Ephrata Close Discover Lancaster County Let the discovery begin. Let Lancaster County delight you with the things you always knew were here. And surprise you with a slew of things you didn't. Antiques Capital Nestled in the countryside of northeastern Lancaster County, "Antiques Capital, USA" is recognized as the premier year-round antiques destination in the Northeast. Small Towns & Northern Countryside Stroll down a street in one of our small towns, and you'll think you've wandered right into a scene of a Norman Rockwell painting. Amish & PA Dutch Countryside Pennsylvania Amish Country is a picturesque landscape that must be witnessed in person to be fully appreciated. Rolling hills with lush grasses and crops, farms with windmills dotting the horizon and horse and buggies sharing the road remind you that things are simpler here in Lancaster County. Downtown Lancaster The city is situated in the center of Lancaster County, and its seven square miles are packed with art, museums, historical attractions, restaurants and cafes, theatres, shops and boutiques. River Hills Want even more of the great outdoors? The River Hills are home to a host of scenic biking tours and hiking trails through beautiful rolling hills.

Next-door Neighbors Take a short sightseeing trip from Lancaster County to explore our nearby neighbors. With Hershey just a short drive away, you're sure to enjoy the excitement of Hersheypark or the relaxing getaway of the Chocolate Spa. Take a daytrip to Philadelphia or head to Gettysburg to tour battlefields, mansions and museums. Stories From the Road Let the discovery begin. Enjoy hearing about all of the things you thought you knew straight from someone who's experienced it first hand - our bloggers. Getting Here Considering visiting Lancaster but aren't quite sure how far of a drive we are from your location? Flying in, or taking the train? Find all of the necessary details here. For Locals Live locally and love it here? Have out-of-town-guests coming to stay, and don't know what to show them about our wonderful County? This link is for you. Amish Religion & Traditions | PA Amish church, religious faith & beliefs Home Page Regions & Towns Amish & PA Dutch Countryside Amish Religious Traditions How religion guides the traditions, lifestyle and beliefs of the Pennsylvania Amish.

The Pennsylvania Amish are a private people who believe that God has called them to a simple life of faith, discipline, dedication and humility. They believe that the Amish religion should be practiced, not displayed, and translated into daily living rather than focused on tangible symbols or complicated religious rituals. Their belief is that God has a personal and abiding interest in their lives, families and communities is the force that holds them together in spite of the pressures of the outside world. Faith-based Amish traditions include wearing plain clothing, living in a simple manner and helping a neighbor in need. Church buildings with pews are traded for services in community homes, choirs for solemn hymns without music and professional pastors for community leaders. Click to Explore MoreClose Amish Mud Sales Pennsylvania Amish Church Services The Amish church service is an act of worship, a preservation of tradition, a renewal of faith, and an affirmation of community. Communities are divided into church districts geographically, which enables services to be held in church members' homes, as opposed to designated church buildings. Services are conducted every other Sunday, with each family in a district hosting neighbors for worship about once a year.

In order to accommodate religious services of up to 150 people in homes, each church district owns a bench wagon full of backless benches, which are transported from house to house for the three-hour services. The Amish men and women usually sit in separate sections for church itself. Hymns are sung from the Ausbund, a special hymnal used by the Pennsylvania Amish. There are usually three to seven preachers and bishops at a service. These "untrained" clergy preach powerful, emotional messages, often moving about since the congregation may be seated in different rooms of the home. Some ministers present their message in a chanting, sing-song manner, in the Pennsylvania German dialect, with scriptures in High German. Common religious scripture themes include leading a right life in the eyes of the Lord; resurrection; and the idea of "judge not that ye be not judged." Scriptures are followed by brief minister messages, prayer and more song. After the religious service concludes, the rooms are cleared of people and some of the benches are converted into tables so that a light lunch can be served. Due to limited space, men and women eat in shifts, oldest through youngest, and usually in separate rooms.

The meal may consist of coffee, bread, "church spread" (a combination of peanut butter and marshmallow), jam, apple butter, red beets, pickles, cheese, and sometimes snitz (dried apple) pie. Social time follows the meal. Religious Tradition of Song Well over 400 years old, the Ausbund is one of the most famous and important books to the Pennsylvania Amish. First published in German in 1564 shortly after the Reformation, it is reported to be the oldest Protestant hymnal in continuous use. With hymns added over the years, editions today contain nearly 900 pages. The Ausbund is important for many reasons, but most notably for the religious tradition that it preserves. The core of the book consists of about 50 hymns written mostly by 16th century German Anabaptists, many imprisoned in castle dungeons for their religious beliefs. Therefore, the tone of many hymns is one of great sorrow, loneliness or protest against the world of wickedness. Hymns at a religious service are sung in German, with no organ or musical accompaniment, and in unison with no harmonizing.

It may take as long as 15 minutes to do three stanzas, and for this reason entire hymns are not always sung. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Amish singing is the fact that the hymnal contains no musical notation. Melodies have simply been remembered and passed down from generation to generation, most having originated in sacred or secular folk songs and Gregorian chants of the times. Because certain men in the congregation have natural musical talent, they come to learn the melodies over the years and may emerge as song leaders or "vorsingers." Amish Baptism Amish youth decide if they want to join the church in their late teens and early twenties, and if they choose to be baptized, they submit themselves to the order of the church for the rest of their lives. In doing so, candidates make a confession of faith and agree to comply with the order of the Amish community, or the Ordnung, an unwritten tradition that spells out expected behaviors and regulations.

Church members who break the commitment and refuse to repent and confess their sins are excommunicated and "shunned." The Pennsylvania Amish try to persuade the wayward to cooperate with the church, but those who continue to be disobedient must be banned from fellowship in order to maintain the purity of the church. The shunned are prohibited from engaging in any social interaction, cut off from all close friends and associates. Shunning happens infrequently, although it serves as an effective form of social control for the Amish that preserves their spiritual purity. Selection of Amish Ministers Each district usually has two or three ministers, one deacon, and one bishop, who is typically shared between two districts. The Pennsylvania Amish do not believe in going to a religious college or seminary to become a minister in the church. No one is "brought in" or feels he has been "called" to serve as a preacher. Rather, ministers are chosen by lot from the men in the Amish church district congregation. Deacons are chosen by lot as well, and bishops from among the ministers. Becoming a minister is not viewed as an honor, but rather as a serious and heavy responsibility. Ministers usually serve for life and receive no salary.

In most Amish communities, a young man cannot be baptized into the faith unless he is willing to become a minister, should the lot fall on him some day. It is normally taken for granted that the candidate will be a married man. New ministers are needed when one dies, or when a district becomes too large and must divide. The actual event of choosing a new minister is considered one of the most emotional and important to be experienced in the Amish religion. An announcement that a new minister will be chosen is usually made at least two weeks prior to the communion service, so everyone has time to pray and meditate. There are not to be discussions among the people as to who they plan to "nominate," nor does anyone indicate his desire to become a minister. Voting is completed by the congregation after the communion service, and those who receive three or more votes are named the candidates. Each candidate selects a hymnal, and the one who finds a slip of paper with a verse written on it tucked inside is deemed the one chosen by God from among the congregation. Amish Weddings Most Pennsylvania Amish weddings take place after the autumn harvest, from late October through December.

Traditionally, they are held Tuesdays and Thursdays, so there is time in between to get ready for and clean up after each. Even so, it can get pretty busy during the "wedding season," with some Amish going to two or three weddings in one day! An Amish wedding is a particularly joyous occasion, for two baptized members of the church are joining in marriage, continuing the faith and starting a new family together. While parents do not select who their children will marry, approval must be given, and the deacon usually acts as the go-between. At a church service after fall communion, the couples planning to marry are "published," or announced in front of the congregation. But much preparation, mainly by the bride’s parents, has already begun, including the early summer planting of several hundred stalks of celery, an important part of any Lancaster Amish wedding feast. The wedding service itself, held in the home of the bride’s parents, is similar to the regular Sunday church service; however, the focus is on the serious step of marriage, for in the Amish religion, there is no divorce.

After the service, the benches are put together to form tables for the wedding meal, which is a feast indeed, including "roast," a mixture of bread filling and chicken, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, apple sauce and creamed celery. Some leafy celery stalks are also put in jars to decorate the table. Among the desserts are pies, doughnuts, fruit and pudding. There are usually several wedding cakes, some made by the women, but often one from a bakery as well, which are usually eaten later in the day. It will take several seatings to feed 200-300 (or more) guests. In the afternoon, the young people have a singing, and soon it is time for those who have stayed through the day to enjoy the evening meal. Hymn-singing again follows the meal, dominated by "faster hymns." After spending the night at the bride’s home, the newlyweds awake the next day to begin helping with the clean-up from the day before. The couple will spend upcoming weekends visiting relatives, sometimes stopping at five or six houses between a Friday and Sunday night. Wedding gifts are usually given to them at this time.

By the spring, the couple is usually ready to move into a home of their own, and the groom will have begun growing his beard. This is an Amish tradition that signifies a man is married. Funeral Services Like all religious groups, The Amish have traditions that they observe upon the death of a family member. And like so many of their religious ceremonies, the Pennsylvania Amish are reminded that their focus should not be so much on this world as on the world yet to come. Funeral practices of the Lancaster Amish settlement differ somewhat from those in other areas. In Lancaster County, an Amish body is taken to a local funeral director who is familiar with Amish funeral customs. Family members might wash the body before the undertaker arrives. The undertaker embalms the body and typically dresses it in long underwear before placing it in the coffin. Coffins are six sided, with two pieces on hinges that fold down to reveal the body from the chest up, and lined with material made and provided by the Amish. The coffin is then returned to the Amish family. The body is usually dressed in white clothing by family members of the same sex.

For men, this means white pants, vest, and shirt; for women a white dress, cape and apron. In many cases, the white cape and apron are the same that were worn on a woman's wedding day. In the meantime, word goes out about the death to relatives and those in the church district, and an obituary appears in the local newspaper. Prior to the day of the funeral service and burial, usually three days after the death, friends and neighbors come to the home to view the body. This is a somber time, with men and women dressed in black, quietly sitting in one or two rooms. Visitors greet the family members, and then are asked if they would like to see the body. They are taken to the coffin, and the white sheet or cloth is pulled back to reveal the face of the deceased. The undertaker does not use make-up or cosmetics on the face when he embalms the body. On the day of the funeral, a religious service is held in the home. During the sermons, ministers refrain from eulogizing the deceased; instead, they tend to reference the story of creation.

Following the religious service, buggies will process to the cemetery, and because there are so many, a number designating the order is often written in chalk on the side. The coffin is placed in the hearse, a box-like enclosed carriage drawn by a horse. The long line of carriages heading to the cemetery is a solemn, impressive sight. There are about 20 Amish cemeteries in Lancaster County, with gravestones that are fairly uniform stating the name, birth date, death date and age in years, months and days. Older cemeteries may have stones in German, but more modern ones are in English. At the cemetery, the grave has already been dug. There is no singing. Rather, a traditional hymn is read by the minister or bishop until the grave is filled by the pallbearers. The Lord’s Prayer is prayed silently. Some of the Amish in attendance will return to the home for a simple meal. Learn about the Pennsylvania Amish lifestyle by visiting our Amish attractions . Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides Ride like the Amish do through all-Amish areas. Ask about our private rides! Open 7 days a week.

Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10AM-4PM & Sunday: 10AM-3:30PM Religious Freedom and the Dominating Religions of Pennsylvania – The Crucial Decade: 1780s • 0 Comments The very establishment of Pennsylvania was founded on the religious ideology of William Penn who believed that every person had an absolute right to worship God as they saw fit. The Pennsylvania colony was originally meant to be a “Holy Experiment” inspired to be a utopian set on the lifestyle and ideals of pacifism. What began as a project of sorts turned into one of the most religiously tolerant colonies where peoples of different religious backgrounds flocked to hoping to escape persecution from Europe or discrimination from other colonies. Pennsylvania became a host for people to worship freely from Quakers who once governed the colony, Jews who’s largest population resided in Philadelphia and even Catholics whom for the most part were banned from many other colonies. While there were many sects, denominations and religions in Pennsylvania only the dominate religions of the colony will be discussed noting that by the 1780’s all of the said religions had previously rooted themselves to the land.

Anabaptists Some of the largest influx of European immigrants to Pennsylvania were from Germany and with them came the religiously persecuted including the Anabaptists. They preserved the radical ideas and traditions of the Reformation of the 16th century while enduring persecution as best they could and unlike the Catholics in Europe only baptized adults. From the Anabaptists stem two direct descendents that also formed large and important religious groups in Pennsylvania… Mennonites Created by a Dutch Anabaptist named Menno Simons, the Mennonites were people seeking to be faithful to Christ’s commands in a more literal nature. They practiced pacifism (opposition to war and violence) and lived simple lives. They refuse in activities of the state as well as… Refuse to take oaths Refuse to hold public office Refuse to bear arms Forbid marriage outside of their religious ranks The first wave arrived and settled just north of Philadelphia into Germantown and the second wave of Mennonite immigration were mainly Swiss farmers who relocated the majority of the group into Lancaster county. The third and fourth waves would again consist of a large amount of Germans.

Amish The second set of descendents of the Anabaptists and even more directly descended from the Mennonites were the Amish who also set roots down in Lancaster county and also believe in practicing pacifism and living a simple lifestyle. Some of their distinct characteristics include… Living in rural areas rather than cities Use horse and buggies Meet to worship in homes instead of church institutions Do not vote, pay taxes, or enlist in the military The Amish did not emerge until the end of the 17th century when a Swiss Mennonite named Jakob Ammann began to publicly criticize the Mennonite church for compromising their vows to withdraw from the world in a purer Protestant community. He became a leader among many Mennonites who agreed with him and took his followers to live a primitive lifestyle. Quakers Also known as the Religious Society of Friends, the Quakers was founded by George Fox in England. Persecuted in England as well as American colonies who believed they practiced witchcraft, in 1681, the Quaker William Penn wanted a place of refuge for all religions but mainly for the English Quakers.

They held social views that were considered radical and in a time where slavery was part of everyday life, the Quakers began to grow in opposition to it. They also believed that God was no respecter of people and that he could use anyone regardless of sex for his divine purposes. Because of this belief women were considered equals and played a major role in the denomination. Lutherans Derived from the teachings of Martin Luther, Lutherans began to arrive in Pennsylvania in large numbers. They shared a lot of the same language and German culture of other Pennsylvania settlers and would often joint their churches with other German Reformed groups in the area. However with so much combining of churches and religious groups the Lutheran Church in Europe dispatched Henry Muhlenberg, now considered the patriarch of American Lutheranism, from Germany to the America in order to reunite German Lutherans. One of the most effective things he did was create the Pennsylvania Ministerium which became the Lutherans first governing body. Moravians Considered one of the most influential pietistic denominations in America, the Moravians, who emerged from the Hussite movement in Moravia, first came to North America in the 1730s.

After a failed attempt to set up a community in Georgia, the Moravians headed north and settled in Philadelphia. Soon after they settled planned towns such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Moravians believed in uniting all Christian sects and lacked interest in creeds and doctrines. They also held the largest group of Protestant missionaries in the 18th century. While smaller than the other religious groups mentioned, their religious ideals would influence religions and ministers to come such as the Methodist evangelist John Wesley. While Pennsylvania was in no way perfect in its religious standards and with so many different sects merging and separating many problems arose. However that does not stop this state from being one of the most tolerant (even from its beginning as a colony) and probably the closest to religious freedom in the 1780s. Source info: Corbett, Julia Mitchell. Religion in America. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1997. Handy, Robert T. A History of the Churches in the United States and Canada. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977. Prothero, Stephen, Queen, Edward, and Shattuck, Gardner.

The Encyclopedia of American Religious History: Volume I. New York, NY: Facts on File Inc., 1996. – The Encyclopedia of American Religious History: Volume II Off the grid in Amish country - latimes YOU ARE HERE: LAT Home → Collections → Travel Off the grid in Amish country The 'Plain People' of Lancaster County, Pa., are opening their farmhouses to overnight guests. A B&B stay gives visitors a chance to experience a simpler way of life. May 15, 2011 |By Rosemary McClure | Special to the Los Angeles Times A horse and buggy travel along a winding road in Lancaster County back country. ( ) Reporting from Lancaster County, Pa. — — I scrambled out of bed at dawn's first light, dashed to the barn to milk a cow, stopped by the chicken coop to collect fresh-from-the-hen eggs, then doubled back to the farmhouse for breakfast. Six of us gathered around the table at Verdant View Farm B&B, prefacing our early morning meal with the cheerful strains of the Johnny Appleseed Song.

"Oh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed...." Just another morning in Paradise. That's Paradise, Pa., in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Home of Amish, Mennonite and Brethren religious groups. Farm folk who begin their day in a very different way from the way I usually begin mine. The hilly region, a 90-minute drive west of Philadelphia, is a scenic collage of fertile dairy land, horse-drawn carriages, clapboard farmhouses and Amish men, women and children wearing solemn black clothing. Once, the closest a visitor could get to becoming acquainted with an Amish family was to wave when passing a buggy. But with the recession making it harder for everyone to make ends meet, the Amish have turned to tourism, revealing more of their lives to visitors. You can sleep at an Amish or Mennonite bed and breakfast, shop at their quilt and furniture stores or stop at their farmhouse bakeries for a little chitchat and a big slice of shoofly pie.

Their participation in the booming tourism that marks this part of the country — 11 million visits annually — has broadened the scope of visiting Lancaster (pronounced Lankisster) County. Other recent developments have helped too: Pennsylvania Dutch country now boasts eclectic shopping, high-end accommodations and haute cuisine. But that doesn't mean all the "low" points have vanished. The main highways are awash in billboards, buffets serve heavy, salty food, and tacky souvenir shops and hotels line the roads. On the roadways in summer, Southern California-style gridlock is common. But there are ways to avoid the frenzy. Explore the farmland back roads, where the sideshows disappear, and the Amish go their own way, driving somber black buggies down the two-lane roads, their high-stepping horses clip-clopping on the pavement. You can visit small towns such as Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse and Paradise, where you'll have a better chance of meeting the people who make the area interesting. Ben and Anna Riehl, an Amish couple, opened their Beacon Hollow Farm to visitors as a B&B.

There's no TV, but "most people who come here don't want TV," Ben said. "They want to get away from all the gadgets and spend time together playing games and reading books." Ben and Anna have eight children — large families are common among the Amish — and their brood does without the trappings of modern life. The farm has 130 head of stock, which means everyone is busy from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. School takes on a different meaning here. Amish children attend a one- or two-room schoolhouse through eighth grade and usually receive no education after that. (In the 1950s, a group of Amish parents went to prison for refusing to send their children to public schools. Eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Amish children could end their formal education at 14.) The school controversy is just one of many involving the Anabaptists: Amish, Mennonite and Brethren groups, whose members call themselves the "Plain People." They were persecuted in their native Switzerland and began settling in Pennsylvania in the early 1700s in search of religious tolerance.

Most spoke German, or Deutsch, which is how the term Pennsylvania Dutch evolved. Of the three spiritual groups, the Amish are the most conservative, focusing on family, community and separation from the non-Amish world, which includes a reluctance to adopt modern conveniences such as electricity. "We don't want to be tied to the outside world," Ben Riehl said. But those who stay in the Riehls' two-bedroom B&B cottage do have electricity, which is provided through a battery pack. And every morning, the Riehls supply farm breakfasts of pancakes, scrambled eggs, homemade sausage and milk, of course. The couple offers an honest look at an iconic American way of life. "Where's Amishland?" I overheard a boy ask while dining at Good 'N Plenty, a tourist zone mega-restaurant that serves as many as 30,000 people a day. I could tell from the conversation that he expected something akin to Disneyland. That's what many Lancaster residents don't want. "Ultimately, we don't want to destroy what makes this place unique," said Lancaster businessman Dave Witmer, who owns Prince Street Café. "We want to preserve the county's rural atmosphere.

Agriculture is still our largest industry." At the same time, he's happy to talk about downtown Lancaster's evolution. "People are surprised to find a cosmopolitan, urban flavor here," he said. "Things are changing." Special Children - Special Auction Special Children - Special Auction Auctions are important fund raisers for many organizations in Lancaster County. These include the famous fire company “mud sales,” and those for religious or community support groups, from the Pennsylvania Haiti Benefit Auction to the Hospice of Lancaster County Labor Day Auction. Such events feature many of the foods and crafts for which the area is famous. Since Plain people are involved in many of these auctions, these are opportunities to rub elbows with local residents without feeling like you are gawking. In fact, many auctions are planned for when visitors are in the area, since they are often some of the main bidders, especially when quilts are on the auction block! One of the most unusual and interesting of these is the Clinic for Special Children Auction, held on the third Saturday in September, at the Leola Produce Auction on Brethren Church Road, a mile north of Route 23 in Leola. What is the Clinic for Special Children?

According to their newsletter, it is “a non-profit medical service for Amish and Mennonite children with genetic disorders. The clinic serves children by translating advances in genetics into timely diagnoses and accessible, comprehensive medical care, and by developing better understanding of heritable diseases.” Dr. Holmes Morton founded the Clinic in 1989. Since then the diagnosis of many rare disorders has saved the lives of thousands of children, often with the help of medical centers and researchers around the world. While the research can benefit children everywhere, the Clinic’s local services are some of the best available, with care plans designed especially for the individual patient. Here is just one example of the Clinic’s work over the years. When a disorder suddenly took the lives of two young brothers in a family, there was concern about how to get blood samples and diagnose others who might be at risk. The family decided the best way to get the samples from their extended family was at an upcoming wedding. So three staff members from the Clinic “drew blood samples for three hours on a Saturday night at the wedding reception. That would only happen in Lancaster County!

Out of the 63 people tested, we found 12 males who were at risk for the overwhelming infection, and 14 female carriers.” As with many of these rare genetic disorders, newborn screening may detect those most at risk and very often save lives. Because of the Clinic’s work, practicing pediatricians and pediatric residents often request spending some time at the Clinic to learn from the experience. The results of the research can be immediate. Perhaps one pediatric resident from the Hershey Medical Center said it best --- “I have worked with many doctors and many scientists, and all I can say about Drs. Morton and Strauss is that I am in awe. The Amish people are as lucky to have this clinic as the clinic is to have the Amish.” Even with grants that come to the Clinic, 48% of its budget comes from charitable gifts, and 28% from auction proceeds. Currently, there are auctions in Pennsylvania every year in Shippensburg, Blair County, and Lancaster, in addition to Shiloh, Ohio. The idea for the auction came from a group of volunteers in 1991.

To give you a better idea of the scope of the auction, here are just some of the statistics from the 2007 auction in Lancaster County: 3,936 donated items auctioned to 1,542 registered bidders, 97 large quilts, handmade furniture, original artwork, and even a pony with harness and wagon. The following food items were sold out by mid-afternoon: 20,000 donuts, 2,200 pork sandwiches from 8 roasted pigs, 3,100 subs, 350 pizzas, 3,000 pounds of barbecued chicken, 7,200 servings of ice cream and 550 milkshakes, 4,000 soft pretzels, 230 strawberry pies, 355 fresh fruit cups, 1,300 fried pies in 9 flavors, 570 omelets from 120 dozen eggs, and 1,700 whoopie pies in 10 variations. Plus, 1,000 pounds of ice were to fill and convert a canoe into a salad bar. Only in Lancaster County!

And so, on an isolated farm south of Strasburg, a state-of-the-art genetic research facility and a group of people known for shunning much of the world’s modern technology collaborate in an inspiring effort that helps their children and many others. If you are in town, don’t miss this auction. If there is one unforgettably inspiring, totally unique Lancaster County experience, this is it. Better yet, plan a special trip and stay overnight. Benefit a good cause and discover why the children are the true gift to the community, as they “inspire all of us to keep the Clinic growing and thriving as a source for their comfort and care.” 2008 NOTE: In addition to the Lancaster auction in Leola the third Saturday in September, other auctions are usually held in Shippensburg at Leinbach’s Produce Auction, and Blair County at Morrison Cove Produce Auction. The Shiloh, Ohio auction is usually in July. To check on auction dates, read more about the Clinic, or make a donation CONTACT: The Clinic for Special Children, P.O. Box 128, Strasburg, PA 17579. Tel. 717-687-9407.

Amish Country News Publisher's Message by Brad Igou (2004) UncoveringPA | Uncovering Pennsylvania's Religious Heritage at Ephrata Cloister in Lancaster County - UncoveringPA Google+0 When Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn in 1681, one of the core tenants of the new colony was religious freedom. While this freedom might seem ordinary today, it was quite novel in the late 17th century. This is the reason that Pennsylvania became home to many Amish communities , and it’s also the reason that a young Conrad Beissel came to Pennsylvania in 1720. Beissel was born in Palatinate, a region of what is now Germany, in 1691. He became involved with the Pietists, a religious group that did not get along with the state-sponsored church. His involvement saw him banned from his homeland in 1715. And, five years later, at the advice of a friend, he came to Pennsylvania. Beissel was initially involved with the Brethren, even becoming the leader of a church in Lancaster County. However, some of his religious ideas clashed with church leadership, and by 1728, he left the church.

In 1732, Beissel decided to move to the frontier to live the life of a hermit. However, he had amassed a dedicated group of followers who soon set up a community around his home. This community would come to be known as Ephrata. These buildings are modern, but are built in the style of the 18th-century buildings at Ephrata Cloister. Modern-day Ephrata is a bustling borough in northern Lancaster County with a population of over 13,000 people. However, when Beissel arrived, this area was wild and largely uninhabited. The community sprang up around Beissel’s home along the banks of Middle Creek and was home to hundreds of church members and over 50 businesses. These businesses included a very active printing press, fraktur writings, and farmland. Beissel encouraged, but did not require celibacy, but at its height, 80 celibate members lived in the community. These semi-monastic members lived in two houses divided by gender. Their lives were controlled by strict schedules that were designed to help them free themselves from their earthly bodies. Members ate once per day, wore plain white robes, and slept on wooden beds.

Their beds were designed to keep them ready for Jesus’ return, which Beissel believed would happen during his lifetime. To be even more prepared, the members would worship from midnight to 2am each night. After Beissel’s death in 1768, the community quickly began to change, and the last celibate member died in 1813. The remaining married members, however, kept the church going, calling themselves the Seventh Day German Baptists. Poorer members of the community moved into the community buildings, and the buildings were in regular use until the site was taken over by the state in 1941. The Sisters’ House and Meetinghouse at Ephrata Cloister. In order to preserve the site’s historic importance, the nine remaining buildings were restored to their original condition, and several other buildings were rebuilt to show what the community was like during the mid-1700s. Tours of the grounds leave from the visitor center several times throughout the day, and last about one hour. These tours take you into three of the site’s original buildings: Conrad Beissel’s home, the Sisters’ House (Saron), and the Sisters’ Meetinghouse (Saal).

Tours start with a 15-minute orientation video that tells you about the history of the site and the life of Beissel. There is also a small, but interesting museum in the visitor center that is worth taking the time to look at either before or after your tour. It’s worth noting that the museum is free to visit, if you don’t have the time to tour the grounds of Ephrata Cloister. A small portion of the museum at Ephrata Cloister. Beissel’s home is one of several that he lived at while in Ephrata, and its central location between the Brothers’ and Sisters’ Houses shows its significance. I was a bit disappointed to see that the home has been set up as more of an interior lecture space than an accurate representation of what it looked like when Beissel lived there. However, they have clearly taken steps to ensure that it retains the feel of the 18th-century community. The interior of Conrad Beissel’s home at Ephrata Cloister. The truly interesting part of the tour is within the connected Sisters’ House and Meetinghouse.

Originally, a Brothers’ Meetinghouse sat less than 100 yards away, but it was destroyed in the early 19th century. However, the Sisters’ House offers a unique look into what life was like for the celibate women that resided here. Built in 1743, this was the living and working area for the women who resided in the community. This three-story building was identical on each floor, and I’ve been told the third floor remains in its original, yet unrestored, state. The first floor features a variety of furniture, some of which is original to the site and some of which has been reproduced. The sparse lifestyle of the women is evident in the building’s furniture and design. One of the working areas inside the Sisters’ House. Connected to the house is the Sisters’ Meetinghouse. This two-story chapel was used by the women for worship from midnight to 2am every night of the week. Later, it became the regular meeting hall for the German Seventh Day Baptist Church in Ephrata. Above the alter, there is a large fraktur print that was made in the community over 250 years ago. This is one of 13 original posters that survive.

The Meetinghouse is home to occasional concerts by the Ephrata Cloister Chorus. These singers still perform the traditional music that the community produced, while wearing the traditional white robes. A small sample of their singing can be found in this video . Inside the Sisters’ Meetinghouse, which was also the meeting place for the German Seventh Day Baptist Church. After the tour, which offers a great overview of the site, visitors are free to walk around on their own. Each of the site’s buildings features a free cell phone tour that provides a lot of great information about each of the buildings and their importance to the community. Several of these outer buildings are open to visitors, so make sure you take the time to visit them. There is also a small graveyard just below the Sisters’ House. In this graveyard, many of the members of the community are buried, including Conrad Beissel. The gravestones are all in German, the language of the 18th-century community, but several of the stones have been translated with nearby signage. Conrad Beissel’s grave on the edge of Ephrata Cloister. Before you leave, make sure to check out the gift shop.

While it was unfortunately closed during my visit, it is open March-December every year and features many handmade products done by local artisans. Overall, I quite enjoyed my visit to Ephrata Cloister in northern Lancaster County . It offers a peek into one of colonial America’s most unusual religious societies and gives a great perspective on how the religious freedom instilled into Pennsylvania by William Penn shaped the colony in the 18th century and beyond. Note: My visit to Ephrata Cloister was hosted by the site. However, the opinions expressed are my own. Ephrata Cloister

Question: What unusual religious group are numerous in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania?
Answer: Amish