Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-04-12
WOmanIy Ministries in the Church.

The church is not only to publish the gos.
pei Of salvation, and the righteousness Of God
but like Jesus himself is to be known as
divine Friend in the locality where it is plant.
edi having a care Of the poor, and sick, and
homeless, and lost. From it, as the body Of
Christ, healing virtue is to be felt to flow,
and by remedial healing influences it is to up.
lilt and purify the whole society of men in
its neighborhood.
Now, in such view of the church's min
istry among men, il is plain there are specific
duties which personal service and sisterly,
motherly sympathos alone can discharge, and
which ! think constitute woman's work in
the church. | look more closely at these
duties, and divide them into two classes, as
they are to be fulfilled in the homes of the
people, or in connection with institutions
founded by the church In the first class or
category there is every kind Of sympathetic
tender help which can be given by loving
hearts to those who need our succor, and
which may mirror to them the greater love
Of our Lord in whose name iii done. How
often our Lord exats the honor and reiterates
the Importance Of this service The cup Of
cold water TO the thirsty, the visit Of conso-
laton to the sick-these to the poorest the
least worthy, are great if done in his name
and great is the reward We inevitably
think Of help in times Of suffering, when VIC
contemplate such Christian ministries as these;
aud know Of no preaching to the poor like
that which steals into their hearts from the
grace Of women, who inspired by love Of
Christ, visit the sick home to make it clean
and pure, to assist in nursing to cool the few
cred head, OF wet the white burning lips. But
that is in fact only one out Of countless modes
in which this kind of service to Christ may
be rendered. There are blind with whom an
hours kindly chat or pleasant reading--aged
poor, to whom daughters visit to tidy their
hearth and gladden. their dim days-loney
women, to whom a sisterly word saving them
from sin-gutter children, to whom moth
or's smie--may be a priceless boon, a glimpse
of the heavenly love. Wherever and how
ever kindness may be shown, and will be bless.
ed, there let the church's heart the heart Of
its Lord, be shown. | would that in every
neighborhood, instinctiyely, in trouble and
suffering, men looked to the church, as
Chris's very presence among them for such
relief as he can blessedly give. We know
how the Romish church has gained in every
land, and is gaining in ours, an immense in
fuencc among the poor. And by what means
Not by their preaching. There is little of
that with them. BY the sedulous, beautiful,
gentle charities-the womany service-of
their sisters of charity. Their visits, she'd
ding q tender grace in the homes they enter,
do give the poor a vision Of the reality of the
Divine mercy, and win them to the faith of
church that inspires such ministries Why
should not all the redeemed women of every
women who follow Christ-be
sisters Of mercy, doing such work for Christi
Why is not the church itself sisterhood Of
mercy And why is not the entrance of
Christian women into the church to be accept
ed as their vow to consecrate some time and
energy to unselfsh, loving service to Christ
and mankind ?-Sunday Magesiae.