RUDOLF SUHNER, ABOUT A. D. 1643.
They also apprehended a young lad, named Rudolf Suhner, who, though young in years, was old in the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
He was kept confined nearly two years in Othenbach, during which time he was forced to hard labor.
In the meantime they made his life so bitter to him, by severe threats and terrible representations, that he, through fear of the impending distress, consented to go to church with those that had imprisoned him, whereupon he was released. But soon after, reflecting on his fall, he experienced great sorrow, sincerely wept over his sins, and again prepared himself for the conflict set before him.
Thereupon he was again apprehended, and confined in the aforementioned place, but kept much harder than before. For, for a time all food was denied him (even as had been done to Felix Landis), so that some criminals, who were confined close to him, filled with compassion on his account, poured to him some warm liquid food, through a crevice in the wall.
Finally, when in consequence of having suffered hunger so long, he was so weakened, that he could not live any longer, he requested once more, that they would, in his great distress, allow him a little warm food, which the jailer made known to the lords. This, however, they jointly refused to grant, in order to cause him, if possible, to apostatize. But finally one of the lords, beholding his misery, gave permission that they should give him some thing to eat again. Which when it was done, he could eat or bear it no more, and thus died famishing in his bonds; for which the Lord shall hereafter, at his heavenly table, reward him with eternal satiation. “Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.” Luke 6:21. Compare Jer. Mang., Tract, fol. 14., A., with Tract, M. Meyli, fol. 7, num. 8.
THREE SISTERS, NAMELY, ELIZABETH BACHMANNI, ELSSA BETHEZEI, AND SARAH WANRIJ, ABOUT A. D. 1643.
The army of God, which at this time prepared itself for the conflict and the sufferings of Jesus Christ, consisted not only of men, who are sometimes judged to be the strongest, but also in women, for God’s power is made strong in weakness, which appeared in the case of three pious heroines of God, namely, Elizabeth Bachmanni, from the Groeningen Bailiwick, the wife of Hans Jaggli, of Bartschwyl; Elssa Bethezei, from the Knonow Bailiwick, the wife of Jacob Isselme; Sarah Wanrij, from the Horgerberg, the wife of Hans Phister, all of whom, imprisoned and bound in the dungeon Othenbach and in the hospital, for the testimony of Jesus Christ, lost their lives through want, hardships, and misery.
All this they endured in the fear of God as well as patiently. They counted their departure from this life as the beginning of the future. And so, their unrest was truly the entrance to the rest of the saints, who shall hereafter, for this brief suffering, which they endured for the name of the Lord, rejoice forever. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Cor. 4:17. Compare the above with Tract, Meyli, dated 1658, fol. 8, A., num. 1, 2, 3.