, 1875-04-04

similar to That OF an American Sister Of Charity,
II donned for outdoor and street wear.
TIE s1srEAHooD OF THE GOOD sHEPHERo
is the latest formed Foundation in the City OF
New York 1t was organized in st. Ann's r. =.
Church by the Right Rev Bishop Potter, the
second Tuesday after Easter, 1869. The work OF
the Sisters is in st.. Barpabas Home. \ refuge
for destitute girls and women. Theyal extend
their labofs to the poor Of their neighbcrhood,
to Bellevue Hospital, and to the hospitals on
Wards Island. 80
TEE SISTERS OF ST. JOIN TIE nAP11sL.
who have an institution in New York. are q
branch pt an. English sisterhood at rths same
name. There are only four III this country, and
servancos, which are hardiy distinguiahsble from
those OF the Roman Catholic Church
. In England there are between thirty and forty
eisterhoods, ali founded since 1919.
II THIS COUNTRY
there are nine separate organizations WITH tne'r M
VARIOUS shouses-naney, the Ssterhoods OF the
Holy Communion, Of the Good Shepherd. and OF
S.. Mar3. in New York; the Order of Deacon
essea Of tho Diocese Of Long 1sland' tho Deacon,
esses Of MARYLAND. the Sisterhood OF the Gooo
Shepherd in Baltimore, the peaconesses ot the
Diocese Of Alabama in Mobile, the Sister
hood OF st. john Baptist of Washington tlty,
and The Community OF the Bishop Potter Memo
ial House, Phiadalphia, s]aich, although not
organized is distinct slzter1ood IN name, mas
Ill the essential features OF such associations
Tithout auv distinctive dress or taking yows. In
addition to the Rhenish PrussiRn and English
communities, there are others in France,
Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden:
All these communities are under eccleolostlcal
supcnntendenee and direction, and OF eou1se
have Episcopal recognition and encouragement.
There is great variety in their government, but
the Textures are essentially the same.
The year 1871 was an important era IN the his
tory Of Woman's work IN the Protestant Episco-
pal Church OF America Prior to that time no
TTriRrn1u} rncncrifinn hAd been 1IYen
to the sisterhood, which hid been quietly and
rapidly forming under The direction OF various
pious clergymen and deepiy-religious women;
but At the meeting of the Board Of Missions of
the P. &. Church in 1862 a 'conl-
mitree Was appointed to e1amlne a.. ana
Littlelohn. Of Long Islaud, at its head.
Since the adoption Of that report, the work has
advanced mure and moro rapidly, and may now
be considered one OF the active missionary and
Aggressive forces nf the American Protestant
Eniscopal Church.
ii is worthy Of note that the movement is one
that meets with .--....
5rRosu SUPPORT FROM RA11oSAI1s15 AND FREE
THNKERs.
Even 60 thoroughly xationa1ietio writer 1s
Lecky deploros the iconoc1astlc zeal Of the Prot
tstant Refor1ners in breaking up the religious
igterhoods that had existed in the Catholic
Church. and ARGUES that such organizations
purged Of their abuses would afford va!uAble
refuge for women. and w7ould 01er q channel
Ihrongh which their energies might be expended
regarding many Of the religious obse1vances
md employments OF the 6isterhoods as con-
;emptible aup8rstitiou9 and mumnery, frittaTlpg
away the moral enthusiasm that might be direct
I'd lo objects Of substantial good il controlled
by intelligence and good sense, rationaliatic
writer's indorse the principle OF such orsaniza-
tions a. being franght With great good for
UnEsHu.