The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-03-16
SISTERS OF CHARITY,
Their Services in War and in Peace
Abraham Lincoln,s Tribute.

to the miDlStraIIOnS OF those DEVOTED
women who look for no earthly reward
of their labor and anxious solicitude,
and who, in their dispensations of pain,
a}!eviations and remedial care, make no
distinction of Catholic or Protestant,
Jew or Gentle. Time was when those
outside Of the Catholic pale, both in
England and America, could shudder at
! the thought of entering a conventual OR
mona-tic institution. The Pope was
anti-Christ, the nuns and monks were
Satan's body guard. The infamous
fabrcations OF Maria Monk were
credited, and Gavazzi found dupes even
in Quebtc an Montreal. But the times
have changed aud men changed with
them. In the Crimean war the English
officers discovered to their horror that
no provisions had been made for female
attendance on the sick and wounded
soldiers who filed the hospitals at
Sculari, while the allied army had in its
wake hundreds of French Sisters OF
CHARITY, who moved among the wounded
Oh tie field OF battle, waited on the sur.
geons and wat ched night and day in the
hospitals Then Florence Nightingale
volunteered her services, and large
number of secular women. soldiers
wives for the most part, were sent out
by The war department. But these
proved for the most pa / to be- Of the
most "Sairy Camp" order. The cup
that inebriates was handed around
freely among them. Confusion and
disorder relgned il the camp. Miss
Nightingale complained to the horse
guards OF their uselessness. and re-
quested that they be all taken home,
and ii possible some Catholic nuns sent
out instead. The reasOnableness Of her
demand was at once apparent. Arch
bishop Cullen was then communicated
with. and through the agency and IN
fuence Of his Grace a large number of
Sisters Of Mercy were sent out from
ireland, to the great joy of Miss Flor
epce Nightingale, and to the great
satisfaction and comfort of the wounded
at Scutari, Balaklaya and other chill
tary hospitals.
at the close of the war. and On the re-
turn Of the remnant Of the British
forces to England, banquet was given
at Edinburgh in honor OF Miss Night
jngale, AT this banquet Scotch poet
read in her honor some verses, which
ran thus in one part:
Oh! earth but once heard snch tale
So heavenly and so humane,
AS that Of Florence Nightingale,
The angel type in woman.
And went on to say how the wounded
living on the bed of pain kissed her
shadow as it fell OH their lonely pillow.
The lngratitude shown to the Sisters
of Mercy who were not banqueted or
sung in lyric verse, struck very forcibly
q young clergyman at the time living
in Toronto, who was of u poetjca| turn
of mind, and he wrote in the Catholic
Citizen of that period:
We oft and oft heard such tale,
AS heavenly and SO humane
As that of Florence Nightingale.
And everv day and every night,
The orphan and tho widow
May kiss such shadows as they light
With blessing on their pillow.
AT the outbreak of the civil war in
America, Archbishop Hughes of New
York rendered to the United States all
thorities the services of one hundred
Sisters of Charity for the military hospi-
tails. This generous offer was politely
refused and a whole company Of young
ladies from Boston, Philadelphia and
other centres of culture and fashion,
assumed the red cross and donned the
serge habit of the Order OF Patriotic
Nurses. But the battle Of Bull Run
crowded the ambulances, and manv
town halls and private residences were
made to serve as hospitals. The Gull
tured ladies soon tired of the work, or
neglected the poor common soldier to
bestow all attention OH the dudish off,
Ger. However 1t happened, certain it is
that President Lincoln telegraphed
Archbishop Hughes to send on two
hundred Sisters of Charity. After the
fight at Antietam, Old Abe wrote per-
sonally to thank the archbishop and beg
that his grace would send not only two
hundred, but two thousand if it were
possible. Since that time the Sisters of
Charity have charge of almost every
hospital in the large cities of the United
States. ALI physicians of note testify
to their incompatible efficiency in
seconding the doctors efforts to assuage
pain and promote convalesences. In
no hospital as in theirs can be found
such perfect order, such neatness of
detail, such noiseless and effective min
istration. And although no prosolytism
is allowed or interference with the faith |
of their patients permitted, the bright |
example of constant piety, unwearied
patience, and soul stirring charity, on
the Sisters part make deep impress
sion on hearts that were hardened to
,,pholiof or noovhon RI vioo and very