Peter Johannes de Neui

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Bookplate Peter Johannes de Neui
PJ de Neui among north-west German mission workers (right margin, standing)

Peter (Pieter) Johannes de Neui - also called Johann Pieter de Neui - (* October 23, 1828 in Ditzumerverlaat , Rheiderland ; † February 12, 1907 in George , Iowa ) was a journeyman blacksmith and one of the most important missionaries of the northwest German Baptists . He is also considered a co-founder of the Dutch Baptists .

Life

De Neui was born the son of the commercial gardener Johannes Derks de Neui and his wife Reentje Janssen, née Bruns. He learned the blacksmith's trade, but dealt with theological issues as an autodidact from an early age . In his search for God , he came in the late 40s of the 19th century in contact with the time in Germany still young Baptist movement . After an inner turning toward the Christian faith he settled on 8 February 1850 Weener from which Jever originating Baptist pastor Johann Ludwig Hinrichs baptized . He soon recognized the special talents of his young parishioner and prompted him to take part in the ministry in the parish . De Neui preached his first sermon in Dutch , which was still the common language in schools and churches in the Rheiderland border area .

In 1852 Johannes Peter de Neui began a six-month short training course at the mission seminar founded by Johann Gerhard Oncken . He then worked for some time in Schwei ( Stadland ) and returned to East Frisia in 1853 .

Missionary in East Frisia and the Netherlands

Chapel of the Baptist Congregation Ditzumerverlaat

First of all, it was the newly formed Baptist church in his place of birth that called him its first preacher . Two years later he took over the community service in yours as the successor to Johann Ludwig Hinrich . The main focus of his work, however, was not the pastoral care of the parishioners. The community in your served him primarily as a starting point for extensive preaching trips to many East Frisian places. In winter he covered long distances on ice skates . The many waterways in East Frisian and Dutch offered a good opportunity for this.

In a de Neui biography written by Theodor Peter Duprée it says: “In many places he planted the banner of the Gospel . He was very popular everywhere; but it also aroused violent opposition in many places. In part, it might be because he ruthlessly attacked the dead church and placed the biblical truth of baptism and congregation on the candlestick. "

De Neui's missionary work also came into the focus of the state and church authorities. Bans on preaching, fines for holding unauthorized meetings were among other things. a. the consequences. As the reprisals increased, De Neui turned increasingly to the neighboring Netherlands and continued his missionary work here. He is considered one of the co-founders of the Dutch Baptists. As a result of his activities, a Baptist congregation was established in Franeker ( Friesland ) and he became its preacher for six years from 1865.

Baptist minister in the United States

In 1871 Peter de Neui emigrated to the United States with his wife Catharina Johanna, née Kramer, and five children . Initially, the family settled in Silvercreek / Illinois , where Peter de Neui was called to pastor the First East Frisian Baptist Congregation, a congregation that had been founded by emigrants from yours a few years earlier.

In 1876 the family moved to Iowa. Until 1901 de Neui served his preaching office here, first in Steamboat Rock and later in Buck Grove . He died in 1907; his grave is in Evergreen Cemetery in George, Lyon County , Iowa .

literature

  • Theodor Duprée: Peter J. de Neui, a pioneer of Baptism in East Friesland and Holland , in: The truth witness 8/1925
  • Pieter de Neui: Life and Laboratories of PJ de Neui , oO., OJ
  • Menno Smid: Ostfriesische Kirchengeschichte , Leer 1974, p. 540ff
  • Jürgen Hoogstraat: From Ostfriesland to America , North 1990, ISBN 3-922365-79-5 , p. 125f
  • Karl Radtke: 100 years of the Baptist Church in Leer , Leer 2000

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ortssippenbuch Ihrhove: corrections to the letter S ; viewed on September 8, 2011
  2. ↑ Theodor Duprée: Peter J. de Neui, a pioneer of Baptism in East Frisia and Holland, in: Der Truthszeuger 8/1925, p. 38
  3. ↑ Jürgen Hoogstraat: From Ostfriesland to America , North 1990, p. 125f
  4. ^ Find-A-Grave: Peter J. DeNeui ; accessed on April 4, 2014

See also

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Neui, Peter Johannes de
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Neui, Johann Pieter de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Journeyman blacksmith and missionary of the Northwest German Baptists
DATE OF BIRTH October 23, 1828
PLACE OF BIRTH Ditzumerverlaat , Rheiderland
DATE OF DEATH February 12, 1907
Place of death George (Iowa) , Iowa