George Gruenwald
George Gruenwald, a shoemaker, minister, and author of the hymn, “Come Unto Me, Saith God’s Own Son,” died a tragic death in 1530, after being captured for speaking the Word of God at Kufstein. He was condemned to death and burned for what he believed. He was a true martyr for the faith, following Matthew 6:19-21 with his life:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Gruenwald’s treasure was in heaven, not on earth. He may have closed his eyes in this life, but he opened them in heaven, face to face with his Saviour.
You can tell by examining the words of his hymn, “Come Unto Me, Saith God’s Own Son,” that he was a man who was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Let’s take a look at the first verse:
His words were a proclamation to the sinner and unsaved. He was ultimately saying, “Come, know the Lord. He will bring you rest.” The last verse shows his commitment to the Lord.
Braght, T. and Sohm, J., 1964. The bloody theater, or, Martyrs mirror of the defenseless Christians, who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their Saviour, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1600. Scottdale, Pa.: Mennonite Pub. House.
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