Leonhard Schoener, in the Year 1528

In the year 1528, Leonhard Schoener of Becklasburg was arrested. He was a minister of God, and was well versed in the holy Scriptures, and also in the Latin language. He faithfully taught the true baptism of Christ and His apostles, the true Lord's Supper, and the articles of the Christian faith; indeed, the Word of God. He also testified against infant baptism, the abominable sacrament, and other abominations of antichrist. He had originally been a barefoot friar for about six years. But seeing the impurity, wantonness, hypocrisy (Matthew 7, verse 15), and viciousness of the monks and priests, and judging their lives by the Word of God, he left the monastery at Judenburg, in Austria, went to Nurenberg, and learned the tailor's trade. Then, traveling about as a journeyman tailor, he came to Nulasberg, in Austria. There he heard of Balthasar Heubmer and his baptism, and learned that a number of the same faith had formed a little society at Veyen. He sought them out, came to them, heard them, and, led there by Oswald, was baptized. [n582-1] After this he went to Steyen to work at his trade, and there he taught and baptized, having been chosen teacher by them; and so, teaching and baptizing, he went on through Bavaria as far as Rothenburg, in the valley of the Inn, where he was arrested for his faith, disputed much with his opposers, and was examined. Before this he proposed that if they regarded his faith and doctrine as wrong and heretical, they should bring forward learned persons, doctors, monks and priests, to dispute with him about the matter. If, in disputing on true scriptural grounds, he should be found to be in the wrong, they should punish him as unrighteous; and for still further confirmation of the truth, he offered, in order to confirm his assertion and his writings, that if any of the learned could convince him by the truth of the Word of God that his doctrine did not agree with the holy Scriptures, he should, as one vanquished, be cut limb from limb by the executioner, and, when deprived of all his limbs, have the ribs torn out of his body, until he was dead. But if he could not obtain a hearing and a disputation, and they should judge him and put him to death unheard, he asked all the witnesses of his death, and all those standing by, to be his witnesses before God, in His judgment at the last day. But by virtue of the mandate of the Emperor, and the edict of the King of Hungary and Bohemia, he was condemned, delivered to the executioner, beheaded, and burned to ashes, on the fourteenth day of January of that year, at Rothenburg, for the testimony of Christ, from which he would not depart. After the death of this Leonhard, about seventy persons bore witness with their blood in the same place. Leonhard Schoener, among others, left the following admonition for the consolation of all those who suffer for the name of Christ:

"We ask You, O eternal God, incline Your gracious ear to us; Lord Sabaoth, You Prince of hosts, hear our complaint; for great distress and affliction prevails, and pride has entered into Your heritage. And many supposed Christians have joined with it, and so set up the abomination of desolation. Matthew 24, verse 15. They rage, and destroy the sanctuary of the Christians. They have trampled it under foot, and the abomination of desolation is worshiped as God. Second Thessalonians 2, verse 4. They have destroyed Your holy city, overthrown Your holy altar, and killed the servants in it, wherever they could seize them. And now that we remain as a little flock (Luke 12, verse 32), they have driven us with reproach and disgrace into every country. We are scattered like sheep that have no shepherd. We have to abandon house and home, and are like the night ravens, which lodge in the rocks. Our chambers are in eaves and cliffs, and snares are laid for us as for the birds of the air. We go about in forests, and are hunted with dogs. We are led captive and bound as dumb lambs which do not open their mouth. Acts 8, verse 32. We are proclaimed rebels and heretics. We are led as sheep to the slaughter. Many sit in distress and bonds, and their bodies have perished. Some have been overcome by the severe sufferings, and died without any guilt. Here is the patience of the saints on earth; and so we must be proved by suffering. Revelation 13, verse 10. The believers have here been hanged on trees, strangled, cut in pieces, drowned secretly and openly; not only men, but also women and maidens have testified here to the faith that Jesus Christ is the truth and the only way to eternal life. John 14, verse 6. Still the world is not at rest, but rages like a madman, and forges lies against us. They do not cease to burn and kill. They make the world too small for us. O Lord, how long will You be silent about this? How long will You not judge the blood of Your saints? Revelation 6, verse 10. Let it ascend before Your throne. How precious in Your sight is the blood of Your saints. Therefore in all our distresses we have a comforting confidence in You alone, and in no other; nor do we have consolation, rest or peace in the earth. But he who hopes in You shall never be confounded. O Lord, there is no sorrow so great that it can separate us from You; and so we call upon You without ceasing, through Christ Your Son, our Lord, whom You, out of pure grace, have given us for our consolation, and who has prepared and made known to us the narrow path and the way to eternal life. Matthew 7, verse 14. Eternal glory, triumph, honor and praise be to You now and in all eternity, and may Your righteousness abide forever. All nations bless Your holy name, through Christ, the coming righteous judge of the whole world, Amen. Acts 17, verse 31."