Saint Mary's beacon., 1883-08-09
~ Ms R.aeonl
PHrLADELrarA. Auguss J. isss

DEAR BEAcoxe--On the the and Of Au-
guss. in the beautiful Chapel Of the Conveat
Of the Sacred Heart at Eden Hall, Phila-
delphia, the Interesting and impressive
ceremony Of the imposing Of the white veil
and habit took place. The young lady who
LEFT all to follow more closely in her Masters
footsteps was Miss Bessie GreenweIl, dangh-
ter Of James C. Greenwell Of st. Mary's
County, Md. She had been for several years
= pupil Of the religious Of the Sacred Heart
and was graduated from their Convent At
Elmhurst, Providence, r. /. At the time
Of leaving school she manifested desire 20
cOusecrate herself 20 God in the religions
state, but her parents, with that prudence
which the ebarch approves, thought it bet
ter TO test the strength Of her vocation by
requiring her to mingle in society for q
time. This she did, but her determination
proving superior to the allurements Of the
world, she at length obtained the consent she
% much desire !, ami while still in the bloom
Of her maidenhOod, she offered TO God the
sacrifice of all that woman's heart most
prizes--the love Of parents, homo and
friends. The Altar was elegantly decora-
ted for the occasion with rare flowers, cost
ly vases and numerous wax tapers. The
centre aisle was covered with a velvet
carpet on which was placed short distance
from the altar rail PRIE-DTEU draped with
white tulle, festooned with smilax and dotted
with Marshal Neil rSse-buds. At half past
e'ght, as the tones Of the great organ were
heard, two lovely little ladies, Miss Eulalia
Cespedes and Miss Evangeline Macias, ad-
vanced slowly up the aisle followed by the
Lady Superior leading Miss Greenwell, mag
nifcently attired in bridal costume Of white
satin, court train trimmed with side plait-
ing of the same, edged with Yalenciennes
lace. On her head she wore a long and
beautiful veil crowned with a garland Of
myrtle and roses. After prostrating before
the altar, Miss Greenwell knelt on the PRIZE
DIEU, when Rev. Fathers Lancaster, Finne-
gan and Wall entered the sanctuary adorned
in the rich vestments Of the church. When
the VESI CREATOR had been intoned, the
officiating priest addressed the postulant in
few earnest words dwelling upon the ma
ture of sacrifice in general and its accepta-
bility with God at all times, but especially
when offered in youth. AlIusion was also
made to the great sacrifice of her parents in
yielding her TO God. After congratulating
her ON the courage which enabled her to
present to her heavenly Father a sacrifice
far more agreeable than the holocausts of
the Old Law, he ended by wishing her
strength and grace to continue to the end of
her life the oblation of herself to God, from
whom she received all, giving her as plan
by which she should shape her future career
the beautiful prayer of st. Ignatius: ere
ceive o Lord, my entire liberty, my men,
ory, understanding and will. They came
from Thee and to Thee give them" &c.
The sermon being finished, TIE bride ap-
preached the altar attended by the Supe-
rior and Madam Fink, her former teacher,
and knelt while the priest blessed the black
habit she was about TO assume The white
veil Of the novice was then placed on her
head, the priest repeating at the same time,
these words: accept the yoke of the Lord,
for His yoke is sweet and His burden light"
After blessing, which was most fervently
pronounced over the head Of the kneelng
girl, she left the Chapel and when few
moments later she returned, the costly satin
dress with its garniture of rich lace had been
exchanged for the black habit Of the rel-
gious aud the filmy tulle and bridal roses
replaced by the simple white muslin veil Of
Novice of the Sacred Heart.
The celebration Of Mass followed during
which appropriate hymns were sung by the
choir. The one Immediately preceding the
Communion, "VESI JEsU AMOR MI" seemed
particularly well chosen, revealing as it did
the longing of the virlin heart for the COM
ing of her mystic Bridegroom, concealed be-
meath the Eucharistic wells, to her who, for
love of Him, had left all things else beside.
Miss Greenweil went through the cere-
monies of taking leave of the world with
great calmness and dignity under the very
eyes Of her afflicted parents and weeping
sister May. There were among many 9TH
ers present at the Mass, Miss Nellie Slater
and the MisSes Drexel.
BUsHwooD.