Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-19
A RELIGIOUS MELANGE.
The Conservation of the First Methodist
Episcopal Nurse Deaconess In New York
"A Couple Of Prominent Ministers Come
tn the Defense of DIR. Briggs.

"A Couple Of Prominent Ministers Come
to the Defense Of DIR. Briggs.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.l
NEW YORK, May 1S.-The second anniver-
sary of the New York Deaconness' Home
and Training School of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church was held tonight in the Park
Avenue Methodist Church. Bishop Edward
C. Andrews conducted the service which
consecrated Mrs. H. L. Jenkins to the work
ofnurse deaconess. Mrs. Jenkins is the first
nurse deaconess in New York. She took the
regular course of training for nurses at the
Methodist Hospital and was the first grad
uate from that institution. She left the hos
pital just as the Deaconess' Home was opened
in May, 1889, and at once entered the home
training school, She has taken the regular
two years training course Of study and read
ing and is the first graduate.
The discipline of the Methodist Episcopal
Church provides that "the duties of dea-
conesses are to minister to the poor, visit the
sick, pray with the dying, care for the
orphan, seek the wandering, comfort the
sorrowing, save the SHINING, and relinquish-
ing all other pursuits, to devote themselves
to such forms of Christian labor that may be
suited to their ability. No VOW shall be ex-
acted from any deaconess, and any one of
their number shall be at liberty to relinquish
her position as deaconess at any time"
The Conditions Made to Suit.
The deaconesses live in the Home under
three different conditions. They may pay
their own board and expenses, they may pay
their board, but not their expenses, and they
may pay neither. In any case, after they
have served a proper time in probation and
have been receiveda as candidates, they must
remain for two years taking a course OF
aaAsn o{r,f ~,
the work before they may receive their
diplomas. The nurse deaconesses must also
be graduated from some reputable training
school or hospital. The work of all the
deaconesses while in the home consists in
visiting the poor and sick and relieving dis
tress in every way possible. They give up
all the afternoon to the work, leaving the
home at 1:30 o'clock and returning at some
time between and g. Their mornings are
devoted to reading and studying.
Although the Home Is strictly Methodist
institution the work of the deaconesses Is
opportunity. Whenever they are allowed to
enter the house they call that visit; but
when they are admitted no further than the
finds still different employment. Often her
visits continue and are extended into days
at the bedside of her patients. Mrs. Jenkins,
acting IN this capacity has made over ,,l. 20, 5Oo
successful in her work. She is a woman of
pleasing personality, and her kindly manner
and cheerJ way greatly augment her useful
ness ness IN T hec profession. pro The nurse deacon;
for a deaconess to leave the Home to work
under the supervision of one church. In
such cases she is under the direction of the
pastor OF the church with which she is con-
nected, but when associated in Home oil
members are subordinate to the Superin-
tendent,
Home is Miss Isabella A. Reeves. There are
also connected with the Home a number of
associates. These are ladies whose home
lives do not permit them to enter the
DeaconesS Home, but who can yet give part
of their time to the work of the Home. The
records of the visits of the deaconesses and
nurse deaconess contain much that is pitiful
9Ss there are
the visitors has wrought great changes in
the life and conditions of the unfortunates
whom they have found out and helped. Not
always have their ministrations been to the
poorest classes; but their work is done for
its own sake and not for show, and their
records are kept for their own profit only.
Calls DIR. Briggs Martyr.
As prelude to the sermon last night the
Rev. John L. Scudder, pastor of the Jersey
City Tabernacle, touched upon the trial of
DR.. Briggs.
"Another theological war has been de-
clared, >" he said. "Once moro the disciples,
of Christ are preparing to do battle with one
another, and before this conflict is over I
fear many people will be seriously damaged.
1t is with great misgiving that look upon
the coming trial of DR.. Briggs for heresy.
This isl purely theological quarrel-a war
the discussions which already exist, If, in
deed, it will not sever the denomination.
"There is little to be gained in such dog
mattc conflicts 1t is a poor recommends
ers of the meek and lowly Jesus join in
angry debate and exhibit q harsh, unchar-
table controversial temper. Multitudes of
people sta, stand aloof o.. and say with la,,a
SeSes us e'0Ns %hetRer Dr. Briggs agrees @
or disagrees with certain statements in the
Westminster Confession - which, itself,
sadly needs revision in my iudgment-the
entire movement is a mistake and highly
TO the interest of Christs king
dom. In addition to the wisdom OF this anti
very purpose for which it was 1naugurated,
for it will be national notoriety to the prin-
ciples of higher criticism for which he
stands, and thus bring it down to the masses.
CDR. Briggs represents growing party in
the Church of Coda party which believes
in obtaining all possible light upon the
Scriptures and that Is sure to win. This
ply martyr to the cause of religious pro-
gress. Whatever may be done with him, and
heresy hunters do very queer things at
times, the principle of higher criticism for
course of time.
"Dr Briggs is a man of the age, an inaugu-
rator of new era in the history of the
American church. He will be remembered
centuries after his prosecutors lie forgotten
in the grave"
Another One Defends the Professor.
In his prelude talk yesterday the Rev.
Dixon, Jr, discoursed on the ERE
ligious War Against Prof. Briggs" "The
religious war that has been brewing for
said he, "has now fairly begun
The dear old solemn owls composing the
Sanhedrim of New York have
their verdict. Prof. Briggs must
be arraigned and tried for thinking-a crime
for which they look up and truly thank God
they are guiltless. The Protestant religious
world has been rapidly dividing into two
great classes during the past few years
those who think and those who believe it is |
crime to think.
"I defy any man who thinks to take
Sheds Dogmatic Theology believe it and |
Reason keep her throne. The lunatic asy- |
lum would certainly be his home"
Mr.. Dixon found four issues involved in |
divine progress; human dogmatic assertion |
against the religion of the Bible; paper |
creed against vital religion, and slavery |
against freedom.
Dixon, "make no intelligent appeal to the |
Bible They simply use the Bible as a |
Dludgeon. With the bigness OF the type and |
paper and binding they try to beat out the |
brains of those who refuse to bow down to a /
little god they have created in their own
way. They appeal to human dogmatics and
propose to try him by standards made by
human hands They propose to try him for
leresy for undermining the Bible; at the
same time refuse to conffne themselves to its
for the standards by which to con-
luct the trial.
"This fight means reason against stupidity,
is-called faith. Faith is a moral act of the |