The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-27
PROTESTANT RETREAT.
EPISCOPAL W0MEN 10 PASS FOUR
DAYS IN SILENT MIDDLETON

Although Not Mc-iberr OF The ORDER They
Are Equally to Forret the Wor,d st the
Mother Home OF the Sisters OF Mary fn
Peekskiii-They Nnmser Nearly FIFTY.
Between forty and flitY women. some Of
them young and some old. some Of them rich
and some poor. some OF .hem married and
some single. como OF them In the upper
circles OF society. and all OF them devout
Christian women, put tho world away from
them last night and locked themselves from
It by SOLEMN resolution. More than that. they
locked themselves from each other. and were
alone with their conscience and their God.
The women are nearly all OF them from New
York city They are all OF them working
members Of Protestant Episcopal churches.
and are friends OF the Sisters Of the Com
munity OF 81. Mary.
They arc known as Associate Sisters OF the
community. and were beginning their annual
retreat for meditation and prayer. For four
days they will remain In solitude. shut out
absolutely from everything worldly Their
place OF retreat is at the mother home OF the
community. which is situated on tho brow OF
one OF the two beautiful hills OF Peekskill 1t
is surrounded by trees. that shut of the view
from three sides. and enable but glimpses OF
the fourth which overlooks the Hudson. 1t 10
an ideal retreat. far enough away from tho
noisy little town to give sense Of utter soli-
tuue. uuu 10 enhplo IueultNtlOn. lneTe 10
beautiful little church to the wost OF. the
nome tes doors are fIways open, ana mere
ses
went into retreat last night will ieel them-
selves strangers.
voted their lives to Christianity almost as
much as the Sisters and they consider, them
gan arriving at the home yesterdsy mornins
They were received by the Sisters and were
m m wi oh Ind haA nf
them. Some OF them passed. the time In ,rend-
ing their Bibles, while come chatted and dis
They did not attend vespers with the Sisters
at Is tbs w sy SsT they
Father Sergeant, a priest. OF the order Of the
religious services through out the retreat. The
retreat began with q number Of prayers. and
w" wen! Creator p snfirtus Aitsr tho service the
itated.
reporter. The sole object OF the retreat" ). he
time TO this end. silence is tho first rule
charge @ the Mothep s9per eric 81 the home and
the servants. Tothe tlrst two only on spiritual
as wants they viii
the privileges Of the Sisters Of st. Mary in tho
matter Of religious services. such as the say
ing OF the cnnonical prayers In their daily re-
liEious devotions. namely: Terce sext. nones,
yespers. and compline. That portion OF the
% ees in ho c Rof ey VIII be r.
about tha home and the grounds. but they
will neither speak to each other nor to the Sis
ters. All their time will DO spent in meditn-
ton. The services each day will be at 10. L..
and o'clock"
While the retreat is going on the Associate
Sisters will neither hear from or com nunicate
with any OF their friends. They will neither
receive nor write any letters Everything they
hear and everything they see will be Of n re-
ligious nature the day beginning with the
celebration OF Holy Communion and ending
with prayers. There will be nothing to divert
their attention from the welfare Of their srir-
ttual being; The retreat will end on Friday
m orninR with general communion. In which
all the Sisters OF the order at the homo will
partake and the associates will return to their
homes to again take up their lay work.