, 1879-06-22

fROIESrANTS WHO HAVE TAKEN VOWS OF OBE
D1ENcE, CEL1nAcY, AND POVERTY.
Baftsns"rt Bulletin.
There Is nov In progrcs. at Mt. Calvary Epis
copal Church, corner OF Entaw and Madison
streets, mission or religious revival which is be
ing conducted by the Rev. Fathers Naturiu and
Torbert, Of the Anglo-Amcrfcan Order of st.
John the Evangelist. A similar mission is to
be inauguratcd at st. Pauls Church by the Rev,
Fathers Grafton and Hall OF the same Order.
The Society OF St. John Ia the Episcopal Churcl,
would seem to be OF somewhat similar charac-
ter, SO far as its special adaptation to mission
work and the simplicity of its rulas OF living
are concerned, to the. Society OF Jesus in the
Roman Catholic Church. Tie missions CON
Quoted by the Society have been very successful
elsewhere, and are very interesting. The Society
vas formed in 1866 in the Parish OF CoWle9,
England Of which parish the Vicar at that time
was Father Benson, who is now the head Of the
Order. Three other clergymen united with him
in the establishment Of the Order, viz: =
The Rev. Father Grafton, now Of the. Church
OF the. Advent In Boston, the Rev: Father
0'Neill, an English, clergyman, and the Rey.
Father Prescott, now OF St. Clements, Phila-
delphia. The Key. Father Prescott was ut that
time, Rector Of Christ Church in Westhaven,
Conn; the Rev.. Father Grafton was assistant
pastor ot st. Pauls, in this city; the RoY.
Father O'Neill was without a Charge These
three ministers, with the Vicar Of Co{slcy, con
6titutcd themselves q society, all having taken
VOWS of celibacy, obedience, and poverty. They
lived together in the house as one family, wear,
fng dark robes Of tho coarsest cloth, uiscardng
ali Injuries, adopting the simplest aud scycrest
mode OF life; uncarpetcd Ioors, plain food,
nothing but the bare necessa:lcs, the first three
ministers obcdicnt to the Vicar rs SUPERIOR or
head of the family. For several years, till 1871,
the Order had only these four. members. They
adopted TO constitutions intending to let the
constitution grow up With the Society; obe-
dieuce to the Superior was tile onty Guide. In
1871 others carlc into the Order. Meantime
the Vicar of Cowley. retained bis Office and.
performed his duties under the Bishop the
domestic lie. Indeed, it's said, the order had
the blessing Of the late Bishop, OF Oxford, who
presided over the diocese Ut which Father Ben
sons parish was part. In 1871 Father Benson
came to America to take part il some work be-
ward establishing the Society Of Evangelist
Fathers here.
In 1872 Father Grafton took Charge OF the
Churrh Of the Advent in Boston, and 10 1875
Father Prescott was elected Rector OF st. Glenn
ent's, Philadelphia. The Order has now, after
an existence OF fourteen years, about twenty
members. st: Clements and the Church OF tie
Advent arc the only churches in this country In
charge Of priests Of this Order. The church ut
Cowley, in the Dioeese of Oxford, is another,
churches in the world which are IN charge OF
members of the Order Of St. John the Eyapgrl-
ist, There arc various. missions however
Three missionaries are. now working at Jud-
son. in India. They have also college in India,
at Sllotiya. The membership includes, besides
the English, American, and Irish
BIRTH, ono Parscc, or converted Efindoo No
clergyman Is admitted into the, Order under 80