Wichita eagle., 1888-07-06
A SINGULAR SOCIETY.
THE SHUT ms" WHOSE MEMBERS
NEVER SEE EACH OTHER.

Unique Organization of Invalids whoss
1.SCo Member. Are Distributed Through
! out the Worid-They Exchange Letters
and Photocraphs-Their Magazine.
New York city is the headquarters Of a
| society whose members and associates,
1.S00 in number. are scattered over the
| five great divisions of the world It Is an
association scarcely known beyond the
circle OF its own mem bers and their indi-
vidual friends and acquaintance 1t Is
never mentioned in the newspapers. It
! is governed by 10 laws or rules. Yet
| there is nothing secret in its origin. aim
or organization for 1t is organized. 1t ,s
not a charitable society. though it does
not despise donations, and its members
are willing to help each other to their full
extent Its name viii not be found IN the
directory list of organized associations in
this city. OR. in fact. in any list whatso-
ever. It's members never meet together.
never see each other. never exchange
handshakes or other greeting In propria
persona 1t has no club house, no rooms
for social gatherings There is no annual
dinner. there are no periodic festivities or
celebrations, as with most societies. The
organization alluded to Is an altogether
unique affair
This remarkable sisterhood and brother
hood-for 1t includes persons of both
sexes as well as of al ages-is called the
Shut In society. It's members consist Of
men women and children who are shut
in by disease from the outside world, Of
invalids who seldom or never leave their
rooms. or perhaps even their beds. and
who In some cases have remained for more
than a generation in one never changing
spot, catching sight OF Life and nature
only through the window.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME
The name of the society was suggested
by the words. '-And the Lord shut him
in. from Genesis xvii. 16, where refer
ence is made to the Creators inclosure CT
Noah inside the ark. in polyglot Bible
the marginal texts imply that these words
may be taken IL an emblematic as well as
a practical sense, and that when the
former meaning is bestowed they signify
q kindly and protective Providence. 1t is
III this sense in which the term shut In"
has been appropriated by the society.
The name was bestowed by Mrs. j. Nj d.
Conklin. of Convent. N. j.. and the
society itself originated in 1877 among
the contributors 10 The Advocate or
Guardian, the organ of the American
Female Guardian society and Home for
the Friendless, in this city Some of
these contributors. secluded by sickness.
exchanged letters OF sympathy. and this
formed the basis of an ever widening
communion which existed for eight years
in an unorganized condition The society
was finally incorporated in August. 1885.
It's objects are mainly to relieve the
weariness of the sick room by sending
and receiving letters and tokens o. re-
mem brance and to testify to the consola-
tiop and help derived from religion To
be sufferer. shut in from the outside
world. constitutes one proper candidate
for membership There are about 900
associate members who are not them
selves invalids but who being in deep
sympathy with chronic sufferers. devote
considerable portion Of time to their re-
lief There is an advisory board of tif-
teen persons chosen from the society and
selected from different parts of the coun-
try. their duty being to confer personally
or by letter concerning the interests Of
the association