Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 27, 2007
Following lunch, ladies had a variety of opportunities. Some went shopping at the nearby VF Outlet Village, others continued to get acquainted or took the opportunity to rest. This Intrepid Blogger drove to nearby Ephrata with Viki Rife and Cindy Bushen to visit the Ephrata Cloister, an early Brethren attempt at communal living. Founded by Conrad Beissel in 1732, the cloister had about 300 members at its zenith in the 1740s and 1750s.
The lifestyle of the celibate members was characterized by severe discipline and self-denial. They became known for their music, calligraphy, and printing.
Following the death of the last celibate member in 1813, the married congregation formed the German Seventh-Day Baptist Church.
Members continued to live and work at the cloister until 1934. It has been owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a National Historic Landmark since 1941.
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