Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31

Religious sisterhoods or Many DIR
fsrens Faiths-Presbytsr
Last In Line.
philadelphia Record

Last
[Phlladolphia Record.I
Protestant eisterhood is o nineteenth
century development such as the re-
formers OF three centuries ago could
never have thought possible. Even
century ago no such idea would have
been tolerated. Butto-day there are in the
ranks OF Professionalism over II, 600 black
stoled, consecrated nuns. The average
American has become familisrized with
the Episcopalian sisterhoods, and gene
rally regards them as tho logical out
come of high-church Anglicanism. he
is, however, somewhat surprised to learn
that the first Protestant nuns were Ger
man, not English and instead OF being
reared in an atmosphere of Anglicanism,
were the credal descendants OF Luther
and Zwingle, who looked upon a nuns
garb as the livery Of the devil IL is equally
surprising to learn that the movement
has spread beyond the liturgical Episco-
palians and Lutherans, and that now the
disciples of Calvin and Wesley are bent
upon establishing similar orders.
In 1888 young German pastor, Theo-
dore Fliedner, undertook the work OF
reyiying the medieval Order of Dea-
conesses of which Phoebe of Conchrea
was the prototype, and induced young
German girl, Gertrude Reichsrd, to
become the first modern deaconess. A
large house was opened at kalsersworth
as the mother house of the order, and in
spite Of opposition from Romenist and
Protestant alike, the movement expanded
until soon there were deaconess houses in
Strasburg, Dresden, Breslau, Stettin,
and many another European city. Boy
rout, Smyrna, Jerusalem, and Constan-
tinopls were provided with German
deaconesses and little colony of seven
was planted in Pittsburgh.
All this wss due to the zealouse labor
OF Pastor Fliedner. At the time OF his
death. III 1864, there were over 1000
deaconesses engaged in more than 400
different fields of labor. The past
thirty-fve years has beheldastill greater
increase, and now 1920 Lutheran dea-
conesses are at work in 1900 different
localities
There are about forty German deacon
esses prosecuting their labor of love in
this country, nearly all of whom are in
Philadelphia at the Mary j. Drexel
Home. A home is to DO opened IN
Omaha, Neb., and several practitioners
are now undergoing a course OF instruc-
ton here preparatory to conducting that
work. The term of probation varies
from two to FIVE years. and at the end OF
that time the novice dons the uniform Of
the order and is consecrated as deacon
ess.
The Episcopal sisterboods, which were
started ia England about 1S48, were di-
rect limitations OF the Lutheran orders,
vet differ from them IN several important
particulars. The Anglican who enters
upon a religious life must take it up for
ali time. Her farewell to the world is
irrevokable, and she may never marry.
A Lutheran deaconess, on the other
hand, may leave the home whenever she
deems best. A number Of the German
sisters have given up their life OF minis
tration for manageable causes, but rare
ly for any other reason.
Another distinction is in the fact that
the Lutheran Sisters are all members OF
one order, while there are sixteen or
ders of Episcopal nuns in this country,
and many others in England that have
no branch here. The Sisterhood of st.
Mary and All Saints at Baltimore Is
composed entirely Of colored women,
and the order Of st. Monica, at Fond du
Lac, Wis, is a religious sisterhood OF
widows. The sisters OF the Episcopal
Church are never known as deaconesses,
and their work is largely OF an eccle-
siastical nature, yet in their functions
of nursing, visiting, and teaching they
nearly resemble the adherents OF the
Lutheran and Methodist Churches.
The Methodist movement had its in
ception in Chicago in the summer OF
1887. Eight women we're consecrated as
deaconesses, and In three months they
made 2,75l religious visits. The work
gradually developedinto training school
for missionaries. and last year q nurses
training school was added. A home for
Methodist deaconesses has recently been
opened in New York, and plans are on
foot for the establishment of q similar
one in this city.
The Presbyterians, too. have become
interested in the movement. AT the
weekly ministers meeting held last Mon
day the subject was thoroughly can
yassed, and Calvinistic deaconesses will
soon be at work helping to rob the world
Of its pain and ain.