Here John Claess reproved them as before, saying: “They are not sectarianisms, but it is the word of God.” Acts 24:14.

Then the lords of the court said: “We sentence you to death, to be executed with the sword, the body to be placed on the wheel, and the head upon a stake; we do not sentence you, but the court does.”

As John Claess went out of the court, he said: “You citizens bear witness that we die for no other reason than for the true word of God.” This occurred in the court. Having ascended the scaffold, John Claess audibly addressed the people with these words: “Hear, ye citizens of Amsterdam: be it known unto you, that I suffer not as a thief or murderer, or because we have sought the property or life of others. However, do not understand me as justifying or exalting myself; but I come with the prodigal son, and depend only on the pure word of God.”

Upon this the executioner struck him on his breast. John Claess turned around, and exclaimed with a loud voice:

“O Lord, forsake me not, now or in eternity. Lord, thou Son of David, receive my soul.”

Thus the dear brother John Claess confirmed the word of God with his crimson blood, his head then being placed upon a stake, and his body on the wheel, as food for the birds and wild beasts. And the old grandfather of eighty-seven years, also willingly, for the truth of Christ Jesus, yielded his hoary head and beard to the sword of these tyrants. They now rest together under the altar.

A NUMBER OF BELIEVERS BAPTIZED ACCORDING TO THE COMMAND OF CHRIST, HAVING ASSEMBLED TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, ARE PUT TO DEATH AT ROTTERDAM, IN THE YEAR 1544.

As saint Paul, through the spirit of God, foretold that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, so it was also verified in the city of Rotterdam, about A. D. 1544, where a number of the pious followers of Jesus Christ had assembled together in the name of the Lord, to converse with each other about the word of God, and thus to edify and strengthen one another in the accepted truth of the holy gospel; also to pray with an humble heart and with one accord to the great God of heaven and earth, for forgiveness and remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and thus to give praise and thanks with one mind to his most adorable name. Eph. 5:1; Heb. 10:24; 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:11; Rom. 15:16; Acts 1:14.

This good exercise in godliness the papists, who hate the truth, sought to prevent and stop as much as lay in their power, so that said godfearing assembly fell into their hands, having been betrayed by a woman who came to the house to borrow a kettle. The defenseless sheep having thus fallen into the claws of the wolves, these, according to their nature, treated them in the most cruel manner, in order to draw them away from the truth; all of which they willingly suffered and endured in patience for the name of Jesus, in the firm hope of his imperishable kingdom. Therefore, since they could by no tortures be brought to apostatize, they were sentenced to death, which sentence was executed in the following manner: The men were beheaded with the sword at the said place, while the women, in the most cruel manner were thrown into a boat, and thrust under the ice until death followed. Thus these two assemblies, or classes of people, that is the church of God, and the congregation of Satan clearly evinced of which spirit they were children (1 John 3:10; Luke 9:55); which can easily be seen by their fruits and nature. The anti-Christians by this, that, as ravening and devouring wolves, they were born by nature to seize and destroy. The congregation of Jesus Christ by this, that, as humble sheep and lambs, dumb, and with no desire for revenge, they were thus led to the slaughter, and willingly gave their bodies for the name of the Lord. Matt. 7:15; 10:16; Ps. 44:22; 1 Peter 4:13. Therefore, these sheep shall, at the reappearing of the great Shepherd, hear, together with all faithful servants, the joyful voice: “Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Heb. 13:20; Matt. 25:23.

Among those that were thus offered, there was also a young maiden of but fourteen years. She composed the hymn in the old hymn book, beginning thus: