The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-05-21 00:00:00

CATTLE MARKETS.

Ylzrzorocrrus. Thursday. —To-days market was very
moderately supplied with 41 breeds of beasts, which
met a steady sale, at fully Monday's ipootatioss to •
*bight advance. The best Scots sod crosses sold at
4s. 10.1. per 816. The show of sheep was by so roma
ostensive. 134ss progressed middy at 'strew* car
rends& The beet Downs were worth 60. per Mb. Lembo
more.l of freely, at full prides, namely, from 7. 94. to
8.. 44. per Mb. Calves commanded full nooratioea,
with a moderato Dumber on offer. Prime small pip
were firm in pries ; but large bogs were a dull inquiry.

THE "SISTERHOODS" OF THE CHURCH OF

ENGLAND.

On Tusaday evening, the Rev. W. S. Monerieff,
Tlvert4o, delivered a lecture at the Town-hell.
Dont ester, under the auspices of the Dorset Church
Association, on " Briterhoods." The Mayor (G. ('urio*,
Esq.), occupied the &tele, and there Imo a fair
•tMorlacoe The following rlergy were memo{ ; TO.
Rev E. W. Poses, W.A., Rev. 11, Moult., it. A., Rev. F.
"Ifoole, lira. Keetonld Otnith, key. T. %V. Knit*. Rey.
J. B. Hymn, Bee. C. J. Bird, and Rev. A. H. Hall,
Alter a few prefatory remarks by the ClUditii•g.
The Hee. W. S. Mogoitter ooestoenool his Wrens.
Be mid he had been invited to give • lecture upon whet
he conceived to be one of the most pernicious move-
ment. of our time, via., the introduction into the
Church of England of what are demomineted Sisterhood&
He felt that it wris a somewhat difaidnit subject, became
he knew there were those who would he ready 'bough
to taierepremett every effort to expose this evil, and to
tor twit, • lecture seen unmanly attack upon bene•
volent ladles, engird in a benevolent and Christian
work. But he hoped that not one single word which
would fell from hielips would be in my way uncharitable
towards the ladies themselves ; yet, be could not forget
that them Sisterhoods were part of • great 'stem: it
wet not the Sister* be 'proposed to attack, but the
system under which they were working, and he
felt that for the make of the females of OW *country
it was of the utmost consequence that tbh evil
eh mid be trip red and fully understood. There .
were two questions to which he proposed to address
bbaself on that measion. First, what are these so-milled
Anglican ,is remade? what are the leading divisions
of them comotmaines? and what distinguishes them in
their monner of living together, and in the work which
they profess to have undertaken; and next, he should
Framed to coosider what are the mesons put forth for
the existents of Sisterhoods? sod whet appear to be the
tree re...es for the introduction of theee communities
simougst us? He would first observe that Sisterhoods
tt, ores unknown to our Church duos the glorious
Reformerion—(applaase)—and when last there were
such house amonget us, the evils ooeneeteri with them
were so intolerable that it was the hie°. of
d.. unison should be swept over the and, and both
zinikk, and nuns removed out of the country —Osier,
England felt those brotherhoods end sisterhoods
—those moussteriso sad OnnlialitS whisk studded the
be • cura and a Ontaalale, and not a blessing,
theisfore, in the reign of Meg ghar7 the com-
mend went forth ant to investigate the secrete of those
estoblishmento end then to abolish them altogether,
and he believed the Hagfish people generally
felt that they were thereby delivered from a
great evil and • grievous Writhe's. They bad bon unknown to ns sines lb. RiliOrnintien why were
the, introduced now? There were those who regarded
them simply at a revival of the mcient order of
deaconesses in the tarty Christian (Thumb, and throe
who moat warmly supported Sum Sisterhoods said they ,
were accuoad taloa, when it rout said they were going
back to the evil times, for, saki they, "We an going
bock further them the evil times," and they defended
In many of their preetien by quoting the
really Fathers, and referring to the early onetime of the
Cbristian Church. Bet, even, Uit could be shown that
iiisterhoods existed in the early ages of Christianity, he
.did not think they would consider that • aufficient
reason for their re4otroduction now ; because be
believed that throughout England there wig a very
xtrons feeling that what the people of this wintry
wanted was not what existed in the wily agas of Christi-
anity but what could be dearly proved from God's
written Word to be ionording to the mind and the Spirit
of the Great Author of Christianity the Lord
Jesus Himself —(tipplause). Bet sisterhoods were not
• revival of Use deacooesese of the early Christian
church; for, wording to the learned author
Bingham, those desemegess were chosen according
to very wise rulse—roles completely set at naught
and rejected with morn io the modern Sisterhoods
arst,thedetsconemes most he widows -and he need hardly
my there were very few widows in Anglican nunneries;
secood, they most have borne children ; third, they
mast have been the wives of only one husband each;
sad, fourth, they must be at least sixty years of age.
Those were four rules which for some time were rigidly
regarded by the Christian Church, and women having
those qualilicatioos were admitted to the diaconate and
Invited to visit the sick and serve in the church of
Christ. But such tuks were toyer dreamt of in modem
Anglican Sisterhoods. To what source then must he
trine them? It was plain that they were not the honest
outgrowth of our Prot/Mani Reformed Church, became
thry were attached only to one section of our church,
and that • motion rejesting with scorn the name Pro.
tenant, speaking with contempt of the work of our
Reformer., and evidently casting longing lingering eyes
beak again to Roma When they came closely to
examine them modem Anglican Sisterhoods, to read the
rules by which they are governed, and to content Piste the
practices whieh are emouraged I. them, he thought it
•would he found there warn only cue answer to the ques-
tion. What are they? wig., they are • direct imitation
of the nunneries of the (Thumb of Rome. This was Man
M the outset in the names by which they were desig-
nated, for they hod adopted the very same divisions
whisk prevail amongst what are called the religious
me.. to of women in the Church of Home. Those re-
ligious orders were either contemplative secluded nuns,
set apart from the world for prayer and contemplation;
or they were Sitters of Charity, who went forth working
amongst the poor, and managing wheels and other in-
stitutioca The modern sisterhoods of the Church of
Ragland he found were divided in the mina m
there were lbw.) who were simply contemplative nuns,
carefully secluded under lock end key from the world;
and there were those comprisino a far more nurnerour
body who did not mil themselves Sisters of Charity for
that is • Roman designation, but who come se near as
poesible to it by taking the name of Sisters of
Mercy. He proposed proving this Lod other facts
le which he Intended to direct their attention by
quotation• from a volume by Mies Goodman,
entitled "Sisterhood. in the Church of Ragland, with
notices of some charitable Sisterhoods in the Boorish
Church." Thi. lady warn at the time it was written,
1864, matron to the General Hoapitol, Birmingham.
She bad been induced to become a aster of mercy, and
she acquired considerable experience of the character
of sisterhoods, but being distremed sod disgusted with
mush connected with them, she left the body with
which rho was connected, and published trio volumes
concerning this new movement in the Church of
England, one entitled "Experience. of an English
sister of Mercy," and tte other the work before men.
tiooed. There bad been poured on Miss Goodman's
bead all the vials of wrath the extreme men of the
extreme section of our Church were no &cilia' to mixing.
fitie bad been well abased for that book. A friend of
hie who quoted from it In • controversy received nanny.
muse letters speaking in the most merrilom manner of
her; but, it wee important to note, that they had not
contradicted and disgooved • single stotement she had
made. He bad made particular inquiries when in
LOMIIM on the subject, and amenaiDed that to be the
isms Bat it was not Miss Goodman they wasted, but
nbe facts concerning Anglican Sisterhoods: the allege-
•tioes osainar E es Goodwin might be true or false,
though he believed her to bee very worthy and estima-
ble woman, but there was the book, and the state-
ments made in it bad not been contradicted. He bad
stud the sisterhoods wer• divided into two &smarm
w• re members of the Roman order. In proof be quoted
the following :

"The Sisters at Plymouth do not speak of them-
selves under the title of ' Non' :' they are Sisters of
Mercy; but those of the community belonging to the
order of the 'Sacred Heart' are termed ' Nuns' by the
Sinters of Mercy, and the place of their habitation a
• Nunnery.' As I have before observed, the ' Order of
ohs Sacred Heart,' or Ls it is often termed, the 'Order
tf the Love of Jesus,' is strictly 'Enclosed,' and their
time is supposed
as to be spent in almost perpetual prayer,
for the or the dead, according their prayen are
solicited. When at Plymouth in 1862, the prayers of
the Companions of the Love of Jesus' were asked for
the soul of a lady of rank, who formerly belonged to the
association. Thus the Sisters of this band live in com-
munity and are cloistered nun"; but the companions'
may live in the world, or in other religion' houses."
Their rules were borrowed from Rome. The following
were cOnllool7 to both the Poor Clans (Romishi and
the Dvvonport Sisters (Anglican) :
'" No letters must be written or received by the
Devonport Sisters without leave, end 'any present.
that may be made are given to the Superior for the
community.'
" 'Sisters are ever' whether by night or day, to enter
the chapel with all alacrity, and in a perfect spirit of
recollection, in order to prepare their souls for prayer.'
"No Sister can be &tweet from the chapel without
leave, and all are obliged to recite the offices.'
"The following table shows the manner in which the
two Orders pass their days :-
1111.11TUL

noa -CLASS/.

Blab at UM Lin.
Privet-a under ono name or
another until 7.in
Prayers, DIU -truusination,
Int.. until n
I ail U. worn.

Rim al 3 a. in.

Prime. meditatloa Ake., until

7. Holy Communion.
Payer., mitramolnaton
Le.. nail! 9.

!Ufl.lo, .s.t.

to. to. Int meal of
to. 447, Out It ulti b. w-
eaned that be Anglian begun
her dep so hour boon to.
Ett. CiS/S.
ihmerestlea.
It. Iseditation.

11, Tr 2721,
dhuter,tb• Int relleattoo
od I. day.
1.20, work WI &W.
pnyen tW I.

1. ,646* till 6.
4, vompers.
4,11), tas and whitual ru4-
lug until 546
&SO to 6, resrostioa.
6 1111 7, prayers.

6, oollatloo, 0000loelog ot
moli pion ot bloat bawd, sod
link be. 7111 8,, atter tea

priv en.
It retire ; bat they an only
permitted to recline, not to
He down. Rise at 11, and eon-
Ham in prayer until /

7, retire. Rine for gram dar-
ing ma hour of Om tiMht.
At midnight 00 Thundayn
of molt meek to weed an
• additional hour in prayer.
ALOO4IOI. diatiodßo.s Veit of the eiseerhootla woe
the proltihition of the Bible. At the couveateel
establlebeiast in Onniabturalgt Landon, orphinna
-mt p lhited

ill t go Imo vitro !Wu raiding
eXteks VII the el ii.owl tbare ambiur ware
""i""1 Is I. brought op is lie Darius sad adomaition
of thr Lord. BooksJ foolish, staamaital. P°P"
clerotions were pet into their Wilda but therY war* sot
@Dosed to wad the HQ. OH Ow bad bow coallroted,
which solordiag to tee rel. ef dm, how weld not be
doe. till they were IM years a me. I. jesters to tho
Haymow% eletere he shoed stabs that they made no
restriction uto the rredieg ci tas Hilda Buis(
that the Rowan and esoisboods so away
warershlod sub ether. could it be wondered that to•r•
MA term many porsersioes —met from it. Roman to lb.
Aseierin but rice versa f He thee reed es follows

--- • •
"With regard to the St. Saviour's House in
street, more more than half of the Lichee, he orioe connected
with it are now in the Church of Roma Another
Sisterhood. some two or throe Years took went over
bodily to Rome; that is to say, the Superior and a
her 'Children' were received at one time. ybn
peeled to France, and served • Novitiate in a nunnery
there, and then nrtarned to England, and worked under
Foam pale, at Islington. It is surprising,
when looking over the lid of perverta, to observe
how miry Many Of than are women; and Surely
any clergymen under whose guidance they were
when in the Church of England, meat admit that,
if his teaching las doss t bring about the per-
' loses upon his seaL Rvem
Is DvsniNN•grrist omanot b• • Ana matls• AM twenty

out of one Sisterhood—and that not Mies Belles .
twenty, whoee oonseirces were for years in his. hand.-
who obeyed his teaching, sod followed his. leathap with
iii.simphaty of little children—are now In the Rondah
oommusion. Whateser it may be to those who have
received the teaching of Rome from childhood, I sup-
pose all Anglicans agree in thinking that it must he
highly perilous for SOO to forsake the worship of the
one true 4 io.l, slid Jesus I hrist wlyer.l lie lath sent, for
the worship of Mary and the Mum."

-
The following amusing struggle for • rich convert between
Roman and Aeglican nuns was neat narrated -
A Sieter under Miss Langston, formerly Superior
of Mb Saviour's Sisterhood, haring declared hermit' a
convert to Romanism, left the house and took with her
into her new faith (for which they needed little prepa-
ration) two orphans. Not long after Miss W. had taken
this step, the following scene occurred: a Sister, sc.
communed by a child, waa going early in the morning
from Park % allege West to Osnaburg.street, when she
observed the recent convert standing before her on the
Invement, and holding on high a large cruciñz; the
Sister, having an intense reverence for this symbol, felt
hermit under the necessity of proceeding in some other
direction; but whichever way she turned, Miss W. with
great agility managed to place the crucifix in her path,
and she was thus (as she explained) compelled to enter
a cab which was in waiting, and which took her to a
convent in Kensington. This is certainly a novel and
startling mode of spiritual abduction, and was
astonishing to the beholders. Though the Sister
declared -herself to have been forced into the
convent, she evidently rejoiced to find herself
there, and the next day requested that she might
receive conditional baptism. After this rite, she
deemed herself settled in the new faith, and believed
that her friends would not now insist upon her return;
she therefore wrote to Miss Lanpton, who, together
with her natural mother, had been in the deepest
anxiety, and had searched for her in every direction.
The two mothers immediately visited the convent, and
remoestrated so warmly that it was thought better for
tint lady to come away with them; and she returned
to St. Saviour's, whence she had fled or from which
she had been abducted; my renders may use which of
these terms they please. Of course it was expected by
her Romish friends that the convert would remain firm
to them ; but the Spiritual Director of St. Saviour's, Dr,
Pusey, being appealed to, he decided that she was to
continue in the Anglican Sisterhood- To do Miss
Langston justice, she fully believed that, as the lady
was no longer in the Church of England, the linter.
hood was no longer a fit home for her; but there was
no gainsaying the direction of the doctor. He further
insisted to show bow thoroughly she had returned
to the Anglican Church, that she should go with the
household to Holy Communion on the following morn.
ing. The poor sister was heart-broken • she dis-
tinguished sufficient differences between the two
Churches to know that being baptized into the Roman,
if the Anglican were true, warns grevious sin; on the
other hand, if the Roman were the true Church, as she
believed it was, a mockery, and an act full of danger, to
receive the moat solemn rite of the false faith. But
the doctor was inexorable, and the poor bewildered
lady, in the deepest affliction, started with the pro-
cession for early communion. At the church door she
was met by the Ronianiste, who called upon her
not to enter the building, and admonished her
that by so doing, she would bring down upon her.
self the most fearful condemnation. Ultimately, a
kind of struggle for her person took place, which ended
in the triumph of the Anglican ladies; two of whom
seized her by each arm, and she was dragged,
rather than walked, into the Anglican Church. I may
mention that the Sister was at that time of mature
age, nearer forty than thirty; and also that a large
fortune was at her own disposal."

_
me opinion of a Roman nun on Anglican Sisterboods
is signilleant. Ti was given to Miss Goodman whni.
visiting the Poor Cies-es—the strictest order in the
Church of Rome.

"Saner Clare," she says, "disaximed us with a part-
ing caution 'You Puseyites are just like children play-
ing in the market. Remember, it is very dangerous to
pl-re at being Catholics. With us everything is hedged
round, that abuses may not creep In; for we know
some things, (we were speaking of the con(essional)
'are dangerous; but you rush into all headlong.'"
Further, and as an additional proof of the thoroughly
Roman character of the movement, be directed attes.
tion to the circumstance that many of the worst vices of
the Romish monastic system hove already begun LO
spring up amongst the Anglaise sisterhoods. In
several parts of Miss Goodrisan's volume, there were
most extraordinary accounts of the pride of officio mani-
fested by the Lady &radon and others invested with
"a little brief authority." The sisters had to promise
in the most solemn manner strict and rigid obedience to
their rule, and the Superiors must be something more
than women if they could resist the strong temptation
thus gives them to play the petty tyrant. This was
illustrated in • singular wry at the Devonport sister-
hood, at PI moth, vide :
Most elaborate was the care bestowed in preparing
the suite of rooms in which Miss &Hon and Dr. Piney
lived. I may mention that some hundreds of pounds
were spent in making ready their apartments, which
formed a suite of rooms in the tower of the Abbey. I
do not mean in furniture only, but in carrying hot-
water-pipes into every room and presage, in addition to
the open grates; in opening wells for extra doors, kr
A long spiral flight of stone stein was covered with
wood, on which was nailed rich carpeting; and when-
ever the Lady Superior ascended or descended, these
pieces of carpeted wood were fitted on to each step, and
taken up again when she had ceased to walk upon
them. It seems too ridiculous to be believed, but it is
true that these steps sometimes were put down and
taken up four or five times a day, and the placing or
displacing of them was quite an hour's work."

In that manner did the lady Superiors and Edna:see
make themselves eanfortabie, but the poor sisters had
sere hard lives of it. But • reason was given for it all.
The toils and cane of °floe of the Superiors rendered it
necessary, that while the sisters slept in very wretched
cells and walked on stone Boors, they should have
everything as comfortable and song u possible. But
another vise of the Romiab monastic system had crept
into the Anglican Sisterhoods, via, intense severity of
diuipline. as witness what luppened in the sisterhood
in Oenaburgstreet, London :

" A Sister who was very much esteemed for her
saintliness, used severe abstinence during a whole Lent,
and thus at the beginning of Passion Week was greatly
reduced ; on Holy Thursday she took some porndge at
noon, and from that time did not permit anything to
pass her lips—not even • drop of water—until Easter
Sunday; it was then too late, and she died during
Eastertide, of gastric fever."

He also quoted the account aim to Mies Gooflman of
the death of Sister Fridserida, by • sister who was an
inmate of the sisterhood when It occurred :

" I was not present at the beginning of S. Fridswida's
illness; indeed, so little communication and sympathy
were there between the members of our order, that I
had not even been toll she was ailing. I parted with
her at St. Saviour's in perfect health : judge therefore
of my surprise, about • year after, on seeing her, the
tint evening of my return to Bradford, walk, or rather
drag herself, into the room where we were assembled
for our evening meal at 430, leaning on anything near;
for her tottering limbs seemed too weak to support her,
and at length she sank into her chair utterly exhausted.
This was, as I have said, the first intimation I had of
her illness, and the shock was even greater to me than
when I was told of her death. I could not help giving
her a look of deep commiseration, for I felt sure she
was very ill, and that her "days were numbered." She
returned my look with a loving smile, for which was
very thankful, for we had not aways been on very good
terms at St. Saviour's, and it showed she had forgotten
and forgiven the pest- her mail., however, was soon
succeeded by a convulsive fit of coughing, which all the
stern and reproving looks of Mother Bidess were in
vain to repress. Indeed, in a few days her coughing
became so incessant that it disturbed the Lady Supenor,
whose room was just over us, and we were all afterwards
assembled in another room for our meals. If it were
disturbing to one who was comfortably lodged in a room
overhead, how much more distressing must it have been
to those sitting at table with her, and who not only
heard the cough, but witnessed the pain which accom-
panied it! I pass over the short time which followed:
she did all she we. desired to do, obeying every direc-
tion with the utmost humility ; growing daily weaker.
The weather tram bitterly cold, and she was allowed •
fire ; but I am afraid cleaning her pate, dragging up
fuel, he,, for her fire, did her already exhausted frame
as much harm as the fire did her good, I have often
met her on the stairs, quite overpowered with the weight
of a dustpan and brush, so little of her former strength
remained. I have sometimes carried things up for her I
to the top of the stairs, but she would not often let me, I
for fear of being discovered. I would often have spoken
to her at theta times, but she was lasing her conscious-
ness, and wee withal so stone-deaf, that I should have ,
had to bawl so loud a. to ran the risk of disturbing
the lady Superior; which was rather a consideration in
those days, and would have brought down condign 1
punishment upon one or both of us. I cannot
pass over this part in her life, without remarking
that I often noticed her leaning against the
wall, gating with tearful eyes upon a scroll, under one
of the windows, on which were the words, "Children,
obey your parents in the Lord." I did not know at the
time she had joined the Sisterhood sgainst her lather's
will, but thonght she was merely seeking to derive
comfort from her obedience to her spiritual mother.
Doubtless her thought. were otherwise engaged, and
those tears were tears of bitter repentance but her re-
pentane° came too late—she was never again to behold
tier father on earth. I met her in this way on Monday,
the first Monday in Lent, looking more dead than alive.
I missed her on Tuesday; and on Wednesday her non-
appearance surprised me, and I ventured to ask slier
her. I was told she was not well, and had been allowed
to stay in her room. That evening she died. The
general household had all retired to rest, and myself
among that number: I beard ea unusual noise bibs,
such as footsteps running cautiously about, the hall bell
ringing several times, and the front door opening and
shutting hastily- I felt as if something d wes
happening, but dared not go to enquire, Nothing was
said the next day, and all went on as usual; and so
strict was our rule of silence, that I did not dare to ask
what had occasioned the noise which had made me feel
so uneasy the previous evening. On Friday, that is two
days after poor S. Fridswida's death, the Mother
Blames came into my cell, and, sitting down beeide me,
told me very quietly that S. Frichwida was dead. Had
she come up to say that she was dying, end wanted to
see me, it would not have taking me by surprise • but to
hear that she wee dead, and had been for two days,
quite shocked me, and I could not help saying that it was
hard that we who were termed her Sista% and were in
the some house with her, and shared the lame rule, had
not been summoned to her death-bed. I aged a few
particulars. but the Sister seemed unwilling to talk
much about it. On leaving my cell, Mother /Umss
asked me if I should like to see 8. Fridewida, built had
come so suddenly upon me, I *cold scarcely realise that
she was died; I declined seeing her just then, not feel.
to it. I know not whether under the Sister's
2„.equal ,
cold moaner, woe hidden sorrow or sell-reproach."
Bach a dietitian's amount of the treatment of • poor
girl must amass the greatest indignation in every basest
Naglish heart Another characteristic of the system
was the inmileaßoo of thsobedi•Doe to went. :
" Kim Sallee has freed her household from the obit.
of daughters, sad the frets which follow will
to show how this rule works. I have a looter
whioh owes that the aa,thir pi an aged maker about
bar dallider, who is ridding *ilk Ws Woe, rid

by the medical men to be shortening the parent's days.
These words ate very touching : 'My dear mother is
old and feeble, and • most loving and unselfish being,
and the thought of her children suffering is agony to
her. We hear from our sister about twice a year, and
the letters are one so like another, and so destitute of
feeling, that we believe they moat be written under coer-
cion. Another lady writes: 'lt is very dreadful to think
how many deaths the life has cost ; but though feeling
the lost of our sister as we do, we cannot but be thank-
ful that it has 'demo' Cod to take her, for though
so unhappy at Plymouth5 she had determined upon going
back.' The young lady alluded to in this letter had, on a
previous occasion, left Miss Sellon's at the wish of her
relative; but Dr. Pueey, her confessor, wrote to urge
upon her to return, declaring that if she failed to do K.,
he could no longer remain her spiritual director : a
threat which involved his refusal again to pent her
absolution. This so weighed upon her mind, that
eventually she returned; but not until some time after
a clay which Miss &Bon had fixed as the utmost limits
of her visit home. For this act of disobedience to her
spirituel mother, she was, on her return, desired to
take the lowest place in the Devonport household,
where the position of the inmates, unless lost through
misconduct, goes by seniority; the culprit was for-
bidden an intercourse with the other novices, and
during her penance, which lasted more than twelve
months, she lamed the time allowed each day for
recreation alone in a small room; and as there is to be
silence in the house except during recreation, she was
thus reduced to almost perpetual silence."
Could any ooneeivable cruelty be more detestable than
than reducing • poor girl to perpetual silence fee a yeas?
Again, the love of money was a distinguishing trait of
the Sisterhoods, in midtown of which he quoted the feet
of the daughter of a Scotch coronet, who with an ex•
Meted ooment had joined the society, and on dying at
Bradford, left her share of her mother's property
absolutely to Miss Belton, through whom the mother
was sent away from her daughter's death-bed! Another
true Borman trait was the eonstant depreciation of
moiler life, The timers ware taught that celibacy is a
for holier state that married life, and this was illustrated
at the Plymouth Sisterhood in • rather amusing way—
vide :

"A very favourite print, which hung, and probably
till hangs, in the recreation-room of the Abbey at
Plymouth, representing the Resurrection of the
Eleseed, contemn some hundreds of figures, but only
one solitary individual not than ecclesiastical or con.
',usu.' costume; and be (for it was • man( was looking
very much awed and surprised at finding himself in
such good company. There were many popes, cardinals,
bishops, monks, crusaders, pilgrims, and nuns, but
not • single woman, attired in secular garments."

He maintained that the incitationn he hid given
that time sisSerhoOds are a Popish novehy fetredesel
surreptitiously and most dishonestly into the Protestant
Church of England—(applause). Turning to the
question, why are they established? he said, according
to Dr. Puny. who was their most vehement defender,
and great adviser, they were established as pioneers to
the parish priest' that was to say, before the clergymen
of • parish visited &menet the poor • Sister of Mercy
was to go before him to prepare the way. Now be
thought he must be • very worthless pariah priest who
needed any such pioceer- (hear, hear)—and when the
apostles were told to go out into the byenrays and hedges
and oompel them to owns in. they were not told they
seeded say pioneers. Wherever • minister's work
might he, whether in a country parish or in the wont
slants of London, he might he sure that God would go
with him, and he would require no Sister of Mercy ass
pioneer to go before him. But the thought In explan-
ation nf their liking for pioneer' was the circumstance
that the people did not look upon them as missionaries of
the Lord, butes men proudly assuming an office to whieh
they were never ordained thetneslves "sacrific-
ing priests," and pretending to be able to forgive sins ;
so they nought to smooth the way by sending those
ladies before them as pioneers. He trusted the day
was coming when both they sad their pioneers would
go over to Bone: then and not till then would our
Church stand as she had stood—the pure, reformed
Church of England— (applause). Another reason was
given why sisterhoods were established. There were
those who pointed to the various educational establish.
meets connected with the vies of Pewee, and said
bow desirable it was to have educational establishments
of a similar character in Englthd—bow desirable it was
that the middle *lames, for Instance, the turners and
tradesmen, who could not afford to pay • large sum for
the edueatioe of their daughters, shout/ be able to send
them into the society of ladies to be taught and trained
up. That was very cunning reasoning, but they did
not intend to train those who went MOO( them as
members of the Cherish of England they did not intend
kindly and generously to provide them with a thorough
and useful education—they had One purpose in the
future, and that was to warp their minds from the
truth contained in the Bible and set forth by the
Protestant Church, and to make them Papists like
themeelves—(applanse). But a third reason was given.
They said there was a fearful lack of nurses in the
various hospitals, and he was grieved to say that the
maw prevailed to such an extent that in two or three
of the large London hospitals thew sisters of mercy
were admitted. In one hospital a vigorous effort had
been sweessful in excluding them. A friend of his
had a large parish connected with St. George's hospital,
and be beard that Sisters of Morey were to be admitted
there. He wrote a letter on the subject which produced
a great sensation, and the reedit was that when the
question own before the Governors it was almost unani-
mously resolved they should not be admitted. But
*gain an effort was mode. Private letters were written
against his friend, and he was opposed in the matter by
the Saturday Review and Pall Mall Gazette. But like
• honest man be held on his way, and was wain
successful, and the Sienese( Mercy were again refused
admittance. A few days after his friend told him of a
little incident that occurred at the hospital, which
shows thermal object of their seeking is go into the
hospials. Gus of the snare called on • nurse belong.
ing to St. George'. hospital and mid she had heard that
she (the nurse) was opposed to the eaters being admitted
to the hospital. The nurse replied that was true, and
she had a very good reason for her objection—they did
not know how to nurse. The sister said they would
learn. The nurse asked her what she would do in •
ael surgical case, and was answered "I don't know."
"What, " the nurse presided, "if you had to sit up all
night with a patient suffering from a malignant fever"
and spin the reply was"! don't know—have had no
experience." The nurse then inked her if it was not
true that one of the misters was ill and required to be
leeched, they had to call in &matinee became, none
of them eould superintend it, and the sister had to
Wein that it was the feet Yet these were the very
women who it was said would be such valusble nurses
and do so greet an amount of good if only admitted to
the hospitals. A High Church clergyman called on his
friend (Mr. Nivea) and asked him to give up him
apprentice to the admission to those institetione of the
sisters of mercy. He replied be would do so if be was
sieisled that they had no other motives than to
act as nurses, for, said he, I and those who work with
me in this matter, suspect they are sought to be
admitted to tarry on the work of prowlytising there.
The High Chunk clergyman replied that he should not
othsaribe to support them, and wish them to be admitted
if it was not int•nded for them to work among the
int-boots, and to do what they weld to 'orieg them to
their own way of thinking. He honestly ad.itted
their objeet, and tried to defend it. This showed that
their profession of desire simply to provide nurses
for the sick was false and hollow. But we did
not want sisters of many to work in sue land. We had
true mimeos of mercy in essay parishes alreadv—(bear.
bear). There was no reason why every Englishwom a
should not be a sister of mercy in its best wow. The
wives and daughters of many of the clergy nobly
fulfilled such a passion, and he had seen tree sisters
of mercy among the selves and daughters of the aristo-
cracy, the farmers and the tradesmen, animated simply
by love to God and love to their neighbours, which
prompted them to work for Him in the midet of a sin-
ful world—(applause). What then was the true reason? A
striking point of contend between the Anglican
Sisterhoods and the Roman nunneries was
the great secrecy which surrounded the former:
and this might suggest its object. They were
part and panel of that detestable sacerdotal system
which is the curse of the times. They must be looked
upon as one symptom of the disease wbieh is &filleting
our beloved church—se one of those funguses growing
upon the goodly stem of the Cherish of Yngland eating
out its very life and vigour. We see in all theme Sister-
hoods devotion to the priesthood almost of an idolatrous
character. Devotion to the priesthond was the one object
of Dr. Pussy and Dr. H•inilton (Bishop of Salisbury)
and many others who worked with them, for the priest. '
hood, they said, were not simply Ministers 1
preaching the everlasting gospel, but were
invested with a mysterious power, no that
the bread consecrated by them beeame the body of the
Lord Jeans Christ, sad words of pardon front their lips
removed sin from the consciences of mea. They repre-
sented themselves as mediators between Christ and the
laity, and if their numbers were eo to increase is the Church
or Eaglend by raw lying eneottranement in thew sacerdotal
usurn ptions from the Laity that there was in every parish
a priest taking upon himself these detestable Popish win.
then the very -61=km." of darkness would set over our
laud, and the Son of Righteousness would he weaseled
by a aloud of eacerdotalism like unto that which by
God's graes we swept away at the time of the Enloe-
mation--fapplause. Now what was their plain duty
in reference tethis feature of the ritualistic evil spread-
ing amongst us? They must keep their children from
the schools coodeeted by these tasters of mercy. Do
not let them be deceived by &tiering proposals to make
their daughters woompl shed and well educated; let
them always first ask the question, What are the
religious principles of thew who are to be instructors to
our children? There was an immense power in the
hands of every teseher ; and if their &tighter, found
their way into these sisterhoods they must not be
sureened if they tease to take plower* in all the various
popish mummeries of the day, If they went where the
prayers were intoned and whined, and the priests
savored their beets with gaudy dreams, and dealt in all
the mystery sod all the imposition which
was a feature of this new swerdotal assumption.
They must be thoroughly alive to the true character of
those astsblishments, and when their promoters offered
say plausible proposals, they must nimereber they cane
mot heal basest Marsh of Baglaad hearts, but from
those who are doing &swept us the work of the Church
of Rome—(applause). Further, they meet keep the
dieters of Mercy out of their hospitals. The movement
had comonenoed in London, and he hoped it would be
takes up tinsmith the lewth and breadth of the land.
It seas most desirable that they should have good nurses
in the hospital', bet it srould be far better to have a
training ieseitution foe musses, where wawa should be
brought up in that capacity, to go into the hospitals
simply as wawa, than that these valuable establishments
should pass into the hands of designing einerboods.
Then wain they most be careful to keep their money
out of the hands of the superiors of those raterhoods.
A lady of rank belonging whis former ',Minh in London,
told him that one day two strange women made their
way into her drawirtivroom, and asked her fir help.
She said if they had wee is plain honed clothes she
might have been Induced to assist them, but she did not
like their draw, and would not give them • farthing.
He wished that all would do the same, for if their fuM,
fell short the sisterhoods would be woo broken up. He
had alma ly said that these sisterhoods were part of •
great system, and they must unite es they bad weer
united before, cansietently, persistently, aug patiently,
to oppose it wherever it was seen. There wee • rest week
for the laity to perform, Gad he was glad to led that a
brutal of the seesaw. Chars' •11814616011 bed been
found for this td et; OM assosislise Iss Wined

was one of the most valuable agencine established in
modern times for the promotion of Protestant truth.
A re 4 Protestant feeling pervaded the maims of the
Seolrlet but they were slow to move. When, however,
they had become aroused, those who are working snob
mischief will be filed with terror, and be driven out
from amongst us—(applaum). He urged that petitions
shout.' be signed in fnvour 14 Lord Shaftesbury's tlerieal
Veaterenta' Bill, and observed that the Church Auntie-
Lion had undertaken the responsibility of the prosecution
of the Rev. Mr. kisckonockie, of 81. Alban's Church,
in the Arches Court, on which 'secant he appealed to
them for suoport. He also urged them to be watchful
in observing the character of the books and tracts cir-
culated amongst their own people. In conclusion he
compared thc attitude of the laity at the present time
to John Bull offended with the strange dresses and
peculiar antics of some of the cle-gy and fumbling the
head of his sta. By and bye he would he aroused to
use it it to each effect that the Church would be purged
from the neat of Popish traitors who are dein all this
mischief steonint us, and she would rim again to the
Position she had at the ileformation, end be a pore
Protestant Reformed Church, and be • blaming to oar
children as sbe Lad been to our forefathers and to our-
*elves—(lood applause).
On the motion of the Rev. Reginald Run% seconded
by the Rev. E. W. PLANA, • cordial vote of thanks was
seconded to the lecturer.

The Rev. W. S. MONCIIIII7, in acknowledging the
vote, said he omitted to read to them the "rule of holy
obedience" which young women solemnly proutised to
tuiti when they entered the sisterhood. It commenced
as follows:
. .

"Ye w—ho have offered up to God your judgment and
your will, must try to preserve and grow in the sub-
mission ye have professed. Actions in themselve
indifferent become sanctified when done in the spirit of
holy obedience, for all authority descends from God,
and superiors bear the image of the Divine power of
God, which He vouchsafes to imprint upon them. And
He will surely require it at your hands, if ye despise
His authority, in them. For the powers that be are
ordained of (Jot!. Ye shall ever address the Spiritual
)(other with honour and respect; avoid spadting of
her among yourselves ; cherish and obey her with holy
love, without any murmur or sign of hesitation or
repugnance, but simply, cordially, and promptly obey
vnth cheerfulness, and banish from your mind any
question as to the wisdom of the command given you .
If ye fail in this, ye have failed to resist • temptation
of the evil one. Ye shall never disown with any
(except by express direction of the Spiritual
person
Mother) either within the Society, or without it, the
rules of the Order, or the commands of the Superior.
Ye shall diligently avoid making any comment upon
either; and ye shall make it • subject of immediate
confession to your Superior, if ye have unhappily been
betrayel into this error; and ye shall receive a penanoe,
but no word Of admonition or reproof of the same. The
rule of your Order implies an exact obedience to the
direction, of the Surrior, and to the spirit and the
letter of the rule, kn.
They must feel themselves stirred up to oppose such
practices in the Church of England, which corrupted her
members and prevented them from enjoying the peace
and freedom of the gospel—(applanee).
Several persons became members of the Dorset Church
Association, and the proceedings terminated.