# Leonhart Sumeraver, A. D. 1584.

1584 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: LEONHART SUMERAVER, A. D. 1584.

Source heading; not independently verified

In the year 1584, about eight days before Saint
Martin’s day, brother Leonhart Sumeraver, from
the country of Saltzburg, was apprehended, as he
was about to leave the country and had embarked
at Titmaing. The boatmen learned of it, and
landed at Berckhausen, at the bridge, in order that
they should not come to grief. There a rope was
thrown them, and the matter became known, for
the boatmen cried that they had an Anabaptist on
board. The clerk, who stood there, went to the
chancellor and told him that an Anabaptist had arrived.
The chancellor had him apprehended, and
he was forthwith brought to the rack and five times
dreadfully tortured, also twice suspended by a rope;
but they could obtain nothing from him, nor accomplish
anything with him. Hence, he had to suffer
much pain and sorrow during the time of his
imprisonment, and also much temptation and conflict
on account of his faith, and because he would
not accept their doctrine.

After he had been in prison almost half a year, he
was led to the place of execution. There went with
him four priests, who tenaciously urged him to renounce:
but he said that he had already renounced
his unrighteous life, more than twenty years ago.
When he was led through the town, they admonished
him the second time to renounce. But he
replied. “Should I depart from God? Christ does
not teach me this when he says: Whosoever shall
deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father which is in heaven.”

When he was led forth before the stone court,
they said to him: “Behold, there is the image of
our Lord; bow down before it.” But he replied
that he dared not do it; that they should proceed
with him. The priests asked him, why he had gone
out from the Christian church, and betaken himself
to this heresy (as they call it). But he said: “Not
so; but I went out from ungodly idolaters, fornicators,
blasphemers, and all the unclean, and have betaken
myself to the good, to God and his church.”
But they said: “He is possessed of the devil, who
causes him to speak thus;” even as also the Jews
accused Christ. Afterwards they entreated him
thrice for God’s sake, that he should renounce; but
he would not. The executioner also begged him
the very best he could. But brother Leonhart said:
“O dear, be silent, and do not beg me, but proceed,
for I want to die as a good Christian; I stand
in the true faith and upon the firm foundation,
which is Christ my Lord, from which I shall never
depart.” When they saw that all their efforts were
in vain, the executioner took his collar from his
1005
neck and said to him: “If you would renounce but
the two articles, they would release you.” But he
said: “Let me alone and proceed as you please, for
I want to die valiantly upon my faith.” Thereupon,
the executioner said: “I do not like to execute
you, but if I do not do it, another will.” And he
drew out the sword before him, in order to frighten
him; but he was not terrified in the least by it.
Thus he was beheaded, and buried in the place of
execution.

This happened at Berckhausen, on the 5th of
July 1585, that this lamb of the Lord was torn by
the ravening wolves.





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Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-leonhart-sumeraver-a-d-1584/

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