PREFACE. TWELVE months ago, in our Preface to the volume for 1849, we ventured to express an opinion that a conflict was at hand in which fortitude, gentleness, and faith, would be greatly needed. Extraordinary penetration was not necessary to enable an observer to see that the rival churches of England and Rome could not long retain their respective positions, but that either a collision or a coalition must inevitably take place. The year 1850 has not passed away before the visible commencement of a struggle, the issues of which no mortal can predict, but which even now calls aloud for stedfast adherence to principle, and renewed confidence in God. The concluding number of this volume contains an enactment of the court of Rome, dividing England and Wales into districts, and placing a bishop over each, with an archbishop as superintendent of all. In issuing this decree, the pope has only acted as popes have been accustomed to act for more than twelve centuries, taking advantage of every opportunity to extend their dominion, renewing as promptly as practicable every claim which circumstances had compelled them to suspend, and exalting themselves above all power human or divine. The direct results of this measure are not, however, what we have most to fear, but the consequences which will accrue from the manner in which it has been received. Courses have been adopted already, under the influence of ardent feeling, which no considerate friend of truth will attempt to justify. Measures may perhaps be proposed, and carried through the legislature, which will greatly restrict our own freedom of worship and action. Some timid dissenters may incautiously seek refuge in the royal supremacy, and strengthen that union between the ecclesiastical and the civil powers from which our fathers and ourselves have severely suffered. But most of all we dread the effects of that reaction which the character of the existing excitement ensures. Nothing injures a good cause so much as to endeavour to promote it by unjustifiable means, and nothing tends so much to render a bad cause popular as to treat its advocates with undue harshness. Thousands who are now most alarmed and indignant, will soon find that their present impressions are in some respects incorrect, and they will be led to suppose that their fear of papal machinations was altogether unfounded. Many will learn that they have been misinformed respecting some alleged facts, about which they now dogmatize fiercely, and they will then begin to regard the Romanists as victims of calumny and oppression. One step further, and the objects of vanquished prejudice will appear to them to be innocent, amiable, and worthy of admiration. It is easy to see that the classes now most vociferous in their outcry against popery and Puseyism are in a high state of preparedness for the reception of Romish doctrine. The grievous ignorance of what popery really. is, which is now prevalent, and which has been prevalent the last thirty years, is that which imparts to the present crisis its most formidable aspect. We cannot suppress our apprehension that multitudes of dissenters are as little fitted for the trying scenes into which they are about to enter as their neighbours who boast of attachment to the established church. If we are not greatly mistaken, it is especially incumbent upon us at the present time to be calm, vigilant, and prayerful. Let baptists take care to be well established in their own principles, and versed in the history of the battles that were fought by their fathers under the Tudors and the Stuarts, as well as under the Plantagenets. Let them take care also not to be betrayed into any recognition of human authority over conscience. If we are to gain the victory over surrounding evils, our trust must be in the churches' living and almighty Head, our weapons must be weapons congenial with the nature of his kingdom, our wisdom must be "the wisdom that is from above." Hoping to witness the spread of revealed truth, and to be engaged during the remainder of his days in its promotion, the editor subscribes himself anew, the unwearied servant of Christ's churches, WILLIAM GROSER. Chelsea, November 25, 1850. THE BAPTIST MAGAZINE. JANUARY, 1850. THE BAPTIST MARTYRS OF 1575. BY THE REV. BENJAMIN EVANS. EVERY day is throwing new light upon the great events of the past. From various causes, we are able to form a more accurate estimate of the transactions of our ancestors than those who immediately succeeded them. We can in spirit mingle with them, and from the increasing light which history is shedding upon the social and moral condition of many of those early brethren in this country "of whom the world was not worthy," we can understand their difficulties, and more fully appreciate the noble triumphs many of them won. In few instances is this more remarkably the case than in that interesting company of Christian sufferers mentioned at the head of this paper. The detail in the pages of our historians is very brief; but, happily, more abundant materials are within our reach. All our writers concur in stating, that those brethren had fled from the Low Countries, to escape the misery to which the avowal of baptist principles exposed VOL. XIII.-FOURTH SERIES. them. "We had to forsake our friends," says one of the sufferers,"our country, our possessions, on account of tyranny, and fled as lambs from a wolf; only because of the pure evangelical truth of Christ, and not for uproar's or faction's sake, like those of Munster, whose views are an abomination, of which we have been. slanderously accused." Most of them settled in London, with the hope of protection, and for some time pursued their calling in peace. But this was of short continuance. Popery had altered only in name. Its spirit was rampant in episcopal bosoms, and history has given a full record of its fearful deeds. These simple-minded people soon felt its power. They had continued to meet for exhortation and prayer, and sought the edification of one another in the Lord. The morning of the sabbath had dawned, and these devoted servants of Christ sought their accustomed place of worship. Doubtless it was some retired house, or an upper room in which they B met for holy service. What elevated | terror were mingled. The episcopal feelings would animate them! What smile was first exhausted, and then came the terrible frown. These sturdy confessors were assured that their recantation would have the most healthful influence upon the state of their souls, and be hailed as a special token of God's great goodness by the whole church; whilst the alternative in this world would be banishment or death, and in the future hopeless misery, The following graphic description is from the pen of Von Byler himself, and will show us the nature of the charge upon which these holy men were tried, and throw a gleam of light upon the mode of their procedings. a conflict between hope and fear! How pure, how tender, but how unearthly, the devotion of such a meeting! What a power of principle they would unfold! All the dignity of Christian manhood would be seen. They knew the power of suffering; they were prepared again to brave its fury, if necessary, for the truth. Imagination will realize more than this, as by an effort it tries to identify itself with this little band of Christian disciples. The hour of trial was at hand. "It happened," says a deeply interested witness of their subsequent sufferings, on Easter, the 3rd of April, A.D. 1575,* that thirty anabaptists, of both sexes, had assembled together in a house near Alligator,† on the road leading to Spiegelzhof, for the purpose of mutual exhortation and prayer; but, being detected by the neighbours, they were nearly all taken then to prison, by so small a guard that some could easily have escaped, if they could have felt liberty of conscience to do so." Noble men! Even your mistakes proclaim your greatness. The names of five of them are preserved. They deserve to be remembered. They were, John Pieters, Henry Terwoort, Garret Von Byler, John Von Straaton, and Christian Kemels. From the custody of the sheriff they were soon transferred to the tender mercy of my lord of London. Their final examination was at the episcopal palace. Ignorant of their language, the bishop was assisted on this momentous occasion by a French and Dutch minister. Their reconciliation to the Dutch church, and the cure of their pestilential heresy, was the avowed end of this imposing procedure. The usual course was adopted here. Blandishment and The sixteenth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth -ED. wit. "When we came before the bishop, there were present, Master Joris,* James de Koninck, John de Rode maker, two members of the council, and a French clergyman. We were placed before those lords, and their servants, who propounded four questions to us, to which we were to give either an affirmative or a negative. "1. Whether Christ did not assume his flesh from the body of Mary?' "We replied, "That he is the Son of the living God.' "2. Whether infants should not be baptized?' "We cannot understand matters so, for we read nothing of it in the scriptures.' "Whether it was lawful for a Christian to attend to, or discharge the duties of, a magistrate's office?' "We replied, "That our conscience would not suffer us to do so; but we considered the magistracy as a minister of God, for the protection of the servants of God.' "4. Whether a Christian was allowed to take an oath ?' "We again replied, our conscience would not now allow us to do so, for Probably the minister of the Dutch church. |