The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-04-01
SNOW HILL NUNNERY.
Seventh Day Baptists Trying to Revive
the Institution.
A CURIOUS COMMUNITY IN PENSA.
Property Worth Half Million That May
Go 10 the State.

During the last week in November.
1886, Obed Snowberger, the last of the
monks of the religious community known
as the Snow Hill Ndnnery. near Waynes-
boro, Pa, died, and the papers throughout
the state announced that the property be-
longing TO the community, valued at more
than SjO0,O would revert to the state of
Pennsylvania. But it seems now that
such is not the case.
The Seventh Day Baptists, to whom the
community at Snow Hill belongs, are
particularly strong in northern hen-
tucky, southern Ohio, and southwestern
Pennsylvania. quite number of men,
bers belong TO the society at Snow Hill,
and movement has begun looking tow
ard a reorganization of the monastery, a
branch of the once famous monastery at
Ephrata, Pa. The idea is to draw recruits
from all the existing societies by means
of religions revivals to be begun shortly.
The original community was organized
in 1875. Catharine Snowberger bought
the tract OF land in 1863. 1t had then
farmhouse and contained l30 acres. The
whole valley was inhabited by Baptists,
most of them of the Seventh Day branch,
10 which sect Catharine belonged. Thirty
two years later Peter Lehman, German
Baptist preacher, came to the southern
part of Franklin county, held a revival
meeting, and started the idea which had
been so successful at Ephrata. Two years
later four women. all Snowbergers, took
the vows, and when others Joined from
time to time the society became flourish
ing. Until 1875 the property was owned
by Catharine Snowberger's heirs. In
that year ii was. sold 10 five trustees by
Andrew Snowberger, Caiharine's neph-
ew, and the state chartered The Seventh
Day Baptists' Monastical Society ofSnow
HILL" which then began vigorous life.
Both sexes were admitted, and the farm
house being found insufficient for the
growing numbers, the original building
was from time to time enlarged. Then,
as new industries were begun, shops were
erected all over the place.
Fer many years the average number of
persons living at the nunnery was fifty,
the men seldom exceeding the weaker
sex in number. Any Seventh Day Bap-
tist in good standing was eligible, pro-
vided he or she was willing TO come out
from the world and be separate; TO give
up all worldly goods TO the society, and
10 live life of celibacy.
The vows were not necessarily for life,
but very few of those who entered ever
returned 10 the world. No one having a
husband or wife living was admitted, but
widows and widowers might become
members. All newcomers were Obliged
to serve HOvitiate of one year, after
which, if satisfactory, they were admit
ted To full membership and received a
new name.
Those who, ut the close of their pro-
bationary period or even having been for
years members of the community, desir-
cd to marry or see more of the world,
were free to leave and carry with them
everything they had brought in. but
nothing they had acquired while mem
Ders OF the order.
The sisters occupied themselves with
spinning, cooking. weaving. dairy work,
and the gathering of herbs for their own
use, while the brothers attended to stock
raising, farming and milling. For va
riety's sake, il was the custom TO change
of. That is, the sisters who cooked one
week made butter the next. and likewise
the millers of one seven days tended
sheep the following, Idleness was not
| permitted, neither was overwork, and
wholesome food in abundance made the
life of the monastics anything but a bur
! den.
The whole society ate their meals in
one dining room, the male members 10y
1 themselves at one long table, and the
/ females at another, while an old grand
fathers clock guarded against waste OF
time and Indigestion from too much
haste. Prayers were attended twice a
day, at in the morning and at sunset, in
a chapel about the centre of tl3s CHIEF
building. The only ornaments visible ia
the chapel are some rnde illustrations OF
| Scripture texts on parchment. One oi
the largest of these came from Germany,
anu ANlit1NfiAAN AAA' hiditii>iia VI 'liiiSi ifN
John. There is another chapel on the
place, but i'm it the members of the local
church, and not the monks and nuns
worship. \ brook runs by it, where
hundreds Of converts have been baptized
Since the war. the decline of the socie-
~ has been continuous. Old age and dis
ease have filed the graveyard in the
meadow, and the admissions by the conn
| ell were of rare occurrence. Ten wears
ago FIVE sisters and three brothers, near
~ all above the three-score-and-teu line
were all that remained of the Snow Hill
household. In 1900 Sister Zenobah, or
iginally Elizabeth Fryock, and Obed
snowberger Drother Obed) were all
that remained, and now the sole occu.
pant Of the community Is a watchnar
and his family.
Empress Seventh Victim.
OMAN, Neb.. March 3j.-Bernard Shea
1 g,ry.ar l-aaU.r Il.