Symbol of Faithfulness

On this day in history in 1577, Hans Bret was executed for studying the Bible and teaching new Christians.  That sounds strange to us doesn't it?  But those were the rules in Antwerp of the Netherlands in those days.  Actually, it isn't that strange at all.  In many places in the world today, someone could and would be executed if they were found to be studying the Bible or teaching Christians.
Hans owned and operated a bakery to support himself and his widowed mother.  One night there was a knock at the door, and Hans opened it to find a mob of officers.  They were there to take him into custody and place him in the town jail.  For his accommodations, he was given a small, dark cell.  We would call it isolation or solitary confinement.  It was (and still is) used as a punishment.  He was questioned and tortured for months, yet he would not yield his faith.  He attested that his strength was from God alone.
Then his situation grew worse.  The questioning and tortures grew worse.  Still, Hans' spirit was not broken.  On January 4th, Hans was sentenced to death.  He would be burned alive at the stake.  Before the executioner delivered him to the stake at the town market square, he forced Hans to stick out his tongue as he clamped on a tongue screw (made of iron) and then seared the end of the tongue with a red-hot iron in order to keep the device from slipping off.  The reason--the authorities didn't want Hans preaching at his execution.  He was chained and burned alive.
Among those in the crowd that day was Hans de Ries.  He was Hans Bret's pastor and good friend.  When the embers and ashes hand cooled, Hans de Ries dug through the remains and found the tongue screw.  He later married Hans Bret's mother, and the tongue screw has been passed down from generation to generation as a symbol of faithfulness.
May all who come behind us find us faithful!