Ephrata Cloister
The
Ephrata Cloister or
Ephrata Community was a religious community which descended from the pietistic
Schwarzenau Brethren movement of Alexander Mack of Schwarzenau,
Germany. The first schism from the general body occurred in
1728 - the Seventh Day Dunkers, whose distinctive principle was that the seventh day was the true
Sabbath. They were founded by Johann Conrad Beissel (1691-1768). Beissel was born in Eberbach, Germany and came to
Pennsylvania in
1720. In
1732 a semi-monastic community (the Camp of the Solitary) with a convent (the Sister House) and a monastery (the Brother House) was established at Ephrata, in what is now
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The orders were celibate. Other believing families settled near the community, accepted Beissel as their spiritual leader and worshipped with them on the Sabbath. The brothers and sisters of Ephrata are famous for their writing and publishing of hymns, and the composition of tunes in four voices. Beissel served as the community's composer as well as spiritual leader, and devised his own system of composition. The Ephratra hymnal (words only) was printed in
1747.
The charismatic figure Beissel passed away in 1768 and this contributed to a declining membership. The monastic feature was gradually abandoned, with the last celibate member passing away in 1812 or 1813. In 1814 the Society was incorporated as the Seventh Day German Baptist Church (or The German Religious Society of Seventh Day Baptists). This church continued until 1934. Seven years later, a 28 acre tract of land with remaining buildings was conveyed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for use as a state historical site.
The Ephrata Community can be toured today. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Recorded versions of the community's music is played for interested visitors. At its height, the community grew to 250 acres inhabited by about 80 celibate men and women.
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