The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-22
A NEW RELIGIOUS ORDER.

Mary the Virgn-rhe Rules and Devotions Of
the New 0rder-ReVival Of the Apostolic Soci-
ETY. Of DeacOnesses Etc
No event in the history of the Episcopal
Church Of the United States has created more
exciting interest than the recent reception OF
Young lady into the new ssterhood of 81. Mary
The Virgin-an organization formed two years
since under the auspices OF the Right Reverend
Boratio Potter, the popular Bishop OF this
diocese, A repott of the ceremony which dedi-
Gated the fair reigease to the work of mercy
among all who might need the gentle mini5tsa-
tons OF woman IN the hours oil penitence, sick
ness, or distress appeared exclusively IN this
paOer the morning after its occurrence. Three
diecescs were represented by the clergy who
participated in the services; and all the con-
frmed members Of the slsterhood, and those on
probation, were present to welcome the new
accession to the little old who had practically
forsaken the charming yanities OF the wOrld, ana
had offered their services on that modern rGfd
apis, humanitarian altar.
When the services were closed, the sisters re-
turned to the House of the Good shepherd. But
they had scarcely resumed their religious laOors
when tumult arose in the church. Ihat tunlluI
ended in general denuncation of the organlZa-
tion which had ST. Mary for its patron. Tue
clergy who had prayed at St. Luke's aitar thaG
''Sister Agnes, I" the seventh and last member Oh
the society, might bs able 70 fulnl the Chflstlan
obligations she had voluntarily imposed upon
herself we're met by members OF ther congre'
cations who demanded from them an eNplana-
tion OF the novel services when, they DeileVed,
a Ire OF Catholic celibaCy. In VAN dld the
ministers allude to the ancient order of deacon
esses, contemporaneOus with the apostles IN the
pIimitlye Church in vain did they refer to the
temporary character Of the VOWS made by the
Sisterhood OF st. Mary. Their arguments were
repudiated as the otfsprings tof the theology Of
the Vatican, snd they were left by the disap-
pointed inquirers to mediate on the efrontery
displayed by the lalty when they suppose their
clergy have introduced an innovation into their
Church.
IL 10 a sioni6cant foct that soma of the vnunU
lady members of St. Luke's Church were the
first to question the orthodoxy OF the services
which introduced temporary celibacy among
their sex. At recent picnic of an Episcopal
Sunday School, one OF the ladies who witnessed
the ceremonies denounced them and the new
sisterhood before minister whom she knew
had taken the hand of Sister Agnes to cheer
her in her isolated work.
Notwithstanding this opposition, however,
the clergy maintained that the slsterhood had
the prestige derived from primitive times; and
that it was a necessity demanded by the Church
in the United States, il not in the world.
The Ancient Order of DeaoOnessss.
The organization of deaconesses in the primi-
tive Church, which has been partially revived
in the establishment OF the SlsterhoOd of St.
Mary, is referred to briefly in the New Testa.
ment. The Eastern ladies who became dea.
conesses "lelt all to follow Christ" Neander,
the ecclesiastical historian, thus refers to the
origin of the order:-
"Besides the deacons, there were also esta-
bished for the female part OF the community,
deaconesses, where the free access of men to
females, especially as the sexes are so carefully
separated III the East, might excite suspicion,
and give oflense, although women, in conformity
10 their natural destination, were excluded from
the offices OF teaching and governing the
churches, yet IN this manner the peculiar quail
ties OF females were brought into demand, as
peculiar gifts for the service of the Church. By
means OF these deaconesses the Gospel might be
brought into the tnmOst recesses of family life,
where, from Eastern manners, no man could
obtained
Such was the origin of the order of dea-
Conesses, which for several centuries became a
grand auxiliary organization OF the Christian
Church.
After four centuries of usefulness, the neces
sty for the organization gradually disappeared,
and subsequently sisterboods, who were con-
fined to certain institutions, were established in
various parts OF Europe 1t was found, however,
that the new orders, being obliged by convent
regulations to remain in their houses, could not
possibly reach the masses OF the poor and the
sick who might need their aid. While the sis
terhoods, who had forsaken the world, per
formed great work in teaching the young, and
exhibiting the examples of penitence and chas
tity to the people III their midst there were tens
of thousands beyond the reach of their ministra-
tions. In later age st. Francis de Sales ap
peared and under his auspices the idea Of q
more active life OF charity came in.
The Great Lutheran SisterhoOd.
Shortly after the Reformation the ancient
order of Deaconesses was revived in Germany
under the direction of the heads of the Southern
Church. II is not generally known outside Of
the varied region OF its visitation that this sis
terhood now numbers over fourteen hundred
members, who minister to the sick, and give
religious instruction to the young in some OF
the leading cities of Europe. Almost Coeva
with the age which followed the Reformation
they have the prestige of an organization which
has lasted for centuries. The ladies connected
with this great charitable society may be knowr
by their plain black robes They receive every
where the respect which the mercitul character
OF their labors should command, and 70 onC
ever disputed the value and Importance of theil
services.
The SisterhOOds of England.
There are at present over forty Protestan
sisterhoeds in England, which were establishes
during the last thirty years. When the frs
organization was formed it was denounced AM
ridiculed by the clergy and laiGy of the Churc
of England as a Romish innovation, designe
ultimately to establish Episcopal converts il
England. Even the sex of the members did no
exempt them from the taunts and ieers of tn
Protestant populace, among whom they at
tempted to perform works OF mercy.
AT length, however, the value OF this pionee
s1sterhood was appreciated. In lS49 Grea
Britain visited by the cholera, and it
TaVages extended through almost every city an
town of the United Kingdom. While the plagu
was proceeding on its march OF DEATH the pee
pie were seized with panic. Selhshness, il
spired by the fear of mortality, prevailed anon
those who would otherwise have minstered I
the sick; and the chambers where the Asiatl
scourge had effected stubborn lodgment wei
deserted, in some instances by the kindred, an
in others by the friends and neighbors of Il
victims. The opportunity thus presented /
these sad and unexpected circumstances to e
hibit the utility of the sisterhood was prompt
seized by the members, who, under the auspic
OF the sister superior, entered the abodes of IL
fa aal Aa