SEVEN TEACHERS AND ELDERS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IMPRISONED AT BERNE, NAMELY, ULY BOGART, ANTHONY HINNELBERG, JEGLY SCHLEBACH, HANS ZAUG, ULY BAUMGARTER, CHRISTIAN CHRISTIANS, AND RHODE PETERS, IN THE YEAR 1659.
The little flock of Christ having fled from the confines of Zurich to the regions of Berne, could at this time also there obtain no freedom, inasmuch as those of Berne, following the footsteps of those of Zurich, also undertook to lay hands on them, but especially on the shepherds and leaders of the church, in order that they might by this means, as it seems, cause the more terror among the innocent sheep and lambs of the scattered flock of Christ.
Seven of the teachers and principal elders of the church were apprehended, for whom special prisons were prepared, namely, Uly Bogart, Anthony Hinnelberg, Jegly Schlebach, Hans Zaug, Uly Baumgarter, Christian Christians, and Rhode Peters.
These were for a while kept very hard at work, and very poorly fed with heavy food, spelt and rye, to make good the expenses they caused; besides that much reproach, contumely and vituperation was heaped upon them.
They were first told, that they should be kept confined in this manner until the end of their life; in which they patiently comforted and surrendered themselves to the grace of the Lord. However, when they saw that there was no hope of dissuading these people from their faith and religion, they determined upon another plan (according to what we have been informed from Alsace), namely, that they should have to choose one of these three things: 1. To go with them to church; or, 2. Be perpetually banished to the galleys; or, 3. To have to die by the hands of the executioner.
Certainly a hard and difficult choice; for the first proposition concerns the soul, and the last two the body: by choosing one of these things doubtless either the soul or the body, or even both together, should be imperiled.
If one denies his faith, he does violence to his conscience; or if he adopts another religion, contrary to his heart and mind, he exposes his soul to extreme danger, yea, to the peril of damnation.
If one on the other hand will keep his faith, not bend or violate his conscience, and maintain and defend the religion which he has accepted and thinks necessary to salvation; he brings, in such case, his body in distress, so that he must wander about in misery, or meet with an untimely and violent death.
However, in such a case, it is necessary to consider, that the soul is of infinitely greater importance than the body, which latter at all events must once, when the soul shall continue, be put off. Hence heed ought to be taken to the instruction of Christ, where he says: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matt. 10:28.
As to what was done in this matter, either on the part of the prisoners, or by those who kept them imprisoned, we have not been able to learn; it is certain, however, that they remained in confinement as late as A. D. 1659, which sufficiently indicates the immovableness of their faith, wherein the Lord, who is gracious, be pleased to strengthen them by his good Spirit, so that they, striving steadfastly, may hereafter, with all the saints, of whom we have mentioned many in this book, receive the blessed crown of unfading glory from the Lord.