Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-02-14
oankn or nnAcoNrnsns.
Greni sep Tukem by the Mclh0d-
ists.-Pthcr SisierlR0Ods.

OF the Order OF Dsaconesses by the last
gene rel conference Of the NJ. r.. Church
was far.Yeaehing act, and that they con-
hider it one Of the grendest scta 81 modern
Methodism. They say 1t will be great
work Of charity; it will give employment
to an immense number of devoted
Methodist women in hospitals aud orphan
asylums, and will he to Methodism what
the Sisters OF Charity are to the Catholic
Church. Yet the character and work Of
the Methodist deaconessesi is not yet fully
defined. Thus the first three deaconesses'
bones start under az many different aus
pieces. The amharrassments OF committees
of Methodist N inisters in 'he various oities
have led to much correspondence, with q
view to creating unity Of action and for
mutual benefit through an exchange OF
views. The committee OF the Baltimore
Methodist miniaters' meeting, of viii b
the Rev. j. j. G. Webster Of Madison
Avenue Church, is chairman, has been
diligently posting itself by correspon-
deuce and otherwise, and it expects to
report to the meeting to-day 0 plan for
the organization of q deaconesses' home
in Baltimore. They will probably ar
range TO license deaconesses. The whole
MOIh vi TUG utADNuthbbS Will 10 uIiucE u
board OF deaconesses, to be appointed by
each annual conference. A conference
of all interested in the movement WAS
held December 2oth and 2lst in Chicago,
and the outcome of that conference was
the adoption Of plan to secure uni
formity in the inauguration of the move
ment throughout the country. This con-
ference has the past month perfected its
plans, and II is understood that the Bal
timore committee is advised in regard
TO it.
Among the Methodists who took an
active part in the Chicago conference was
Mrs. Lucy Rider Meyer. principal of the
newly organized Chicago Deaoopesses'
Training School and Deaconessss' Home;
Miss Isabella Thobufn Of the Elizabsth
Gamble Deeconsss Home James N.
Gamble, DR.. Nippart and others of DIN
cinnati; Mrs. Emma W. Rogers of Ann
&rbor, Mich: the Rev. Charles Il. North
of the New York Deaoopess Hcma and
others. IL Chicsgo the Wesley Methodist
Hospital has just been projected, in Coz
noction with the work OF the training
sohool, for missionaries and deaconassss.
The Presbyterisns ore also about to re-
viys the order Of deaconesses. The
Philadelphia Presbytery, on December
Sd, had the proposition presented to 1t by
the ReY. Henry O. MoOook, d. D., which
was in line with the action OF tina Gen
erRi Conferences of the III L. Church last
May. This question came up through q
memorial of the Presbyterian mission
aries Of Bengal, India, asking for an
establishment of auob al order. II was
presented by the Rev. ]. NJ. Thoburn,
missionary TO India, who urged Its i'm
purtanes, The committee to which 1t
was referred reported favorably.
The Rev Dr.. Samuel Nolan shan OF LA.
fayette square Presbyterian Church says
in regard to the deaconesses in the Pres
byterian church: "In the Epistls to The
Romans Phoebe is spoken of as doa.
coness, who was approved in all branches
Of good works by the brethren. There
has lately been quite a revival In the
Presbyterian and Lutheran churches, as
we'll as in the Methodlst church, OF this
order of deaconesgsg. l have heard of
no opposition to the revival OF this order
which existed in the time OF the Apostles,
and many Presbyterian ministers favor !.
individually" "5...5
The Lutheran church has had sister.
hoods Of deaoonesses for n good msns
years. A great many deaconesses sra
! licensed bv the lutheran church in Ger
many and sent out ON missionary work
besides also being employed at home.
| The first "Mother House" OF the Luth-
esan church was founded in 1886. These
Lutheran sisteEhoods were first intro
duced in the United States by MIR. Johu
| ID. Lankenan, president CT tho German
Hospital, Philadelphia. in 1884, when he
brought over from Germany seven dea-
conesses. There are now so Lutheran
dsaconesses in Philadelphia. Not lass
than 400 deaconesses OF the Lutheran
church are at work throughout the world.
Besides nursing the eick, they aid the
poor, train kindergarten and industrial
teachers, work among prisoners and 60
as missionaries to foreign lands. Last
month new mother house was opened
in Philadelphia, adjoining the German
Hospital.
At Omaha, Nsb., tho Lntherans aye
just completing the Emanuel Hospital
and Deaooness Institute. A number OF
young Swedish Lutheran ladies are pre-
pairing TO enter this new institution.
The Protestant Episcopal sisterhoods
ate also we'll known. No vows csl be re-
quired by the rules OF the Episcopal
church, but many of the sisters hava
taken voluntary VOWS, and wear uni
form dress All Saints Sisters Of the
Poor and the Sisters Of st. Mary and All
Saints (colored), Baltimore, are well
kroVn orders.
Baltimore American Tuesday.
at the Methodist Episcopal ministers'
meeting yesterday tue committee OF
daaoonessss reported through the Rsv.
j. G. Webster of Madison Avenue
Church. The report was IN favor O
licensing OF deaconessss, AS has been doc,
I in Philadelphia and other cities, 60 nurst
the aick, act IA Bible readers, and do all
kinds of good woTks, as recommended by
the resolutions of the general conference
of last May. The report OF the committee
requests the ANIMAL conference, which
meets March 9Th, Of Grace Church, TO
appoint committee or annual board to
tske charge OF the matter, aud to take
steps 10 perfect the work of training
licensing and employing dsaeouesses, aud
providing for hospitals, whenever thought
advisable. The discussion of the repGr
OF the committee WAS laid over unit! mex.
week.