Verily, verily, I often slipped on the road, but did not
fall. Verily, verily, when we got over Eglisau, I and Wilhelm
(R[oe]ubli) despaired of our lives. I thought God had forsaken us. We
lost the right path, and wandered about all that day, even among sticks
and bushes. But God had thus willed it. Shortly we came to pious people
and at last to Hallan. I left my wife and children there, and we went
over to Schaffhausen. Verily, we found there our dear brother, Conrad
Grebel. We visited Doctor Sebastian (Hofmeister) and took supper with
him. Verily, he is of one accord with us in the matter of baptism.
Would to God, it stood better with him in other things. We returned
again to Hallan. The day after, Wilhelm went to Waldshut. On the next
Sunday after Candlemas, I preached in Hallan and found a great harvest
there, but few reapers. The people earnestly desired to hear me, and to
this very day desire it. The clergy are as they may be. Antichrist
still rules powerfully among the people. Pray God to enlighten them.
Dear brethren, abide in faith, love and hope. Let no one terrify you.
He who preaches to you any other Gospel, than I have preached, let him
be accursed. Greet one another with the kiss of peace. Beware of every
brother, who acts disorderly and not according to that, which he and
you have learned. Beware of false prophets, who preach for pay. Shun
them. Exhort ye one another and continue in the doctrine, which ye have
received. The peace of God be with you all!"

That a letter of this sort--that the incessant exhortation and
preaching of the leaders of the fanatics, who remained behind, bore
legitimate fruit, was soon apparent from a succession of extravagant
scenes in all parts of the canton. In entire districts the women
particularly rose up. Troops of them streamed together, if any of these
apostles came into the neighborhood, and begged from them re-baptism,
or a sermon. The edicts of the government were praised by some, but
scorned by others; even the clergy assailed them and strife sprang up
in the churches. We have a lively picture of a scene of this kind
in a letter from the Commander Schmied. "In the action taken"--he
writes--"before the congregation at Eck, on account of your edict. My
Lords, Pastor Bodmer, of Esslingen, called for Christian
excommunication, i.e. the overthrow and rejection of your authority in
the matter of baptism. Thereupon Master Laurence told him, that he and
his followers had hit