In the shadowy woods above the Wissahickon Creek in present-day Philadelphia, legend has it that a mystic once awaited the end of the world. His name was Johannes Kelpius—a German-born spiritual seeker who led a small band of followers from Europe to the wilds of Pennsylvania in 1694. Their purpose? To prepare for the second coming of Christ and live lives of contemplation and purity.

On a recent episode of The Spark, host Asia Tabb sat down with Dr. Patrick M. Erben, professor of American literature at the University of West Georgia and a scholar of early German American culture, to uncover the story of this lesser known but deeply fascinating figure.

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