Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-16
The Need Cor : protestant hospital.


The Need for . Protestant
tUommaniceted.1
As the subjec: of Hospitalsis just now en-
crossing the pablo mind, some suggestions
on the expectancy of establishing a Protes-
tant City Hospital may be timely
AS st. Yincents Hospital now stands no free
patient can be admitted. The only class
who can be called such, are those paid for
by the city in accordance with an agreement
made by Bishop Rape with the City
Council, who are pledged to an annual sti-
pend in consideration of a certain number
of beds in said hospital. We understand
an application was made to Bishop Rappe
within the past week, to receive a sick man
of his own faith. The application could
only be complied with by the payment of
six dollars per week, unless the man in
question was included in the class of pau
persfor whom the city pays.
The question then before our citizens re-
solves itself thus: Are Protestants willing
to give Bishop Rape funds to make his hos
pital a charity hospital in more than name,
a free institution open to all? Or shall these
same Protestants establish one for themselves
of the character our city requires?
That Bishop Rape earnestly desires to
make st. Yineent's a free hospital no one sc-
quainted with his benevolent character can
doubt. But is not our city large enough to
sustain two institutions of like character,
one of which shall be based on principles in
accordance with republican Institutions
wholly Protestant in character? There are
great political questions involved in a monop-
oily of CHART: by one class of religionists
which cannot be here discussed.
We believe two hospitals can as well be
sustained in Cleveland as two orphan asy-
lums, and without ~antagonism of feeling.
To how many Protestants is Bishop Rappe
indebted for contributions in aid Of his an
nual Orphans Fair? The same hearty good
will would be manifested by those same
Protestants in contributing to any effort he
might make for the support Of st. Vincents
Hospital.
The charities of the Church of Rome are
world-renowned, but this fact does not ex-
euse Protestants from like endeavors to anne
liorate the wretchcdness at their doors. The
effect of the Romanists' example should be
Christian emulation of good works.
If Protestants are willing to make st.
Vincent's a free institution, so far as their
liberal benefactions can avail to open its
doors, then God speed the work. But at this
prOpitiOus time for the establishment of a
great charity there may be some among
us who would prefer to cast their offerings
nto another treasury.
The Orphan Asylum is no longer entirely
dependent on charity. 1t is partly endowed.
The Aid Society has had its day of useful
ness, but the alarm of war is over and that
no longer appeals to public sympathy. The
Soldiers Home, too, is transferred to the
State Institution at Columbus. What then
is to take the place of these enterprises?
Shall we sit down and fold our hands. our
work accomplished, or shall we manifest
our gratitude 10 that God who has delivered
our nation from u%nexampled perils, by new
zeal in his service?
Let then the Protestant Hospital be no
longer a fiction. Build one with doors wide
enough for all, and prove to a skeptical
world the ability ofP rotestants to carry out
this great work in a trne catholic spirit, and
in such a manner that the city can point to
it as one of her nOblest institutions.