The members of the Kelpius group were also members of the Pietist religion, who were accustomed to dressing in white robes, which must have seemed strange to the colonists, but each of these men were well educated, and they were professionals and master craftsmen.  In addition, they were considered perfecti—adepts or advanced mystics of the Rosicrucians, having been admitted to the advanced studies, and their personal commitment to the need for assisting others who were interested in furthering their education and/or developing a deeper spiritual understanding of life.