Extract from the Third Letter from Obersultzem, the 13th of October, 1671

Hendrick de Backer, most esteemed friend and beloved brother in Christ. I wish you and yours much grace and peace from God our Heavenly Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, as a friendly greeting. Amen.

This is in reply to your request about the condition of our persecuted Swiss brothers and sisters. The facts are these: on the 11th of last month it was resolved in the full council at Berne to send the male prisoners who are young and strong to the galleys as well, just as they have done before this with six of them; but the old and feeble they would either send elsewhere, or keep in perpetual confinement. When a certain gentleman in Berne learned of this resolution, he was moved to compassion, and went to the magistrates and asked them to postpone sending the prisoners away until he could go to their fellow believers living in Alsace, and see whether they would be responsible for the prisoners, by promising that the prisoners, after leaving the country, would return no more without consent. This he obtained, and coming into Alsace to our friends, he laid the matter before them, and as soon as they had heard it they at once accepted the conditions, and promised that if the authorities at Berne were willing to send the prisoners to them, they would be responsible for them, and help them obtain other homes. This our friends, as I understand, promised this gentleman (his name was Beatus) not only by word of mouth, but they also gave it to him in writing. Then he promised them in turn to do his best with the authorities of Berne, and hoped to obtain this much from them, that they would bring the prisoners as far as Basle, from where the friends might take them away with them. So we long to meet them, expecting daily to hear that they have arrived in Alsace, or that they will come over here to us.

At this moment four Swiss brothers with their wives and children have arrived at my house, and they say that many others are on the way as well, since the persecution and the search increase daily. Closing with this, I commend you, after a Christian and brotherly greeting, to the Most High, for your eternal salvation.

Your affectionate friend and brother in Christ,

JACOB EVERLING.