The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-16


In order to understand the workings Of the insti-
tuition it is necessary to speak Of its miion of its
divers classes OF inmates, and Of the number Of
each class; Of its means OF support, and to state
what claims it has on the public. The special
mission of the Good Shepherd is the reformation Of
poor fallen females who have blindy embarked in
the way OF crime. The whole intent OF the Sisters
is to cure, or, at least, to counteract the great
social eyil' which is committing fearful ravages,
sapping, undermining the strength, energy and the
very life Of society and sending its thousands to
premature graves. 1t may be safely averred that
in this institution great deal of good has been
effected in this reformatory movement, and true
and lasting reformations have been made.
The nature Of the evil in question easily accounts
for this. II is quite obvious that moral evil can.
not be healed by incarceration, by mere physical
punishment, DC. II Is preposterous to suppose
that people can be made moral without instilling
IN their minds the principles of morality, without
making them feel the excellence of the angelic
virtue, without convincing them that rational
beings must not suffer themselves to become the
slaves Of their passions, that they are not to in
vert the order of nature--allowing the body to
rule over the soul. And who can better teach
those fundamental lessons OF morality than the
ladies Of the Good Shepherd Who can better
implant the virtue Of purity in the hearts Of the
poor, forlorn sinners than those who value it
above gold, who have made Vow to cultivate it
in all its integrity and to make it loved and
esteemed by all those who come under their care
This is not the whole task Of the Sisters Of the
Good Shepherd, for while the Sisters striving
to change the hearts of their fallen children they
spare no trouble to accustom them to labor and
industry, in order to enable them to earn their
bread when they will go away from them, and
above all to prevent them from relapsng for 1t
Is q well known fact that labor is Q great remedy
atty.
The classes Of inmates composing the House of
the Good Shepherd are rs follows First, the Sis
ters who preside over the Observation-Disclosures who,
after having left all that which was most dear to
them in the world, spend their whole time and
strength for the reclaiming of the fallen of their
own sex; second, the Magdaiens, who are long.
tried penitents, completely reformed, and who, in
compliance with their urgent request, have been
allowed. as q special favor, to remain in the
institution to lead the life Of religious under
Teresa third, the penitents, young women
and girls, who have been admitted into
the asylum in the hope of bringing about their
reformation. This class embraces two divisions
those who, after having wearied themselves in the
rough and deceitful road Of crime, and after hav.
ing become the outcasts of society have sought a
place Of refuge under the benign shadow of this
composed Of girls within the ages of fourteen and
twenty, committed by the Police Justices Of the
city OF New York. This class commenced last
year. and its o. gin is due to bill which, through
| tne e4eTSiOns ala iHHuence OF q well known gen.
tleman Of this city, was passed by the Legislature
| allowing the erring girls within the ages pre-
| scribed, when committed by the Police Justices,
to serve their term OF confinement either in the
| Episcopal House OF Mercy, IN the New York Mag
daen Female Asylum or in he House Of the Good
Shepherd. Fourth, the preservation class consists
| OF children VINO were in great danger OF being led
astray and who mostly belong to bad and careiess
| parents. The following figures show the number
| OF each class mentioned above sisters, COM
| prising both protested and novces, 20; Magda-
| lens, so; nOn-commited pentents, 205; committed
penitents, rs; preservation class, l00 aggregate
number of all the classes, SOL.
The institution has been, up to this hour, mainly
supported by the assiduous labor of the Sisters OF
the inmates and by the private donations Of char
table persons. 1t has at times passed through
great straits, arising from slack demand for
labor, or from the great advance of all commodi-
ties OF life, or on account of the little
help 1t received from outward sources AS this
noble institution is performing work Of public
charity, feeding and reforming casS of poor un-
fortunates. Applicants of all sects and denomina.
tons are, without any distinction, received into
the institution and treated with the same uniform
kindness; and az everything il managed there in
the most economical way, people generally should
aid in supporting 1t. the sisters were provided
with more means and had larger accommodations
| they would achieve still greater success than has
| crowned their efforts ia the past. No aims, no
! donation can be better applied than that which
l goes towards the support Of the Good Shepherd.
1t relieves the needy, it furthers the reformation
Of the fallen, it conduces to the training of igno
rant minds, and affords TO many opportunity Of
becoming accustomed to labor and Industry, and
thereby fits them to go into situations when they
leave this home, aud thus prepares them for lives
Of independence, honor and usefulness.
The Rev. DR.. Free will preach q sermon ON the
Sacrifice of the Mass" this evening, at half past
seven o'clock, in st. Andrews church, corner Of
Duane street and City Hall place. Proceeds for
the benefit of the poor in the lower wards Of the
city.
There will be grand concert in Lyric Hall,
Sixth avenue, between Forty-irst and Forty sec.
ond streets, this evening. for the benefit Of the
Catholic new church corner of Broadway and
Thirty-seventh street.