Today the Ephrata Cloister is a part of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. However, when it was founded in 1732, it was Protestant German community that began as a retreat, a way of life which supported solitude. For a time it flourished and by the mid 18 th century it was well known for its printing and music and art. The Cloister was founded by Conrad Beissel, a German. He came to America in search of religious freedom – not just to worship who he chose but also how he chose to do so. Other men and women joined him in Ephrata. Beissel felt people should focus on preparing to join God in Heaven after their parting. He felt so strongly about this purpose that he did not think people should marry, as spouses may take attention away from that purpose. The Brothers and Sisters of the Cloister were unmarried spending their days in work and prayer. The Sisters lived in one large communal building known as the Saron. The Brothers lived in the Bethania, a large co...
by Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman