The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-29
Tho Sisters of Charity,


We have received many letters from Omaha
and other Western towns, concerning the great
project Of those generous and enterprising
American gentlemen, Messrs. Pattee & Car
diner, in aid Of the Hospital Of the Sisters of
Charity.
Omaha is enc Of the most cnterprising cities
Of tho West. Its fame drew host of good
and great men towards IT, This fame also
drew the reckless and the unfortunate. 1t is
the very reservoir, as it were, into which all
the unfortunate of the surrounding country are
drawn. The poor emigrant, taken sick on his
way to the Pacific the hunter and the trap
per, broken down by hardship; the uuforu-
nate men and women whom the world has dri-
ven into crime all those who have been torn
from home and friends, whom disease and
despair have overtakcn, are drawn into Omaha
by the very position and connecting links of
that great city. No private charity could or
would open its doors to these people No
philanthropist Of the world would STRIP him
self of his worldly pride to succor these un-
forunatcs Ono fraternity alone in all the
world has the capacity, selfabnegation, and
heavenly charity to meet these demands as
Christ himself would have done-thc Sisters of
Charity.
No other order has so completely assumed
the garments of Christ as these women. For
self-sacrifce, for angelic purity, for ministering
to suffering humanity, for God-like charity,
which never questions motives, actions, relig-
ion or creed, the world has borne testimony
sufficient already. This order is the white
rose on the bosom of the Church. The power
of complete goodness is never so overwhelm-
ingly illustrated as in these Sisters of Charity.
Passing silently along our streets, theif very
presence seals the lips Of profanity and shames
the most outrageous into order. They can
pass through seas of sin and shame and come
out spotless. There is no place so sinful into
which they cannot carry Christ. The fallen
and the degraded fiud comfort and hope in
their ministrations. In the hovel, in the pri-
son, in the hospital under the belching fire of
numbering guns, they move like blessings.
They are of no country, no race. Their work
is for all menkind. The vctors and the de-
feated are to them the same. The partisan
quarrels, the ambitions of men, the faults and
the iues of women. the causes which lead to
crime and sin, the color of the skin, and the
creeds of the world are nothing TO them. Their
sphere is doing good, and their vocation the
relief of suffering humanity. The world may
wag its slAnderors tongue against you, but if
you are in agony they receive you and pity the
slanderous world which misunderstGnds the
meaning Of Charity.
These white doves moving silently through
our suffering world, their cares on carth their
thoughts in heaven, speak only through their
deeds. Deaf indeed must those be who do not
hear the dy ing prayers of millions ascending to
heaven for these great women; and blind are
they who do not see the greatness Of their mis-
sion.
We are little prone to indulge in fine writ
ing, and we enter into this subject with our
hearts full Of gratitude to those noble women,
who follow strictly the path traversed by Him
who died for man. We also desire to arouse
in our Irish readers even national pride when
the American people take up the work which
we should have taken up.
Pattee c; Gardiner, with that genius fol
great things so characteristic of the American
people, seeing the struggle Of the Sisters IL
Omaha, and fully appreciating the greatness
of their labors, resolved to get their Mercy
Hospital ou Of debt, and make it the grand
est institution in the United States. The
leading men of Omaha have rallied abou
them, and the result will be one Of the grand
est successes of the age. They have resolved
to set up rr.zes to the amount OF one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars in cash, ranging
from 81 900 up to $50, 0G0, tie highest prize
The manner in which the American peopl,
have taken up the tickets assures MIR. Paite'
that the entire number will c sold.
Now, We appeal to 1rishmen to show tht
American people that what was the rule il
war shall be the rule in peace. During tn,
great fight for the nations life, no American
went so far to the front that an Irishman wa
not beside him. Now, let us show the Ameri
can Protestant, manly, charitable people, Iha
they cannot put up dollar for our Sisters o
Charity that an Irish dollar will not cover il.
DO not sit down economizng and reason
ing over this matter. The duty is plain; an,
do as they do in New Jersey if you believe
down with the money
Our we'll known countryman, Genera
George II. O'Brien, has written Us, highly en-
logizng the undertaking, and calling on III
Irish to do at least as much for the Sisters a
the Americans are doing. Three thousan,
prizes in cash, ranging from 900 TO $50,
600 in gold, will be drawn.
Tickets, So each; for s., for so,
for $40, 10 for $25, 20 for $50, 43 for 500
Tue drawing positively takes place on tn
2Sth day of March, 1872.
For tickets, pamphlets and information, az
ply to Messrs. Patee & Co., real estar
dealers, III Broadway, New York Iris
Republic.