Religious Conditions in the Central
New Jersey Colonies
from 1714 to 1750
by
Bill Roberts
Contributed by Keith R. Sagers
From the book, "The Early Germans of New Jersey" by Theodore Frelinghuysen Chambers, published in 1895 and reprinted in 1969, it mentions:
Balthazar (Baltes) Pickel: "Baltes Pickel was one of the most wealthy and influential men among the early German Lutherans in this part of New Jersey. He built, nearly altogether at his own cost, the Central Church at New Germantown; (Oldwick), furnished the seats for the earlier church at Rockaway (now Potterstown, near Lebanon) in 1733, left a legacy of 1000 pounds to support the preaching of the gospel. He was most prominent in every part of the early history of Lutheranism here, and seems always to have acted the part of a large-minded and honorable man. Indeed, it seems more than probable that without him the whole effort to maintain service under such exceedingly adverse circumstances, would have failed entirely." Also mentioned in this book was:
Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen: "Mr. Frelinghuysen arrived in New York in January, 1720, in the ship King George, under Captain Goelet. He preached on January 17, 1720 in the Collegiate Church of New York, and for the first time on the Raritan, on January 31, 1720, from the Scripture, 2 Cor: 1:20. His field of labor extended from New Brunswick to North Branch and included the area along the Raritan and Millstone Rivers. He encountered many difficulties, owing in part to the scattered population, dense forests, unbridged streams, and ill-marked roads, incident to a newly settled country, but still more to the state of the people, among whom formalism abounded, leading as it does in the end, to a great relaxation of morals. His ministry was one of continued conflict, carried on most aggressively against indifference and pharisaic formalism. With tireless energy, he fought out to its finish the conflict between truth and error. The results of his faithfulness were found first in his own family, every one of his five sons becoming ministers and both of his daughters marrying ministers. A personal religions, which is thus attested, needs no other proof of its sincerity and attractiveness. Moreover, the searching revival, which brought so many into the churches under his charge, and the testimony of George Whitefield and others, evidences the power of his preaching to have been that of the truth itself."
In the book "George Whitefield" by Arnold Dallimore, its refers to the ministry of Theodorus Frelinghuysen. "In 1720 Frelinghuysen (1691-1747) became the minister of four Dutch Reformed Churches in the semi-wilderness country of the Raritan Valley. His people possessed a strong orthodoxy of the head but evinced little or nothing of a regenerate heart, and he began immediately to preach against the emptiness of their religion and to declare the absolute necessity of being born again. He exercised an unrelenting and powerful ministry, covering an extensive area and preaching not only in meeting houses, but in homes and barns. A man of sound learning, he printed several of his sermons and used them as a declaration of his doctrine. He established schools and also trained several godly young men and used them, though unordained, in the work of evangelism." It is very probable that Baltes Pickel was one of these young men.
In another book, "The First 275 years of Hunterdon County (1714-1989)", on page 10," it refers to a group of Palatines who came to America in 1710 to produce naval stores in the pine forests of the New York colony. After the collapse of the project, a group of these Germans settled in or near Franklin Township, Somerset County, in the Raritan Valley before 1714. Chief among this group was one Balthazar (Baltes) Pickel, who for fifty years provided the civil and spiritual leadership of the community, even to the extent of building two churches at his own expense. By 1729, he had purchased a large tract west of Whitehouse and settled there."
In yet another book, "The Faithful And The Bold", by Norman C. Wittwer, Jr., page 33, it refers to the History of the American Lutheran Church. "Zion's Dr. Hazels wrote that the Dutch and German Lutherans in the New York colony about 1720, agreed to meet every Lord's day for mutual instruction and edification, by appointing one of their own number as readers ... ." In the text, the author writes, "There was one man, twenty seven years of age and unmarried, who throughout the remainder of his life was to manifest unwavering dedication to this congregation. This man was Baltes Pickel.
The book also refers to the early services of this congregation, meeting in homes of its participants. The first meeting was in the home of Aree van Guinee (a black man and his family) in 1714 on the Raritan. (Somerset County). The Rev. Justus Falckner was the pastor of this group until he died in 1722. He was the first Lutheran pastor ordained in America and met with his scattered congregations once each year. All of the subsequent meetings were held in the home of Matthias Reinbold, Baltes' step father until Baltes was married and then they were in his home. Records show that many baptisms, confirmations, marriages, etc. were performed in Baltes Pickel's home until a formal church building was built.
Also from the book, "George Whitefield" by Arnold Dallimore, it mentions:
Rev. William Tennent (1673-1745): "During the years following 1720, another voice began to be heard in this semi-wilderness. This was the voice of the Rev. William Tennent, minister of the Presbyterian Church at Neshaminy in Pennsylvania. Tennent was a man of extensive learning and his ministry was marked by vital evangelism and spiritual power. Both in his pulpit and before the Synod he declared the unchanging necessity of the new birth."
"Tennent had four sons, all of whom experienced the call of God to the ministry, and, fearing the baneful influences of the usual places of education, he trained them in his own home. Other young men asked for the same training and in order to accommodate them, Tennent built a one-room school house which, in contempt, its detractors termed "The Log College". In 1754, this "Log College" was moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where it developed into the now famous Princeton University and Theological Seminary.
"As William Tennent aged, the leadership of the work passed into the hands of his son Gilbert (1703-1764). In 1726 Gilbert settled in New Brunswick in New Jersey, and eighteen years later, in response to a request for a report of the blessings experienced there, he wrote:"
"The labours of the Rev. Mr. Frelinghuysen, a Dutch Calvinist minister, were much blessed to the people of New Brunswick and places adjacent, especially about the time of his coming among them ... . When I came there, which was about seven years after, I had the pleasure of seeing much of the fruits of his ministry; divers of his hearers, with whom I had opportunity of conversing, appeared to be converted persons by their soundness in principle, Christian experience and pious practice."
From the "George Whitefield Journals", he, G.W., relates "that on Tuesday, November 13, 1739, he left Trent (Trenton) at six in the morning, and reached Brunswick, thirty miles distant, at one. Here we were much refreshed with the company of Mr. Gilbert Tennent, an eminent Dissenting minister, about forty years of age, son of that good old man who came to see me on Saturday at Philadelphia. God, I find, has been pleased greatly to own his labours. He and his associates are now the burning and shining lights of this part of America." Then on Tuesday, Nov. 20. "Reached here about six last night; and preached today at noon, for near two hours, in worthy Mr. Tennent's meeting house, to a large assembly gathered together from all parts; and amongst them, Mr. Tennent told me, was a great number of solid Christians. About three in the afternoon, I preached again; and at seven, I baptised two children, and preached a third time. Among others who came to hear the word, were several ministers, whom the Lord has been pleased to honour, in making them instruments of bringing many sons to glory. One was a Dutch Calvinist minister, named Frelinghuysen, pastor of a congregation about four miles from New Brunswick. He is a worthy old soldier of Jesus Christ, and was the beginner of the great work which I trust the Lord is carrying on in these parts.
Baltes Pickel is my 6th great grandfather on my father's side of my family.
[ 225 Years: A History of ZELC Oldwick, NJ | Honeyman Manuscript | ELCA Family History - 1700s | Goff Family Home Page: 10th Gen |
| NJ County outline map | Note dated 18 Dec 1750 | Proceedings of the NJHS, Vol. IX |
| Religious Conditions in the Central NJ Colonies, 1714-1750 ]
