Peter Nead (7 January 1796 – 16 March 1877) was an American preacher in the

Old German Baptist Brethren The Old German Baptist Brethren (OGBB) is a conservative Plain church which emerged from a division among the German Baptist Brethren in 1881 being part of the Old Order Movement. Like the church it emerged from, it has roots both in Anabaptism ...

church. He wrote several theological works, which were (and remain) influential in the Old German Baptist Brethren and related churches, perhaps the most prominent being "A Vindication of Primitive Christianity." Title page of Nead's Primitive Christianity 1834

Title page of Nead's Primitive Christianity 1834

Life

Nead was born in

Hagerstown, Maryland Hagerstown is a city in Washington County, Maryland, United States and the county seat of Washington County. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2020 census was 43,527, and the population of the Hagerstown metropolitan area (exten ...

, and was raised as a

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

. His family wanted him to become a Lutheran preacher, but he instead chose to learn the trade of a tanner. He later converted to the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

church, but then after reading a pamphlet from the Brethren church converted to that faith, and soon took up preaching. In 1825 he married Elizabeth Yount, originally of

Rockingham County, Virginia Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 83,757. Its county seat is the independent city of Harrisonburg. Along with Harrisonburg, Rockingham County forms the Harrisonburg, ...

. He resided at the Tunker House until 1839. He later relocated to

Augusta County, Virginia Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and Waynesboro. Its county ...

, then

Botetourt County Botetourt County ( ) is a US county that lies in the Roanoke Region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Located in the mountainous portion of the state, the county is bordered by two major ranges, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mount ...

, and finally settled in 1850 near

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

, where remained until his death, preaching at the Lower Stillwater church.

Ministry

Nead was known as the "English preacher" because of his ability to preach in English. Ultimately his greatest impact was in his writings, as books and pamphlets could travel many places where he could not. In 1833 he published "A Vindication of Primitive Christianity," which was widely read. In 1845 he published "Baptism for the Remission of Sins." Both of these works were published together in 1850 as "Nead's Theological Works." His last book, "The Wisdom and Power of God, as Displayed in Creation and Redemption," was published in 1866. He assisted in launching and was a frequent contributor to the church periodical ''The Vindicator,'' which was largely devoted to advocating against reformation of the church.

Citations

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Nead, Peter 1796 births 1877 deaths 19th-century Anabaptist ministers American Brethren American people of German descent American theologians Anabaptist theologians Anabaptist writers Clergy of Brethren denominations