Gerrit van Kempen, in the Year 1550

In the same way, Gerrit van Kempen was burned for the testimony of Jesus Christ, at Wislen.

The malice of the priests was so great that they could not bear to have those who quietly sought to serve God the Lord in simplicity and sincerity living in Antwerp; but they stirred up the Margrave so much that, rather than lose his office, he set out to arrest them, and having sent out his servants for this purpose, he seized three of them, which gave the priests great joy. The captive brothers, on the other hand, also rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for the name of the Lord. They were sharply examined about their faith, and they made a good confession of it, with regard to baptism and the sacrament, as well as other articles; and although they were greatly assailed with subtlety by the priests and the doctors of Louvain, they defended themselves so shrewdly with the Scriptures that the margrave himself declared that he had never heard so clear an explanation of the Scriptures, and that if he were with them only two weeks they would persuade him. Then the brothers said: "Judge for yourselves whether this is not the true faith and the truth for which we pledge our lives, and from which we will not turn away, but will continue in it to the praise and the glory of the Lord, who did not forsake us, even when we were sitting in darkness." Hebrews 10, verse 28; Matthew 24, verse 13; Hebrews 13, verse 5; Matthew 4, verse 16.

Now when the doctors brought forward many Scriptures in a twisted and wrong way, the brothers said: "How dare you be so presumptuous as to teach the way of the Lord in so twisted a manner?" One of the doctors replied: "It is because we are not willing to be imprisoned, and in fear and trouble, with you; but in about seven or eight years I will proclaim the truth rightly, and make great gain by it." "Poor man!" said one of the brothers, "you trust in a vain hope, since you are sure of neither evening nor morning, hour nor time," which came true; for he died shortly after. Luke 12, verse 20. "Behold," they said, "you yourselves admit that we have committed no crime; why then will you take our lives?" The council said: "The decree of the emperor commands us to put you to death." "Then take," they said, "the decree with you into the judgment of the Lord, and see what it will gain you; indeed nothing."

They were then sentenced, each to be burned at a stake. This sentence did not terrify them; instead they greatly rejoiced, and comforted each other. The council said to the youngest: "Beg the margrave, and he will very likely release you." "Oh, no," he replied. "I will suffer with my brothers for the truth." So they went together gladly and boldly to the stakes, saying to one another:

"We go in peace to the peaceful house of God, there to receive an everlasting dwelling place." They also prayed for the lords, that God would not lay this deed to their charge, but would enlighten them, so that they might come to repentance. Finally, standing at the stake, they cried out: "Heavenly Father, receive our spirits into Your hands," and so they offered up their sacrifice as true children of God.