Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-11-22
4 pRAooNKssnA, HOME.
To ne Built ia New York by the
Meth0dists,
sunday,s Now YORK Tima..

A the recent Quadrennial Conference
of the Methodist Episcopal Church laws
were enacted providing for the authoriza-
ton and church government Of semi.
ecclesiastical order never before known
In this church, but similar In many es-
sential particulars TO the various benevo.
lent and religious female orders of the
Roman Catholics. II was called the
Methodist Episcopal Order of Deacon
nesses, and, as defined in the laws of the
church, the duties Of the deaconesses are
"so minister to the poor, visit the sick,
pray with the dying, care for the orphan,
seek the wanderer, comfort the borrowing,
save the shining, and relinquish wholly
all other pursuits, devote themselves in n
general way to such forms of Christian
labor as may be suited to their aoilitiesn
Every annual conference in which any
home of this new order shall be estab-
lished is required by the discipline to
appoint committee Of nine of its mem
bers to look after the home and see that
everything done by the sisterhood aud
their immediate board OF direction ia In
accordance with the discipline. This
committee Is to consist, of members Of the
annual conference exclusively and is re-
Movable at every annual conference. The
more immediate government of each home
Is vested in board Of direction of such
numbers and constitution as may be de-
termined upon by the founders.
The first Of these new auxiliaries to the
great religious organization has Just been
instituted by the New York City Church
Extension and Missionary Society Of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. At meet
ing OF this society, held at the rooms in
the Book Concern on Friday, the 'Board
OF Direction of the Deaconesses' Home of
the Methodist Episcopal Church in the
city OF New York" was provided for, and
Its members were elected by the aociety.
The articles of association which were
promulgated provide that the Board Of
Direction shall consist of three ministers
and three laymen, to be chosen from the
Board Of Managers Of the New York City
Church Extension and Missionary Society,
together with three women, members OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church in New
York City.
The members Of this parent orgapizn.
tion are the Rev. Bidwell Lane, the Rev.
Charles Il. North, the Rev. Merritt Hull
burd, George McKibben, W. K. Peyton,
Richard Lavery. Mrs. Bowles Colgate,
Mrs. Anderson Fowler and Mrs Peter A.
Welch. They will be called upon to
determine the membership of the home;
to devise oil necessary rules and regula.
tions to direct, through the superin-
tendent, the work Of the deaconessss; to
supervise such property and core for all
such financial and other matters pertain
ing to the home as may be committed to
them by the church extension and Mig
sionary Society.
Tho superintendent ia to be q woman,
and as her duties are defined they CORE
spond nearly with those of the lady supe-
rior OF convent. The applicants for
membership in the home, besides being
regular nnembera Of the church, muat not
be more shan IS nor less than 23 years Of
sge, in good health and must submit to o
probationary trial ..of three months or
more, or leas, at the option of the board
OF direction. In exceptional cases, at the
discretion of this board, applicants not
more than 81 years old may be admitted
TO the home, provided however, that they
shall not be deemed eligible to probation
for the office of dtaooness. After salts
factory trial an applicant may be elected
for service on probation and every
such applicant must be duly
by quarterly conference
and must be not less than 20 years old.
Finally, 1t is provided that no one shall
be qualified for the office of deaconess
In the Deaoonesses' Home who has not
served on probation for period of not
less than two years of continuous service,
who is not over 25 years age, and who
has not received a regular certificate from
an Annual Conference Board Of Deacon
esses. Membership in this order shall
not, however, be compulsory. Should
any deaconess or probationer SO decide
she may reliuquish her membership at
spy time. No VOWS are imposed or re-
luired, only submission to the rules and
regulations Of the Board OF Direction.
II is contemplated by the founders to
provide uniform dress by which the |
adde's of the order may be distinguished |
rom the ordinary evangelical worker, but |
What design or color this uniform will |
axe on is still to be determined. The
home In its incipiency will not be very
much more than home and headquarters |
or the members Of the sisterhood, but il i
shall meet with the public favor and !,
rove as effective for benevolent and |
eligious work as Is expected and hoped |
y tho origfnators its accommodations |
nd scope will be extended as rapidly as /
'ossible to meet all the requirements of |
ospital, asylum and outside benevolent
nd religious work.
One OF the venerable olergymen who
ave been active in the institution of this
rder said to Times reporter yesterday
hat the church had long felt the lack of
rganizstion and authority among it's
smale workers. AZ large and popular
enomination it was called upon quite
roperly to expend as much effort in
enevolent as la distinotiveiy religions
'crk, and there had neves been any pro-
lsion OF any properly authenticated and
,ganizsd body to look after this work
a every Methodist community there
ere women willing and in every wsy
tied to attend to this kind Of work,
10 osne6ts of which could be made
ore apparent by such organization than
hen pursued in the desultory manner
lat has always been the case. The ex-
snse OF maintenance would be no greater
ian had been the cost Of the benevolent
ofk OF the church in yeara gone by.
he expenditures would be systematized
I'd the work centralized and the workers
'ganized, and every person of intslli-
'nce would appreciate the benefit of
u.s."
Another meeting will be soon held, at
hich arrangements for the purchase of
'oessary property for the establishment
this first home Of an order that in the
pectation of the Church Extension ond
visionary Society Is destined to become
ceedingly popular.
-
The other day the daughter of farmer
nut out into cornield carrying with J