Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1832-11-28
THE SISTERS OF CHARITY.

i THE SISTERS OF CHARITY.
! There Is something 50 honorable tc our nature
in practicable bensvolence, in that charity which
ialleth not, that wherever is witnessed, receives
lat once our voluntary admiration. We praise
ana approve any Measure productive Of public
good; we admire the works of art, the efforts Of
genus; we are proud OF the literary and charita
tle institutions with which we are surrounded
out when we see unassuming philanthropy exert
ing ltsei III the promotion of good, not by dona.
l'ions OF money, not by earnest exhortation, MOI
ANY other means with which self love Is. alas too
"ften associated but regardless alike Of pvrsonai
SAFETY and public opinion, seeking out and reev.
ing the miserable and the need when we see all
mis- the gAudy trappings affixed costly establish
ments dwinde into insignificance, and in the rea
dy overlooking of the heart, we are prompted to
iexclairs,
"Vain pomp and glory of the world, hate ys."
There is charity which works openly and has
its rewards in the applause ofmen; there is char
l'ty which avoids the public eye, or, if need re-
quires that it should be seen. works without dis
lplay, and with reference only to the good intend
60. lhe former may be as pure as the latter, but
the latter is above suspicion. The saving is com
mon that "charitv covers multitude of SINS" il
10 equally true that it overcomes q multitude Of
preludlces. The truth of each proposition is found
10 me TACT, that we are ready to admire 1t, in
~h"msosver it may appear, whether he bears tbs
crescent OF the cross, whether he neglects both,
or ignorant of both. Il is the language IF hea
ven, too pure for the perceptions of sense; address
sed only to the heartily the heart only can it be
understood
These reflections have been suggested by no
nee III recent paper, that two Of the Sisters o.
Charity who had gone TO Baltimore to attend the
sick in the cholera hospitals had taken the disor
der there, and died. Who the Sisters of Chara,
are, no paper that We have seen has been at ths
pains to tell The ministerine angels who hav.
gwen their lives to save others lives, have beer
honored in their death. Will not some newspa
per In the neighborhsod Of the convent which
has sent forth these apostles of CHARITY, inform the
world where il is, and what is the history; tina
local habltation and name NAV be associated
with the brightest, we had almost said The only
example, OF benevolence recorded in the annals al
the oholera.-Let lis have something which we
may dwell upon with pleasure, when We call to
mind or recount the scenes OF the last three months
1t is hard to determis whether it should be said
moro with shame orprde, but it is nevertheless
true, that while mes have shared largely in the
terror OF the times, all the hosor and true great
ness called into action have belonged to the wo
mes. II is sho thai has fearlesslv bssved thu
dsnger Unboagkt, unsolicited, she has left the
sec'usions which The choers has rarely OF aeves
disturbed, and penetrated TO the very reeesses oI
dsaih. Wn'e men have bssa qHaiiSg with tear,
or surrounding alarms, she has teen administer
ing to theslck, & participating heir suflerngs
While men have shut thor doors cal heir hear :
against friends and strangers, snd left them u
the rAsrcy of the elements, womsn, following he
dictates of her own nature, has sought the aiflict-
ed, bearing appliance which she knnss well how
to administer. Will the seal Of COP upon their
hearts, rhat they have done His will, how proud
~ will He claim them as mothers and sisters VIII
devoted his life to the great cause Of charity.
The above article, from the Nantucket, Massn
chusets Inquirer, i, reference to the Sisters Of
Charity, has elected the following interesting ac-
count Of their Association. 1t is from the pen OF
the Rev. A. J. ELDER, Of 81. Mary's College:
SISTERS OF CHARITY.
To the Editors Of the Bahimors Americas.
GeNTLEMEN.- the poIiteness of the
editor of be Chronicle OF Philadelphia, receiV
ed the Nantucket Inquirer, requesting information
concerning the osers of Charity Observing
thai the article Of the Nantucket Inquirer was
copied in your columns, l would beg the ben
eft of the same columns to transmit to the editor
Of that paper the information which he requires
| TIE Society known by the name of the Sisters
of Charity, was founded in Paris about tho yeaI
1916, by ST. Vincsnt of Paul. The intention o
this llusrious benefactor of mankind in establish
ing this society, to procure relief to humanity
IN its most suffering stages. Accordingly, atten
lance on the sick In hospitals and infrmaries-
visiting prisoners--the education Of the poor, ane
} the performance Of every work Of mercy, engage
the attention and solcitude of the pious dsugh
tiers of St. Vincent This Society is cersainl,
one of the most useful that has ever been estab
lished, and has never failed to command universal
admiration in the countries in which it has beef
known Even Voltaire, opposed as he was, t
every thing that bore the appearance Of christian
lily, could not withhold from it his measure O
praise "Perhaps," says he, in his Essairsur L
Hist, General, "tiere is nothing more sublime OF
earth, than the sacrifice Of beauty, Of youth, AM
!, frequently of high birth, which is made by ten
Ter sex to assuage in our hospitals, the assembling
of every human misery. the very sight of whic
is Sc AsmiIiating to cur er'des and ~ shocking