The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-09-12
THE SHUT-IN SOCIETY.

"The people do perish for lack of knowledge"
To those who suppose when one has
been confined to the bed few years they
| get so used to it that. of course they don't
mind anything about it, to those who
have got tired of asking how z (who has
been confined to the bed less than a year,
| is to those who are sure they wouldn't
want to live if they were shut in, and of
course you wouldn't want to if you suffer-
ed any; to those who never supposed one
who had been shut III for years could have
longing for the outside world, for of
course that kind of a life has become sec
md nature like" to those who s'envy those
who have nothing to do but to lie in bed
year after year with not a care in the world,
while their less favored friends % lives
are so burdened with hard work and care
that as soon as their heads touch their pill
low at night they are sound asleep to
those who hadn't any idea there were so
many people in the whole word, confined
to their beds, as belong to the "Shut-In
Society" TO those who didn't know before
that it was possible, a person wholly con-
fined to their bed, could live eight years,
the following sketch is particularly dedi-
Gated
This sketch has been prepared in the
hope that it may, at least be the means of
a few suffering ones, by introducing to
them society where genuine sympathy,
that help that chronic invalids need so
much OF, and receive SO little, is found on
every hand, and where pride, fashion, jeal-
ousy, and insineerty are excluded.
This society has been in existence since
Janury, 1877, and ''to Mrs. Jennie NJ
ID. Conklin, then Miss Drink water, of New
Vernon, N. j., belongs the honor of or
iginating the society and givingi name"
She had been shut in for three years, when
she began to pray that she might find some
one else shut in, some one to write to, to
do good to, and receive good from She
already had one such correspondent Miss
Susie $. III. Hewett, of Bellville, n. J., of
whom she spoke as a dear little maiden,
who is seldom taken out into the sunshine,
and never stands upon her feet But she
wanted another and ''the resolve was made
to find somebody new to broaden her life as
well as mine.''
AT this .juncture Miss ID. was attracted
by an article entitled My Invalid Friends,
signed cousin Alice, in the Adoocate and
Guardian. She at once wrote the editor
for the full name and address of cousin
Alice" and commenced pleasing and
mutually profitable correspondence with
Miss Alice NJ. Ball. of Pittsfield, Mass. A
second article called out by the above,
and entitled, ITO nvalids, =" added Mrs l..
J. Gcer to the little circle, which has
steadily increased, until now there are
nearly 1900 members.
1t the Fall of 70 manual containing all
the names and addresses was issued, and
every three months after, up to January,
1888, Circular Letter, which contained
messages from the members, names and
addresses of new members, removals, with
drawals and deaths
A monthly called the ''Shut-ln Visitor"
has taken the place of the Circular Letter,
and fills the demand of the Society for
more frequent method of communication.
1t is edited by Mrs. Kate Summer Burr,
Walworth, N. V, one of the associate
members, to whom all inquiries concerning
the Society should be addressed. Sub
4. g s.t-
per annum. Though the especial organ of
the Shut-In Society. any one is at liberty
to subscribe.
TO be a sufferer, shut in from the out
| side world constitutes one proper candi-
date for membership in this Society, which
has no constitution, officers or bylaws. and
the only expense incurred in becoming a
member is the price of the Visitor
1t is simple agency to give and receive
diversion of thought, comfort and cheer,
by sending and receiving letters and other
tokens of remembrance.
Each one is at liberty to write any one
on the list, as to all.
''Some of the members are unable to
write and some would find the expense of
an extensive correspondence embarrassing.
Those who are not able to write may feel
content to be recipients only of the sympa-
thy and love of the more favored But to
those who can, it is recommended that they
select as many correspondents as they can
attend to, without making task of what
is designed only to be a pleasure"
Nothing gives such cheer and comfort as
letters. They not only aid us with their
sympathy and brightness, but help us to go
out into other lives instead of staying shut
in with our own sufferings, and surely the
sin of omission will cause suffering to those
who are able to write, if some of the COM
fort and sympathy is not passed on.
No one but a ''shut-in' can appreciate
the longing we have for mail time, and how
bitter the disappointment if there is not
even postal card for us, for even a postal
card is often enough to make the whole day
happy.
In the name of suffering humanity, | APP
peal tn every one who reads the following
extracts from the messages in the "Circu-
To , 7 attare.s .lur;,-, 1890 and .sfrhe Sbut In