Inheritance Publications

Simon Gieke was a man in the prime of his life. His father and mother had died when he was very young: he had never known them. An uncle had taken him in when Simon was just a boy. He hadn't enjoyed any kind of upbringing. He got food, drink, and clothing. Nothing else. There was no education of any kind. What good would that do? Even his uncle had been unable to read or write. The uncle had been a rough, fearsome fellow who wandered about in the huge commons, trying to make his living by hunting, fishing, and poaching. He would steal whatever he could get. Whoever could, avoided him. When he had money, he spent it in the tavern with other rowdy characters. Then he was a dangerous man who picked fights and pulled out his knife for the smallest things. In reality, he terrorized the whole village and its surroundings. Whenever something seemed to be missing and people were certain that he had taken it, no one dared to report him. What a relief it was for Scherpenisse when they heard that the uncle had died. No one really knew how he had come to his end. Most assumed that he had suffocated in the water and mud. One January morning, he had gone into the commons. It had been freezing for several days and during the night there had been a heavy snowfall. He must have gone through the ice. No one had heard any more about him until a haymaker had found him in a deep slough the following summer. They had recognized him because of his vaulting pole and musket. Simon had been eighteen years old at the time and had not shed many tears for the uncle whom he succeeded. And what kind of successor? In churlishness and godlessness, he exceeded even his uncle. He wanted nothing to do with religion but ranted and raved at the parish priest and never performed a single religious duty. He was a total heathen, who cursed and drank even more than his uncle had done. Everyone avoided him as much as they could. Many crossed themselves when they had to pass his house. However, in one thing he differed favourably from his uncle: he never stole. No one had ever complained that he had stolen from them.

A Continuation of Sunset in Provence “Listen! Someone knocks.” Henri sprang to the door, and hastily unbarred it. A young man, whose fur coat was covered with snow, entered immediately, bringing a current of cold air and a stream of water into the comfortable room. “You here, Christophe!” cried the pastor, recognizing a member of his flock who lived at a considerable distance. “What errand has brought you so far on such a night?” “An ill one, Barbe,” said the young man. “My poor mother — God help her! — lies since morning speechless, and as far as I can see, at the point of death.” It must be remembered that the barbe was by his calling a physician for the body as well as for the soul. It was not necessary, therefore, for the young peasant even to express a desire that he should accompany him. Without a moment’s delay he rose to prepare for the expedition. It was a difficult, toilsome, and even dangerous one. A walk of seven miles at night, and in a snow-storm . . .   The Young Burning Hearts Series is a series of fascinating independent stories for young and old of faithfulness in trying times.

It is the story of 12- year-old Martin Meulenberg and his family during the Roman Catholic persecution of the Reformed Christians in The Netherlands about the year 1600. A peddler, secretly distributing Reformed books from village to village, drops a copy of Guido de Brès’ True Christian Confession — a booklet forbidden by the Roman Catholic authorities. An evil neighbor sees the book and informs . . .