Baltus, JEAN FRANÇOIS, theologian, b. at Metz, June 8, 1667; d. at Reims, March 9, 1743. He entered the Society of Jesus, November 21, 1682, taught humanities at Dijon, rhetoric at Pont-a-Mousson, Scripture, Hebrew, and theology at Strasburg, where he was also rector of the university. In 1717, he was general censor of books at Rome, and later rector of Chalon, Dijon, Metz, Pont-a-Mousson, and Chalons. He left several works of some value to the Christian apologist, notably: (I) “Reponse a l’histoire des oracles de M. de Fontenelle”, a critical treatise on the oracles of paganism, in refutation of Van Dale’s theory and in defense of the Fathers of the Church (Strasburg, 1707), followed in 1708 by “Suite de la reponse a l’histoire des oracles”. (2) “Defense des S. Peres accuses de platonisme” (Paris, 1711); this is a refutation of “Platonisme devoile”, a work of the Protestant minister Souverain of Poitiers. (3) “Jugement des SS. Peres sur la morale de la philosophie palenne” (Strasburg, 1719). (4) “La religion chretienne prouvee par l’accomplissement des propheties de l’Ancien et du Nouveau Testament suivant la methode des SS. Peres” (Paris, 1728). (5) “Defense des propheties de la religion chretienne”‘ (Paris, 1737). To these may be added a funeral oration on the Most Rev. Peter Creagh, Archbishop of Dublin (Strasburg, 1705), the “Acts of St. Balaam, Martyr“, and the “Life of St. Febronia, Virgin and Martyr” (Dijon, 1720 and 1721 respectively).
MARK J. MCNEAL