# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1908_S181
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches. 181

Isaid no more. Then she said, Senor, I did it to observe that Law. She
Was asked what Lau. She said. The Law that the witnesses Say — I de-
clare it all, Senox, and don't remember wiat Law it was — O, Wretched
was the mother that bore me!' She was asked what was the Law she
meéant, and what was the Law that she said the witnesses say. This was
asked repeatedly, but she was silent and at last said that she did not
know. She was told to tell the truth or the garrotes would be tightened,
but she did not answer. Another turn was ordered on the garrotes and
she was admonished to say what Law it was. She said, If Pknew what
to say, I would say it. O Senor, I don't know what I have to SAνV — Oh!
Oh! they are killing me — if they would tell me what — O Senores!
Oh, my heart!' Then sbe asked why they wished her to tell what she
could not tell, and cried repeatedly, O, miserable me!' Then she said,
Lord, bear witness that they are killing me without my being able to
confess.“ She was told that if sbe wished to tell the truth before the water
was poured, she should do so and discharge her conscience. She said that
she could not speak and that she wWas a sinner. Then the linen toca was
Placed Lin her throatl, and she said, Take it away, ILam strangling and
am sick in the stomach.“ A jar of water was then poured down, after
Which she wWas told to tell the truth. She celamored for cçonfession, saying
that sbe was dying. She was told that the torture would be continued
till she told the truth, and was admonished to tell it, but though she was
questioned repeatedly she remaineéd silent. Then the inquisitor, seeing her
echausted by the torture, ordereéd it to be suspended. — It is scaree worth
while to continue this pitiful detail. Four days were allowed to elapse,
for experience showed that an interval, by stiffening the limbs, rendeéred
repetition more painful. She was again brought to the torture-chamber,
but she broke down when stripped, and piteously begged to have her naked-
ness covered. The interrogatory went on, when her replies under torture
were more rambling and incoherent than before, but her limit of endurance
was reached and the inquisitors finally had the satisfaction of eliciting a
confession of Judaism and a prayer for mercy and penance.“ F. B.

Kirchlich-Zeitgeschichtliches.

I. Amerika.

Das „Statistische Jahrbuch“ für das Jahr 1907, das vor einigen
Wochen im Druck erschienen ist, gibt in seinen Gesamtzaͤhlen einen überblick
über den äußeren Bestand unserer Shynode, wie dieser sich am Schluß des
verflossenen Jahres darbot. Die Synode besteht jetzt aus 20 Distrikten,
in denen 1832 Pastoren im Amte tätig sind, eine Zunahme von 56 gegen
das Vorjahr. Die Totalfumme sämtlicher zur Synode gehörenden Pastoren
— kranke, emeritierte und außer Amt befindliche mitgerechnet — und
Professoren beträgt 2058. Synodalgemeinden sind es 137⁵, 54; Ge⸗
meinden, die der Synode noch nicht gliedlich beigetreten sind, 1176, 2
Predigtplätze 941, 43; Seelen 838,646, 19,597; kommunizierende
Glieder 500,248, 15,986; stimmberechtigte Glieder 116,356, ＋2672;
Schulen 2089, 713 schulehaltende Pastoren 1088, 43; Lehrer 966, ＋33;
Lehrerinnen 218, 8; Schulkinder 96,918, —51. Getauft wurden 34,102,
＋838; konfirmiert 22,595, —310; kommuniziert haben 904,392, ＋27,545;
kopuliert wurden 10,435 Paare, ＋443; begraben wurden 11,733 Per⸗
sonen, ＋467. Im Dienste der Inneren Mission, die sich über nahezu sämt⸗
liche Staaten der Union, sowie über Kanadas östliche wie westliche Provinzen