(_ca._ 1498-1543 or 1544) having taken the Anabaptist
teaching to Holland, there arose in Haarlem a preacher of vengeance, Jan
Matthisson or Matthyszoon (Matthys) (d. 1534) by name, who, prophesying a
speedy end of the world and establishment of the kingdom of heaven,
obtained many adherents, and despatched Boekebinder and de Kniper to
Muenster. Here the attempt was made to realise Matthisson's ideals. All who
did not embrace Anabaptism were driven from Muenster (1533), and Bernt
Knipperdolling (_ca._ 1495-1536) became burgomaster. The town was now
besieged and Matthisson was killed early in 1534. John (Johann Bockelson)
of Leiden (1510-1536) took his place and the town became the scene of the
grossest licence and cruelty, until in 1535 it was taken by the besieging
bishop. Unhappily the Anabaptists have always been remembered by the crimes
of John of Leiden and the revelry of Muenster. They should really be known
by the teaching and martyrdom of Blaurock, Grebel and Hubmaier, and by the
gentle learning and piety of Hans Denck--of whom, with many hundred others,
"the world was not worthy."

For the teaching of the Anabaptists, see ANABAPTISTS.

Reference has already been made to the reason why a common Anabaptist
confession was never made public. Probably, however, the earliest
confession of faith of any Baptist community is that given by Zwingli in
the second part of his _Elenchus contra Catabaptistas_, published in 1527.
Zwingli professes to give it entire, translating it, as he says, _ad
verbum_ into Latin. Whatever opinion may be held as to the orthodoxy of the
seven articles of the Anabaptists, the vehemence with which they were
opposed, and the epithets of abuse which were heaped upon the unfortunate
sect that maintained them, cannot fail to astonish those used to
toleration. Zwingli, who details these articles, as he says, that the world
may see that they are "fanatical, stolid, audacious, impious," can scarcely
be acquitted of unfairness in joining together two of them,--the fourth and
fifth,--thus making the article treat "of the avoiding of abominable
pastors in the church" (_Super devitatione abominabilium pastorum in
Ecclesia_), though there is nothing about pastors in the fourth article,
and nothing about abominations in the fifth, and though in a marginal note
he himself explains that the first two copies that were sent him read as he
does, but the other copies make two articles, as in fact they evidently