Ephrata Cloister, a National Historic Landmark, is located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. One of America’s earliest religious communities it consists of a unique collection of original Germanic buildings dating from 1734 to 1840. During this community’s zenith its inhabitants consisted of three orders: celibate Brothers and Sisters, and a married order of Householders. They focused on a lifestyle which emphasized spiritual, rather than material goals. This RU-vid channel features recorded programming about the clositer, the surrounding community, and related subject matter.
00:46 I think you imply too much that they merely copied pattern books, which is both untrue and frankly dismissive of the creativity the Fraktur artists achieved. According to the Chronicon Ephratense (which discusses life in the Cloisters of the Brotherhood at Ephrata), "none was permitted to borrow a design anywhere, for he said: 'We dare not borrow from each other, because the power to produce rests within everybody.'"
Great talk, very interesting! In the video, another video is mentioned, I believe by Michael Birkel, or Jeff Bach who a few years ago published a book on Boehme...could you possibly link it, I'm having trouble finding it
My 6th Great Grampa n Gramma lived in Ephrata after they left Switzerland. They eventually left with their 3 sons and ventured into the Shenandoah Valley. I love learning about Ephrata. I did visit a few years back, but I did not have enough time as I would have liked to spend there. My dream would be to spend a snowy Christmas there!! Thank you for teaching us about how they lived.
Some of our other videos might interest you as well. And we offer free monthly presentations on the second Thursday of each month. Keep an eye on our website for details and how to register at www.ephratacloister.org
My 6th Great Grandparents and their 3 sons were householders. In 1762, they moved to Virginia on the Shenandoah River. After 2 years, both parents died and the 3 boys returned to Ephrata as orphans. I have been researching for years and visited Ephrata in 2018. Thank you for this. It is so nice to learn more about how the families lived!
Thank you for an iteresting talk on the process of finding, translating and editing historical documents. It is inspiring to see how these letters reveal interrelations of co-religionists throughout Europe and add to the knowledge about historical events.
A Short History of Postcards: ephratacloister.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Short-History-of-Postcards.pdf Postcard Timeline: ephratacloister.org/wp-content/uploads/Postcard-Timeline.pdf
Well Michael Miller, I might call you uncle. I am a direct descendent of J. Peter Klopp through his namesake son, J Peter Klopp the younger who is brother to your wife. My line stayed in Berks/Lebanon County. This video was very well done. I liked the format. I curious about the more mundane aspects of the householders everyday life. How the grain was harvested and the role of tailors back then. Perhaps another chat could focus on that. Thank you for this presentation.
Hi Stephanie, Thank you for your kind words of support. I'm sure you know the Klops were a large family with many ties to the Ephrata Cloister. Do you have a copy of Michael Miller's "Debt Book"? It was published several years ago by the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley in Ephrata. It's a great resource. Since you asked about tailors, Miller makes references to paying a tailor, but the accounts also suggest he, or a member of his family, may have also done some tailoring, at least sewing of clothing. He also talks about the harvest of crops and specify mentions names of neighbors and family, his daughter Margareta, who he paid to help with harvesting and making hay. The accounts provide a wonderful insight in to the variety of work he did and some clues to the items of his, and other, Householders daily life. Every time I open the book I learn something new about Miller and the neighborhood. If you have more questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at mishowalte@pa.gov. It is always great to make connections with members of Householder families. Thank you so much for your interest. I hope when we can again met in person, you can visit and we can talk more about your ancestor Peter Klop, Sr. and his interesting family. Michael Showalter, Museum Educator
It is preposterous to speak of Jacob Böhme as a radical and original thinker and to embark on the ill-fated endeavour to try to outline a so-called philosophical system pertaining to Jacob Böhme. Jacob Böhme was a mystic and not a thinker. He did neither develop any concepts or ideas about God or anything else as philosophers do, but he communicated with absolut certainty what he came to know after emptying himself of himself and being filled with the spirit from above.
What do those who want to study and heed Christian mystic "philosophers" do with Colossians 2.8 when Paul wrote "See that not anyone will be leading you away as claiming you through the philosophy and empty deceit according to the personally given teaching of humen, according to the elementarians of the cosmos, and not according to Christ...."
According to ALL his biographers, he was an illiterate cobbler who lacked the necessary education and intellectual equipment to adequately explain, on paper, his original mystical insights. It took him YEARS of book study and deep thinking just to be able to write his AURORA, which is probably the hardest of all his books to understand, due to his insufficient intellectual grasp of his subject matter; and insufficient education and language to communicate it any more clearly. He needed further mystical insights, book learning and time to think about it all, and how to clarify it on paper. It is ludicrous to claim his works don't contain a "system" of thought and practice. Of course they do, but it takes much time, study, prayer & practice to penetrate it. This is partly due to his poor education, partly because he was writing in code, and partly because he expected his readers to work hard to mine his works for the alchemical gold, and to purify it in the furnace of practice and continual spiritual experimentation.
Dear Mr. Haws: Thank you so much for tuning in to my presentation on Jacob Boehme and for your interest in the Ephrata Cloister. I am gratified that you found it interesting. I have another one on RU-vid called: The Sacred Geometry of the Ephrata Cloister that you may also find interesting. If you ever have another comments or questions, please make them and I will always respond. Best Wishes, Nick Siegert
Thank you for viewing my presentation. I'm glad you found it interesting. I have another one on RU-vid: The Sacred Geometry of the Ephrata Cloister, that you might also find interesting. Thank you and thank you for your interest in the Ephrata Cloister. Best Wishes, nick Siegert
I read recently that the soldiers at Ephrata were brought there by wagon from either Maryland or Delaware where they were sent after fighting at Brandywine. The information was from a fairly recent publication and I apologize from not remembering the source. At the time I was reading for pleasure and never expected I'd have to repeat it. This information may also explain why the Presbyterian Church at Brandywine sent the donation.
Thank you for the information about Revolutionary War soldiers from the Battle of Brandywine. This provides a great new area to investigate. I know someone who has done a lot of research on the battle itself, but I’ll see if he can offer any information about the wounded from the battle and their relocation to the south before coming to Lancaster County and Ephrata. Michael Showalter
@@EphrataCloister The other thing to consider is the time line. The sick at Ephrata Cloister arrived a long time after the Brandywine battle. Where were they in the meantime?
