János Bayer

Preachers in galley-slavery

(1630-1674) Lutheran minister, professor, philosopher.

Studied with the support of the town-council of Eperjes because of his poverty, enrolled to the University Wittenberg, 23. Sept. 1653. Became Magister 23. April 1657, was employed as honorary lecturer. Studied the activity of the significant atomic scientists under the guidence of D. Sennert and J. Sperling. Returned home, professor in Eperjes from 1660, rector in 1662. His task was the organization of the college. He was son in law of Sámuel Pomarius, the first professor of the college. Because of certain strained relations, he lost his job in 1666. Became Lutheran pastor and headmaster in Besztercebánya. In 1669 he was invited to be pastor of Szepesváralja. His manuscripts show philosophical features with strong theological contents. As student of Comenius and Francis Bacon, he took up a standpoint against the scholastic views. Died in Szepesváralja, 14. May 1674. According to other sources, he undertook the defence of the Protestant preachers being condemned for galley-slavery, and therefore was also carried off. There are also data that he died in great poverty, after the religious contentions.