Socialism: Unique Lifestyles

3rd Annual Massachusetts Socialism Conference. April 23rd, 2009 ... Association in local Classified Staff Union at the University of Massachusetts Boston. ...
boston.socialistalternative.org/

The original site consisted of two farmhouses. In 1847, a three-story addition was built between the two houses to form a single structure. The farmhouses were converted into a kitchen and eating area while the addition was used for living quarters and social areas.

The community also included "a stream mill, stables, cow and wagon sheds, forges, carpenter shops, a packing house, a school, a day nursery for working mothers, guest cottages, landscaped gardens and paths, and an artificial pond for bathing, boating and ice harvesting in the winter."

Members of the community were referred to as associates. For most of the NAP's history it had a population of 120-150. Living standards in the NAP were better than average for the country and area at that time. Members were mostly from the Northeast and lower or middle class. People were offered admission based on their skills. Prospective members lived in the community for 30 days before being offered one-year provisional memberships, after which they became full members upon approval of the community. The entire community voted on membership status throughout the process.

The NAP had a constitution, written in 1843, which provided for administration through a council. Originally, only stockholders voted in elections for the council, but all members were given a vote in an 1848 amendment. The council was composed of a president, vice-president, a treasurer, and twelve directors. Directors served for two years, with staggered terms so that half were elected each year. The rest of the council served one-year terms.

The NAP had a steady, but slowly declining economy. The NAP divided into six groups: agriculture, livestock, manufacturing, domestic matters, social plans, and education. Wages were below minimum wage compared to American standards, but so was the cost of living, being around $2 per week.

 

                                                      Ephrata Cloister   Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

During the time that this group formed, there was a hint of dissatisfied intellectualism of churches. Many wanted to be away from state established churches. Strict religious lives caused these brothers and sisters to come together to worship God in other ways. Instead of practicing their religion, they applied it by helping others to become more spiritual and celibate.

 

 

 

Among the sisterhood and brotherhood there included a married order of householders, which were families who supported and engaged in the everyday activities. Other than practicing quiet lives by praying and doing charity work [4], the Cloisters had a duty and that duty was to keep up with the tasks of living at Ephrata. Farming and industrial work were the typically workload on a daily basis. Although the Cloisters often practiced their religion by interpreting biblical works, they also engaged in carpentry and papermaking.

 

 

 

 

Other tasks included gardening, preparing meals, and mending. [5] Not only were the cloisters famous for their writings and hymns on the printing press but they became very busy people especially when it came to chores. They manufactured clothing on a mill and kept their lives busy by creating duties and obligations.

 

 

 

 

The Cloisters had a positive outlook in life; they respected their neighbors, land and environment. Education was also important in their society. It was important that every child maintain their education. Children that came from families were also encouraged to be educated in the German school. Educating the young was one of the charity works that the Cloisters accomplished. They also helped the poor by passing around bread to the poor families.

 

 

 

 

Other believing families settled near the community, accepted Beissel as their spiritual leader and worshipped with them on Sabbath. These families made an integral part to the cloister, which could not be self-sustaining without them. The brothers and sisters of Ephrata are famous for their writing and publishing of hymns, and the composition of tunes in four voices. Beissel served as the community's composer as well as spiritual leader, and devised his own system of composition. The Ephrata hymnal (words only) was printed in 1747.

 

 

 

 

The charismatic Beissel died in 1768, and this contributed to a declining membership. The monastic aspect was gradually abandoned, with the last celibate member dying in 1813. In 1814 the Society was incorporated as the German Seventh Day Baptist Church (or The German Religious Society of Seventh Day Baptists). Branches were established in other locations, some still surviving in 2009. In 1941, a 28-acre (100,000 m²) Ephrata tract of land with remaining buildings was conveyed to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for use as a state historical site.

wikipedia

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also visited Ephrata Cloister.   Lovely tranquil place. 

 

More info

 

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Photos by Hermann Luyken

 

    

 

       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2003.09.20_50_Ephrata_Cloister_Pennsylvania.jpg