During the days of the Reformation, a young man was born into a wealthy family of Naples. Algerius was given a good education, and he became exposed to the literature of Luther and then of the Anabaptists. He met another student who spoke openly of his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Algerius became more and more interested in that young man’s testimony. Together they studied the Word of God until Algerius, too, was born again. His life was transformed, and he became a part of a little congregation of baptized believers.
When the testimony of Algerius became known to members of the Inquisition, he was arrested. At first he was interrogated by the Catholic priests, thinking that with their logic they could turn him. Even a visit by Pope Paul IV was arranged in an effort to over-awe the young man. These things did not work. Then he was forced to witness the torture and death of other Anabaptists and of some criminals. When this didn’t encourage his disavowal of Biblical Christianity, the torture was applied to him. Nothing broke his faith, and it was determined that he must die. He was taken to the stake, stripped to the waist and boiling oil was poured over his head and body. The crowd of witnesses had initially been a very rowdy mob, but quickly they became as still as death. Eventually the oil was ignited. Algerius was gone.
Earlier, while still in prison, he wrote a letter to his Baptist brethren. It is lengthy and I don’t have it all, but it begins – “Written in the most delightful pleasure garden of the prison, called Leonia, the 12th day of July. A.D. 1557…… Here on earth I have ‘no continuing city’ or place of rest. My home and country are in heaven. I seek the new city of Jerusalem, which I see before me, and which comes to meet me. In fact, I am already on the way to it; there is my sweet home, my riches, my parents, and my friends, my pleasure, and my honour.”