Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-12-05
DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
TAKING THE VEIL.
GronerrowN. ID. G.. No

We Witnessed on Monday morning last the high.
| interesting ceremony of taking the white veil,
hy four young ladies', in the Convent of the Ns,-
| talpn IN Georgetown.
We cnnleSS that embraced the rare oppor-
UNITY afforded b> the occasion, with greatly in
rrcslrd feelings, il being in many respects di-
fcrcnt from the ceremony of the FINAL remuneration
of the world on taking of the btck veil, wliicI,
W. formerly witnessed III tho same pac, and dcS-
orlbcd in this Journal and in some respects NOR.
striking.
/. 1t is impossible at this dav, and in the present
state of the social relations OF society, not TO look
upon this sormn rite, which !, assoc',tod in every
mind with much OF HISTORIC sanctiiy aud 50 n'acI'
Of prescfiptive awe, without the deepest and most
varied emotions. The times widely dile, cn
from the dark aud troubled era, when the ruthless
,i~ and 81 S,Sif nffSS,'S 81 Ms il' 69s
the Young female 10 the relentless solitude ol the
cloi,,cr or when the prevailing severity OF s'o-
lencr aud blood too frequently rendered tho re-
riouS sanctuary necessary and aoc'p'abi' hsy-
lnm for innocence and purity. To become nun
10 take the vcil are terms OF mysterious sig
ni6cnucv which have come down to MS from sutA
petods and which on their recurrence now, when
The C,rlinrs of the heart and ilc charitS 81 lil-
are 60 brigh and warm and when impulse only
can ac,natu dcSign-siiIl gralo upon tr una with
even more Than the austcrliy ana haf'i1ras NJ tcf
lon. aceeptalIon.
But not to n. on. Thoughts of nan raj sugses-
lion TO all let us proceed 10 the description
The chanel of the convent WINS opened n, s's
o'clock and from that hour the seen" was per-
fec,ly solemn aud unworldlikr. The small ana
beautiful ornamen,ed chapel winch the alechoh-
ate picy of the sisters has decorated with so ma
ny evidences OF female accomplishment AMI
taste, with its dim religious light just showing the
mdyinr laipp like star nj twilight. whIch toreV-
or burus before the rich altar the solitude rem
derrd more impressive by the low brca'h'ngs OF
the few silent worshlIprrs who were present, ana
the silence heightened into deep solenni'y by me
stcc, and plointiye voices OF tho unseen chofis-
,ers whose unceasing chant filling tho sacred arr
had AT such IA time an effect saidening ana deVo-
tional anl were all wonderfully calculated TO pre-
parp the mini for this ceremony oi touching IN
ter,st Towards nine o'clock the chapel gradh-
ally Glled--anl when one of the nuns threw back
tn, black curtain which shadoi tho mysterious
GRATING that separates the convent from the chapel
every eve was directed to the spot. All Tie nuns
were seen to slowly enter, in lons procession, ana
two by two they knrt down along the whole 'ehg''
Of the aisle their hands folded on their breasts ana
their head, brut towards tho ground N an attitude
of deep humility. Presently the noyices were led
toward the crate the chanting ceased and the
orpap, touched by IA master-hand hllel Inc an
! with The delicious tones of the noble ahthcn . oio'
ria IN excelss." We gazed anx'oasly at the IAN
,onne creatures who now the all absorbing
objects of the ceremony. They were all young
in the first Fash of girlhood, and the beauty an"
grace OF early youth were heightened by dress
of bridal s,lrndor. Every ch .rm al form ana
i,.a,ur .s--and two Of them at least "ero eSq"'-
i,.lv Ioyely--vss enhanced by the Moot arrange
n,rnt Of the rich Whine dresses ~ winch 'hey were
arrayed,
E,cb was covered with flowing veil OF white
and side by side they kprlt silently down before
The prn,in,. The anthem ceased, when the Afeh
bi>l,,D. in his gorgeous canonicals, advanced L
,l, r mi Of the altar, and shorty and cloqnentl
adlr,.,-. .l,a Congregation, and the Young now
c.s about 10 enter on that awful robaonsl"i
When the discourse WAS finished, his grace bless
ed the sombre vesimens, which were so soon u
replace the splendid dresses for the last time nov
worn by the profcenis. They thon. one by oo'
! solrnny answered the interr"gator"s oi iho '"
and repeated the vow VIII ch severed them ron
tie world, preparatory 10 its final ren"ncla'l"n.--
!, After this, in like manner, one by one, me n''o'
wells w.r,etakcn of and replaced by the Arch
, bishop with "A hood significant OF their ne" pro
,ssion. and the symbolic torch was placed IN IN"
hands. Then coming forward, for tbs last i'n''
. their bap,i>ma ma mes we're formally abJured, an
r receiving their new conventual title, the ose,y an
interesting young creatures were led away 'ro'
tho afoc,ionao gaze Of their relave'A"o '''e '''