Background of Conrad Johannes Beissel

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.BACON'S "SECRET SOCIETY": THE EPHRATA CONNECTION

SECTION II — SLIDES AND RESEARCH ON EPHRATA
by Linda S. Schrigner, et al

Pietist Conventical Collegium, 17th Century Germany

Interestingly enough, back in Europe in 1690, the same year when planning of the Rosicrucian expedition was formally initiated, Johannes Conrad Beissel was born [1690-1768], who would become the leader of the second group we are discussing, the Ephrata Cloister, that was a German Baptist sect. At the cloister, however, American Colonial Rosicrucians would also establish a separate Rosicrucian temple.

As a young man Beissel apprenticed himself to a baker, and in 1715 at age 25, he experienced a most remarkable enlightenment wherein, Sachse states, “He attained to such a superhuman faithfulness to God that he may well be regarded as one of the great miracles of our time.”

Soon after that, Beissel was introduced to the Rosicrucians in Germany, meeting in secrecy in the woods under the name of a Pietist conventicle, but was forced to “quit” the town, when another jealous baker turned him in to the authorities for meeting in secrecy. It was then that he decided to seek out the Kelpius group in the New World.

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