The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-25

lac, under st. Vincent de Paul, in the sew
enteenth century. The order admitted
young women and widows between the
ages OF sixteen and twenty-eight, Of sound
mind and body. The VOWS were to be
taken for a single year and renewed annu-
ally. In year tho sisterhood increased
to thirty, of whom Mrs. Seton was the
mother superior, and until her death, in
1921 at the early age Of forty-seven.
IL is needless to recapitulate what the
Sisters OF Charity have been to this coun-
try since. The black dresses and black
caps OF the order have borne witness on
the batte6elds in the pestilence, the hos
pitfalls, wherever there has been sickness,
sorrow and death. The mother house OF
the Sisters OF st. Joseph remains at EN-
mettsburg where they number l47. In
this city and elsewhere there are about 800
sisters, and recently large and powerful
organization has been formed in New
Jersey.
The first ssterhood in the Episcopal
church, either here or i'm England, is due
to DIR. Muhlenberg, to whom 80 much that
is lovely and OF good report is due. He
was probably first influenced by the re-
ports of the good work OF the Lutheran
Deaconesses at the community at Kaiser
wurth, in Germany. During the summer
OF lSi5 DIR. Muhlenberg was preaching in
the little chapel Of st. Paul's, at College
Point. With dreams OF tho church he
wanted to establish and OF the Christian
lives he desired TO enlist in the service OF
charity in his mind. he preached SER
mon on "Jephtha's Vow," and this was
the germ OF the Sisterhood OF the Holy
Communion.
In the audience there was lady to
| xbofp tho uarpno,, p,aIa ,rac;oI o,s.~.ol
At its close she spoke to DIR. Muhlen6erg,
who as yet had uttered no word OF his
definite hopes. Nothing further was said
between them. But one winter evening
after service, In her ordinary dress, this
lady kneit at the communion rail and took
her Vows, the only other person besides
the minister present being the old sexton
putting out the lights.
These were days Of great excitement in
the Episcopal church. The Oxford school
and Cardinal Newman secession TO Rome
struck terror TO the timid ones of the
church. The very name OF ''Sister"
would excite discussion, and observation
would kill the germ Of spiritual life II was
necessary TO foster.
During tho first three years the number
increased 10 three sisters, and care OF the
poor WIS organized into system, with a
dispensary attached to tho tenement
house which was both home and hospital.
Questions now appeared in the newspa-
pers concerning Protestant nuns" 1t
became essential 10 take some necessary
steps OF justification. One OF the sisters
put forth pamphlet, and DIR. Muhlenberg
wrote an introduction on an evangelical
sisterhood. These formulated all that the
sisterhood was and meant TO do. There
xs-nu 80 H.. s...ttat..s.. a Ia
sisterhood. There was 10 be no corporate
body, no central organization. They were
TO live together for mutual comfort and 10
leave when duty called. Tho first sister
was the title OF the head OF the order.
In 1858, in the midst OF the most serious
opposition, Mr.. and Mrs. John Swift gave
10 them the building now occupied by
the sisters TO the Church OF the Holy Com
munion in memory OF their daughter Vir-
ginia, who had died in the arms Of the
first sister,
The Sisters OF the Holy Communion are
today an organization such as they we're at
the beginning. They were DIR. Mullen
berg's support and assistance in the build
ing Of st. Lukes hospital. II seems al
most incredible now 10 assert what was
true then, that tho building OF st. Luke's
was hindered by fears lest II become a
Protestant nunney.
But the outcry against the protestant
nuns was not dead. II now rose in full
fcry. The committee OF ladies interested
in 81. Barnabas began a disagreeable in
vestigation and the sisters retired TO the
'Sheltering Arms" Then tho committees
interested In tho "Sheltering Arms" took
fright, and tho sisters retired 10 the House
OF Mercy. where there was no room for
them.
DIR. Dix was now their chaplain. The
friends OF the Sisters rallied and there was
bought for them tho fino large house
which they now occupy on East Forty
sixth street, which DIR. Van Norman had
fitted up 10 luxuriously for school.
To support the sisterhood their now
well known school was formed, which has
such splendid adjunct at Beekskill.
Their hospital work Is an extensive en-
terprise. In this city they have charge OF
Trinity hospital, the Childrens hospital OF
ST. Mary and the Laura Frank hospital at
Observation-Disclosures street and Fifth
avenue.
Tho Sisters Of ST. John the Baptist.
living in their handsome home on Seven.
teenth street, near Stuyvesant park, il
what Is called an affiliated branch OF the
ANGLICAN Order OF 81. John the Baptist.
The headquarters Of this order Is at
Clcwers. II was founded by Canon Car
ter and Mn. Manscll about thirty years
ago, Mn. Mansell cndowing the order and
becoming It's mother superior as Mother
Harriet. About twenty years ago Miss
Folsom, daughter Of Judge Folsom and
q member of the stuyvcsant family, from
J which through her mother she inherited a
large fortune, went 10 England and en-.
! tered the Statehood at Clewers.
Having mastered liz methods Miss Fol.
som returned 10 this country and founded
branch order, which she endowed with
her fortune, and OF which she became
mother superior. In timo Il WIS consid.
cred advisable 10 cut Off this immediate
connection with Clewcs and 10 become
what II now Ia, an affiliated order bearing
. the Same name. The English order was
especially established for pcnitentiary
work, but the American order engages in
more widely extended labos. There Is q
school for young ladies nj the Sister House
, In town, aud large and flounshing school
at Morristown under its charge. This
work Is accompanied by mission, pcniten.
, tiary. hospital and other duties which fall
TO \ sisterhood not moro directly special.
izcd.
In Us opulcnt foundation the Sisters oI
~. John tho Baptist have not had TO on,
counter the difficulties and privations
A.. A.. a l.. IL