were brought to America by the Schwenkfelder immigrants in 1734.
The father of our hymn-writer was George John, who with his family for a time escaped the hardships of the war. In 1627, however, a detachment of Imperial troops was quartered in his house with instructions to resort to torture, if necessary, in order to compel the family to embrace the Catholic faith. A guard was placed before each door of the house to prevent flight or rescue. But George John had made provision for a possible exigency of this kind. Much to their surprise, and contrary to their accustomed treatment the soldiers were invited to enjoy a substantial repast. The temptation proved too great for their vigilance, and a day of festivity was proclaimed. Picture their satisfaction when the feast already in progress is augmented by an abundance of the choicest wine. The ruse of the host is wholly-successful. First a general carousing and tippling, and by and by soldiers and watch are soundly intoxicated and fast asleep. Under cover of the night, George. John now escapes, taking with him his wife and two children and a sister. The elder child, a daughter, was at this time eight years of age and little Martin in his fourth year. All his life he retained the memory of this flight.
When we next hear of Martin John, Jr., he is some thirty years of age and a physician in the town of Hockenau, Principality of Jauer, Silesia. The war had been terminated by the Treaty of Westphalia (1648); but this treaty, like the Peace of Augsburg (1555), granted to every ruling prince the right to enforce his religion upon his subjects, and to banish all who refused to conform. In a word, the Schwenkf elders had again been outlawed, and with the year 1650-51 began the period of oppression which the Schwenkfelders of that time and succeeding generations called "the great persecution." [1] Martin John, Jr., is the
- ↑ "For an account of the persecutions which the Schwenkfelders suffered after the Peace of Augsburg and again after the close of the Thirty Years' War, vide "The Schwenkfelders," by Hon. C. Heydrick, in the Genealogical Record of the Schwenkfelders.
