14 January 1892 A.D. Rev. Martin Niemoller—Lutheran Opponent of Hitler
http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/birthdays/01-14.html
Martin Niemoller (1892 to 1984)
Lutheran
Hitler's Would-Be Nemesis
Birth of Martin Niemoller, German Lutheran pastor,
imprisoned by the Nazis for his opposition to Hitler's regime. There is much
controversy concerning his ministry and his stand for spiritual things. As the
leader of the Confessing Church, the small group of clergymen who opposed
Hitler's blasphemous rule, he was, of course imprisoned, and one day saw from
his cell, a scaffold being built in the distance. Niemoller vowed that
"when they hang me on that scaffold, I will shout and scream my anger
toward the wicked Nazis for what they have done to our churches, and to our
people in our beloved country!" But just then he seemed to hear a voice
saying to him, "But Dr. Niemoller, I didn't die like that! I died praying
for My enemies!" Telling of this later, his shoulders sagged as he said
with great feeling, "Something happened to me then: I guess that after
preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for all of those years, you could call
this my conversion."
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