob Mehrning aus Holstein/der Göttlichen Wahrheit Studiosum </em>(Dortmund, 1646 and 1647). The book, containing XVII plus 1128 pages, is a complete original revision of the booklet by Joh. Montanus and at the same time its translation from Dutch to German. Its purpose was to promote [[Baptism|baptism]] by immersion practiced by the Dompelaers, but it grew into a veritable historical arsenal on the "baptism ordinance of Christ," though with what critical right is another question. Under point five of the foreword the Mennonites were expressly taken to task, "since some of them understand little of this mystery." Nothing is known concerning the author's personal life. No doubt he was partly responsible for the confusion caused by the Dompelaers in the Hamburg-Altona church. The assumption by "many" that the <em>Tauff-Historia</em> is not Mehrning's work, but that of Chr. Raselius, was seen to be untenable when the two are compared.
= Bibliography =
Jocher, Christian Gottlieb. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Allgemeines Gelehrtenlexikon</em>. 

Moller, Johannes. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Cimbria Literata</em>. Hafniae, 1744.

Roosen, B. C. <em class="gameo_bibliography">Geschichte der Mennoniten-Gemeinde zu Hamburg und Altona</em>. Hamburg, 1886.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. III, 65.
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