The German Pietists: Spiritual Mentors of the German Communal Settlements in America

Most of the historical American communal societies had their beginning at the end of the eighteenth or in the early nineteenth century.Almost all of them were Pietistic in their religious orientation.The most outstanding non-German communal society with strong Pietistic elements was the Swedish community at Bishop Hill, in Illinois, founded by Erik Jansson.The most successdul non-German exception was Oneida in New York, which showed practically no trace of historical Pietism.The Pietism that influenced the German-American communal societies, more especially their founders and leaders, were the "fathers" of modern Pietism itself, the writings of men like Spener and Francke, and also their spiritual mentors and forefathers.Their writings provided sustenance, comfort and encouragement to the spirited adventures who attempted to build bastion islands of peace and harmony.