Worship on the Water
Often denied freedom to worship, the early Anabaptists met wherever they
could for fellowship and the preaching of the Word. Here a group are worshiping in the boat of Pieter Pieters Beckjen, a boatman on the Amstel, with
the city of Amsterdam in the background. Beckjen was put to death by burning at the stake at Amsterdam on February 26, 1569, because he had attended
"damned and forbidden meetings of the Mennonites" and had used his ship as a meeting place for Anabaptists.
them as reproving earnestly "all vain display, all intemperance in eating and drinking, all profanity and other sin." Also "they rejected all wearing of costly clothing and ornaments.
A strict attitude was held against the swearing of oaths since the word of the Christian was to be "yea, yea" or "nay, nay" and nothing more. As early as 1527 a confession was adopted and circulated widely, stating that all swearing, including the civil oath, is forbidden to the Christian."
The Swiss Brethren extended their principles to various social and economic areas. It is significant that in a disputation at Zofingen the Brethren condemned slavery as a feature of worldliness and as being contrary to Christian principles."
