Ephrata Cloister
The Ephrata Cloister was a semi- monastic community, which was founded by German immigrant Johann Conrad Beissel in the North American Pennsylvania in 1732. The monastery is now a public museum.
History
The church of the monastery came from the Anabaptist movement of the pietistic Schwarzenau Brethren (also called Tunker or Dunkers ), which had been formed at the beginning of the 18th century in Germany and was subsequently emigrated to North America. Here in 1728 seceded under the leadership Beissels a part from them and formed the new group of Siebentägner - Tunker (English Seventh Day Dunkers ). Characteristic of the Siebentägner - Tunker was among others the celebration of the Sabbath on Saturday and the increasing opening for celibate ideas. In 1732 the group set on the banks of the creek Cocalico the monastic community Ephrata. The name of the monastery was derived from the date mentioned in the Jewish Bible word for Jerusalem from ( Ephrathah ). The community was partly also called Order of the lonely.
The group of Siebentägner - Tunker is to be regarded as part of the church critical Radical Pietism of the 18th century, its agents deliberately outside the established churches came together in conventicles and communities. Unlike the orthodoxies of the big churches, the radical pietists were strongly influenced in part by mystical and spiritual ideas. The Tunker and derived from them Siebentägner - Tunker were also influenced by the Anabaptist movement.
Within the Ephrata cloister soon emerged several smaller workshops and mills such as a carpentry and a tannery. In the environment of the monastery agriculture was operated. Also, a German school was founded. Of particular importance was the existing since 1742 monastery print shop where in 1748 on the initiative of North American Mennonites, the first German edition of the martyrs mirror was printed. Also choral music played a major role. Beissel composed as a founder of the Community itself several religious pieces that were a hallmark of the community. In 1747, the first time the Ephrata hymnal was published. In addition to the Beissel, also from Germany theologian Johann Peter Müller soon took a leading role. Müller wrote in 1786 under the pseudonym of Agrippa with Scripture Chronicon Ephratense first time a chronicle of the community.
Whereas most of the inhabitants lived celibate. Life was generally sparse and dominated by work and praying together and singing. They slept on 38 cm wide wooden benches with wooden blocks as a pillow. Usually six hours a night were sleeping, from 21.00 clock to midnight and from 02.00 bis 05.00 clock clock, with a two-hour " watch " for the coming of Christ. The meals consisted of a small vegetarian meal a day. The only time in which it was allowed community members to eat meat was during the celebration of the Eucharist, was served with the lamb. Services were every Saturday from Beissel out as long as he lived, and often lasted several hours. The clothing was simple and consisted essentially of a characteristic white hooded cape
At its peak, mid-18th century, the community consisted of about eighty celibate men and women. There were about 200 married couples and families, who were with the monastic community in conjunction and lived on farms in the vicinity of the monastery. After the death Beissels in 1768 the monastic way of life, however, was increasingly abandoned. The last celibate residents of the monastery died in 1813. The following year, the remaining congregation joined the Seventh-day Baptists, with those new residents came to the part in the monastery. With the death of Marie tile Bucher in 2008 finally died and the last member of the Ephrater Seventh- Day Baptists. Bucher had lived in their early years of life, even with her family in the Ephrata Cloister.
1941, the monastery was bought as a historic site by the state of Pennsylvania and initiated a comprehensive restoration program in the following years. The Ephrata Cloister is now run as a National Historic Landmark.
Gallery
Cemetery (God 's Acres ) with grave stones in German language
Residential areas
Oratory