Hans Smit, Hendrick Adams, Hans Beck, Matthijs Smit, Dileman Snijder, in the Year 1558

In the year 1558, Brother Hans Smit, a minister of the Word of God, was sent out by the church to seek and gather those who were eager for the truth. Acts 13, verse 3. So when he, being divinely called, undertook to travel through the Netherlands, he, together with five brothers and six sisters, was seized in the city of Aix la Chapelle, on the ninth of January. While they were gathered there in a house, to speak of the Word of God, and were engaged in prayer, many servants and children of Pilate came there in the night through treachery, with spears, halberds and bare swords, well supplied with ropes and bonds, and surrounded the house, and bound and seized these children of God. They even took with them a mother with her infant that lay in the cradle. But the prisoners were brave and comforted one another, not to be dismayed, since they were imprisoned for the truth of God; and being thus of good cheer, they began to sing for joy. They were very soon confined separately, and at this the sisters rejoiced, and sang, so that the people were astonished. In the morning they were brought before the judge, who talked with each one separately, and then sent them back to prison, when he saw their steadfastness. However, the next day the minister was again summoned before the lords, to tell them how many he had baptized, who they were, and where the church held their meetings. But he told them that they should know he would rather lose his life (John 15, verse 13) than become a traitor by telling this; upon which he was tortured and racked for about a quarter of an hour, to which he willingly submitted, taking off his clothes himself, and going to the rack. When they could accomplish nothing by it, they went away, but soon returned, and said: "You must tell us what we have asked you, or we will torture you so as to rack your limbs apart." They also questioned him about infant baptism. He replied that infant baptism was a human institution, and that he regarded it as such, and not as the true Christian baptism.

They also asked him what he thought of the sacrament. He replied, "I think much of it; but what the priests use is not at all the true supper of Christ, but a piece of idolatry."

Then they bound him hand and foot, and tied to his feet a large stone weighing little less than a hundred pounds, and drew him up in this way, so that the ring on the stone broke, and the stone stayed on the ground. But they took a rope, fastened it to the stone in place of the broken ring, and hung the stone on his foot, and left him hanging that way for some time; yet they could not accomplish their purpose. So they let him down, and put him in prison until Sunday morning, when the lords came from the city with seven priests, who asked him about his calling. He said that he had not put himself into the ministry, but God and His Spirit in His church had done it; for as God sent His Son, and the Son sent the apostles into all the world, so He still sends His ministers through His Spirit, that they should first preach the Word of God, and then baptize those who hear, understand and believe it, but not young infants. They also asked him about the magistracy, whether he regarded it as Christian or not. He replied that in the first place he regarded them as ministers of God, but that they were deceived and wrongly taught by the priests, and not brought into the Christian church. They also asked him about the origin of the magistracy. He replied that office and power are of God. They then asked him whether they were Christians. He answered that if they denied and forsook themselves, took up the cross, gave up their tyranny and pomp, and followed Christ, they could be Christians, but not otherwise. They also questioned him about swearing. He said that Christ had forbidden it. And much more, which would take too long to write.

Finally they asked him about the incarnation of Christ. He said that he believed Christ was true God and true man, sin alone excepted. At last they told him that if he would renounce his baptism, and confess that he had erred, they would show him favor. But he replied that he had taught the pure truth, and so he would hold to it. Then they said that he was in their city, and that he could not do so there; and that if they did not punish this, the king or the new Emperor would punish them in their bodies; thus they defended themselves like Pilate. But the brother said that it would go hard with them for this; for though God forgave every sin, yet He would judge the innocent blood, and they should not think they would escape punishment if they killed him, since the matter would come before Christ, who would judge it, and take care of it, on His day. After this they put him back into prison, where they left him until Monday evening, when the judge came again, with several others, and also a monk, to dispute with him. But they did not accomplish much, for he put the monk to utter confusion, so that the monk was glad to get away. Many other monks and priests were sent yet, to dispute with him; but they were all put to shame and derision, and were not able to cause this pious man to apostatize. Shortly after, they were brought out again and examined; but God continually gave them bold speech, and wisdom, so that they could find no fault, or cause of death, in him, except only that they did not sufficiently esteem the Emperor. At one time they brought to Brother Henderick alone a subtle serpent and blasphemer, and said: "You don't want any ecclesiastics (monks and priests); so we have brought you a learned layman, to instruct you." But Henderick said that he did not want to be instructed by him, unless he were sufficiently instructed by God and His Word, since he did not want to seek life from the dead. This learned man then wanted to prove infant baptism, claiming that the apostles had ordained it. But Henderick answered and spoke to him in such a way that he had to confess openly that no infants were baptized in the days of the apostles, and that they had no faith during their infancy. This, Henry wrote on the table with a piece of chalk, and called on the obstinate lords to bear witness to it, and also to how he had been silenced. He further said: "So will all your learned men be confounded before the Word of the Lord."

Several of the lords said that if these should be put to death, they would leave home. Once the brothers and sisters were all twelve left together from four o'clock in the morning until ten in the evening. They were joyful and of good cheer, and talked with one another from the Word of God, and began to pray and praise God.

Brother Hans, as the minister, led them in prayer, as loud as he could, so that the people ran together and listened. But when the lords heard of this, they sent the bailiff there, who asked them why they had made such a loud noise. They replied that they had been praying; but they had finished just before he came. Brother Matthias said: "We will call on God whether anyone opposes it or not." In the evening about ten o'clock they were separated again, and led away. On their way through the city, they sang joyfully, and made their faith known. Some of the councilors were bloodthirsty, and wanted to put them to death; but others were against it; for they were persuaded, and confessed, that they were innocent. The executioner came at least five times, expecting to execute them, but his intention was frustrated each time. They intended to execute the minister and Brother Henderick (who had defended themselves and contradicted them the most) first, in case the others might be deterred by it. When the minister heard that he was to die, he began to sing joyfully and thanked God for it, and earnestly begged Him to count him acceptable.

The 23rd of August was the day set for the execution of the minister, Hans, and Brother Henderick. They were brought before the court into the vault near the pillory. Many people flocked together, also some who were their friends, and had sent them food and drink. They went smiling through the people to the place of execution, and seeing the great crowd of people coming from every direction, the minister said: "Oh what a beautiful feast day we shall have, since so many people are coming." They were very joyful, and hoped to enter paradise that same day, to their brothers and sisters who had gone before them, and to all the pious, of whom he had known very many. Revelation 6, verse 11. There also came two monks, who tried to mislead them with false doctrine. For a while the minister contradicted them, showing them how deceitfully they dealt; but finally he refused to speak with them any longer, and said: "I will hold to the truth, and the hour of my departure is at hand; I have something else to attend to now, than to talk with you." When the time had come that sentence was to be passed on them, the seven judges could not agree on the sentence, and sent word to them that they would send them another learned man to instruct them; if they would listen to him, they would put the matter off for their good; otherwise they would have to put them to death, though they did not like to do it. But Hans and Henderick boldly said they would remain steadfast, and turn from the truth neither to the right nor to the left, and that on their account they need not spare them or delay any longer, but might pass sentence; but if by this they sought more accusation against them, they submitted to what it pleased the Lord to do. The lords put their heads together, and sent away the people who had assembled. When the two men saw that sentence was not passed, they were sorry, since they had completely given themselves up to death, and thought that they had contended long enough against the wiles of the serpent. So the crowd scattered, each going to his own, like people who had lost a battle. When evening came, they had to go back to prison, which caused them sorrow, since they had hoped now to seal the truth with their blood; but they had to wait for another time. Their being taken back to prison caused much thought among the people; some said that God opposed the matter, and had frustrated it.

One of the councilors had firmly resolved that their execution should take place at the end of eight days, and not be put off any longer; however, this also came to nothing; for they remained in prison until autumn, and had to suffer and be tempted much yet; after which they were condemned and executed.

Hans Smit, as the minister, was executed first. When he was led through the city, he sang joyfully; he did not speak much afterwards, but went briskly to the place of execution, like a patient, silent lamb. There he was strangled at the stake with a rope, and then bound fast with a chain, and singed with fire. So he offered his sacrifice, on the 19th of October, in the year 1558. Three days after, the others were brought out, and sentenced to death, namely, Henderick Adams and his brother in law, Hans Beck. There was one among the councilors at Aix la Chapelle who was always violently opposed to the brothers, and so it happened on one occasion, when they were disputing with Henderick, and he would not be moved, that this councilor became angry, and said: "Away with them, away with them, to death and the fire; for all is lost on them; no pardon should be offered them any more," and so on. But Brother Henderick said to him: "You will not live to see my death;" which came true, for he died three days before Henderick, on the same day that the minister Hans Smit was executed. When he was on his deathbed, and near his end, he fell into great despair, tore out his beard, and cried out most dreadfully, declaring that he had judged many people, and had certainly sinned in it, and that God would punish him for his bloodthirstiness. He also said many other things of the same kind. Psalm 55, verse 23.

Now when Brother Henderick Adams and the other brother were led out to death, the executioner bound his hands so tightly that his fingers turned black; but he lifted up his hands to God, praising Him that he was counted worthy to suffer this. In the meantime the bonds on his hands came loose. They were tied again, just as hard as before; but it was of no use; for when he lifted up his hands again, the bonds fell off as before, which happened several times, so that the judge became angry, and told the executioner to bind them fast; but the executioner replied: "You can easily see that binding is of no use here." The last time Henderick flung the bond away among the people, so that he was not bound any more, and said: "It is not God's will that I should be bound." He also said that such violence was contrary to God, and went on speaking boldly to the end. Then these two brothers, Henderick Adams and his brother in law, were (like the minister before them) strangled at the stake with a rope, and then bound to the stake with a chain, and singed with fire; which took place on the 22nd day of the month of October, in the year 1558. A great number of people were present on this occasion, as was also the case afterwards when the brothers Matthijs Smit and Dileman Snijder were executed, on the fourth of January, 1559. So all five bravely and steadfastly testified with their blood to the divine truth, though some of them had not yet been united with the church.

The sixth brother who had been seized with the others, through much disputing with the ungodly, apostatized from his faith; but after he was released he sincerely lamented his apostasy, earnestly and truly repented, and joined the church again. The six sisters who had been seized at the same time were severely scourged with rods, and then allowed to go their way, and so returned joyful in the Lord, and constant in faith, to their fellow believers who were known to them: