Johann Martin Boltzius facts for kids
Johann Martin Boltzius (born December 15, 1703 – died November 19, 1765) was a German-born Lutheran minister. He is best known for helping a group of German-speaking Protestant refugees called the Salzburger emigrants. These refugees moved to the British colony of Georgia in 1734. They wanted to escape religious persecution in the Archbishopric of Salzburg. They founded the town of Ebenezer, Georgia.
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Early Life and Education
Boltzius was born in Forst, a town in Germany. His parents, Eva Rosina Muller and Martin Boltzius, were weavers. He earned a scholarship to study theology at the University of Halle. There, he studied Lutheran Pietism. This belief focused on being saved by God's grace. It also taught strong ethics and caring for others. After his studies, he worked at the Latin School of the Francke in Halle. He helped provide Protestant education to orphans.
Leading the Salzburgers to Georgia
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In 1733, Boltzius was chosen to be a minister for the Salzburg Protestant refugees. He called their journey "into danger, but closer to God." This shows how hard travel was in the 1700s. The Salzburgers saw their move as a spiritual journey. They believed facing hardships would bring them closer to God.
Boltzius imagined a new community where God was the main leader. He was chosen as a leader for the Salzburgers. However, he stressed that ministers were guided by God. They would make decisions in God's name.
Founding Ebenezer
In 1734, the Salzburgers sailed from England to Georgia. They first arrived in Charleston, South Carolina. Then they went to Savannah, Georgia. James Oglethorpe, who founded the Georgia colony, met them. He gave them land that would become Ebenezer.
Many Salzburgers died from diseases during the journey. More died after they arrived in Georgia. Boltzius believed these deaths were God's tests of their faith. However, he also started to blame James Oglethorpe. He felt Oglethorpe chose a poor location for the settlement.
Moving the Settlement
In 1736, Ebenezer was moved closer to the Savannah River. Boltzius had asked for the community to move. He wanted an area with better land where the Salzburgers could thrive. After a disagreement with Oglethorpe, Boltzius even threatened to break up the community. He said this if they did not get permission to move.
In 1737, Boltzius talked with John Wesley about church leadership. Boltzius noted that Wesley was very firm in his beliefs. This led to Wesley not giving Boltzius Holy Communion.
Boltzius established the Jerusalem Lutheran Church. He managed the Ebenezer settlement with strong religious guidance.
Outreach and Challenges
Boltzius wanted to share his faith with other groups in Georgia. He did not agree with the Moravians who came to Georgia. But he did form ties with Anglican and Jewish leaders. He often spoke out about how politics affected the colonies. This sometimes caused him to separate from other groups.
He was strongly against slavery. He thought it went against Christian values. But in 1740, he felt he had to accept slavery for the safety of the Salzburgers. He worried about being killed for his beliefs. Later, he even bought his own slaves. In 1741, Boltzius founded what is now the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Savannah.
Later Life and Legacy
Towards the end of his life, Boltzius became sick with malaria. He also started to lose his eyesight. When he died in 1765, the Salzburgers felt his loss. They had lost their leader and guide.
