Mente Jan Heynendochter (Clementia Heymen), wife of the Anabaptist martyr Bartholomeus van den Berge of Dieteren, now Dutch province of Limburg, was arrested with her husband on the charge of Anabaptism. Whereas Bartholomeus remained steadfast, Mente recanted. She did not, however, save her life thereby; on 1 February 1535 she was drowned in the Maas River at Maastricht, Dutch province of Limburg. Her confession during the trial reveals some facts concerning the Anabaptists: the water with which she had been baptized was taken from a pump; Leenaert van Ysenbroeck, who had baptized her in Dieteren, pronounced the baptismal formula according to Matthew 28:19; the Anabaptists did not observe holidays, for "one day is as good as the other."

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 654. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page: