Beissel was born in Eberbach then part of the Holy Roman Empire, and emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1720. Beissel had intended to join a commune of hermits founded there by Johannes Kelpius, but Kelpius had died in 1708. Beissel met with Conrad Matthaei, an associate who became his principal spiritual confidant. The group around Kelpius had arrived in 1694. They settled on a ridge above the Wissahickon Creek. There they prayed, meditated, and watched the stars looking for signs of the coming kingdom of Christ. They also taught children of the community. Some were celibate until death; others married.
In 1732 Beissel established a semi-monastic Baptist community called the Camp of the Solitary, with a convent (the Sister House) and a monastery (the Brother House) at Ephrata, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Celibacy was considered a virtue, but not obligatory. Each member adopted a new name, and Beissel was called Friedsam, to which the community afterward added the title of Gottrecht.[2] Believing families settled near the community, accepted Beissel as their spiritual leader, and worshipped with the community on the Sabbath. They were influenced by Schwarzenau Brethren thought.[3]
Ephrata Community Manuscript hymnal, 1746
Beissel served as the community's composer as well as its spiritual leader. He devised his own system of musical composition intended to simplify the process by relying on pre-determined sequences of "master notes" and "servant notes" to create harmony. This was mentioned in Thomas Mann's Doctor Faustus as a precursor to serialism.
Beissel's colony was noted for its printing facilities. After Beissel's death and the disruption of the war years of the American Revolution, the utopian community declined in population. Failing to attract sufficient members, its people assimilated into the general Baptist community.
Veganismedit
Beissel was one of the first vegetarians in North America who was motivated by Christian religious belief. The entire Ephrata community reportedly abstained from meat eating, which Beissel considered spiritually undesirable.[4]
^Sanford, Don A. (1992). A Choosing People: The History of Seventh Day Baptists. Nashville: Broadman Press. pp. 127–286. ISBN0-8054-6055-1.
^ abcIacobbo, Karen; Iacobbo, Michael. (2004). Vegetarian America: A History. Praeger Publishing. p. 3. ISBN978-0-275-97519-7
Further readingedit
Klein, Walter C. Johann Conrad Beissel: Mystic and Martinet 1690–1768. Philadelphia, 1942.
External linksedit
"Beisel, Johann Konrad (1690–1768)", Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
Bach, Jeff: Voices of the turtledoves : the sacred world of Ephrata, Göttingen 2003: digital copy
[1] An examination of parallels between the music and worldviews of Beissel and Sun Ra
January 01, 1970
conrad, beissel, johann, march, 1691, july, 1768, german, born, religious, leader, 1732, founded, ephrata, community, province, pennsylvania, contents, background, veganism, works, references, further, reading, external, linksbackground, editbeissel, born, ebe. Johann Conrad Beissel March 1 1691 July 6 1768 was a German born religious leader who in 1732 founded the Ephrata Community in the Province of Pennsylvania 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Veganism 3 Works 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBackground editBeissel was born in Eberbach then part of the Holy Roman Empire and emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1720 Beissel had intended to join a commune of hermits founded there by Johannes Kelpius but Kelpius had died in 1708 Beissel met with Conrad Matthaei an associate who became his principal spiritual confidant The group around Kelpius had arrived in 1694 They settled on a ridge above the Wissahickon Creek There they prayed meditated and watched the stars looking for signs of the coming kingdom of Christ They also taught children of the community Some were celibate until death others married In 1732 Beissel established a semi monastic Baptist community called the Camp of the Solitary with a convent the Sister House and a monastery the Brother House at Ephrata in what is now Lancaster County Pennsylvania Celibacy was considered a virtue but not obligatory Each member adopted a new name and Beissel was called Friedsam to which the community afterward added the title of Gottrecht 2 Believing families settled near the community accepted Beissel as their spiritual leader and worshipped with the community on the Sabbath They were influenced by Schwarzenau Brethren thought 3 nbsp Ephrata Community Manuscript hymnal 1746 Beissel served as the community s composer as well as its spiritual leader He devised his own system of musical composition intended to simplify the process by relying on pre determined sequences of master notes and servant notes to create harmony This was mentioned in Thomas Mann s Doctor Faustus as a precursor to serialism Beissel s colony was noted for its printing facilities After Beissel s death and the disruption of the war years of the American Revolution the utopian community declined in population Failing to attract sufficient members its people assimilated into the general Baptist community Veganism editBeissel was one of the first vegetarians in North America who was motivated by Christian religious belief The entire Ephrata community reportedly abstained from meat eating which Beissel considered spiritually undesirable 4 Beissel invented a vegan diet for the Ephrata community that excluded all meat dairy eggs and honey 4 His diet consisted of buckwheat cabbage fruit green vegetables potatoes and wheat 4 Works edited Peter C Erb Johann Conrad Beissel and the Ephrata Community Mystical and Historical Texts Lewiston NY 1985 contains selected works References edit For the correct date of his birth see Alderfer Everett Gordon The Ephrata Commune Pittsburgh 1985 p 14 219 Wilson J G Fiske J eds 1900 Beissel Johann Conrad Appletons Cyclopaedia of American Biography New York D Appleton Sanford Don A 1992 A Choosing People The History of Seventh Day Baptists Nashville Broadman Press pp 127 286 ISBN 0 8054 6055 1 a b c Iacobbo Karen Iacobbo Michael 2004 Vegetarian America A History Praeger Publishing p 3 ISBN 978 0 275 97519 7Further reading editKlein Walter C Johann Conrad Beissel Mystic and Martinet 1690 1768 Philadelphia 1942 External links edit Beisel Johann Konrad 1690 1768 Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online Bach Jeff Voices of the turtledoves the sacred world of Ephrata Gottingen 2003 digital copy 1 An examination of parallels between the music and worldviews of Beissel and Sun Ra Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Conrad Beissel amp oldid 1192708619, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
