Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-03
A DEACONESS TALKS
Of the Great Movement in America,
and of Pittsburs's Home.
ENTHUSIASM OF ONE OFTHELADIES
The Site for the Local Institution Will
Soon be Selected.
r. P. SABBATH SCHOOL CONVENTION

Three intelligent refined, cultured women
in the quaint, demure, modest costume Of
the Deaconess, occupied prominent seats
and IN turn the platform in the lecture room
of the Smithfeld NJ. E. Church last even
ing talking in the interest of the Deaconess'
Home movement in this city. They were
Mrs. Lucy Rider Meyer, NJ. D., Principal
of the Chicago Training School for City,
Home and Foreign Missions, who is guest
in the city, Mrs. S. A. Brockway, Super
intendent OF the Cincinnati Deaconess
Home, who arrived in Pittsburg during the
day, and Mrs. G. H. Van Vradenburg, the
resident Deaconess of the city whose recent
arrival from Buffalo, her former field of
labor, has been matter OF note.
Mrs. Meyer made the principal address of
the evening, and confined herself chiefly to
the deaconess movement in this country and
in the NJ. E. Church, though reference was
made to the origin of the order in Europe
and its organization in other churches. 10
Mrs. Meyer is due the honor of introducing
the deaconess work in America, Chicago be-
ing practically the birth place OF the move
ment, which, under her efficient manage
ment, has assumed such vast proportions
and evidences such enormous vitality, with
established homes in almost all the large cities
of the Union. Eleven Homes during the past
year have been opened, and the super
intendents of them have, with pos
sibly no exception, come from the
training school presided over by Mrs Meyer.
In her address, in view of the contemplated es-
tablishment of Home in this city, Mrs. Meyer
gave some particulars as to how the Home in
Chicago is established with its 10 deaconesses
and 40 students. and also defined very clearly
the life of deacouess whose service, she SAID,
must be voluntary and unremunerated, except
with the necessaries of life. Two wears must be
spent in preparation for the work either Tor a
visiting deaconess or a nursing deaconess, ana
at the end of that time the church, throogn the
General Conference. gives the stamp OF It's ap-
proval. The visiting deaconesses are gwen a
course of study in the Bible. and an elementary
course in medicine and nursing
The nursing deaconesses takes more
extended course in hospital nursing, and
is as proficient when she ventures unon
her duties professional nurse at $50 a
week. They wear the costume as protection.
and also because of its inexpensiveness. They
are supported entirely by the Home, and in
case of ill-health are assured of comfortable
home and the best of medical aid as long as
they require it, in the very home in which they
have lived and worked. Their laborS consist
Of thorough and systematic missionary work
in the parish TO which they may be assigned,
principally among the poor. for the poor can
! not secure other help IN time of sickness and
desolation. and the wealthy can. The homes
are supported entirely by generous persons in
| terested in the work.
Mrs. Brockway gave few interesting details
regarding the Cincinnati Home and told es-
pecially of one deaconess who visited the
| prisons and another who held meetings once a
| week in the workhouse among the women. The
| demand for deaconess nurses in that city was
very much ahead of the supply thus far, the
| speaker said. but they would graduate num-
Der shortly and will then be better prepared
| for emergencies.
Mrs. Vradenburg was very enthusiastic in
her remarks regarding the work and her hope
| fulness for the home to be opened in this city.
Enthusiasm and earnestness characterized
each of the three representatives of the
Dcaconess' Order, and it was strange man
or woman who listened to the almost
inspired address of Mrs. Meyer and the CON-
plimentary remarks of the others. without
being greatly interested in the movement
A reception will be given the deaconesses at
the Oakland NJ. e. Church to-day between the
hours of 2and 4 meeting of the committee
on the selection and securing of property for
the home will be held in Christ NJ. E. Church
next Wednesday,