# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1853 03 29_S103
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

103

and tyranny, and that we also possess these glorious blessings, we have to thank, next to God, those holy martyrs.

The undersigned therefore believes he is doing his brethren a service, in that, on the advice of his friends, he has resolved, with God's help, to describe and publish, from good sources, the martyrs of the evangelical Lutheran Church, their circumstances of life, confessions and sufferings. The plan of the book is as follows. It will appear in separate parts of 50 pages in good print, on strong white paper with a colored cover. The last part will contain a short history of the spread of the Reformation in the various countries of Europe, as well as the preface. If the work finds the requisite support, a part will appear about every two months. The printing and the appointments of the book are provided for by Mr. Niedner in St. Louis.

All evangelical Lutheran pastors in the United States, as well as all friends of this undertaking, are authorized to collect subscribers for it. As soon as 1000 subscribers are found, so that the costs can be covered, the printing of the first part will begin. The price of a single part is 15 cents. But whoever subscribes at the very beginning for the first 5 parts receives the part at 10 cents. Collectors of subscribers receive every eleventh copy free. When the first part is printed, it will at once be sent to the respective subscribers, who will then send in the money for it.

Letters are requested at the address:

Rev. H. Fik,
Bremen, near St. Louis, Mo.

Hermann Fick.

Franciscus Alardus,
the Oldenburg Reformer.

Franciscus Alardus was the son of rich and respected parents in what is now Belgium. The other sons had taken up a civil trade, but Franciscus, the youngest, was to go into the cloister according to the will of his parents. This he also did, and distinguished himself by his piety and knowledge to such a degree that he always had to deliver the Lenten sermons, for which only the most capable were chosen. This was in the renowned great commercial city of Antwerp.

It happened once that a merchant from Hamburg was also in the church. Although he had gone over to the Lutheran doctrine, which had only then arisen, he was nevertheless heartily edified by the sermons of the young monk, and it grieved him that so pious a soul should remain stuck in the errors of popery. He therefore sought an opportunity to speak with him. Although this was very difficult, he succeeded one day in taking the young monk with him to his lodging, unlocking his trunk, and showing him Luther's writings. They conversed together long about the new doctrine, and the merchant begged him to come again more often. Franciscus did so gladly, and read there in the books, which he was not allowed to take with him into the cloister, until the merchant departed. When he came again to Antwerp after a year, the first thing was that he sought out his young friend; and how great was his joy when he saw that the seed had sprung up so well. He represented to him that he should now also take the last step and declare himself publicly for the new doctrine, and said he would then also provide further for his support. Franziscus consented, and, as they had agreed, appeared in the evening at the merchant's lodging, changed his clothing there, and went with him on board the ship, which sailed that very night. — In the cloister, however, they waited one hour after another for Franziscus, and could not comprehend why he, who otherwise was always the most punctual, was not yet back. The abbot, however, who was fond of him, said they should just go to sleep and leave the gate open for him. When on the next morning he was still not there, the whole cloister fell into an uproar. Some thought that something had befallen him; others thought he had sailed away on the ship of a Hamburg merchant, with whom he had been seen. — A ship was at once fitted out which was to overtake him; but he had already gained too great a start, and so the ship had to return to Antwerp with nothing accomplished. The merchant, however, arrived happily in Hamburg with his young friend, took him into his house, instructed him, and then let him travel to the university at Jena, where at that time the pure doctrine was best taught. When he had now been there 2 years and had been well advanced in faith, the money failed which the merchant had hitherto sent him every half year for his support. He fell into the greatest distress, wrote one letter after another, but received neither money nor answer. At last he heard that the merchant had died of the plague. Since he now saw no possibility of saving himself from starvation in a foreign land without friends and relatives, he resolved to go again to his parents. After many hardships he arrived at their home. But what a reception fell to his lot!? — "What," cried his sister, when he made himself known, "the heretic!" — Yes, even his own mother would know nothing of him and denounced him to the Inquisition, as the court of faith is called. He was accordingly at once bound by soldiers and put in prison in a high tower in the fortress.

The rumor that the escaped monk had been recovered spread like wildfire through the city. Whole crowds of people besieged the tower and would gladly have torn him to pieces with their hands. The servants of the Inquisition now tried everything to turn him from his faith, but it availed them nothing. "I know whom I believe," said he, "and on Him will I die." When they saw that all means were in vain, they resolved, in order to avoid a tumult in the city, to put him to death by poison. So he had to drink a cup full of poison, which he did with steady courage. Then he lay down to await his death. The jailer locked the door again and went away with the executioner, who had brought him the poison; but Alardus, when he had lain thus for a time, got so violent a thirst that he could bear it no longer. He therefore stood up, looked through a round hole which was in the wall instead of a window, and looked straight down on the city moat, which flowed beneath the tower. He pondered to and fro how he might get some of the water. At last he took a string which he happened to have with him, fastened it to his round fur cap, let it down into the water, and drew it up full of water without mishap. Here he drank all the water at one draught, but became so sick from it that he had to vomit violently. After that he became quite weak and lay thus the whole night. — On the next morning the jailer was not a little astonished to find Alardus still alive. Then the executioner and all with him believed that it was not with right things, that Alardus was a sorcerer and in league with the devil. The fury of the people rose now still higher; it was resolved that he should be burned alive, and his own mother offered to have the wood for it hauled. This took place the same day, and each time the carter passed the tower he had to cry with a loud voice: "Franziscus Alardus, this is the first load that thy mother sends!" and so on to the seventh and last. The next morning the execution was to take place. Then in the night he threw himself down and prayed: Lord Jesus, if Thou wilt save me, show me a way. When he had prayed this and much else, the moonlight fell just then through the round hole in the wall. He stood up and went to the hole, but it was too narrow, and when he looked out he shuddered at the depth. Yet what was he to do? He pondered to and fro, stripped himself wholly, cut up his clothes and knotted the long pieces together, so that a kind of rope was made of them. This he fastened to an iron ring, squeezed himself with all his might through the hole, and let himself down by the rope. But scarcely had he come halfway when a knot gave way and he fell into the depth. — Here he would surely have been dashed to pieces, if he had not by good fortune fallen into a sewer. Scarcely had he recovered from his fright when he made his way out, in order, cost what it might, to save his life; for he thought God would yet use him for something. —