14 January 1892 A.D. Rev. Martin Niemoller—Lutheran Opponent of Hitler

14 January 1892 A.D.  Rev. Martin Niemoller—Lutheran Opponent of Hitler

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/birthdays/01-14.html

Martin Niemoller (1892 to 1984)

Lutheran

Hitler's Would-Be Nemesis

Birth of Martin Niemoller, German Lutheran pastor, imprisoned by the Nazis for his opposition to Hitler's regime. There is much controversy concerning his ministry and his stand for spiritual things. As the leader of the Confessing Church, the small group of clergymen who opposed Hitler's blasphemous rule, he was, of course imprisoned, and one day saw from his cell, a scaffold being built in the distance. Niemoller vowed that "when they hang me on that scaffold, I will shout and scream my anger toward the wicked Nazis for what they have done to our churches, and to our people in our beloved country!" But just then he seemed to hear a voice saying to him, "But Dr. Niemoller, I didn't die like that! I died praying for My enemies!" Telling of this later, his shoulders sagged as he said with great feeling, "Something happened to me then: I guess that after preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for all of those years, you could call this my conversion."