# Hans Smit, Hendrick Adams, Hans Beck, Matthijs Smit, Dileman Snijder, And Seven Others, A. D. 1558. · Page 1 of 4 [Previous page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JORIS WIPPE, TO HIS CHILDREN, WHEN HE WAS RETURNED FROM THE HAGUE TO DORDRECHT.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-joris-wippe-to-his-children-when-he-was-returned-from-the-hague-to-dordrecht/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HANS SMIT, HENDRICK ADAMS, HANS BECK, MATTHIJS SMIT, DILEMAN SNIJDER, AND SEVEN OTHERS, A. D. 1558.](/en/stories/mm-hans-smit-hendrick-adams-hans-beck-matthijs-smit-dileman-snijder-and-seven-others-a-d-1558/part-2/) In the year 1558, brother Hans Smit, a minister of the word of God, was sent forth by the church to seek and gather those that were eager for the truth. Acts 13:3. When he therefore, being divinely called, undertook to travel through the Netherlands, he, together with five brethren and six sisters, was apprehended in the city of Aix-la-Chapelle, on the ninth of January. While they were assembled 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, and well provided with ropes and bonds, and surrounded the house, and bound and apprehended these children of God. They even took with them a mother with her infant that lay in the cradle. But the prisoners were valiant and comforted one another, to be undismayed, 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 separately confined, in which the sisters rejoiced, and sang, so that the people were astonished. In the morning they were brought before the Judge, who talked with each separately, 566 and then remanded them to prison, when he perceived their steadfastness. However, the next day the minister was again summoned before the lords, that he should 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 that he would rather lose his life (John 15:13) than by telling this become a traitor, whereupon he was tortured and racked for about a quarter of an hour, to which he willingly submitted, himself taking off his clothes, 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 shall torture you so as to rack your limbs asunder.” They also questioned him with regard to infant baptism. He replied that infant baptism was a human institution, and that as such he regarded it, 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 that which the priests use is not at all the true supper of Christ, but a piece of idolatry.” Thereupon they bound him hand and foot, and tied to his feet a large stone weighing little less than a hundred pounds, and thus drew him up, so that the ring on the stone broke, and the stone remained on the ground. But they took a rope, fastened it to the stone, in place of the broken ring, and hung the stone to his foot, and left him suspended thus for some time; however, they could not accomplish their purpose. Hence 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 concerning his calling; whereupon he said that he had not put himself into the ministry, but God and his Spirit in his church: for as God sent his Son, and the Son 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 such as hear, understand and believe it, but not young infants. They also asked him concerning 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 incorporated into the Christian church. They also inquired of him 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, abandoned their tyranny and pomp, and followed Christ, they could be Christians, not otherwise. They also interrogated him with regard to swearing. He said that Christ had forbidden it. And much more, which it would take too long to write. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_566) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: THE THIRD LETTER OF JORIS WIPPE, TO HIS CHILDREN, WHEN HE WAS RETURNED FROM THE HAGUE TO DORDRECHT.](/en/stories/mm-the-third-letter-of-joris-wippe-to-his-children-when-he-was-returned-from-the-hague-to-dordrecht/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HANS SMIT, HENDRICK ADAMS, HANS BECK, MATTHIJS SMIT, DILEMAN SNIJDER, AND SEVEN OTHERS, A. D. 1558.](/en/stories/mm-hans-smit-hendrick-adams-hans-beck-matthijs-smit-dileman-snijder-and-seven-others-a-d-1558/part-2/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-hans-smit-hendrick-adams-hans-beck-matthijs-smit-dileman-snijder-and-seven-others-a-d-1558/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Hans+Smit%2C+Hendrick+Adams%2C+Hans+Beck%2C+Matthijs+Smit%2C+Dileman+Snijder%2C+And+Seven+Others%2C+A.+D.+1558.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AHans+Smit%2C+Hendrick+Adams%2C+Hans+Beck%2C+Matthijs+Smit%2C+Dileman+Snijder%2C+And+Seven+Others%2C+A.+D.+1558.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-hans-smit-hendrick-adams-hans-beck-matthijs-smit-dileman-snijder-and-seven-others-a-d-1558%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-hans-smit-hendrick-adams-hans-beck-matthijs-smit-dileman-snijder-and-seven-others-a-d-1558%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1558%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)