# Wolfgang Pinder, A. D. 1571.

1571 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: WOLFGANG PINDER, A. D. 1571.

Source heading; not independently verified

In this year 1571, brother Wolfgang Pinder was
apprehended through treachery, at Scharding, in
Bavaria. The chancellor of Burkhausen was at
Scharding at that time; he came himself, apprehended
and bound him, and took him thence to
Burkhausen, where he had to resist many assaults
and temptations from the host of false prophets,
such as priests and others, who vehemently assailed
him, in order that he should renounce his faith, and
suffer himself to be instructed by them. To this end
they used great diligence, and employed all manner
of subtilty, to see whether they could not lead him
astray, by fair, smooth words, by false doctrine, or
by arrogance and threats; but he allowed himself in
no wise to be moved from the known way of the
truth, into which God had helped him. When the
priests therefore could accomplish nothing, the executioner
was on hand the following night, who had
to lay hold of him, and he was vehemently tortured,
racked and stretched most lamentably, so that his
hands swelled greatly and he could not stand on his
feet, so cruelly and unmercifully had the children of
Satan treated him, according to the manner of their
father, who is full of wrath against the human family,
and works through his children all the works of
wickedness, wherever he can.

Once two priests came to said brother; one of
them talked with him, and admonished him to forsake
his error and be converted; but brother Wolfgang,
though still suffering great pain from the
torturing and racking, said to him with a manful
heart: “O you priest, do repent, and turn from
your sinful life, and false doctrine; for you are a
false prophet, and one of the rogues that go about
in sheep’s clothing, and cover their deceitfulness
and rascality with long robes; but inwardly you are
ravening wolves, upon whom the Lord has pronounced
many woes.” At this the priest got angry
and blushed, as did also the other; and they could
not accomplish their purpose with him. Finally
they sent him back from Burkhausen to Scharding,
where he had originally been apprehended. In
both places they tried him hard, but could not accomplish
their purpose with him. When he could
not be moved, and would not follow their false
doctrine, he had to lay down his life. They unexpectedly
set a day, and he was taken out early in
the morning to be executed, without any judicial
sentence, which brother Wolfgang demanded. But
such course of action on their part need not surprise
one at all, for they have nothing to prefer against
the pious, and cannot find any cause of death in
them.

Thus the executioner came, and removed the
collar from his neck, but he seized him with fear
and trembling. Brother Wolfgang knelt down, and
commended his spirit into the hands of his Lord
and God. The executioner handled him very badly;
he could not strike him properly, nor execute him
with dispatch; he finally, while he was lying on the
earth, had to hack or cut off his head as best he
could; so that he himself was in great fear, and in
great peril of his life from the people present, so
that he vowed, never again in his life to execute
any brethren. There were many people present
who saw how valiant, and brave he was. This occurred
shortly after Candlemas, in the year 1571.
After he had been imprisoned almost half a year,
he had thus to shed his blood for the faith in Jesus
Christ, and passed over to the Lord’s host, who
must in faith, by patient suffering, take possession
of the kingdom of joy. The traitor who had informed
against him, subsequently fared very badly,
as did also the chancellor, who had apprehended
him; their good days soon came to an end, as it
generally goes with such Judases, who sin against
the pious, innocent sheep of the Lord, and thirst
for their blood: misfortune overtakes them through
the wrath of God, and does not suffer them to
remain long at ease.





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Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-wolfgang-pinder-a-d-1571/

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