Brother Alda, in the Year 1530

A few days after the execution of the person named above, Brother Alda was also executed for the faith, at Kufstein.

This George Steinmetz was apprehended and beheaded for the testimony of Jesus Christ, at Portzen, in Germany, in the year 1530. He left the following admonition to all believers, for their comfort in suffering:

"We sincerely thank You, O God, for Your fatherly faithfulness. No one should mock at or despise His grace, so that at last, when his departure is at hand, he does not regret it. O Lord, help and assist us, through Jesus Christ. God has called many to His eternal light, whom He also visits with suffering and pain, as we see in this earth; for it seems we must here be refined by the fire of affliction, since we must all enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation, and be purified from all sin and vice (First Peter 1, verse 7; Acts 14,

verse 22); for he who follows Christ in this walks in the true path. Christ says: I am the Way and the Door, the Truth and the Life; enter in by me; before me there is still a hedge; the cross, which everyone who would come to the Father must carry, stands in the way. John 10, verse 9. And according to my experience, I must state the truth, that the cross appears much heavier than it really is; which deters many a one, as though he would not be able to bear it, and so he would pass it by, and seek another way. But we cannot come to God unless we bear the yoke of Christ. Matthew 11, verse 29. For he who would enter into the sheepfold by any other way than through this door is a thief and a murderer (John 10, verse 1), and will have to suffer the vengeance of God, everlasting pain. Christ would have such disciples as bear the cross after Him, follow Him in all His ways, as I hope to show, and carry his yoke to the end. Matthew 16, verse 24. But he who will not bear his cross, but allows himself to be moved and hindered by Satan, may take heed that Christ says: "Whoever therefore confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 10, verses 32 and 33. O God, sustain us to Your praise and honor, that love may not grow cold in us. Matthew 24, verse 12. To this end give us strength, wisdom and understanding, through Your holy Spirit, who can guide us into all truth (John 16, verse 13), that we may never lose heart, but keep good courage, and remain steadfast and go straight on in the narrow way, and at the risk of body and life go on through Christ to the Father. John 14, verse 6. Praised be the Lord our God, who has called us to be His servants and children. Him we will constantly praise forever and ever, because we may wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7, verse 14), and afterwards, from this brief death and suffering, go into everlasting joy with Him. With this mind this witness of Jesus Christ was beheaded and died at Portzen, as stated above.