In Prison for Conscience’ Sake by J. MUEGGE.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 15, 1912

In Prison for Conscience’ Sake

By J. MUEGGE.

On the twelfth of October, 1906, I entered military service as a recruit, and was brought before a court martial the first week, and sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment for refusing to work on the Sabbath. On being referred to the text in the thirteenth of Romans, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers,” (the officers did not mention the context during the hearing), I answered that when the laws of man conflict with the laws of God, as in this case, God is to be obeyed rather than man. At the termination of the above-mentioned imprisonment, as I still refused to work on the Sabbath, I was condemned by the court martial to a two months’ imprisonment for having “persisted in disobedience.” During this confinement, I was subjected to further punishment nearly every week for attempting to observe, while there, the commandments of the great God in an upright and earnest way. But, O, great was the joy that I experienced during this imprisonment! Surely I could often testify with the psalmist: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.”

Having returned to the troops, under guard, on the fifteenth of February, 1907, I was again arrested on account of the same disobedience at the beginning of the Sabbath, and after three months’ imprisonment on trial, was again sentenced to three months in the fortress. This term was somewhat prolonged for disregard of discipline. But in spite of all this, my joy in the Lord was great, and with it was mingled the joy in the thought that I was, according to my conviction, suffering for the truth’s sake. At the expiration of this sentence, I returned to my regiment, but was again sentenced to seven months; later, another six and then still another six months’ imprisonment, and transferred to an inferior class in the military service.

During this time many attempts were made to render Sabbath-keeping as unpleasant as possible, so that I would give up the idea, by taking all work from me for periods of eight, ten, and twelve days. This is a severe trial,—without any occupation whatever, and completely isolated,—and without God it would have been almost enough to drive one to despair. Even this was not enough. According to the direction of the law, a stay of six weeks in a lunatic asylum followed, for a medical examination as to whether my mind was in good condition or not. After the doctor’s testimony had been handed to the court martial,—where no less than forty-eight cases were being tried,—I was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for each time I had refused obedience to duty, making a total of four years, since my understanding was declared to be in normal condition.

On the nineteenth of March of the same year I was sentenced to still another year’s confinement. After two months, however, I was declared unfit for military service by the commander-in-chief, after the doctor of the fortress had examined my blood; but I had still to serve my time in a civil prison. It is true the difficulties in this struggle of faith were much less in the civil prison than in the military; it was, however, a strange treadmill of daily life. Occupied as a military tailor, one day was exactly the same as another, except the Sabbath; and I was surrounded with severe critics on the points of our glorious truth, having jest and contempt on the one side and a kind of sympathetic laughter on the other. However, my inner feelings were always those of joy at having the privilege to suffer for righteousness’ sake, knowing that our Lord and Saviour had done much more for me. Added to this, thanks be to God, was the assurance that when God considered the hour come for me to be freed from prison, I should surely be delivered by his grace.

On the twenty-fourth of October, 1911, a despatch was received from the office of the commanding general, as a response to a request on my part for grace. What indescribable joy when I read, “To be dismissed”! It was a slight foretaste of the joy described in Psalm 126, and “we were like them that dream.” My five years in prison, filled with rich experiences, now lay in the past.

As a closing word, let me say: I should not wish to have missed the days that I spent in prison, as dreary and comfortless as they often seemed to be. The great God, who also notices the slightest thing, always gave me to understand that as long as we trust in him, and do not rest on the loose sands of human opinion, he will help us to succeed in getting nearer to the heavenly goal, which is the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. May the Lord grant us all, who call ourselves Christians, the power of his Spirit, that we may practise true, positive Christianity.

J. MUEGGE.