USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Ephrata > Souvenir book of the Ephrata cloister; complete history from its settlement in 1728 to the present time. Included is the organization of Ephrata borough connected with the cloister > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
Whereas, our members were all urged to promptly register on June 5, 1917, as required by law,-
Be It Resolved :-
That we pledge our loyalty to the United States ;
That we remain true to our fundamental principles of peace and non-resistance ;
65
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
That we humbly request the full exercise of religious liberty and exemption from military service in the army and navy ; and
That we, as a people do our best to relieve distress, giving food, shelter, clothing, and medical attention to our wounded soldiers; and more than ever produce greater amounts of food, and recom- mend all who are able to invest in government bonds.
Resolved, also, that we have this action recorded in our min- utes, and a copy transmitted to the President of the United States by this Committee.
S. G. ZERFASS, H. W. FETTER, U. A. PENTZ, Special Committee.
Rev. W. K. Bechtel moved that the resolution be adopted as read. Carried unanimously.
3
31
66
CHAPTER XXI
Public Park Not Favored
HY should a civic club, or patriotic societies and indi- viduals make strong effort to turn the premises into a public park ?
Do these people fail to know that the German Sev- enth Day Baptist Conference of Pennsylvania is un- alterably opposed to any such project? Why shouldn't we as Seventh Day Baptists really believe the place too sacred to be turned into a public park? And the Pennsylvania Conference is under the General Conference of Seventh Day Baptists of Amer- ica, composed of upwards of 30,000 members, and that Pennsyl- vania Conference has half a dozen active ministers of the gospel, a number of regular churches, prosperous, and several missions besides, probably upwards of three hundred members ?
Is it not much more fitting and interesting for tourists and per- sons of culture and scholarship to find that the parent church in Pennsylvania has a congregation (though small in numbers) and regular Sabbath School intact and in regular worship on the orig- inal Sabbath ?
Why not know the truth and the truth shall make you free ?
And now abideth faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love !
The early German Seventh Day Baptists, like the Quakers, the Amish, the Dunkards, and the Mennonites, did not and do not at present believe in carnal warfare and are and were opposed to bearing arms believing that active participating in war by military service in the army or navy is in violation of the sixth command- ment and the teachings of Jesus Christ. See Exodus 20:13; Matt. 5:17, 18, 19; Malachi 4:4; Isa. 2:10; Romans 3:31, also 7:25 ; Romans 13:8, 9, 10, etc., that Christ's sword was the sword of peace, Peter being told to put up his sword. Yet we have been called traitors.
The ministers and membership of the church believe in a uni- versal brotherhood of man and the general fatherhood of God, in real practice not platitudes only.
The spirit of loyalty to truth, of consecration to and willing- ness to suffer, if need be, for the sake of truth and duty, were the prominent and immediate source of the development of Seventh
67
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
Day Baptists who were notably industrious and frugal, severely simple in their tastes and habits, and there was an entire absence of indolence and of that pernicious doctrine of some in these modern days, "The world owes me a living," which is character- istic of too many communistic theories.
With their intellectual and physical ability their habits of thrift and economy ; had they been avaricious, they might have secured possessions in that early time which would have made them abundantly weatlhy at the present day.
True the stories, legends and even anecdotes handed down to us are many indeed. It is said that sisters Sphigenia and Ana- tasia, the latter born in Switzerland, were expert skillful writers. Anatasia entered the convent as a young maiden of very comely appearance and gifted with musical talents of a high order. As a nun she was first named "Tabea", and seemed to be a favorite with everybody, especially the spiritual leader Friedsam. Falling in love with a young man named Daniel Scheibly whom the Soli- tary Brethren had "purchased" by paying his "passage money," she decided to leave the community and to be married to the ob- ject of her affections.
On the day set for the wedding she took leave of the sisterhood, no longer robed in the white habit of her religious order ; but upon having a final interview with the superintendent, her heart failed her and, bursting into tears, she vowed that she would remain as a Rose of Sharon. "Friedsam" declared her tears had washed away the stain of her apostasy and ever thereafter she was called "anatasia," which means the resurrected. Surely this is very in- teresting, especially to our ladies.
68
-
Miss Mabel Meck, a recent bride married in the Saal
Farmer Kachel and wife Shady Nook Trustee
Dr. Corliss F. Randolph, Newark, N. J. Author of Seventh Day Baptist Histories
Twin Sisters, 85, Life Long Members
Rev. Edwin Shaw. Tract Society
WAREHOUSE
One of the Mills of the Seventh Day Baptists on the Cocalico is now included in the Knitting Mills of W. W. Moyer
CHAPTER XXII Faith and Practices of German Seventh Day Baptist Church
John 5:39. Search the Scriptures
TEADFASTNESS of purpose and the determination "to stand and having done all to stand" was preached as a cardinal duty from the first and that spirit abounds in the hearts of those who remain to this day. Though the faith and practice of the Ephrata Seventh Day Baptists have been both misunderstood and frequently misin- terpreted by writers in magazines and reporters of metropolitan papers, in particular, the facts show that they have always been social, liberal minded, hospitable, abundant in good works and in genuine Christian faith.
When some writer reported the footprints on the ceiling as being bloody foot prints of soldiers or the apostolic method of punishing the brethren by walking on the ceiling, it looks like a wrong interpretation for notoriety's sake.
When a Philadelphia daily that "always tells the truth" reports that the day is not far distant when the remaining members of Ephrata will amalgamate with the Holy Redemptorists east of the Cocalico creek, that journal either wilfully falsifies or does not know what they are talking about.
Surely, the doctrine of immersion in baptism, as well as the observance of the Seventh Day Sabbath makes the German Sev- enth Day Baptists anti-Catholic (not necessarily antagonistic) in doctrine, as the Catholic Church instituted aspersion or sprinkling for baptism. See Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, A. D. 248, and infant baptism under Tertullian, A. D. 194-220. The Catholics also instituted the observance of the Sabbath on the first day by Constantine in A. D. 321.
The salutation of the "holy kiss," as was practiced by the Apos- tles and these German Seventh Dayers, has been made light of by newspaper writers because these writers don't know their Bible or man to falsify. See Acts 20:37, Romans 16:16, I Peter 5:14.
The anointing of the sick practiced by the ancient and modern Ephratanians according to James 5:14 and 15, is plainly an evi- dence of faith, and not a species of Christian Scientism as insin- uated by some recent writers.
Infant blessing, the Seventh Day Baptist interpretation of Mark 10:14, Luke 18:16, has been very much distorted by some in-
69
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
famous writers, when it is really a solemn practice, uplifting, ennobling and scriptural to say the least.
Feet washing, an ordinance of many other churches, as well as of these Ephrata Sabbatarians, according to John, 13th chapter, is held in a ludicrous manner by a novelist who professes friend- ship for the Pennsylvania German, in a subtle manner.
The writer means to denounce the evident tendency on the part of a certain class of writers to misrepresent, to overdraw, and place these historic and devoted progenitors of ours in the wrong light.
Many people seem to think that the present ninety-five acres of land owned by the society as a corporation, are public property, donated as it were by the Commonwealth, when any one can go to the Recorder's Office at Lancaster and find out for himself that several individuals gave deeds to the society for the property and the membership, as well as the best informed people every- where know that the Commonwealth has nothing to do with it so far as ownership is concerned and Seventh Day Baptists know their rights.
All this palaver and gross exaggeration, to say the least, is not edifying and very discouraging to the membership.
70
CHAPTER XXIII
Conditions of Membership
T WAS a condition that the inmates of the Cloister shall be single persons; whether they have ever been married before or not was not stipulated. They had to be strict observers of the Seventh Day Sabbath and baptized persons of reputed piety, quite a few being first admitted as probationary members, with a voice and vote; even to this day the charter requires members to be in union and communion.
The application for membership had to be made to the prior or pastor and the trustees who were the authorized judges of the applicant's eligibility. No vow, no promise of continued celibacy were required, but the simple condition that if they ever changed their mind and desired to marry they had to leave the monastery.
No wages were paid but all shared alike the comforts of the establishment and no one could enter and retain independent estate or control of personal property or real estate. If they brought any property, a certificate of appraised valuation was given and if the inmate should afterwards leave the institution their property (personal) was returned to them without interest. If, however, the inmate died, all of their belongings accrued per- manently to the establishment.
The labors of the establishment were shared alike by all who could work in a well arranged series. The. Brethren, under the direction of the Prior or Superintendent and the Sisters, under the direction of the Prioress, a kind of Mother Superior.
In no respect, however, was there any preeminence of class, as there were officers simply for order's sake only. They were in truth a band of brothers and sisters and equals in every respect affecting their life, their honor and their happiness, all being en- titled to food, shelter and necessary clothing. They were really known as indoor members.
The outdoor members of the congregation were married folks mostly and had no personal rights in the property and there was no more community of interest among them than among the mem- bers of other denominations of Christians. .
The religious interests were and continued to be congregational, as truly republican as any other congregation. Their officers were
71
1
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
voluntarily elected. They did not hold to paying any salary to their ministers. At Ephrata he was given a house, rent free, a load of hay, potatoes and six bushels of wheat.
If necessity called for it the minister was given voluntary as- sistance. The ministers were elected by the congregation after having been led in prayer, requesting divine guidance in their selection, which meant voting without nomination.
On bended knees with laying on of hands, the minister was. ordained and after a reasonable probationary service the applicant was given a full ordination which entitled the minister to perform all ecclesiastical functions making him fully entitled to the bish- opric. Similar to some fraternities, the minister is not supposed to use any ritual at any funeral, wedding or communion service. In the early days their preaching was supposed to be without manuscript, almost entirely inspirational. At present time there is but one minister in Pennsylvania who attempts to preach in German and he (the writer) confesses that his vocabulary in German is rather limited. The Ephrata Saal or Church is the only known church building not now having an organ or an or- ganized choir, chorister and modern appurtenances. No collec -- tions are taken in the Ephrata Church. Even the arrangement of the seats, etc., are practically unchanged.
On funeral occasions the corpse was taken into the church (ex- cept in case of contagious disease). The services consisted of several hymns, a prayer and a short sermon, after which the casket with the corpse was generally removed to the space in front of the Saal for a final viewing of the remains and not for the purpose of having the sun shine on the face of the dead once more- before interment as some writers have said.
A sad procession was then formed to the cemetery where short final obsequies were observed after which meals were furnished in the Saal.
Teams and help were all furnished free of all charges and little. or no display of any ostentatious character was observed.
72
Wooden Communion Service. Presented by George Washington
Chair on Which Washington Sat. Hour Glass. Turned Twice When Peter Miller Preached
Swiss Barn. Portion of Roof Thatched.
CHAPTER XXIV
Ceremonies-Lovefeasts
HE LOVEFEAST meal intended as a season of soci- ability and hospitality is somewhat similar to the Methodist idea of serving bread and water, more like the Moravians who serve (streislers) rusks and cof- fee, the Seventh Day Baptists serve a regular well provided meal on the tables and the exuberance of their benevo- lence did not confine it to their members or professing Christians but extended an invitation to all persons present.
In this the Seventh Dayers imitate very closely the festival of the primitive Christians who originally observed it as a social re- past, truly a lovefeast gathering preceded by prayer and followed by table hymns and parting words of prayer.
Bountiful preparations had to be made in advance of the love- feast event. The meeting usually begins with sixth day evening, services on Sabbath morning (seventh day) ; Sabbath School in the afternoon, feet-washing and regular open communion follow- ing in the evening.
This custom may have arisen from force of conditions and cir- cumstances in the infancy of the church, which was planted in the wilderness and sparse settlements and the members and visi- tors came from far and near, from all the surrounding regions and the society acting on the principle which moved our Divine Master when the multitude came to hear His words and were empty, he took pity on them and fed them, and thus they got into this custom which has been continued to the present day.
The lovefeast was regarded among them as the meeting of all members and friends of the entire neighborhood and from abroad together as one family, to engage in holy exercises, enjoying dur- ing the continuance thereof, a common board (table) supplied for that purpose, and in renewing their pledges of love in Christ Jesus, by partaking of the emblems of His broken body and shed blood.
To say the least the intention and result on people of right motives is good, so that all who have thus participated, even chil- dren, are anxious for more lovefeasts but some of the reckless, thoughtless people, many of whom are the younger element whose educational facilities should make them more thoughtful, also
73
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
curiosity seekers as well as sensational newspaper reporters for miles have taken advantage of the great liberality and make a frolic of it instead of respecting it as a sacred religious festival and by so doing apparently frustrate, in a decided measure ,its superb design and in addition thereto destroy the comfort and satisfaction to those who solemnly engage in it.
Efforts are in progress to make the slight changes in the love- feast occasion, so that it be a practical family recognition in the future, probably issuing ticket invitations similar to our Mora- vian brethren and making prepartion to entertain all members and invited friends in a plain, frugal manner but exclude the friv- olous rabble that detract, making the feet-washing ordinance and administration of the Holy Communion less of a public service so that the members and serious-minded people who desire to be present as spectators to meet alone and attend to those solemn services in real privacy and quietness essential to fully commune with our Lord.
At present regular lovefeasts are celebrated by the principal surviving churches of German Seventh Day Baptists at Snow Hill, Nunnery, Franklin County, at Salemville, Bedford County (Morrison's Cove) and at Ephrata. They are usually attended by a large company, many of whom are not members of the church.
At Ephrata and Salemville the lovefeasts (annual) are cele- brated in autumn whilst at Nunnery and Snow Hill the annual lovefeast is usually held near Whitsuntide. There are also Christ- mas, Easter and Harvest lovefeasts.
Snow Hill and Ephrata congregations have church farms but Salemville Church has no farm connected with it.
74
CHAPTER XXV
The Import of Belief
T MAKES a great difference what a man believes, even if sincere. We must prove all things, hold fast to that which is good.
Every religious tenet must have the foundation of the Apostles and prophets with Christ as the chief corner-stone. All scripture is profitable for doctrine and the min- isters must continue in the work, preach the Word, reprove, re- buke, exhort with longsuffering, and this duty is imperative, lest the truth be turned into fables. Why not show uncorruptness and convince gainsayers? God will not accept the homage of any who teach contrary to his will nor can we close our ears to the truth and remain innocent lest our prayers be an abomination. The gates of the heavenly city are open that the righteous may enter in.
Christ must be preached with that naturalness, suggestiveness, tenderness, consistency and devoutness, as well as soundness which characterized his discourses, making him our model both in matter and in manner. A correct theology based on solid truth the same yesterday, today and forever, and a correct practice are as necessary to perfect spiritual life as a perfectly developed body and soul are to the natural.
The earnest teacher is often apparently rough; God does not polish the bark of the oak tree. Proverbs 23:23. "Buy the truth and sell it not."
In the blackest soil grow some of the richest flowers and some of the loftiest, strongest and most beautiful trees spring heaven- ward among the rocks.
Men are not always to be taken for what they appear. One may have a rough unseemly exterior but a good true heart within; while another possessing a captivating person and manner, may be destitute of all genuine principle.
Say not "welcome" when I come, Say not "farewell" when I go, For I come not when I come And I go not when I go.
75
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
For a welcome ne'er I'd give you, And farewell I'd never say; In my heart I'm always with you, Always will be-every day. -S. G. Z.
"TO A FRIEND"
May a little bit of gladness Come into your life each day ; May a little bit of sunshine Ever fall upon your way.
Tho your life be sad and lonely, Tho your path be rough and long, May the joy of blessed sunshine Change your sorrow into song.
Tho the clouds look black and heavy, As above your head they sweep, May that little ray of sunshine Ever through their darkness creep.
Tho with shadows it is blended, May your sunshine never end, "Tis my wish to you extended. I who write this am your friend.
What a picture all this Cloister history brings before us. No doubt these our progenitors with all their deprivations and hard lot were more contented than many now living in luxury. Godli- ness with contentment is great gain.
S. G. ZERFASS.
76
Group of Seventh Day Baptist Ministers
-
The Mountain Springs Summer Resort, Ephrata, Pa.
ADDENDA OUR EARLY SECTARIANS By S. G. ZERFASS, B. D. Past Chaplain Pennsylvania H. of R. (1917 to 1919)
The "Early Sectarians," more especially of Lancaster County as well as their descendants are noted for their thrift, their industry, their loyalty and their religious devotion. They are so numerous, of such sturdy stock and such devoted, pious, frugal, unostentatious citizens, and so generally respected and recognized by the most intelligent, the most thoughtful and discriminating as well as most cultured people everywhere, and yet so frequently and slanderously misrepresented by not a few newspaper writ- ers, by self-assumed (pulpit) critics and fiends, by magazine articles and supposed authorities as well as fiction writers; that your humble servant feels it his duty as well as a privilege, to defend them from this merciless and uncalled-for calumny, the insinuating innuendo and baseless misrepre- sentation of a conscientious and God-fearing people.
No subject offers a greater and more interesting field for study, espe- cially to the historical student, nor is of greater interest to the general public than our Early Sectarians. More especially is this true of the "Garden Spot" and adjacent counties known for their Pennsylvania German customs and manners. By the Early Sectarians I mean the Amish, the Mennonites, German Baptists, et al., as well as the Seventh Day Baptists who left and were obliged to leave Switzerland, the Palatinate, Alsace Lor- raine and portions of Prussia for conscience sake being practically driven from Europe by bigoted persecution and unjust prosecution and upon their arrival in America, for religious and social reasons kept aloof from any dissenting country people and their English speaking newly acquired neighbors.
They adhered to their native tongue, were but devotedly peculiar in religious ceremonies due to their pietistic leanings and became objects of suspicion. For instance the Ephratanian brethren were first believed to be papal representatives and incendiary efforts to clean out the supposed Catholics were blamed on the Indians when as a matter of fact the fires were due to the prejudice of the whites living adjacent to the Ephrata community-so that our early sects were maligned, injured personally and considerably oppressed, more especially so when after the French and Indian wars, nearly all of our Early Sectarians like the orthodox Quakers, were known as non-combatants, anti-war or non-resistants.
They were peaceful, paying their taxes and had domestic habits worthy of emulation. Of course, many of them refused to meddle with politics or affairs of state yet they were almost invariably successful in their several undertakings, industrial or agricultural, all of which tended to excite the envy and jealousy of their more intemperate and turbulent neighbors, and, as a result there were ridiculous and numerous charges of heresy and slander, when as a matter of fact, these sectarians were composed of none but God-fearing men and women. Some egotistical self-established critics, and who lay claim to being educated, continue to receive these calumnies as truth and would classify our Early Sectarians well nigh to the animal creation.
77
THE EPHRATA CLOISTER
Not for a moment would I have you believe the non-combatant deficient in courage; they may meekly submit but this not because of lack of man- hood; they merely practice their religious teachings and live their creed.
Did these Early Sectarians bring with them from the Prussian soil, the murderous weapons of warfare? No! Yet nearly every Pennsylvania- German family points out with pride the old family Bible (des gasang buch) a hymnal (an altes catechismus) an old catechism or a devotional book (Das Wares Christentum) of Lutheran production, the (Paradieses Gurtlein) Garden of Paradise and many other volumes that formed their chief treasure in numerous homes of these Pennsylvania-German Early Sectarians.
From these volumes they got their code of ethics, their grain of com- fort, in times of sorrow and trial.
Implements of peaceful art used in farm economy or domestic house but no arsenal occupied their houses and homes, after the pietistic ways which followed the thirty years war in Prussia.
The Mennonites, including thirteen families, came to Germantown in 1683. Then the Labadists to New Castle, now Delaware, in 1684 and neither of them carried weapons. The real pietists came to the banks of the Wissahickon in 1694 and the Dunkers, afterwards called German Bap- tists, now the Brethren, followed in 1719, whilst the Seventh Day Baptists first preached in this county in 1728. The Schwenkfelders settled in Bucks County in 1734, the Moravians in Lehigh and at Lititz in 1742, all of which forms a most romantic episode in the history and future importance of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the influence they exerted for good in the early days of our development extends down even to the present day.
None of these sects were emotional in their services nor of a high pres- sure, dynamic (pertaining to forces not in equilibrium), hysterical, im- pulsive or spontaneous religious tendencies, but rather dignified, always educated to their faith. The Moravians were always an educated people, yet they in the early days buried married women, married men, single men, single women, in respective sections of their early cemeteries and their love- feasts consisting of an excellent sermon, splendid music, sincere devotion and the hospitality of the coveted streisler bun and coffee, are adhered to and quite properly so to this day.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.