and principles, but only as peculiarities. I cannot, here, go into an exposition of the peculiar views of this people, nor enter into the minutiae of the manner of performing all the ceremonies and ordinances. I would merely remark in regard to their regular worship, that they commence with a hymn, then prayers, (kneeling) and after a second bymn, the minister requests one of the brethren (any one) to read a chapter out of the Scriptures, which they are at liberty to choose from any part of the Bible--he then expounds the chapter; tracing its bearings and historical connection with the prophets and the New Testament; after which the Exhorters enforce the duties it inculcates, and should any member, brother or single sister be able to improve the subject still farther, or have any remarks relative to the topic, to make, is at perfect freedom to express them. Prayer and singing, with the reading of a psalm, instead of a benediction, concludes the service. At another time, and in another place, I may enter into a full exposition of the Principles and Ordinances of this Society, and exhibit at length their doctrines, and the grounds on which they are predicated.

It is not one of their customs to wear long beards, as is frequently said of them: this is more the case with the Dunkers and Mennonites. They are often represented as living on vegetables, the rules of the Society forbidding meats, for the purpose of mortifying the natural appetite, and also as lying on wooden benches, with billets of wood for pillows, as an act of penance. The true reason and explanation of this matter is, that both were done from considerations of economy. Their circumstances were very restricted, and their undertaking great. They studied the strictest simplicity and economy in all their arrangements: wooden flagons, wooden goblets, turned wooden trays, were used in administering the communion; and the same goblets are still in use, though they have been presented with more costly ones. Even the plates off which they ate, were octangular pieces of thin poplar boards; their forks and candlesticks were of wood, and also every other article that could be made of that material, was used by the whole community. After they were relieved from the pressure of their expensive enterprise in providing such extensive accommodations, they enjoyed the cot for repose, and many other of the good things of life; though temperance in eating and drinking was scrupulously regarded. And it may be well to remark, that there was not any ardent spirits used in the building of the whole village; the timber of which was hewn, and all the boards sawed by hand during the winter months. The society was a social community, and not a cold, repulsive, bigoted compact; being sometimes represented as reserved and distant, and even not giving an answer when addressed on the road. MORGAN EDWARDS, in his "Materials Towards a History of the American Baptists," (published in 1770), bears a different testimony; he says "From the uncouth dress, the recluse and ascetic life of these people, sour aspects and rough manners might be expected; but on the contrary, a smiling innocence and meekness grace their countenances, and a softness of tone and accent adorn their conversation, and make their deportment gentle and obliging. Their singing is charming; partly owing to the pleasan ness of their voices, the variety of parts they carry on together, and the devout manner of performance." And of BEISSEL he gives the following character, which he says he had from one who knew him well. "He was very strict in his morals, and practised self-denial to an uncommon degree. Enthusiastic and whimsical he certainly was, but an apparent devoutness and sincerity ran through all his oddities. He was not an adept in any of the liberal arts and sciences, except music, in which he excelled. He composed and set to music (in three, four, six and eight parts) a folio volume of hymns, and another of anthems. He published a dissertation on the fall of man, in the mysterious strain; also a volume of letters. He left behind him several books in manuscript, curiously written and embellished." One writer has made a remark as invidious as it is unfounded on the sisterhood in stating that, "the sisters it would seem, took uttle delight in their state of single blessedness, and two only (aged and ill-favored ones, we may suppose) continued steadfast in renunciation of marriages." They never had

to renounce matrimony on entering the Convent, and but four or five of the whole number that have been in the cloister, in the period of one hundred and three years, left and were married. One of these married a gentleman in the city of Philadelphia, and afterwards much regretted her change, as did all others who left the "stille einsamkeit." The rest continued steadfast in their state of single blessedness, and now, save those remaining in the Convent, lie beside each other in the beautiful cemetery in the fore ground of the village.

Though they considered contention with arms and at law unchristian and unbecoming professions, yet they were decided whigs in the Revolution, and have, unfortunately, had to defend themselves too frequently in courts of justice. To set an example of forbearance and Christian meekness they suffered for a long time to be wronged and plundered until forbearance was no longer a virtue. In the French war (the war of 1756) the doors of the Cloister, including the chapels, meeting room, and every other building, were opened as a refuge for the inhabitants of Tulpehocken and Paxton settlements, then the frontiers, from the incursions of the hostile Indians, all of whom were received and kept by the Society during the period of alarm and danger-upon hearing of which a company of infantry was dispatched by the Royal government from Philadelphia to protect Ephrata; and on representation of the character of the Society, by the Commissioners who were sent to visit the place, the Government made them a present of a pair of very large glass communion goblets, which was the only recompense they would receive. At an earlier period they attracted the attention of the Penn family, and one of the young ladies, in England, commenced a correspondence with the Society. Governor Penn visited them frequently, and desirous of giving them a solid evidence of his regard, had a tract of five thousand acres of land surrounding Ephrata surveyed and conveyed to them, as the Seventh Day Baptist Manor; but they refused to accept it-believing that large possessions were calculated to engender strife, and it is more becoming to Christian pilgrims and sojourners not to be absorbed in the gains of this world and the accumulation of property. After the battle of Brandywine the whole establishment was opened to receive the wounded Americans, great numbers of whom were brought here in wagons, a distance of more than forty miles; and one hundred and fifty of whom died, and are buried on Mount Zion. Their doors were ever open to the weary traveller, and all visitors were cordially received and entertained, while they tarried, as is done in the Hospices of Europe. All supplies were given to the needy, even their own beds, and to stripping their own backs to afford some shelter from the "peltings of the pitiless storm," to those who were exposed to the weather in inclement seasons.

Many of the brethren being men of education, they established, at a very early period, a school, which soon gained for itself an honorable reputation, many young men from Philadelphia and Baltimore being sent here to be educated. A Sabbath School was also instituted for religious instruction, which flourished many years, and was attended with some remarkable consequences. It produced an anxious inquiry among the juvenile population, who attended the school, which increased and grew into what is now termed a revival of religion. The scholars of the Sabbath School met together every day before and after common school hours, to pray and exhort one another, under the superintendence of one of the brethren. The excitement ran into excess, and betrayed a zeal not according to knowledge; which induced FRIEDSAM to discourage an enterprise, which had been commenced, and was partly under way, namely, to erect a house for their especial use, to be called Succoth. LUDWIG HACKER, or Brother Obed, as he was designated, who was the teacher of the common school, projected the plan of holding a school in the afternoons of the Sabbath, and who in connection with some of the other brethren commenced it, to give instruction to the indigent children who were kept from regular school by employments which their necessities obliged them to be engaged at during the week, as well as to give religious instruction to those of better circum

stances. It is not known in what year, exactly, the Sabbath School was commenced. Hacker came to Ephrata in the year 1739, and it is presumed that he began soon after he took up his residence amongst them. The materials for the building were furnished, as is recorded in the minutes of the Society, in the year 1749. After the battle of Brandywine, the Sabbath School room, with others, was given up for a hospital, which was occupied as such some time; and the school was never afterwards resumed. Hacker at that period was sixty years of age.

By this time (1777) the society began to decline, not from causes alleged by some writers-want of vigor of mind in the successor of Beissel, who died 1768, for his successor, Peter Miller, was a man of much greater powers of mind, and had the management of the establishment during Beissel's time; and to whose energy and perseverance is mainly attributable the great prosperity of the institution in its early days. The institution was one of the seventeenth century, and in accordance with European feelings, most of the members being natives of Germany. The state of public opinion at Beissel's death was widely different from what it was during the first fifty years after it was established, in relation to politics and government, and with this march of intellect different sentiments were entertained in regard to religious institutions. It was commenced as a social community in the midst of a wilderness-the hand of improvement made the desert bloom as the rose, and at that time (1768) were surrounded by a dense population. These circumstances-connected with incessant persecution-the turmoil and contention into which they were thrown and constantly kept by some of their envious neighbors, were the principal causes of its decline; which continued in the wane until within a few years, since which it is reviving and growing in numbers.

At an early period they established a printing office, one of the first German presses in the State, (the second I believe;) which enabled them to distribute tracts and hymns, and afterwards to print several large works, in which the views of the founder are fully explained. Many of these books have been lost and destroyed. In the revolutionary war, just before the battle of Germantown, three wagon loads of books, in sheets, were seized and taken away for cartridges. They came to the paper mill to get paper, and not finding any there, they pressed the books in sheets.

Music was much cultivated; BEISSEL was a first rate musician and composer. In composing sacred music he took his style from the music of nature, and the whole comprising several large volumes are founded on the tones of the Æolian harp-the singing is the Æolian harp harmonized. It is very peculiar in its style and concords, and in its execution. The tones issuing from the choir imitate very soft instrumental music; conveying a softness and devotion almost superhuman to the auditor. Their music is set in four, six, and eight parts. All the parts save the bass are led and sung exclusively by females, the men being confined to the bass, which is set in two parts, the high and low bass the latter resembling the deep tones of the organ, and the first, in combination with one of the female parts, is an excellent imitation of the concert horn. The whole is sung on the falsetto voice, the singers scarcely opening their mouths, or moving their lips, which throws the voice up to the ceiling, which is not high, and the tones, which seem to be more than human, at least so far from common church singing, appear to be entering from above, and hovering over the heads of the assembly. Their singing so charmed the Commissioners who were sent to visit the Society by the English Government, after the French war, that they requested a copy to be sent to the Royal family in England; which was cheerfully complied with, and which I understand is still preserved in the National Library. About twelve months afterwards a box was received of three or four feet long, and two or two and an half wide, containing a present in return. What the present was is not now certainly known-none having seen it but FRIEDSAM and JAEBEZ, who was then Prior, and into whose care it was consigned. It was buried secretly by him, with the advice of BEISSEL. It is supposed, by a hint given by JAEBEZ, that it was images of the King and Queen, in full costume, or images of the

Saviour on the Cross, and the Virgin Mary; supposing, as many in this country have erroneously thought, that the people of Ephrata possess many of the Catholic principles and feelings. The King, at whose instance they were sent, was a German, and we may presume that he considered that they retained the same views as the monastic institutions of Europe. They have nearly a thousand pieces of music, a piece being composed for every hymn. This music is lost, entirely now, at Ephrata-not the music books, but the style of singing: they never attempt it any more.

The house in which the Sabbath School referred to in the foregoing sketch was held was used during the Revolution as a Hospital. "A few days after the battle of Brandywine had been fought, September 11, 1777, four or five hundred of the wounded soldiers were taken to Ephrata, and placed in the Hospital. Doctors Yerkel, Scott and Harrison, were the attending surgeons and physicians. The wounds and camp fever baffled their skill: one hundred and fifty of the soldiers died here; they were principally from the Eastern States, and Pennsylvania, and a few British, who had deserted and joined the American Army. "The first of those who died here, were buried with honors of war; a funeral sermon, preached by one of their own number, appointed for that purpose. This practice was continued for some time, till they began to drop off too rapidly to allow time for the performance of the ceremony, when everything of the kind was dispensed with."

"The place where they rest, is enclosed; and for many years, a board, with this inscription:

'Hier Ruhen die Gebeine vieler Soldaten,'

was placed over the gate of the enclosure. The board, with the inscription, is no more." (Rupp.)

At the instance of Joseph Konigmacher and others, a company chartered by the Legislature and known as the “Ephrata Monument Association," succeeded in substituting a monument for the board, the cornerstone of which was laid Sept. 11, 1845. The Hon. J. R. Chandler, of Philadelphia, was the orator of the day. The officers of the Associciation were Joseph Konigmacher, President, Col. Richard R. Heitler, Jeremiah Mohler, Wm. Spera, Col. John Bauman, and Ed. Konigmacher, Directors, Jeremiah Bauman, Treasurer and Secretary.

When Congress left Philadelphia and for safety met at Lancaster and York, the Continental money was printed at Ephrata.

FULTON.-Bounded N. by Drumore, E. by Little Britain, S. E. by Octoraro creek, S. by Maryland, W. by the Susquehanna river. Area, 15,557 acres. Popul. in 1860, 2,026; Taxables, 421; value of Real and Personal Property, $368,432. It contains 8 Grist and 6 Saw Mills, 5 Hotels, 6 Stores, and 9 Common Schools. The Conowingo creek crosses the township centrally in a Southerly direction. P. O. are at Fulton House, Goshen, Lyles, Peter's creek, Pleasant Grove and Wakefield.

HEMPFIELD, EAST.-Bounded N. by Penn, E. by Manheim, S. by Manor, W. by W. Hempfield, and N. W. by Rapho townships. Centrally distant from the city of Lancaster about 5 ms.; length 54 ms., breadth 5 ms., area, 14,145 acres; surface, partly hilly, partly level. Population in 1860, 2,613; Taxables, 697; value of Real and Personal Property, $1,272,402. It contains 6 Grist Mills, 1 Saw Mill, 1 Distillery, 14 Hotels, 5 Stores and 12 Common Schools. Little Conestoga creek flows on the Eastern and Chicquesalunga creek on the N. W. boundaries of the township. The Pennsylvania Railroad crosses its southern section, the Harrisburg and Lancaster Railroad intersects it centrally, and the Reading and Columbia Railroad skirts its Western extremity, intersecting at Landisville with the Harrisburg and Lancaster Railroad. P. O. at Hempfield, East Hempfield, Landisville and Salunga.

HEMPFIELD, WEST.-Bounded N. by Rapho, S. by Manor, E. by E. Hempfield townships, and W. by the Susquehanna river. Centrally distant W. from Lancaster 8 miles; greatest length 8, greatest breadth 5 miles; area 13,880 acres; surface, hilly;

soil, limestone.

Pop. in 1860, 3,108; Taxables, 880; value of Real and Personal Property, $1,184,123. It contains 7 Grist and 2 Saw Mills, 3 Furnaces, 6 Hotels, 6 Stores and 13 Common Schools. The Big Chiquesalunga is the Northwestern boundary of the township, and flows into the Susquehanna at the N. W. extremity. P. O. at Columbia, Mountville and Silver Spring. The most important place is COLUMBIA, an incorporated borough, (in 1814) with an area of 820 acres, a population (in 1860) of 5,007; Taxables, 1,144; assessed value of Real and Personal Property, $762,813. The subjoined two independent accounts of the early history of Columbia are extracted from Hazard's Register:

A brief statement of facts relating to the first settlement of Columbia, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, by Arthur B. Bradford, who says, in his letter accompanying the communication, that "the facts were gathered chiefly from a manuscript journal, belonging to the great grand-daughter of Robert Barber, the first settler."

Recollections of the First Settlement of Columbia, Lancaster County, Pa.: About the year 1726-7, Robert Barber of Chester, came to this place, and took up (as it was then called) 1,000 acres of land on the river Susquehanna, (purchased I think from Jeremiah Langhorne, the agent of the proprietor,) bounded north by Chiques hill, S. E. by what was afterwards called Patton's hill. The journey from Chester in those days was thought a very great undertaking, the country being uninhabited by any except Indians, whose wigwams were scattered promiscuously. In the following year, (1728), three farmers, actuated by a laudable spirit of adventure, came from Chester to make their homes in the wilderness. Samuel Blunston, the richest of the three, purchased 500 acres of the land taken up by R. Barber, next the North Hill: he built on the rising ground occupied at present by Samuel Heise. The house was torn down a few years since, to make room for the building which now stands on the spot. John Wright took the middle part (about 200 acres;) he built where Misses E. and A. Wright now reside, (2d st. opposite the Catholic chapel.) The house has been much altered and repaired, but the greater part of it is still the same he built. He came from Manchester, England, among the early settlers in 1714; was a preacher in the Friends' Society; and was judge of the county court for many years. Robert Barber retained the remaining 300 acres next the lower hill-he came from Yorkshire, England-he followed the sea for many years, and had been a prisoner in France. He built the brick house now occupied by John Hinkle-he was sheriff of the county, and it was intended the seat of justice should have been here, in consequence of which he built a prison near his house-a strong log building, which was pulled down not many years since. James, afterwards Sir James Annesley, was once confined there, having run away from his master, (his story is well known.) R. Barber had a son bearing his own name, who built a house which has gone. There were no pine boards for architecture as at the present day, the joists, and window and door frames were made of oak; what little pine was in it, was obtained from logs found in the river, and sawed at a mill on Strickler's Run, owned by Nathaniel Barber. There was also a fulling-mill on the same stream owned by S. Barber. The land back from the river was settled principally by Germans; Forry's, Strickler's, Sherrick's, Guber's, &c. Their first purchase was from an old woman named Mary Ditcher, who used to go through the country making what was then called improvements-a few sticks piled together, a fire kindled, and a pot hung over it, constituted a first right. Those who could pay for the land had first choice, but these improvements were generally bought for a trifle by those able to pay for the lands. This old Mary Ditcher seems to have been rather a singular personage. She is described as wandering through the woods, leading an old horse, her only property, with her knitting in ber hand, and clad in a garment chiefly of sheepskin. This was called Hempfield township, from the great quantity of hemp raised there. The township below was called Manor, from lands reserved by the proprietors, and called in imitation of the English custom, the Proprietor's Manor. The settlers adjoining were Irish families named