The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-02-05

sylt8nfas
/ Ephrata is small village situated
some twenty-six miles from Lancaster
The settlement of Ephrata was caused
by circumstance Of very romantic
interest.
A religious society was formed 10
Germany, in the year lI0S, by eight
persons, who entered into covenant
TO unite in the examination Of the
rules and doctrines gathered from the
New Testament, and to form mode
of worship and life in conformity with
the result of their Investigations
Persecution soon drove them fiom
their homes, and Alexander Mack, a
leader amongst them, devoted his
property to the common use of the
society, and emigrated to Mill Greek,
Pa, in 1929 Conrad Bissel, one Of
the members of this church, issued a
religious tract in 1925, and owing to
the excitement caused by it at Mill
Creek. he retired secretly to cell on
the banks of the Cocalico, where he
remained for sometime undiscovered
bv his brethren. When his retreat
was found, they gathered about it
and built cottages so that the her
mit's cell was the nucleus around
which the future town of Ephrata
gathered
In the year 1872, the solitary cot
tage life was changed into convent
icle one. a monastic society was es-
tablishcd. and the erection of build
ings commenced.
The dress adopted was, for the
brethren, long white gown and cowl,
of texture suited to the season; and
for the sisters the same, with slight
change in the shape of the cowl.
The first buildings ofthe society of
any consequence were ''Kedar" and
sZion,n Westinghouse and convent.
which were erected on the hill called
mount Zion" Larger aeeommoda-
tons were afterward built in the mea-
dow below, comprising q Sisters
house called "Saron," to which is at
lached large chapel and "Saal," for
the purpose of holding "Agapas" or
Love Feasts; and Brothers, house,
called "Bethania,- with which is con-
nected the large meeting-room with
galleries in which the whole society
assembled for public worship, in the
DAYS oftheir prosperity.
The buildings are singular, and of
very ancient architecture, all the out
er wall being covered with shingles.
The two houses for the brethren and
sisters are very large, being three or
four stories high. Each has chapel
for their night-mettings.
The chapels and "Saals" are hung
and nearly covered with large sheets
of elegant penmanship, or ink-paint-
ings. MANY Of which are texts from
the Scriptures, executed in a very
handsome manner, in ornamented
Gothic letters, called German Fractur-
Schrifter.
A few DAYS after the battle of
Brandywine had been fought (Sep-
tember 1lfh. IT'D, from four to FIVE
hundred of the wounded soldiers were
taken to Ephrata, and placed in the
hospital. Drs. Yerkel, Scott Gather
of Colonel Joseph W. Scott. of New
Jersey, and Harrison were the at
tending surgeons. The wounds and
camp-fever baffied their skill. and one
hundred and fifty Of the soldiers died
here. They were principally from
the eastern States and Pennsylvania,
with few British, who had deserted
and joined the American Army.
The place where they rest is in
closed, and for many years n board,
with an inscription setting forth the
fact, was placed over the gate of the
inclosure. This has given place to
the foundation of monument, the
cornerstone of which was laid, Sep
tember l1th, 1S45-
At the time Congress left Phila-
delpbia and met at Lancaster for
safety, money was minted at Ephrata.
The difficulties and disadvantages
which the hardy pioneers had to con-
tend with in puttingup their buildings
may be imagined, when it is known
that they had to prepare all the TIM
Der, etc, unaided by machinery or
power, save their own strong arms.
Trees were cut down in the forest
and dragged by hand to their requir-
ed positions. The locks and hinges
of the doors, all household utensils
and such primitive agricultural i'm
plements as they used, were made
from wood, and window-sashes cast
from lead. The leather was tanned
upon which to make the card. the
card was made, the sheep raised and
sbeared, the wool carded, spun and
woven, all by their own hands, upon
their own premises They wrote and
printed valuable books, when print
ing was in its infancy here, and spec
linens of their typographical art are
still in existence, which reflect credit
upon their labors.
As religious community, they
never lost sight of their duty to God
in their efforts to have home comforts
around them and to their credit be
it said that the first Sabbath-school
in the world was established at
Ephrata.