Ephrata (English: /ˈɛfrətə/ EF-rə-tə, Pennsylvania Dutch: Effridaa) is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, 38 miles (61 km) south east of Harrisburg and about 57 miles (92 km) west by north of Philadelphia. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel. Ephrata's sister city is Eberbach, Germany, the city where its founders originated. In its early history, Ephrata was a pleasure resort and an agricultural community.
Ephrata's population has steadily grown over the last century. In 1900, 2,452 people lived there, in 1910, 3,192, and by 1940, the population had increased to 6,199. The population was 13,394 at the 2010 census. Ephrata is the most populous borough in Lancaster County.
Ephrata is noteworthy for having been the former seat of the Mystic Order of the Solitary, a semimonastic order of Seventh-Day Dunkers. The community, which contained both men and women, was founded by Johann Conrad Beissel in 1732.
Many of the members were well-educated; Peter Miller, second prior of the monastery, translated the Declaration of Independence into seven languages, at the request of Congress. At the period of its greatest prosperity the community contained nearly 300 persons.
Well, I've never met anyone with your courage
And the way your enjoy life puts me to shame
Just an hour with you and I understand
Why we had to meet
I saw you look in the mirror
And adjust your hair
Smile and leave the room
Just an everyday boy, doing everyday things
But you're somebody special, somebody who feels
You're not the first and you won't be the last
But you are the one I'll remember
It's God's revenge, you're surrounded by fear
A compassionate man, you hold people dear
No blame for the Mother, who curses your name
She fears for her son, it's death by association
But you respect yourself and you let it show
Some fade with guilt and the shame
They way you tell your story
With no tears for yourself
Just an everyday boy, doing everyday things
You're not the first and you won't be the last
But you are the one I'll remember
Hey hey, just an everyday boy, just an everyday boy
Doing everyday things, just an everyday boy
Just an everyday boy, just an everyday boy