Ephrata Cloister
By Paula Cochran
WHEN CONRAD BEISSEL SETTLED on 250 acres in Ephrata, Lancaster County, he created a one-man town. Born in Germany in 1691, Beissel left the country in 1720 to escape religious persecution. Settling in Pennsylvania, Beissel spent several years as leader of a Brethren congregation before seeking the solitude of the wilderness. It was in the forests he sought to remove himself from the world, to prepare himself for heaven. Followers soon joined Beissel in his radical escape from worldliness. By 1750, more than 80 Brothers and Sisters occupied the property and were known as the Solitary. They followed their leader in a life of celibacy. Another 200 non-celibate members, known as Householders, lived on nearby farms. Though the Householders considered Beissel their religious leader, they did not follow the rules of the Solitary members.
Beissel believed in a male and female God aspect; therefore, both sexes were perfecting themselves for holy marriage - men to Christ and women to Sophia. In preparation, the Solitary Brothers and Sisters followed strict guidelines. Believing that God does not eat, and that there will be no food in heaven, followers ate a meager diet of one meal per day. Because Beissel considered meat "hot flesh," their diet was mainly vegan. One visitor noted the evening meal consisted of barley boiled in milk, mashed pumpkin, bread and water. Following the scripture, "Christ might return like a thief in the night," the Solitaries slept on wooden beds with wooden pillows so that upon Christ's return they would not be so soundly asleep as to miss him. The same scripture explains their nightly services from midnight to 2 a.m. Weekend services were held on the seventh day, Saturday.
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