AU'RIFA'BER (Lat. for family name Gold sehmied). German Protestant theologians and reformers. (1 ) ANDREAS (1514-59). A friend of 11elanehthon: born in Breslau. Ile received the degree of M.A. at Wittenberg University in 1534. He taught in the philosophical faculty; then was school principal. He took up medicine, and was body physician to Duke Albert of Prus sia for ten years. In 1542 he returned as profes sor of medicine to 1Vittenberg, and after 1545 was dueal body physician at kiinigsberg. and professor in the university, although his instruc tion was much interrupted by the diplomatic journeys on which he was sent by the Duke. lle was an ardent defender of Osiande (1498-1552), whose daughter was his second wife. As an Osianderian he was bitterly attacked by theultra eonservative Lutherans, whose leader (Flacius) dubbed him 'dog-doctor,' because he had issued a book upon the treatment of canine diseases. He died at Konigsberg, December 12, 1559. His writings were ehietly medieal. (2) JOHANNES (1517-68). A brother of Andreas, and. like him, a friend of Ilielanehthon; born at Breslau, Janu ary 30, 1517. He received the degree of I.A.A at Wittenberg University in 1538, and became pro fessor at Rostock in 1550. After a varied and fruitful activity (chief author of the Ilecklen burg Church Ordinances. 1551), he became pro fessor of theology at Konigsberg in 1554, resigned in 1505. and died at Breslau. October 19, 1368.
He also was involved in the Osiander strife which wrought up the theologians of that time. (3) JOHANNES (c.1519-75). A zealous friend of Luther; born in county of Mansfeld, Saxony, and educated at Wittenberg. He became tutor to the young Count .Mansfeld, and in the war of 1544 was with the army as chaplain. He lived with Luther as his secretary (1545) ; was present at Luther's death, February 18, 1546, and closed the great Reformer's eyes. He was taken prisoner at Mithlberg. April 24, 1547, while serving as chaplain in the Schmal kald War, and was in prison till the autumn of 1547. TIe was a furious critic of Melanchthon. After being for some years court preacher at Weimar, he was compelled to flee to Eisleben (1561), and there began those Lutheran publica tions which have given him fame. In 1560 he was appointed minister of the Lutheran Church at Erfurt, holding the place until his death, which oceurred there, November IS, 1575. He began, in 1540, collecting Lutheran 31SS., and by 1553 had 2000 letters of Luther's; the same year he shared in the 12-volume German and Latin edition of Luther which appeared in Jena in 1550. He issued two volumes of Luther's let ters (1556-65) ; also a supplement to the Jena edition and the Works in 1564-05 (2 vols.). In 1500 he issued his famous Tisehreden and Colloquia Dr. M. Luther&