Hans Peltner, in the Year 1574

In the year 1574, Hans Peltner, a tailor, at Rottenhosen in Imtal, was arrested for his faith and the divine truth. He had to endure many disputations and temptations, from the priests as well as others, all of which he very valiantly resisted, testifying to the truth with the Word of God, to which he would hold, by God's help, until death. On this account he was finally sentenced to death, and led out to the place of execution, where he exhorted the people to turn from sin and repent. He then knelt down, turning his face to the East, or the rising of the sun, lifted up his hands to heaven, and poured out an earnest prayer to God his heavenly Father, thanking and praising Him for all the grace and benefits shown to him, and that He had made him worthy to suffer for His name. He also prayed for all men who were worthy, that God would put repentance and amendment into their hearts. Finally he commended his spirit into the hands of God, for whose name he was willing to offer up again his life and body (which he had received from Him), and to testify to His truth even to his last drop of blood, as he had promised Him in baptism, and so he expected to be received by Him into His gracious arms.

This prayer was too long for the executioner's patience, for he wanted him to shorten it; but the judges said that he should let him pray to his heart's content, since it was his last time.

When he had finished praying, he rose and went boldly toward the executioner, so that neither his face nor his color changed; but he knelt down again so fearlessly that the executioner was dismayed by his valiant praying and undaunted mind, and became afraid to execute him.

When the executioner removed the collar from his neck, before taking up his sword, he asked him once more whether he would renounce; but he would not. Then the executioner proceeded, beheaded him, and afterward burned his dead body. So this Christian hero freely testified to the truth with his blood, and in no way let himself be separated from the way of eternal life in Christ. Therefore the Lord, the judge of the living and the dead, who holds in His hand the judgment and the souls of those who have died for the faith, will raise him up at the last day, and cause him to appear before Him, where he will inherit a martyr's crown and all that God has promised His own.