Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-12-14
BISHOP QUINTARD.

| DlShOp said that this sisternSO1 was most de
( sirable, and that In order 10 be effective min
/ listers OF mercy and charity, women had to b.
/ trained and educated. No one coul'
be a skillful physician without receiv
| ing a medical education; no one ceulC
/ be good lawyer without ceep study and re
| search; no one could be fitted for the high du
| ties Of Christ's ministry without being edu
Gated In those branches which such yOca
ton processes to explain and eXpOund. /
/ follows that no one could be htted for tn
/ tasks OF human kindness, nor prepared TO
/ the undertaking OF human philanthropy
without being educated in the duties tina
| they would be called upon to perform. As al
evidence OF lhis he related an incident tina
occurred during The late sad War-a sad war
/ because countless homes were baptized in
blood, and hearts crGped in grief and sorrow
Both in the north and the south th'
women had devoted themselves TO then
country with a fidelity and heroism unpar
alelled in the annals Of the world. At Nir
ginia hospital twenty ladies were acting a
nurses and caring FOR the sick as best they
OF the Roman Catholic church were placed il
charge OF the sick by the physicians. The for
mer were willing 10 do anything TO alleviate
the sufferings OF the sick, but they did no
know how, from the fact that they were IN
educated in such duties. The Roman catholic
sisters, however, were well fitted for such du
ties, because they had been taught their ma
ture. Woman has all the selG-sacriHce, devO
ton and ability requisite for discharging the
duties Of cnsrity, educating the orphan, car
ing for the sick and the pale
That she was pre-eminently fitted for sucI
duties could not be doubted by those who in
vestigated the matter thoroughly. The sister
hood Of st. Mary was originally founded in
New York, and more than once il had been q
matter of serious consideration before the
general conventions OF the Episcopal Church
of America. The following report, which the
committee made 10 the convention held in
Baltimore in October, 1871, was then read foI
the information OF those present:
THE REPORT.
The committee on the state of the church
to whom was referred the me moriBl on sister
hoods, have considered the subj ject as far as
time and means of information within their
reach would allow, and beg leave TO report
That they regard the me-cGrlal as presenting
a subject OF great importance and worthy Ol
grave consideration 10 the mind OF the church.
he time has come when some provision
should be made to meet the growing necessi-
ties for more help in carrying on the great
works OF education and chart Y in the church.
That there is a deep and earnest thought
fulness as TO the best methods OF inaugural
auxiliary to the ministry which are springing
upon every part OF the land, is patent in the
earnest language Of sermons, essays and the
current publications Of the day.
OF these agencies, none seem 10 h ave elected
more heartfelt and intense interests than the
sistsrhoods which have already begun to labor
in various parts of the church. Your com
mittee viii not conceal the difficulties which
in liH1fne spring up 10 Otstruct any scheme of
practical measures for utilizing the prohered
work OF women by organized sisterhOods.
movement with the false and ptrniciOus syS-
TEN Of the church OF Rome, and would forget
the pure and living church or the early ages
which adopted such instrumentalitieS Tor tue
great work OF charity she was sent into the
world to do, has too long kept the church in
apathy, and quenched the spirit which has
been forced ont upon her daughters, yearning
to cOnsecrate themselves as PhOous and Pris-
eiIlas OF Apostolic Il mes 10 the labors TO which
the loveOf Christ constrained them
Your committee believe that no plan or
rnafhn1 nd he UeE.-pl for OrEanlTimu
women into s1sterhocds that would not meet
with some opposition, and that there is no
by the practical exhibit OF the wonderful
fruits that attend this labor or love. That
PREF judice, We believe, is fast passing away
under the deep and growing con nvictiOn Of the
work Of benevolence among The masses that
women only can do. There is need of their
gentle and God,ordained sympathy IN every
county, city, village aud hamlet in our land.
In the training Of the young, the care Of the
sick and the destitute, in all those offices
which REQUIRES deep interest, delicate tact and
untiring devotion, woman has been endowed
Tor her work, but amid the manifold duties
and distractions Of ordinary life, she cannot
devote herself successfully to this this
needy. She needs to ee exempt
from domestic cares, or her life AID labOrS in
this cause will be uncertain and unreliable.
Entire selfconsecratiOn to Christ and his
work is an essential requisite to her efficiency.
Nor can she work effec Lually " lille alone, sep
arated from that general sympathy Of cOnsO-
citation with those whose common voice and
interest would help to guide, sustain and COM
fort her. Thousands OF devoted women of the
church are left in cold and cherries isolation
OF unaided effort, and often precious powers
and labors, which, If gathered into organized
agency, would rebound to the holy Joy and
success OF the worker, and more 70 the glory
Of God and goodwill and blessing 10 men. The
progress which has already been made in or
ganiZing these communities OF women Tor
christian work in England and Germany and
our own country, Is practical and inspiring
that the sentiment of the church
has already been formed on this sub
iect and that action is Outleaping
repressi bic life OF love in the church is devel-
oping itself in the best and surest methods
for utilizing the proaered hearts and hands
OF women in the vineyard OF Christ. We do
not believe that this simultaneous cOnsecra-
ton of women and desire 10 associate in sis
terhoOds has sprung out OF church legislation,
out il is the spontaneous flow of devotion
from the grace which, in the dispensation Of
the holy spirit, Is producing moral resurrec-
tiOn from the dead. Give it life, direction,
corporate strength, encouragement, and nul-
titudes who live now an ainlesS and useless
life Will be won to lives OF usefulness, while a
vast field Of work will be occupied by those,
who, as angels OF mercy, bound together by
common ties OF sisternOOd, would teach the
world the power and beauty Of self-sacrihce,
OF pure and holy lives, and, far above any
earthly claims. the toys of hope In him who
cOmeth. his rewards with him, to give every
one according to their works.
In view Of the Prad-al and prudent devel
npment of si.rh gal' = t..r-a. IN several OF
our dioceseS, and the difr cuills'~ which would
attend cOncillar acton "a OJ..4-ning any one
common method FOR regulating the organiza-
ton and direction Of such slsterhOods, your
committee would recommend that cOnciliar
legislative action as TO detail OF method be ta-
ken on the subject, but that they be LETT TO the
control of the bishops and clergy Of the re-
speciive diocese in which such sisterhOods do
or shall exist.
Your committee, therefore, respectfully sub
NIT their report, with the following resolu'
Resolved That this house regards with deep
interest the work Of women In the church.
and the formation OF such christian organlza-
tiOns as may be consistent with the govern
ment and rult Of the church.
Resolved, That IL be recommended 10 the re-
spectiye diOceses and missionary Jurisdictions
which may desire the aid OF such Organlza-
tiOns, 70 adopt such measures as may promote
tie efficiency Of such auxiliartes, and guard
against abuses
fhe bishop, after commenting upon the
above as adopted by the church, stated thst
IL was the duty of EpiscOpGhans to patronize
their own insel eltu1ons OF learning. De re-
ferred TO the University Of the South, at Sc
vance, and said II now had near three hun
dred students While many refused TO recGg-
nize the sisterhOOd, upon the ground that II
was an imitation OF the church OF Rome,
still these persons would educate
their children at schools conduct
ed by the priests OF the papal church.
all over the country, and educate ten children
where the PrOtestants educate one. The sis
terhoOd of 81. Mary had started a school in
Memphis, and Eplscopalians should lend
tnelr hearty cooperation 70 support and build
up this school. II was designed TO inaugurate
a system whereby 10 educate persons thor
oughly, but at a much reduced cost. The
third annual report OF st. Mary's hospital Tor
children, 81 New York, states that "during
the year there have been several cases in
which the rich have made thank-oheriDgs TO
this hospital In acknowledgment OF mercies
Vouchsafed to their own children. When the
child OF aft1uence has been mercifully deliv-
cred from deadly sickness or brought safe
through some fearful peril, the parents nave
thought OF the children Of the poor, and have
shown forth their gratitude TO God by some
gift 20 the iOwly. No acts are more sympa-
fhefic or more graceful every way than these
they snow the spirit of Christ, whose m on
was to draw us all nearer together and make
rs All feel for each other, however widely
parted BY artificial distinctions and by those
-Ocial dividing lines which, in higher state,
are 10 disappear and pass away. In many
wealthy families also, Ine poor chlidTen are
rsmam bered through the "mite chest" or
some such means OF systematic beneficenee.
m would be well II in many more Of those
families, where there are young children, the
hogpital Of the little children OF the poor were
fhns tenderly remembered" There was need
faT snch an Institution In Memphis, and II the
church mem bers would give the proper aid
the school conducted by the slsterhood would
prove successful.
REV. DIR. WHITE, OF CALVARY CHURCH,
expressed his views upon the subject, and
aOree6 with the bishop In his remarks touch
ing the support Episcopal schools should re-
csiye from the members He did not mean 70
speak in deregatory manner OF the roman
Cathoiic Schools. but 20 Judge by the young
ladies who had been educated in themi ne
did not think they were superior 70 the
schools conducted by proteslants, lie sin
cerely advocated the ststerhOoo, ana salu thai
there never was anything great and noble &C
cOmplished but what woman Was interested
ia IL he had seen several SICK stranger
nursed by mercenaTy persons, who did not
possess that ReEtleness, kindness. and devo-