The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1852-03-09 00:00:00

Spring ; and two political artic

Tiersto

Clarendon res

MISS SELLON & THE SISTERS OF MERCY

A pamphlet on this st,hjeet has just been issued by the
James Spurreli, M.A., vicar of Great Selford,

Cambridgeshire, containinz an exposure of the practices
current among the Sisters of Mercy. The information
has been obtained through a lady who has lately seceded,

at Miss

ire is open to the

Sellon herself. at tl-

Exeter, has prorr

suspicion of exaggeration

e suggestion of the Bishop of

sed a full statement

It appears tlipt

849. a young lady who was desirous to make herself

the visitation of the poor, opened a correspond

ence with Miss Sellon, "ye Mother Superior" of the
sisters at Devonport ; the only important feature in which
was the practical admission of the latter, that the young

lady was at liberty to act without her mother's knowledge
in things not positively forbidden ! She afterwards went

Sisters of Charity, resolved to become one of them ; and
in subsequent correspondence with Miss Sellon, there

seems to be not a syllable of advice to the contrary

njoined to be firm ! At length she resolved, after

the expiration of a year, to join Miss &lion ; and, on the

'ening of her introduction to the "Orphans' Home,"

as somewhat surprised to see Miss Sellon, at the con-

elusion of one of the services in the oratory, give her

nediction to each sister separately, and sign her with the

I of the cross! Her surprise was not at the facts

witnessing them there.

The author declares that there is

a distinct attempt, on the part of certain parties within
h, to introduce practices and observances tend-
ing to assimilate it to the Church of Rome. He adds,
"the Romanisers are now working, through a system
most insidiously contrived, designed to entrap the unwary,
and lead them ignorantly forward, till they have made
them in reality, if not in name, Romanists." The fol-
lowing details corroborate these views :

the Churc

On the evening of the day of Miss -'s introduction
into " The Orphan's Home," she was conducted to the
Oratory at the Canonical hour of Compline, when the
flowers, the pictures, the lights, the low desks, and the
dark kneeling figures of the Nun-like Sisters, and the
solemn benediction of each Sister by the Superior at the
conclusion of the service, and the signing them with the

. . ,
and zreatly surprised her, not at ail expecting to witness
anything of the kind where she then was.

The reader will be astonished to learn that this profes.
sedly Protestant Sisterhood is nothing less than an orga-
nized convent.. The Community, as a whole, comprehends
one General Order, styled " The Order of the Holy Com-
munion." which is subdivided into " The Order of the
Sacred Heart.;" " The Order of the Holy Ghost ;" and a
third Order, the name of which was unknown to Miss
-, hut the Sisters of which were usually called " The
Black Sisters."

There were also what were called " Serving Sisters,"
who were received into the Community by the same Ad.
mission Service, nni who consequently were under the

Each Order has a distinct badge. All, upon first coming
into the institution, are called " Novices ;" and when any
seem to thz• Mother Superior to show a decided vocation
for " The Religious Life," she receives them into the
Community privately; gives them the designation of
" Children ;" and attaches them to one of the three Orders,
by investing them with the badge of that Order, which,
henceforth, is worn secretly under the dress ; and each
looks forward, at a future time, to be admitted a " Sister"
of the order whose badge she wears.
The Order of " The Sacred Heart" has for its badge a
gilt triangle, from which is suspended a heart, pierced with
an arrow.

The Order of •' The Holy Ghost" has for its badge a like
triangle, with a cross pendant, and a dove engraven upon it.
The third Order has also a triangle, with, however, a
crucifix suspended from it.

On every triangle the word " Sanctus" is engraven on
each of the sides.

The Order of " The Sacred Heart" was a contemplative
Order. The only Sister who ever belonged to it never
spoke, except with the Mother, or by her direction or
permission—never came into the recreation-room, and
tnrougnout rue whole of Llie day was engaged in prayer
and meditation, and in painting and illuminating services
for the Superior, or in such other works as she might give
har to do.

-The Order of " The Holy Ghost," of which Miss
believes herself to have been the first Sister, was to have
had its members living either in the Institution, or in the
world. They were called " Grey Sisters," nominally be-
longing to their parents, and under their authority, but
in reality bound as closely as either of the other Orders
to the Superior by the great Rule of the Society, which
will hereafter be explained, called " 7he Rule of Holy
Obedience." They were to wear a peculiar dress, in-
tended, it was said, by its coarseness, to protest against
the luxuriousness of the world : and thir dress was to be
held sacred. The " Grey Sisters," whilst with their
families, were to receive all directions as to what they
were to do, and how they were to conduct themselves,
from the Lady Superior—were to render an account to
her of all that happened around, within, and without
them ; in sbort, were to return home, when they do, with
rules, which, if kept to the letter, would, in all probabi-
lity, cause their parents to send them away; if kept in
the spirit, would necessarily produce the greatest dissi-
mulation and falsehood ; an appearance of submission to
parental authority being kept up, whilst they would be
acting in real submission to the " Spiritual Mother."
The third Order was entirely under the controul of the
Superior, all admitted into it having their parents' consent.
The " Children," if they returned to their parents,
to be placed in much the same position as the " Grey ,
Sisters," both being under promise of obedience; only
that the " Child's" promise being secret, and the name
of " Sister" not being given to her, she is less connected
with the Society in the eyes of ber parents and the world.
There is a form for the admission of sisters into the
order, and the practices of confession and penance are
common. An attempt has been made to establish similar
societies in Bristol, Gosport, and elsewhere ; and the
young ladies penetrate in disguise into some of the poorest
and worst dens of :our great towns, and occasionally with
a basket, as pedlars, in order to insinuate good counsel
where it is greatly required. If it were possible for a few
weak women—many of them girls with good resolutions,

but with principles unformed, and no experience in temp-
tation—to reform the masses of vice and Rrelligacy in our
great towns, it would be a glorious work ; but they•may
do worse than fail. They cannot raise the tone of +intelli-
gence and morality. but they may sustain serious injury
themselves. The idea of ladies of education and refine:
ment going•to settle down in a equalid•court, performing
the most. menial offices for themselves, and who cannot
.close either their eyes or ears to the contaminations still
surrounding them, is enough to appal parents and friends
at all events. :It is pleasant to see good intentions,
although so many of them go to pave a certain warm region;
but we think that the following extract will serve to cool
the enthusiasm of those who would wish to go and do
likewise :

' 'That the reader may have a correct idea of the employ-
ments of these -sisters devoted to religion, it may he
stated that, having all the menial work to do for them-
selves, it was no.uncommon thing for these young ladies,
brought up in all the refinements of a polite life. to be
carrying at. half-past five o'clock in the morning a large
dust-barrel to the top of the court, a feat requiring almost,
their utmost strength. A little later in the day, the same
sisters were engaged in sweeping out the house, cleaning
the grates, making the•fire. pumping the water, and other
of the occupations of domestic servants. One would have
occasionally to carry-the dinner to the bakehouse, or to
fetch beer from the public-house,—duties strangely
enough intermingled with " Prime," "Terse," " Seat,"
" Nones," &c., visiting the noor, and common prayer
twice a day at the cathedral. Nor was this all : often had
they to take letters to .the post. at half-past nine, and
parcels to the railway station later ; once a sister was
sent on the latter errand at midnight ! !

After having been ahsi-nt some time from Bristol, Miss
Sellon returned and brought with her two novices, on
whom the sight of the mean little house in the court at
once produced a very painful effect. One of them was
just recovering from a severe fever; and Miss Sell:m see-
ing that she could not safely be left at Bristol, decided to
send her hack to Devonport by the mail train that same
night. The other being seen to her bed by Miss - and
the novice, who was to return to Devonport, they then
left her to go to Miss Sellon's rooms, as they had been
directed, locking her in the house alone. Between ten
and eleven o'clock Miss Sellon dismissed them to return
to the house in the court, to wait. there till it was time to
proceed to the railway station. On arriving at the house
and entering the kitchen, they were startled at finding
the window open. Miss - rushed up stairs and found
the novice's bed empty. Remembering the excited state
in, which she had been, the fearful thought immediately
occurred to her, that she might have destroyed herself;
and the river was just by. Greatly alarmed, Miss -
hastened again to the room of the mother superior, when
bo h of them went to the house of the clergyman of the
parish to seek his aid. The police were at once set to,
search for the missing novice ; the river was immediately
dragged, and, at length, the object of their anxiety was
discovered in a tavern, having been met with in the streets,
almost in a state of delirium, by a woman who had taken
her there, in the hope that a reward would be offered for
finding her.

HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND

CHESHIRE

On Thursday evening last, the fifth meeting of this
society for the present session was held in the Board-
room of the Collegiate Institution, P. R. M'Quie, Etq.,
in the chair.

The certificates of three new members were read, and

the following were duly elected—The Rev. John Shepherd
Birley, of Halliwell Hall, Bolton ; David Howe Lambert,
of Liverpool ; and James Sykes, of Poulton-le-Fylde and
Liverpool.

The following donations were laid upon the table—
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries No. 22, from
the society ; Reports of the Board of-Health, respecting
Berwick.on Tweed, Birmingham, Carlisle, Dover, Mor-
petit. Poulton-cum-Seacombe, Rusholme, Dorchester,
and Fordington, by Robert Rawlinson, Eq. ; Wvatt's
Copy of the Map of Manchester, A.D. 800, by P. R.
M'Quie, Esq. ; Randle Holme's Academy of Amorie,
printed at Chester, 1688, by Dr. Kendrick, of Warring-
ton ; lithograph of the ancient Runic Cross of Lancaster,
now in the Natural History Museum of Manchester. by
the Rev. J. F. Lee, of Lancaster ; Prospectuses and An-
nouncements of Joint Stock Companies, suggested in
Liverpool in 1836 (of 102 schemes 80 prospectuses were
collected), by J. W. Whitehead, Esq.
Mr. Mayer, the honorary curator, sent for exhibition
six stone celts, some of them of peculiar shape, and which
had evidently been sharpened after use ; four bronze eelts ;
part of a sword blade ; a spear head, with wood in it ; and
a palstab, found in the county of Antrim., Ireland. Dr.
Hume exhibited two Australian bags, one from New Zea-
land, made of the native flax, and the other as used by
the " leubras," or native women of New South Wales,
of the fibres of the stringy bark tree. Mr. Rimmer exhi-
bited three tracings from drawings by Geo. Ornerod,
Esq., viz., Srnithell's Hall, drawn in 1810, Interior of
ditto, and Hale House, 1820.
The society agreed to unite in any invitation that might
be presented to the British Association for the Advance-
ment of Science, to meet in Liverpool in 1853.
A letter was read from M. De Perthes, of Abbeville,
Chevalier of the Orders of Malta and of the Legion of
Honour, acknowledging the announcement of his election
as an honorary member, and submitting a donation of the
whole of his own works.
Some ancient MSS. having been forwarded for exhibi-
tion by Major-General the Hon. Sir Edward Cust, K.C.H.,
Vice• President, some extracts from them were read. One
consisted of " Deposicons of Witnesses taken within the
King's Mats, Court of Exchequer, within his Highness
Castle of Chester, the vijth dave of Maye, Anno Regni
Regis Jacobi, Anglite. &e., quint et Scotie, xl°., 1607.
Upon the ple and behalf of Gilbert Wrmeston defte
against John Wrmeston Complt." The following extract
from the testimony of one of the witnesses shows the
nature of the whole—" Henrie Watte of Moreton within
the Countye of Chester husbandman aged threescore
yeares and upwards, sworne and examd. Saieth heknoweth
the p.tyes And bath knowne them for the space of
thirtve veares nowe laste paste and above And did also
knowe William Wrmeston in this interr named and that
the said defte is eldest sonne and next heire to the said
William Wrmeston. The said William in his lief tyme
and at the tyme of his death was taken and reputed to be
lawfully seized in his demeasnes of fee, of and in the mes-
suaze and certeyne howses and buildings gardein and yord
to the same belonginge, scituate in Moreton nowe in the
plts occupacon, and alsO of and in one close or p.cell of
land in Moreton aforesaid, called the West-car-hey * *
And verilye thinketh that the said cottage is builded upon
the deftes owne landes or upon the waste lands of More-
ton aforesaid, hut whether the defies father did fynd
tymber to build the same he knoweth not. * * * He
saieth there was heretofore a survey taken and made by
Henrye Connve John Robts and Myles ffells officers for
Henrye the late Earle of derbye of the landes in the
Interr menconed And there weare prsent at the survey
with deponent William

Bennett and Richard Roberts with
others whose names he certeinly rembreth not. And that
theis p.cells of land hereafter named viz the Lytle kyllonde,
the twoe hullondes in the Gorstefield, the dovehowse-
lande, the Smyrelontle, the hadlande at the head, the
hullonde in the oulde field, the hullondein the Hawthorne,
the wayebutt, the Wyldtnarelonde, the borde meadowe,
the pyke by the rake, and the hulland by the rake. ** *
Also saieth that the said complt hath used and taken one
Cowe grasse in the Township of Moreton aforesaid, as
Tennt thereof to the defte And that the right hor. Wil-
liam Earle of derby is Chief lord or owner of the Inheri-
tance of the said Moore And that the said defte hash the
said cowe grasse as apprtennte and belonging to his Inhe-
ritance in Moreton aforesaid. and prmitteth the complt to
use the same And that the defte doth putt owe Cowe
Jesse in the said Moore. * * * And further saieth
that the defte is a Charterer within the said Townshippe
of Moreton. And that there are divrs other Charterers
within the said Townshipe that have comon of pasture or
grasse for kyne or cattle in the said Moore by reason of
their Inheritance in Moreton aforesaid." Other witnesses
were William Martin, of Sanghaull Massye, yeoman ;
Thomas Fabon, of Moreton, husbandman ; Henrie Smith,
husbandman ; Arthure Wrmeston ; and Henrie Irbie, of
Moreton, husbandmen.
The first paper for the evening was by William Williams
Mortimer, Esq., of Chapter, on the Norman Earls of
r.Amater, lii t,untlntlatluts of a paper read by min in a tor-
mer session. An important part of the MSS. had been
sent to London in order to procure additions and correc-
tions ; and as it had not been returned, the whole was
not read.

The second paper was an account of a Lancashire
charm against witchcraft and evil spirits, by John Har-
land, Esq. The original filled the whole of a small paper
about seven inches long by six broad. It was found near
Clitheroe in 1825, and was supaosed by the late Rev.
Richard Garnett, of the British Museum, who translated
it, to be then about thirty or forty years old. It con-
tained a magic square, the seal of St. Michael, the sun,
its intelligence, spirit, &c. There were fourteen lines of
writing in a sort of mongrel Greek character, mixed up
with short-hand characters. The upper part was written
in red ink, and the lower in black. In the fourth line is
quoted Matt. xvii. 20, somewhat incorrectly from the
Latin text ; and then the Lord's Prayer is given, the
cypher characters spelling Latin words. _
_

One of the Secritaries-mentioned that he had seen the
card of an astrologer, who resides in Liverpool, and Mr.
Bennett immediately produced two from persons who also
reside in Liverpool. One offers a chart of the heavens
for any given time at the moderate price of 2s. 6d., and
promises information on the following varied subjects :
" Ist, as relates to the probable duration of life ; 2nd, dis-
position of the mind, temper, &c. ; 3rd, matrimony, the
time when, description of the husband or wife, and pro-
bable number of issue ; 4th travelling or going abroad,
to what quarter of the world would be most advisable as
to property ; sth, relative to honours, the most suitable
employment, trade or profession, for a child or other
individual to follow'; 6th, shall a widow or widower (if
ever) marry again, also a description of the inbended ; 7th,
the state and condition of an absent ship at sea, and
whether her voyage will be safe and profitable; Bth, if
debts or lent money will be recovered; 9th, if an absent
party inquired after be dead or alive ; 10th, shall a native
obtain the situation or employment sought after, and
when ; 11th, letters long expected; when may they
arrive, and what has been the cause of delay." The other
is entitled " Christian Astrology !"