, 1877-06-24

1nAl founders VI tHe Ordcf ana those WHO l,nFt
eonstttute chapter which i,as ct,trc cun.r,i u
the government and discipline Of The society.
The chapter at tho ttt1c OF lts foundation elect
cd d Muttts Superior, who viii continue To bo.
Is law In matters of discipline. and sIlcnt TIM
Questioning o6cdtcncc ts readily ACCORDED To ler
decisions. Tho Order has a constitution an
code of regulations TO whose provisions all VIM
conform. .ChastitY, poverty, AMI olc,lic,Icc aro
the thrce fundamental principles as IN tho COR
stttuttona 0! tho monastlc orders. Tho atstcr-
hood are vowcl to undertake any charitable
10 women, and st the vii Of the Mother Superior
each Is assigned to tho sphere OF duty to which
shc Is thought best qualified 10 lil1., Sotno
hnvc T. special talent As teachers, others ns
prisons; an.i to some Tic guardianship Of fallen
women who GEEK TO lend better life tntr1lsted.
Fur oil SONS work Is found, and those cvei, to
whom thc 1'umhlcr household affairs aro n1iot~
ts psss wn1 He ys ysa s" e at, 70 10 DO Sses w
30 singlc-mtn1cd and faithful that i Is not to
bo wondered at that their schools hare pros-
pered, and thelr hospital and ptlsonMork has
Sssn crowned y ~t saad The s
gentle Is the voice and how tender Is the touch
Of = Sister Of g.. Mary. and hundreds In thc
penitentiarics and workhot,acs on Dlackwell's
1:ana .re grsteta! for Tho kindly toln'strat9ns
The applicants who arc cared Tor at
Trinity tndrmary and The suffering fam.
tiles in Tho nciGhborhood spcak in tho strongcs.
terms Of the untring Devotion and charity OF
nost cxacttng and tiiiticnIt tri.t which has been
undertaken by thcH IL tic management Of tilc
House Of Mercy. Nine hundred ANIL three Der-
Sous hayo been admitted into tho l1ouse since
number OF Inmates tl,an ever Tic Chaplain ot
the house says in his report: "1.hs rare and
anxiety deyulvctl upon the Sisters in tho MAN.
ngc1nent OF the institution cannot bc adcquatc-
spcclton of The !souacttell the whole story. Ono
must reside III the midst OF Tho work for days
f. order 70 be in position to appreciate the
life which tho Sisters are compelled To lead.
not as spasmotie effort. but holding on from
year to year ~ privilege to serve In tho hard
bondage witt, vtgur for Chrst'a Fakc."
Besides ttlc schools, tho hospital, tho tndEIna-
IN Now York, the slstcrhood established III 1873
M institution known as VI. Mory's School in
Mcmphis, Tom. Like all the selloo1s wslscl, aro
founded t,y them. the Memphis School Is mt
once az educat'onal ~ seminary and home T., for
I'rst object, md their house in Memphis 10 r.
gart1el by them as centre 10 which tho clinrt
table charEcs whcl! they purpose undertaking
fl the nciGhborhood will BIZ necessarily attach
cd. They have already assumed tho manngo-
invitation Of thc Trustees, aid tNcy arc cor
tempiatlng further extension Of their charlta-
bic work in a short time. They propose to
found, in tho course Of the next few years,
homo OF their Order In nnc Of the lcat!fng cities
of the West, ant1 thus obtain foothold In tho
thrca great ACTIONS Of the country.
Apart, however, from what tic Order has done
tllcir natural lives. Ihcsc black-robcl Sisters
who pass through the crowded streets On their
errands Of charity and mercy are women Of re-
inemcnt and culture, u,nny OF whom aro still
young and personally attractive. What motives
have led them to Eiye III, 40 much that tic
worlds holds dear nnti choose tho colorlcss lffc
OF re!igit4ss and the cross OF Sister of Mercy
Is q secret than which none ase more. eacredly
guarded. Many Of these who arc received rs
eaer mud gfayer faccs than Is tatura! for girls
90 young, but tho TRACES Of sndncss, ns d ruTo, 1t
Ia said, d. not endure, but aro replaced By uni
f0r,nly cheerful grnyity. The strictly convent
lIfo OF one novice Or alstcr viii scryc as tyn6 ut
tho lives Of all.
boulc ycnsB AFRO young lady OF unusual
beauty al,d culture applied to tue Mother Supc-
rior to be admitted rs novice. sho belonged
to wealthy Southern family. md Ind been
born and uart1y educated tn ono OF tho Southern
Statca. To complete her education she itat
llvcl for somo ycnrs In Northern clty,; and
during her rrs!ilunec in tho North hna become
ST. Mary. Her parents wcro UnttarIans and
decidedly disapnruvcI tho daughters plat,, Il
Is r,1le Ut tho alsteshood to nlln,it t,ol,e, ns
nnvlccs without tho consent OF their parents.
Tla youn9 lody continued, however, 10 anxious
Yielded to her representations and entrcatirg,
and sho VIM received as a postu1unt, es tho
noytce IL termed during tho first six mouths
of her trial. On entering tic house wtlcre
those in training for tho Sistcrlood arc re.
qMlrcl to live, shu was PLACED under t!lu
charge OF Sister called tho mistress Of tllu
nuytces. She put on the black t!rcsa, wtlcIl ali
noyIccs wear, ind which IL like thai worn by Tho
Bltlers themselves. There Is no girtiio about
tic waist, such aa the Sisters wear, l,owcycr,
nnti tho broad wh1to cot!ur ahuut tho ncck ii
differently cut A p]ai,, cross tsi,gs l,Y a black
cord up,i, tie breast, mud wiiio Gnu, slightly
different frou that Of the Sisters. covers tho
whole head nt,l neck, except tic face. At d
O'Clock In tho morning tic novice rises anil tls
Office OF i'rine Is sal,l ut G;B0. At octock tho
celebration OF the holy communion takes place,
aud The noytcca brcakfaat at Il, From sad TIL d
ttA time is devoted to religious meditation and
iron, tho hour OF rising no words must bu
sppken, excont On the most imperative business.
Al o o'clock the working buurB, us they aro
called, be9lr, the noytro ts Instructed III ali tic
usual household carcs, oxrupt to 1nost laborios &,
mud se ia ftuuyeu 70 pcrior cert utu (lxcl tut!os
cnrYt Iiav Irstr,rfnn 10 aIst, r1}vcu v flr IN Il.