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 5
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29
MARTYRDOM IN SALSBURG AND BAVARIA
cussion was ended. Then when they came up it was decided they could say whatever they pleased. At this time also a spirit commenced to arise to punish any of those Anabaptists or heretics as they called them,. who were sent out of the country and were
now beginning to come back. A great effort was now to be made to gather together all the reformers and make a move against the Catholic Church and because the Mennonites and Anabaptists were splitting' up this reform movement by not accept- ing Zwingli and Luther views, the Reformed and the Lutherans now turned against them as fiercely as possible, (Müller, p. 28).
152S-Martyrdom in Salsburg.
During this year 18 persons in one part and many others were executed for their Mennonite faith in Salsburg. Germany. The most reliable account is as follows:
"These eighteen persons, besides many others, were kindled with zeal in the fear of God, and had turned to God from the world and its idolatry, and been baptized upon faith in Christ, entering upon obedience to- wards his holy gospel. This the ad- versaries could not endure; these eighteen were therefore apprehended, and finally, as they, under many tor- tures, piously adhered to their faith, were also sentenced to the fire, and burned on the same day, at Salzburg, about the year 1528." (See M. Mirror, p. 411.)
multitudes with false doctrines and trampled the word under foot.
They then proceed and say that all
, this has been witnessed at Salzburg not a lamentable matter, viz .:- that eighteen persons should be burned in one day for the doctrine of Christ. That they suffered a great deal before they were burned, to wit .- they could not buy or sell land nor own prop- erty, because they did not believe in the State doctrine.
1528-Seventy-one Persons Martyred in the Valley of the Inn, Bavaria,
Germany.
In the year 1528, "Leonhard Schoe- ner of Becklasburg was apprehended. He was a minister of God, and was well versed in the holy Scriptures, and also in the Latin language. He faithfully taught the true baptism of Christ and his apostles, the true Lord's Supper, and the articles of the Christian faith; yea, the word of God. He also testified against infant bap- tism, the abominable sacrament, and other abominations of antichrist. He had originally been a barefoot friar for about six years, but beholding the impurity, wantonness, hypocrisy (Matt. 7:15), and viciousness of the monks and priests, and judging their lives by the word of God, he left the monastery at Judenburg, Austria, and went to Nurenberg, learned the tai- lor's trade and then traveling about as a journeyman tailor, he came to Nulasberg, in Austria. There he heard of Balthasar Huebmeier and his baptism, and learned that a number of the same faith formed a little so- ciety at Veyen. He sought them out, canie to them, heard them, and, led thither by Oswald was baptized. Af- ter this he went to Steyen to work
All of these showed the greatest readiness to die for the sake of their faith and left inspiring tributes to strengthen their brethren and sisters. Speaking of the state churches, they say they have hid the truth for more than 500 years, seduced the lat his trade; where he taught and
30
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MENNONITISM AND BAPTISM
baptized, having been elected teacher by them; and thus teaching and bap- tizing, he proceeded through Bavaria, as far as Rothenburg, in the Valley of the Inn, where he was apprehended for his faith, disputed much with his opposers, and was examined. Pre- vious to this he proposed: that, if they regarded his faith and doctrine as wrong and heretical, they should produce learned persons, doctors, monks and priests, to dispute with him concerning the matter. Should he, in dispute on true scriptural grounds be found to be in the wrong, they should punish him as unright- eous; and for still further confirma- tion of the truth, he offered, in order to confirm his assertion and his writ- ings, that, if any of the learned could convince him with the truth of the word of God, that his doctrine was not comformable to the holy scrip- tures, he should, as having been van- quished be severed limb from limb by the executioner, and, when deprived of all his limbs, have the ribs torn out of his body, until he should be dead. But if he should not be able to obtain and hearing and disputation, and they should judge and put him to death unheard, he asked all the wit- nesses of his death, and all those standing by, that they be his witness- es before God, in His Judgment at the last day. But by virtue of the man- date of the Emperor, and the edict of the King of Hungary and Bohemia, he was condemned, delivered to the exe- cutioner, beheaded, and burnt to ashes on the 14th day of January of said year, at Rothenburg, for the tes- timony of Christ, from which he would not depart. After the death of this Leonhard, about seventy persons bore witness with their blood in the same place. Leonhard Schoener,
among others, left an admonition for the consolation of all those who suf- fer for the name of Christ." (See Mir- ror, p. 409.)
By this we can see that the re- ligious agitation was in great ferment in the central part of Germany at this time; and that the Anabaptist or Men- nonite Church was slowly rising through blood and turmoil to become a great religious power in central Europe.
152S-Hans Schlaeffer and Leonhard Frick Martyred in the Valley of
the Inn, Bavaria, Germany.
"In the year 1528, Brother Hans Schlaeffer, formerly a Roman Priest, but afterwards a teacher of the word and Gospel of Christ, a highly gifted man, was apprehended at Schwartz, in the Valley of the Inn, and with him Brother Leonhard Frick. They tried him greatly with many severe tor- tures, and disputed with him, through the priests about infant baptism; but, he orally as well as in writing, showed them his defense, as it is com- manded, and as it will be found throughout the entire New Testa- ment, namely: That the word of God must first be taught, and that only those who hear, understand, believe and receive it, are to be baptized. This is the true Christian baptism, and no anabaptism. The Lord has nowhere commanded to baptize in- fants; they are already the Lord's, and as long as they are in their inno- cence and simplicity, they are not to be condemned at all. The also asked him, in what the foundation of these anabaptistic sects did properly con- sist. To this he replied: 'Our faith. practice and baptizing is founded on nothing else than the command of Christ: Go ye into all the world and
31
EXECUTION OF MENNONITES
preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized will be saved' (Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19) ; and many other Scriptures.
They also asked what design was concealed under this baptism, since they had thus exhorted them to raise a new uproar and sedition. But l.e replied that it never entered his heart, to make an uproar; neither had he ever approved of it in others; yea, he had fled fom a house in which they lived in contention, which he could prove by all with whom he had ever lived. And there is no other de- sign concealed under it, than to amend the life, and to forsake the viscious ways of the world; so that in the doctrine which he teaches, this is not the least commandment that we are in duty bound to be subject to the authorities in all good things; how, then, should he raise and pur- pose uproar and sedition ?
Thus Hans Schlaeffer of Schaeffer was asked what had caused and in- duced him to forsake his office and priest. Concerning this he told them, that he had done it for conscience's sake, because he knew that he was in a place of a prophet, and believed that God had sent him.
pure divine truth." (M. Mirror, p. 410).
152S-Other Executions of Menno- nites or Anabaptists.
During this same year Leopold Schneider was beheaded at Augsburg for his faith. He died with songs of praise on his lips, (M. Mirror, p. 411). Also Hans of Stotzingen was con- demned to death for the Evangelical truth, in Zabern, Alsace, (M. Mirror, p. 412). And the same as all the rest he seemed to show no fear at all and was glad to meet his torture and death.
The same year (Do.) two ministers of the Evangelical gospel were de- stroyed in the city of Brueem, Mo- ravia. When they were being tried, one of them said to the Council who were trying them, to be careful that they do not shed innocent blood, when one of the Council being pricked in his heart named Thomas Petzer arose and pretended he were washing his hands, saying, 'Thus shall I wash my hands in their blood and think to do God service.' But a few days later he was found dead in his bed, so that he died and passed away before those whom he helped to condemn. In the same year Hans Feierer, (M. Mirror, p. 412) and five of his believers were condemned and burned at Munich, in Bavaria, and in addition three sisters. being wives of three of these men, were drowned and all of them seemed ready and willing to die for their father. This name Feierer is much like our Lancaster County Feree, which at certain times spelled Fer- to ree, and may have later been changed into Forry. And we also have the
They would also know of him, who told him to go into Germany to plant the evil seed of Anabaptism. He told them, that no one had ordered him thither; but that, since he had no abiding place as yet, and had to go about in misery, he came there to one of his friends, with whom he stayed, and thence came to Schwartz, where he was apprehended, according and for the will of God. As to the evil seed of which they spake, he name Fiero. All of these names seem knew nothing at all; but he intended to come from the same stock and nothing evil, but much rather the
these people may have come from
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.
1
32
MENNONITE MIGRATION AND GROWTH
France.
This year, according to Dr. Egli's Züricher Wiedertäufer, Zwingli found great difficulty in keeping his brethren from leaving the Reformed church and going over to the Mennonites or Anabaptists. He remonstrated with them but they did not heed and took such means as they saw fit. Then the Government came to his aid and com- pelled the people to follow Zwingli's teaching or suffer a penalty if they joined the Anabaptists. In certain places the Anabaptist strength grew so that in one town there was only one woman left in the Reformed church, the rest of the neighborhood having turned Mennonites and held their meeting in.a barn, (Zur., p. S0).
They now, however, began to have difficulties among themselves and this retarded the growth somewhat, (Zur., p. 87).
1528-First Migration of the Menno- nites into Germany.
The Anabaptists begged that their opponents should examine the Baptist faith more closely and their teachings and they offered to submit them to the Council of Berne but they were refused. Council said they would not accept any opinion the Anabaptists had but their damned wrong teaching about not baptizing until the children were grown up must be rejected en- tirely and also their dotcrine of not assisting the Government. They fur- ther said that the Anabaptist view that no Government was necessary was dangerous and the steps taken by the officials to enforce the Anabap- tists to change their views so dis- gusted them with the fatherland, that
that part of Germany, bordering on they began to migrate to other lands. This migration was partly caused by 1528-Growth of Mennonitism. the reason that the great Mennonite leaders, viz :- Greybill, Stumpf and others were expelled-Hoffmeier was taken captive by . the Austrians and burned at the stake in Vienna, Ludwig Haetzer of Küsnitz and also Denck were submitted to tortures; and thus they began to move onward like sleep without a shepherd. The Men- nonites from Schaffhausen may have gone down the Rhine about this time. Some went to the Netherlands, some went to Alsace in the Pfaltz and yet others to Hassen, (Brons, p. 47).
152S-Debate on Mennonite Principles at Berne.
This year, according to Müller, (p. 45) the Anabaptists were invited to come to Berne to discuss the religious principles and to see whether those who were imprisoned might have their liberty again. After the regular convention was held there was an in- formal discussion with these Ana- baptists who were present and there again the Baptists re-asserted their principles more strenuously than be- fore as is shown by an old book pub- lished in Zurich. The objections brought against them were, they do not say the "Ave Maria"-nor pay taxes or tithes-and that it is a shame that these "devilish, brazen Anabap- tists are not ashamed of thmselves for refusing honor to Virgin Mary since God himself, gave her honor by making her the mother of the Savior though she remained a Virgin." This book goes on to say, "why will they call themselves Christians, if they do not give her the honor which the Arch Angel Gabriel gave to her, saying, 'Hail, Mary, full of grace; thou shall be the mother of the Savior,' etc .-
33
MENNONITE DEBATE-AUSTRIAN DECREE
yet these people do not give her any honor."
It is related that the city clerk of the Council was an Anabaptist and he and his wife said something against the Virgin and were heavily fined; but he would not take absolu- tion from the Priests. The Anabap- tists or Mennonites were further ac- cused, because it was charged they would not observe the Apostles' creed, since that was not in the Scripture; also they were charged with holding that there should be no authority exercised, except what was given in the Bible, and the Bible says a sword could be used, they claim that it can or should not.
1528-Imperial Austrian £ Against the Anabaptists.
Decree
Müller says, (p. 32) that during this year, there was pronounced an Imper- ial decree by Austria against the Ana- baptists; and in 1529 another. These * decrees made it the duty of every citizen to exterminate the Anabaptist movement. This movement went into Germany and appeared in many places there as communism and looked to be detrimental to the State. Therefore, they were much persecuted about ths time; their religious sincer- ity was not believed in and they were looked upon as a new form of civil government much like socialists be- cause of their peculiar views concern- ing Government. For this reason Zurich, Berne, St. Gallen and many other Cantons of Switzerland and other places decreed that it must be exterminated. The main question they asked however was "how shall these stubborn heretic people be ex- terminated?" Switzerland found that question harder to answer than to ask. By the middle of 1529, it is shown
by Müller, that this movement was very strong all over Switzerland, (Müller, p. 30).
1528-Anabaptist Tortures in Switz- erland, Bavaria and Germany.
Müller, (p. 17) tells us that in the latter part of 1528, in Swabia (which was anciently the Northern part of Switzerland) they had 500 to 1000 horsemen to go all over the country and without trial or judgment, kill Taufers like wild beasts and take their property. George Ausbach, who was a friend of the Anabaptists, protected them against this. Just as hard were the persecutions in Bavaria. Here Duke William gave the order that all who do not repent must be burned and their limbs be pulled out from their bodies. Some were fried to death on hot pillars of stone -- some were tortured with red hot tongs- some were locked in houses and burned with the houses-some burned at the stake-some hung on trees- and some died by sword and water- some were gagged and taken to the place of death and killed. But in spite of all this they continued to grow.
1529-Anabaptists Nearly Extermi- nated Near Groeningen.
In this year there was such a severe measure in the district of Groeningen, that only two small letters remind us that the Anabaptists were not wholly swept or wiped out. One de- cree was that the Sheriffs and their Deputy Sheriffs were all compelled to see to it that these Baptists went to the Catholic Church; and those that were not found there were condemned as heretics. In spite of all this a good many kept themselves hid and did not appear at the Catholic church for two years, (Zur., p. 83).
34
HANS MILLER'S LABORS-TAUFER GROWTH
1529-Pious Old Hans Müller's Labors and Troubles in Switzerland.
Müller made an effort to break out of jail and his excuse was very At the end of this year the authori- ties had new troubles on hand with the Anabaptists. In the Aathal wa's Hans Müller of Medikon (Switzer- land). In this place he was put to jail on account of debts but he was also held on account of his Anabap- tist or Mennonite views. When the promise given about going to church was offered to him, he said he wanted to have an interview with his people before he would answer, as he was one of their leaders. The Council were at the same time Judge and Jury in important matters; and he seeing simple and unsophisticated. He said, "Beloved do not let this surprise you that I wanted to break out from this Castle or jail, because the hardship here compels me to do it." Dr. Egli goes on to say that if his supposition is correct, this Hans Müller of Medi- kon or Edikon is the same as the Mül- ler from the Aathal or Mathal, ac- cording to a letter of the Sheriff of Greoningen in the beginning of 1530, who interrupted the pastor in the church, because he would proclaim "Ave Maria." Edikon he says, is no other place than Medikon in Aathal, noticed as early as August, 1528, when that their methods were unfair said | Sheriff Vogt Berger wrote and said that one, Hans Müller has strong An- abaptist views but otherwise he was a quiet and pious man, very willing to be taught; and afterwards he said of him, "He is a fine pious fellow." It seems also that the title page of an early Hymn Book used by the Early Anabaptists contained some fine al- lusions to the good qualities of this Hans Müller and Egli thinks that Sheriff Berger copied them in praise of Müller. The title of the Hymn Book is, "A Collection of Nice Christian Hymns Composed in Prison of Passaw and in the Castle by the Swiss Breth- ren and Other Righteous Christians." Some of the hymns were composed by Blauroch and Mans. And it is plain that Hans Müller copied them and frequently quoted from them.
to them, what you want people to do to you you must do to them. He pe- titioned the Council that they should have fatherly mercy, that they should not compel him to violate his con- science or make his persecutions un- bearable on account of his faith be- cause faith is a free gift of God, and as everyone has not the same faith which the scriptures tell about, they ought all to be dealt with according to their individual faith. He went on to say that faith is not of the will of the flesh but born of God and because they have the spirit of God are the children of God -- that all that comes from God is good-that the mysteries of God are hidden like a treasure in a field and no one can find them un- less God shows them to him, there- fore he said, "You servants of God, I beg of you let me and my faith free."
In a similar manner he expressed himself in a petition in which he asks for patience until God gives him liglit to decide and said he, faith is not to be taken up as a stone but must first be found.
1529-Estimate of the Number of Mennonites at This Time.
Müller tells us (p. 17 that Sebastian Frank, estimated the number of Men- nonites who were destroyed in two years by sword, water and fire was about 2000. In Tyrol there was about 1000 up to the year 1530. In Ensen-
1657241
LUTHER AND THE BAPTISTS 35
sheim in Austria, 600-in Luitz, 73-in Bavaria and the Palatinate up to 1529 350. There were also others in Mu- nich and other sections. Among them were Michael Sattler of Rotenburg, whose tongue was cut out. So too there were prominent people in other sections.
1529-Melchoir Hoffman's Debate On the Lord's Supper.
This year as we are told (Brons, p. 381), Hoffman declared that if the Government of Holland does not yield and allow the Anabaptists peace, they will bring on bloodshed as they grow stronger. This he said after the great debate at Kiel, Germany, where today the great war vessels are gathered.
Hoffman was looked upon as an agitator rather than a harmless Men- nonite. His enemies tried to have the ruler of Holland turn against him, but he could not do so.
On the question of transubstantia- tion, Hoffman said, had Christ more than one body? Was he not sitting at the table when he said, "This is my body?" He did not mean it in that sense. Neither can priests make the bread his body blessing it. No, said Hoffman, "The bread is only a sym- bol." On this subject Luther and Zwingli could not agree either; but they did agree on all other points by a special effort, (Do., p. 390).
1529-Decree Against the Baptists.
In 1529 the Emperor of Austria de- cided that all Baptists, men and wo- men who have reached the age of un- derstanding and who are stubborn, reproachful and inciting others not to recognize any government, may be put to death by fire and sword with- out trial of any kind. This was call- ed the "blood edict" and it drove many out of the country because at this time there were a great many Bohemians and Moravian Baptists go- ing over to Prussia. This edict was by the Emperor of Austria (Brons, p. 176).
1529-Early Holland Martyr Book.
These Baptists or Mennonites from an early date distributed papers, books and other writings to advance their religion. These were later gathered into a book. The Government began to have them destroyed, when they found the Baptists were making an ef- fort to save them. The book was fin- ished in 1562 and called the book of the sacrifices for the Lord. Five years later a second edition of the book came out and the Spanish Govern- ment tried to destroy it. But it was printed the third time and accounts of miany later persecutions added. The first edition had only the persecutions up to 1529. The next one those up to 1559 killed in Holland, (Brons, p. 236).
1529-Luther Adopts Parts of Baptist Catechism.
The Bohemian and Moravian Waldenses, got up a little catechism about this time and Luther studied it and called attention to what he con- sidered their mistakes; and in answer these Bohemians and Moravians tried to prove. that Luther was wrong. Luther did not answer their attack; but it seems he copied much of it, changed it somewhat and published it as his catechism in 1529, (Brons, p. 53).
1529-Torture of Hans Hut (now Huth).
Brons, (p. 425) tells us of the tor- ture of a Baptist in 1529 who bore what is now a familiar Lancaster county name-Hans Hut or Huth. Hut went to Augsburg in Bavaria and his brother John to Würtenbug. He was arrested there and taken to the tower. He tried to escape by a rope but fell off and lay as dead. A burning candle set the straw of his bed on fire which nearly suffocated him. In this half dead condition they took him to Court. He was condemned and burned, as the author who first wrote the narra- tive says he heard from the victim's
.
36 "STAFF AND "SWORD" AND "WEIDMAN" MENNONITE FACTIONS
own son. His offense was "free |liever in part of their doctrine. Still speech." This Martyrdom of Hans Hut is also found in Martyr's Mirror, p. 417).
1529-The Weidman Faction of Ven- nonites. (The Staff Mennonites and the Sword Mennonites).
Brons tells us (p. 424) that in Nickelsburg, there was a convention in 1529 of teachers. Hoffmier was chairman it seems. But there were present also Hans Huth, Oswald Vlait, Hans Pitmaier, Christian Rothmantel, Hans Werner, Strahl Weidman, Jacob Men of power began to sympathize --- with the Mennonite movement, espec- ially about the Wurtenburg in South pened. Weidman and others. We see here the forbears of Lancaster county citizens. This convention was held Germany where these events hap- under protection of Lichenstein, a Count of Germany, who had come There was a midle party also who were against war and carrying weap- ons and going to war but who were willing to pay war duties. To this latter party belong the Swiss Men- nonites. over to the Mennonite doctrine. They discussed whether a Christian could go to war, carry weapons, pay war tax and similar subjects; but no conclu- . sion was reached. Huth and Weid- man were against it. They differed As the Baptists grew, the Catholics Church complained more and more and as a result the German emporer commanded Lichtenstein and Hoff- meier to come to Vienna, the capital of the German Empire, at that time. in opinion from Lichtenstein, who thought patriotism made these things necessary. Huth was captured be- cause he was against Lichtenstein, but afterwards a friend helped him and let him down on a rope and he es- caped. Lichtenstein wanted to bring Huth to his way of thinking.
This debate brought about another split and gave rise to two new parties or factions of Baptists. One was of the belief that weapons could be car- ried and that war taxes should be paid and the other that it should not be so. Those who split off, on the doctrine that Christians should not carry weapons, or pay taxes, followed Jacob Weidman to the nuniber of about 200 to the great disgust of Count Lichtenstein, the powerful friend of the Mennonites and a be-
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