The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-12
MYSTICAL TOWN OF EPHRATA.
An Ancient Site Founded by a Cur
ious Religious sect.

No town in PENNSYLVANIA has a history
which includes so much of what is iegen-
dairy and mystical as Ephrata situated in
| the beautiful Cocalico Valley.
The original portion, most of which is
| still standing, though in a most dilapidateJ
| condition and fast going into decay
through age and neglect. was known as
| the Settlement of the Solitary G-aeer
| der Einsament. and is often called to this
! day .Kloster' (cloister).
| Comparatively few people In Pennsyl-
| vania are familiar with the history of
| this interesting town and Of the peculiar
people that formed here a religious COM
| munity so different from any other in the
| province Their leader was Conrad
Beisei, who was born in Eberbach. on the
! Neckar, Germany, in April Of 1890. He
! was poor ignorant Journeyman baker,
| who thought he had become suddenly
/ chosen by the Deity 10 become leader OF
/ men.
/ eraI body Of Dunkers. a sect of German
j Baptists, who, under the leadership of
[ Alexander Mack, emigrated from Hol-
! land and Germany in l723 and settled in
( Pennsylvania. Here Beisel. through his
/ devout teachings and his spiritual energy
I becafne conspicuous leader. But gradu-
I ally severance took place among the
/ Dunkers and another sect sprang up
I within the old order.
/ These were the people who were known
( as the Seventh Day Adventists. Their
| distinct principle as the name imparts,
was that the seventh day and not the first
I Of the week was the true Sabbath, intend
cd to be universally and deyoutiy OBJ
served.
In 1727 the Seventh Day order, under
Beisel wandered into the wilderness and
settled here on the banks of the Cocaiico.
To this settlement they gave the name
Ephrata. which is Hebrew for fruitful
and Beisel became their acknowledged
! leader
/ II was through his efforts that the
! community, after its removal to Ephrata,
became a peculiar society or order whose
/ chief aim was 10 obtain spiritual regen-
Grafton and perfection. This resulted in
I the adoption Of a cloister system, together
with the rule Of the White Fliars and the
! building of a monastery for the members
/ of the sect.
/ BeiseI not satisfied with their simple
! form OF worship. introduced certain mys-
/ teal degrees. characteristic of mediaevei
times.
! Among the relics of those old days that
\ still stand are the Saal, worship hall.
| This is still devoted TO its original uses
religious services being held there on the
! ers. Also the Brother and Sister
houses, two large frame buildings that
might have been called the inconsistencies
Poor families are now allowed to reside
here at a very small rental.
There ara also some smaller houses
that were part of the original eloister
no doubt. the former residences of Bel
sci or some other nOtables.
Directly opposite the creek is a mill
which has 4 decidedly modern appearance,
though stone in the wall bears the leg
end.
"AoMDCCLVI."
The original mill that was built In 1756
by the Bauman family was the first of
The two paper mills in the province. 1t
was a paper mill until 1856. when il was
sold to private parties and was turned
into a grist mill As the improved meth
DDS Of milling and the growing business
demanded Increased facilities, steam pow
er and new machinery were introduced
and to meet the further demands of a
r,stf ~ 70 a. Fah nu
casions. until 1t has now lost its original
appearance as an old-time Pennsylvania
water mill.
In the old huryng ground on Mt Zion.
the tomb Of Beiscl can still DC seen, along
with the graves of many Revolutionary
soldiers who found their last resting place
here in the winter of Ia and l7lS, after
town. when the houses OF the brotherhood
were utilized by The American forces as
military hospitals.