Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Anabaptist of Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic) – Part Three of Three

Thomas E Kresal 4h  · August 28, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives – Anabaptist of Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic) – Part Three of Three

This letter certainly points out Baptists as existing in the kingdom of Bohemia, before the rise of the reformation of the sixteenth century. They were reproached by the protestant “reformers,” as well as by the Catholics, as anabaptists. They acknowledged the charge, and thus owned themselves to be Baptists. Their concealment, their principles, and their numbers being known, efforts were made to influence and intimidate them to abandon their faith; but entreaties, sophistry, and threats were all in vain. At length their destruction was planned and brutally executed, Catholics and Protestants alike joining in the shameful outrage. An edict for their banishment from Bohemia, just before the maturity of their harvest, was signed by the ruler, and they packed up and departed, without a murmur, in silent submission to the powers that be, “some to Hungary, others to Transylvania, some to Walla-achia, others to Poland. While many of them had combined with Luther and accepted his proposed change in the practices of their church, leaving off rebaptism, yet vast numbers chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than taste the pleasures of sin for a season.What a sublime pilgrimage that must have been! “And when the triumphal march of bannered legions, flushed with victory and crowned with glory, shall have been forgotten, the memory of these men, their pilgrimage, their tears, their sublime, trusting silence, will be held in everlasting remembrance.” – Ford’s History, p. 66.Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from: Elder John R. Daily, Primitive Monitor, 1897, pp. 27-30NOTE from Tom: Heading out today for Shiloh Baptist Church in Gwinn, MI to participate in an Ordination Service. I will be not post any Baptist history from 8/29 through 8/31/20. SEE you in September!