USA > Pennsylvania > Historic background and annals of the Swiss and German pioneer settlers of southeastern Pennsylvania, and of their remote ancestors, from the middle of the Dark Ages, down to the time of the Revolutionary War > Part 4
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1526 -- Some Other Mennonite Reform- ers at This Date.
Müller tells us (p. 194) that in 1526 when Reuplin, Gross, Sattler, Denck, Haetzer and Kautz and finally Hoff- man in a united way were carrying on Anabaptism in Strasburg and sur- rounding countries, there was in spite of temporary banishment of former leaders a good footing gained. This kept on growing so that in 1555 there was at Strasburg the first important synod of the Baptists or Mennonites held, which brought unanimity to the leading spirits in the inflamed times that were to follow.
After many more items on early times we will hasten to the times that more nearly concern America.
1527 - Anabaptism or Mennonitism Among the High Germans.
About the year 1527 Baptist con- gregations had become established in all the regions of the High German language, and the new religion had become fixed in those places. There was a network of small congregations from Alsace to Breslau, and from Kessen to Etchland. The center of this region was Augsburg. Neither in Germany or in Switzerland can the
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22
BAPTIST OR MENNONITE FACTIONS
growth of this vigorous Mennonitism be considered as growing from any particular center-it grew from dif- ferent centers at the same time. In cities it took hold and there was soon intercourse from city to city by visit- ing brethren. The whole of Zurich was at this time a center of Anabap- tism-and also were Basil-Zolloth- urn, Berne, Freiburg and other cities of Switzerland. Müller (20).
1527-Hupmeier, Banished for His
Mennonite Faith.
Müller tells us (p. 94) that Dr. Hupmeier, now Hoofmeier or Hoff- mier about 1527 was banished from Zurich, on account of his faith and he went to the wilds of Switzerlnad and founded an asylum for those who were determined to carry on the Evan- gelical or Anabaptist religion. He found that the opposition to him was not so much from the Catholics as from the Zwinglians or Reformed people-and in Walshut the over- coming of the Rebellion party, led by Blauroch and others who professed the. Mennanite faith, but still who were "resistants" made it impossible there.
1527-A Primitive Anabaptist Synod Begun by Sattler.
The same author quoted above (p. 10) says that at two small synods held at Augsburg in 1526 and 7 the Swiss took no part; but on the other hand in 1527 at a meeting of the south Germans, who were under the leader- ship of Sattler there were such gath- erings held at Schlott on the Rand and at Strasburg, at which Swiss Mennonites as well as Germans were present.
1527-Lutheranism Rises Up Against Mennonites or Baptists.
Shortly before the beginning of the year 1527 Luther had a sermon print- ed in which he attacked the Baptists says Brons (p. 411). In his eyes the
rise of these Baptists involved liberty of conscience, the very thing he fought for and yet he denied it to thein. The result of it was that at Strasburg an order was issued against the Baptists or Mennonites and they were exiled. Their enemies of. the town of Stras- burg followed up Luther's lead by publishing a document in which they warned the people against Kautz, a Mennonite leader. The title of the book was "A Faithful Warning of the Servants of God at Strasburg Against the Sermons which Jacob Kautz, a Preacher in Worms has Published." Thus by this early date a fact almost incredible appears,-that the different branches of the new religion were at odds with each other.
1527-More Anabaptists Trouble About Zurich.
We are told (Zur. 62) that at the end of 1527 about 30 Baptists met at Hein, and the report was spread their next meeting would be in a church- that they now had friends and funds enough to own a church. When the council of Zurich (Zur. 64) sent its delegates in 1527 to the General As- sembly they were instructed to bring up the subject of whether Christ's teachings were not that all were sub- ject to the government, and whether the Anabaptist movement was not spiritually wrong. When it was found that five Baptists known of old had gone there too as delegates from Zol- likon it aroused suspicion and the council of Zurich were doubly angry. These Baptist delegates confessed that they had themselves sent as delegates so that they could know whether their brethren were to be de- creed to be drowned, according to the desire of the council, so that if that was the decision reached they would know it early and could go and visit the brethren and comfort them so that they should be firm, for Christ had taught clearly that they should visit the brethren in prison.
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·
WORMS AND ZURICH IN UPROAR
The Council at Zurich now tried | among the "Staats-Archivars", that suasion (Zur. 64). They invited the confederacy of Baptitsts from Berne, Basil, Schaffausen, Chur, Appenzel and St. Gallen, all in Switzerland to meet at Zurich, Monday after St. Law- rence day in 1527, stating that it could be shown to them that their aim was the destruction not only of true right- eousness and inner faith of the Chris- tian Religion but also the outward or- dinances of Christian and orderly gov- ernment, against brotherly love and good morals. (Do. 65).
1527-Zurich Decree Against Menno- nite Street Preaching.
In the latter part of 1527, (Zur., p. 70) a decree was sent out to the Bailiffs or Sheriff's about Zurich, dated the 16th of December, to spot out all the Baptist or Mennonite preachers who were preaching on the corners of the streets and trying to get the people to withdraw from the Catholic Church. Some of these preachers were foreigners from Hol- land and parts of Germany. The de- cree was that they were to be arrest- ed and taken to Wellenberg, but to be dismissed on paying 5 Pound penalty. Following this decree there were sev- eral arrests in the Lowlands. Froni this we see a new difficulty arising that often appears in the Baptist movement in this that there was cor- ruption among the 'clergy; and these Baptist preachers were accused of some of this corruption. But the truth is that the corruption was not among them but that the established Church needed stricter discipline. Egli says at the same page that this section of the country is the chief hearth or location of the third period of the Baptist movement, that is, in and about Zurich.
1527-Great Martyrdom of Anabap- tism About Worms.
In Brons' work, (p. 180) he tells us that according to recent research
is, the Archives in charge of the gov- ernment, by Dr. Keller, that in Mün- ster where a work on Anabaptism came to light, that Hans Denck who in Worms in 1527 sought refuge, was perhaps the most important of the teachers of the German Baptists of that time. He further says that Denck found here, as he had in Augs- burg enthusiastic adherents, who recognized in the man there a gospel messenger of genuine gold. One of his adherents, a Lutheran preacher, named Kautz, affixed a series of theses to the theological Cloister at Worms, June 9, 1527. Challenged by this the Lutherans and Catholics arrayed themselves against the Baptists and the whole city went into uproar.
The Baptists in Worms were in such large majority that Wolfgang Capito, four days before the theses were fixed, wrote to Zurich that the City of Worms had by a public agree- ment seceded from the word of God, that is, he meant there were so many of these Anabaptists and Mennonites about that it looked as if they were about the only people in the district. This Capito was not a Baptist; he was a Lutheran, but in some ways agreed with Denck.
Soon, however, the opponents of the Baptists succeeded in stirring up the Elector against them, which was a hard task. All they had to do to these defenseless people was to re- ward them as the same kind as the Münzerites and the Zwickauerites, who disregarded infant baptism and so made it appear that these real Bap- tists belonged to the same class. We remember these Münzerites and oth- ers were not regarded as sincere and were looked upon more as persons who simply took a delight in making trouble; Münzer, their leader, was always trying to quarrel; henceforth the Baptists in the Palatinate were persecuted by the united spiritual and worldly powers in such a terrible man-
24
ANCIENT AUTHORITY ON BAPTISM
ner that in a short time 350 of these | 1527-Death of the Mennonite Patriot harmless people were executed. This Manz. aroused many who did not agree with these Anabaptists or Mennonites but who were impressed by the steadfast- ness and who had read many writings of Hans Denck. Among these friends of the Mennonites was a preacher named John Odenbach and he wrote a letter to the Judges and said, "Behold with what great and patient love and devotion these pious people died- how knightly they withstood the world and how they can not be vanquished because of the truth. They have suf- fered violence but they prosper be- cause they are the holy martyrs of God."
1527 -- Ancient Authority of the Ana- baptists on Baptism.
The same author, last mentioned (p. 44) tells us that the Anabaptists or Mennonites' view of baptism as it was in 1527 is expressed in an old work as follows: "At his baptism by John Christ called baptism a righteousness and when the Publicans were baptiz- ed by John he called it a Council of God, therefore, children are not to be baptized because they need no repen- tance and know nothing of righteous- ness and Council of God; further Christ says after his resurrection, he who believes and is baptized shall be saved but he who does not believe will be dammed." Thus it is said by this writer that no one could be bap- tized except those who understand and believe and therefore children can not be baptized. This work further says for this reason children will not be condemned and the Savior only speaks of those who understand to know good and evil shall be in danger after they do the evil but as to the rest he says they are simple minded and must be aware that false prophets do not lead them astray. So to them baptism would only be an outer sign and would not mean anything.
We are told by Brons, (p. 40) that when Felix Manz, of whom we have spoken of before was taken out on the ship to death by drowning "and when he stood there ready to be martyred, beneath him the floods of the Lake of Zurich-above hini the blue sky- around him the great mountains with their sun-illumined summits - his soul raised itself in sight of death above these and when on one side a preacher sympathetically spoke to him that he should be converted to the Catholic faith again, he scarcely heard it; but he heard the voice of his mother standing on the other side and his brethren with her, who at the same time prayed that he should re- main steadfast; and he sang when they fettered him, with a loud voice and said, 'Into thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit' and soon after the waves covered him from sight." This happened in January, 1527. Brons gives us a very vivid picture of the event, etc.
1527 - First German and Austrian Mennonite Leaders.
The same author says (p. 412) that in this year Sattler, Denck, and Haetzler had gone from Worms to preach the Anabaptist or Mennonite doctrine. Sattler went to Rotenburg in the Necker and the other two went to Augsburg. Here they met Kautz, Jacob Gross and Jacob Dascher and Sigmund Salminger and other friends, all important men, who asserted a great influence on the congregations; and all prepared to risk their lives for their faith in the certainty that that faith was according to the gen- uine spirit of the doctrine of Christ. Christianity seemed to them a power of God that rendered men capable to be a follower of Christ as it had also renedered the first Christian martyrs. Therefore, they had courage to stand up for their convictions in spite of
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25
SECOND PERIOD OF MENNONITISM
disgrace and contumely-in spite of | turbed his idea of the Trinity for a torture and death. They were con- vinced that their affair was God's and that they were the leaven for later generations. This kept them stead- fast through the horrible events in which they saw everywhere the breth- ren, singly and in groups, robbed, ex- pelled and tortured and killed women as well as men.
In Austria they were smoked out of the caves and camps, burnt as fast as convicted and the officers who ar- rested them got their property. It was horrible there. Haetzler was overtaken too. In one of the old manuscripts the death of Haetzler is told. He was learned in several lan- guages and in holy scripture. At the time of his departure he made a beau- tiful speech, which moved many to tears, and he composed a song which is still in use in Switzerland and other places.
In this we see some of the earliest attempts to act as a group of minis- ters or a collective body to give the new Anabaptist religion its organiza- tion.
1527-King of Denmark favors a Men- nonite Leader.
The same author says, (p. 377) that Hoffmeier about 1527 attracted the at- tention of the King of Denmark, who examined his doctrine and made him preacher in the province of Kiel; and he soon had his own printing press, which the King assisted him in secur- ing as he had no means himself but it excited the envy of other preachers. Brons tells us later, however, that this Danish Mennonite let his fancy and zeal carry him away. And when- ever he had time he got to reading that part of the Bible which excited his fancy and led him into hallucina- tions, viz :- the tabernacle of Moses, the dress of Aaron, the Priest, the Exodus of the Children of Egypt, etc. From these he deduced the number. four as the sacred number, which dis-
time. Thus he said we had the four gospels. And he preached about the four rivers-the four colors of silk- the four horns of the Altar and the four animals of Ezekiel-and these he made more important than the gospel. "So he got a little off." Hoffmeier brought about much evil. His agree- ment with Luther was kept and Luther, therefore did not bother about him because he did not attack Luther very much. Luther however, wrote to Kiel to his friends there that Hoff- meier was not right and that they should not heed his doctrine.
In this we see that there was dan- ger of the early zeal carrying the early fathers away as well as in these later days.
1527-The Second Stage of the Ana- baptist Religion and Its Leaders.
The history of Anabaptism in 1526 to 1528 enters into its second period at Zurich. After the victory in Zurich had been decided by the State and the Baptists had been oppressed, the stronger of the Baptist leaders bring the Anabaptist religion into its second period in which the defeated found as leaders, and supporters such strong men as Balthaser, Hoffmeier and Jo- hann Denck, the recognized new lead- ers.
At that time Sebastian Frank. Capi- to and Kessler in Saint Gallen recog- nized fully the difference between the Swiss brethren and Anabaptists in the narrower sense when in 1527 at Signau in Northwest Moravia, the difference came openly to light. The type of the Swiss brethren is more that of the early martyrs, whose val- iant stand for their new Christianity was brought out more prominent by persecution. (Müller, p. 10).
It is shown us in this item that there were really different branches of Anabaptism or Mennonite faith in early times. The preachers through- out Switzerland being the more re-
26
HANS SECKLER AND GEORGE WAGNER
liable and serious. In parts of Ger- many and in Denmark we have no- ticed that the leaders were inclined to try to do something odd and create excitement.
1527-Hans Seckler's Enunciation of . Principles.
During the year 1527, Hans Seck- ler had come from Basel to Berne, both in Switzerland. Hans Dreier , and Heinrich Seiler were present at the Baptists' meeting or convention of 1528, and were, according to a manu- script in the Berne Library, drowned in the Berne Lake in 1535. A minute of the hearing against these people is set out in the old books and the main points that Seckler insisted upon were as follows: (1) Baptism of chil- dren is a bad practice and can not serve any good purpose. (2) Though we do not take part in Government we ought to be subject to Govern- ment, and we are. (3) The word of Christ must remain and govern all things-we are not to swear at all- what Govenrment commands we will do as long as it is not against God. (4) The heart belongs to God and not to men (he was surely not a Social- - ist). (5) Paying taxes is all that is imposed upon us and this a Christian will always do. (6) As to paying in- terest we hold it the same as paying tithes; if interest is usury so is pay- ing the tithes. (7) As to having sev- eral wives, he said that more than one wife is wrong, but that he knew of some Anabaptists who had several wives in common, but most of them did not believe in this doctrine, and now I believe that all who used to fol- low are very sorry for it and that it is stamped out. (8) As to the mass and pictures of the Virgin and as to why they do not enter churches in which there are these pictures and idols in the church, he said, he does not com- plain about it and those who want to do so, may; neither do we say that the women should not go into the
Church. (9) Infant baptism has no foundation in the gospel but it was only begun by the Pope. This does not make it a gospel rite; because no Christian practice can exist that is not planned and set up by God him- self, (Müller, p. 42).
1527- George Wagner's Execution; Also Others Put to Death.
In Martyr's Mirror, (p. 401) is given the following account of the execution of George Wagner in 1527.
"George Wagner, of Emmerich, was apprehended at Munich, in Bavaria, on account of four articles of the faith. First, That the priest can not forgive sins. Secondly, That he does not believe a man can bring down God from heaven. Thirdly, That he does not believe that God or Christ is bodily in the bread which the priest has upon the altar; but that it is the body . of the Lord. Fourthly, That he did not hold to the belief that water baptism possessed any saving power. As he would not renounce these arti- cles, he was most severely tormented, so that the prince felt great compas- sion for him, and personally came to him in the prison, and earnestly ad- minished him thereto, promising that he would call him his friend all his lifetime. Thus also, the tutor of the prince, earnestly admonished him to recant, and likewise made him many promises. Ultimately his wife and child were brought before him in pris- on in order, on this wise to move him to recant. But neither was he to be moved in this way; for he said that though his wife and child were so dear to him that the prince could not buy them with all his dominion, yet he would not forsake his God and Lord on their account. Many priests and others also came to himffi but he was steadfast and immovable in that which God had given him to know. Hence he was finally sentenced to the fire and death.
27
ZURICH MORE SEVERE THAN BERNE
Having been delivered into the warning them that if they went into hands of the executioner, and led in- any other part of Switzerland and keep on their doctrine, they would be punished wherever they are. to the middle of the city, he said: 'To- day I will confess my God before all the world.' He had such joy in Christ Jesus, that his face did not pale, nor About the same time Berne asked information from Zurich how they managed to reduce the Baptists to such a small number so early, stating that they wish to follow the same method. Zurich said the best method they found was to kill them, (Müller. p. 28). his eyes show fear; but he went smil- ingly to the fire, where the execution- er bound him on the ladder, and tied a little bag of powder to his neck, at which he said: 'Be it done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost;" and having smilingly bidden farewell to Christian who was there, he was thrust into the fire by In this item we observe two points, (1) that Zurich got through her per- secutions against the Mennonites earlier than Berne did. It is likely that many of them fled from Zurich to Berne and into the Emmenthal or valley Northwest of Berne; and (2) we notice that Zurich was much more severe than Berne in its treatment of these people. the executioner, and happily offered up his spirit, on the eighth day of February, A. D. 1527. The sheriff how- ever, surnamed Eisenreich von Lands- berg, while returning home from the place of execution, travelling on horseback, purposing to apprehend others of the brethren, died suddenly in the night, and was found dead in his bed in the morning having thus been removed through the wrath of God.
Melchior Vet, who was a compan- ion of George Blaurock of whom we have spoken before, was also burned at the same time that Michael Satter was executed. Leonhard Keyser, the same year, was drowned for having accepted the doctrine of the Aanbap- tists, (Martyrs' Mirror, pp. 403 and 405). The same year, Thomas Her- man and 67 others, and also at the Hague and at other places in Hol- land, about 150 more were executed, (M. Mirror, 406-9.).
1527-Berne Asks Zurich How They Exterminate the Mennonites There.
On the 14th of September, of this year, the Berne authorities wrote to Zurich and informed them that they had published a decree against the Anabaptists or Mennonites to the effect that they must stop practicing the faith or leave the country, and
1527-New Mennonite Strength in the Emmenthal.
In 1527 Berchtold Haller, (likely to- day Heller, the common Lancaster county name), the reformer from Berne wrote to Zwingli that the val- ley of the Lower' Zimmenthal is on his side and further he also hears that the subjects from the Emmen- thal and particularly about Langnau and Ruederswell have turned for the right, that is have become Anabap- tists and have given up the mass and have petitioned the rulers of the country that they should let them practice their religion unmolested. They said also that they could show by the scriptures that the mass was a blasphemy. The Council agreed to let these faithful people go without observing the mass now until further notice. This was the same also as to the congregations of Bollingen and Rohrbach, (Müller, p. 23).
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MENNONITISM IN SWITZERLAND
1527-Anabaptists Acted Unwisely at to Anabaptism out of a population of Zolothurn, Switzerland.
The agitation, which was in 1527 carried to Berne in favor of Anabap- tism frightened the friends of the re- formation in not a little degree and it was a year before the victory of the reformation was known to the friends at Berne. At this time there were some restless and foolish dreamers among the Anabaptists and this cre- ated disorders in Zurich and the news spread to Berne and did there cause much harm. Also in Germany they caused trouble and now it was carried to Berne and the Catholics took a delight is this dilemma. Zeh- ner in 1531 reports and says the re- formation movement at Zolothurn, Switzerland, that the beginning was so good that the whole reformation should have grown very strong ill Christ, but he heard that everything was spoiled by these Anabaptists, who were tolerated with pleasure by the Catholics, because they saw it held the cause back and so the true servants of the gospel are not now counted anything in that section, (Müller, p. 25).
1527-Mennonite Congregations Grow- ing in Different Parts of Switzer- land.
Doctor Hoopmeier, expelled from Zurich found an asylum in Nickel- burg, Switzerland, and there for a long time he was not hindered in the Anabaptism doctrine, which he be- lieved and which Zwingli prevented in Zurich. Others came to this Asy- lum from St. Gallen and the Upper Mountainous regions of Switzerland. They had the powerful protection of County Lichtenstein and in a little while 40 to 50 households had turned kept back in a cloister until the dis-
12,000. These formed the kernel of the Baptist congregations in that sec- tion, known as the conservative Bap- tists or Mennonites. There were also communities of Baptists there who were very excitable and they were called the enthusiastic Baptists. Then there were also the Swabian Baptists in the Upper Necker Valley, and they agreed to seven articles of faith about the year 1527, (Müller, page 94).
1528 - Reformation Movement in Switzerland Retarded by the Mennonites.
A great discussion or debate was held in January, 1528, in Berne for the purpose of having the people de- cide which branch of the reformation they would cling to, that is, whether the reform under Zwingli or the Men- nonite or Anabaptist faith and it was to be decided according to the result of this debate. Everyone could speak out what he desired. But the Bishops knew the opinion in Berne and re- mained away. Whether the Baptists would take part in it and defend their views or whether they wanted to take advantage of the excitement simply to push on their doctrine is not known but it was soon found that their appearance there would be disastrous to the success of the dis- cussion and might have ended the de- bate because now all the strength of the powers or Government were to be held together to strike against Rome. And it was feared that a debate in- stead of getting all the reform preachers together, would just result in splitting them up more. There- fore, the foreign Mennonites who had come to attend this discussion were
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