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You are here: Home / Martin Niemoller / Watching Others Die

Watching Others Die

July 24, 2012 by Christina

“I once heard Martin D. Niemöller tell of his incarceration at Dachau. His cell was in plain view of the gallows. Day after day he watched men and women go to their deaths. He could hear their cries, curses, and prayers. He declared that the gallows became his best teacher. Through that horrible experience he was haunted by two questions: “What will happen on the day they lead you there and put you to the test? When they put that rope around your neck, what will be your last words? Will they be, ‘Father, forgive them’ or will they be ‘Criminals! Scum?’ ”

Niemöller said that if Jesus had cried out in vengeance, there would have been no New Testament, no church, and no Christian history.”

G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching, 95-96 (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1986).

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Filed Under: Martin Niemoller

Comments

  1. alcoramdeo says

    July 24, 2012 at 10:03 pm

    Sobering.
    Convicting.
    I am not Jesus, but I am His and am to abide in Him.
    Not greater than my Master, I am to let His death and life be seen in me.
    If I hope to not deny Him in death, I must constantly acknowledge Him in life.
    No wonder I am instructed to pray for wisdom, doubting Him not, for His name’s sake alone.
    Thank you, dear Sister.

  2. Barbara Thayer says

    July 24, 2012 at 10:18 pm

    Our faith is indeed challenged when confronted by such unspeakable horrors as this pastor witnessed day after day. May we never forget those who have gone before us and stood in faith for our Lord. Thank you for sharing this Christina!

  3. Pauline Matherick says

    July 25, 2012 at 2:08 am

    What a challenge

  4. Todd says

    July 25, 2012 at 5:52 am

    This is when the Holy Spirit gives us strength. We need to seek that strength. We must boast in our weakness so his power can be made perfect within us. What would be our cry? Jesus, I am insufficient for this taskn yet you already suffered this for me. May I be a sufficient vessel for your grace and mercy to these people. I admit that I am woefully inadequate for this endeavor, but the one within me is str5onger than the one in the world, so I wait on him, Blessings to you. May we all rest on the power of the cross and not on our own strength.

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