LANCASTER COUNTr. 223 



bill for payment was forwarded to them. The society 

 resolved not to receive them, but had them sold and paid 

 ^e loss. One of these bells having upon it, "Ephrata — 

 Israel Eckerlin, Prior,'^* was purchased, and is now on 

 one of the churches in Lancaster. 



" This transaction led to the discovery of a conspiracy 

 of the Eckerlins to possess themselves of the titles of 

 tlie property, which was much more extensive and 

 valuable then now, and which terminated in the expul- 

 sion of Israel from the office of Prior. The Eckerlins 



♦Israel Eckerhn, Prior; this is given on the authority of W. 

 A. Fahncstock, M. D., to whom we are indebted for much of 

 this article. We believe the bell alluded to, is the one on the 

 Lutheran church. If it is, it has this inscription : Sub auspicio 

 •oiri venerandi Onesimi Societ. Eplirat. Praepositi, A. O. 

 MDCCXLV. Which we translated: "Under the auspices of 

 the venerable man, Onesimus, placed over the society at 

 Ephrata, A. D. 1745. 



Note. — At a church council held in Ephrata, Beissel, and 

 his associates, had determined to break the bell and inter the 

 fragments ; however, on a night's reflection, it was resolved to 

 dispose of it differently : the bell was pardoned from its do- 

 creed fate, and sold to the Lutherans, at Lancaster. We quote 

 the Clwmican Ephratense : " Um diesselbe zeit, 1745, kam die 

 ansehnliche Glocke in Philadelphia an von England, v/elche 

 die Eckerhn sollen bestellt haben, folgendes motto war um 

 dieselbe gegossen : Sub auspicio viri venerandi Onesimi Socie- 

 tasis Ephratensis Praepositi: Aaf diese empfangene ISTachricht 

 ward Rath gehalten in des Vorstehers Gegenwart, welcher 

 fur die Glocke sehr unguenstig ausfiel: dasz sie solte in 

 stuecken zerschlagen, und unter die erde vergraben werden; 

 aber wie sie solte bezahlt werden, ^vusste niemand, dann sie 

 kostete 80 pfund. Des andern Morgens erschien der Vorsteher 

 abermal im Rath, und sagte: Erhaette nachgedacht, well die 

 Brueder arm waeren, solte die Glocke pardonirt werden, und 

 also ist sie an die Lutherische Kirche, in Lancaster kommen.—. 

 Chron. Eph. p. 164. 



