The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-07-22
SISTERS OF CHARITY.
THIS COUNTRY HAS SIXTEEN PROT
ESTANT SISTERHOODs.

Converts, Missions, Free Hospitals nm
Houses of Mercy-RuIes and Daily Rou
tine-Steps of Admission as Visitor. Pos
tulant, Novice, Protested Sister.
It is noS generally known perhaps tina
there ore many sisterhoods outside tn
Roman church.
As matter Of fact, there arc 1e separat,
orders in this country-Protestant sister
hoods, they are called. The conditions q
membership In these sisterhoods arc yer,
similar to those imposed for admission
into the Roman Catholic orders.
There must be apparent divine voca
ton for this both active and contempla-
tive life, this life of work and of prayer,
of silence and Of meditation, and there
must DO ample time allowed to test the vo-
cation, ordinarily at least ~ years.
The Order Of st. Mary's Is the most
widely known and the oldest sisterhood in
this country, with the exception Of two
English orders recently affiliated as indie
pendent branches in this city.
If lady wishes to join the Order Of St
Mary's, for instance, she must first spend
month IN ono of the charitable institu-
lions in which the sisters work. She ia
then called visitor. She takes part in
all the religious devotions of the house, e
chapel perfectly appointed, in every way
being connected with every establishment
In the sisters charge, and she assists in tho
charitable work. She wears q cap, bat is
otherwise clothed in her usual attire.
AT the end of this month she goes to st.
Gabrie's, tho convent ct Peekskill. Here
she assumes the plain black dress, deep
white linen collar and close cap which dis
tinguish tho postulant's dress. Her pro-
baton as q postulant lasts six months.
During this time she has every opportuni-
ty to judge for herself os to whether she
likes her new mode Of life, and, what is
also important, the sisters Of the commu-
nifty have IN opportunity of Judging
whether tho postulant has vocation for
tho state Of life to which she believes her
self called
AT tho end of six months she is formally
proposed to the sisters by the mother SUI
perior as wanting to become religious Ito
use the technical teI1n) and to be admitted
to o closer and further trial of the life to
which, If she is deemed suited, she Is adj
mitted as novice. She drops her sur
name and henceforth is addressed as Sister
Mary or whatever her Christian name
may be.
In Roman Catholic converts it is only
the lay or working sisters there who at
tend to the domestic arrangements who
are called SISTER" The superiors of the
different houses are called mother" the
surname being retained, and those next
In authority are addressed as madam.
But in Protestant sisterhoods both Law and
choir members are designated by the com
mon title sister,
Two years ut least must be spent in the |
novitiate, and often the time is extended. |
for no one can become protested or made |
a special member Of the order until she Is |
20 years of age. During this time she is
carefully instructed by the mistress of |
novices In tho duties she may be called to
perform Tho rule Of tho order is given
her to read, and it is perfectly explained
to her.
If after such testing she still wishes to
become member of the order-until the
very moment she makes her vows she is
free TO return to her family-she is ad-
United by a formal service. She enters
God, fixing her destiny, which is therefore
as lifelong.
In many communities it is the custom
to take these VOWS periodically and renew
them at intervals Of three or four years.
This does NOT suppose that a sisters
state Is on this account regarded as tenn
porary, but it only shows that there is no
desire to constrain by outward force those
who have given themselves to life of
work for the poor as a free will Offering.
During probation the work of the postu-
liant, or novice, will be either in the school,
In the embroidery room, or she will be en-
gagged in housekeeping duties. When she
Is professed or choir sister, she leaves
the convent and Is sent to some of the 9TH
sr houses either as nurse in one of the hos
pitfalls or as a teocher In one Of the schools.
Her life henceforth Is one Of active sympa-
Thy and charity with poverty and suffer
ng and training Of the 20 &g, Of helpful
among the penitent, the
orofigate, the f1endless and the helpless.
All this and moro enters into the life Of
lister of charity. 1t is life given for
Ives.
Tho daily routine of sister life-what
s it,
1t is simple, regular and easily observ-
I'd. The seven canonical hours are observ-
ID by brief services in the chapel. 1t is
lot always possible for the sisters to at
end each service-their duties may pre-
rent them from doing so-but there are
always at least two or three gathered to-
yether," and the office is read by the SIS
er superior or by tho one next in author
ty.
The chaplain, or priest, comes in only
,nce day, for the communion service at
O'Clock. There is always sister in
harge Of the chapel or oratory. She is
alled the sacristan, and upon her dovolve
many duties. She must sec that tho chap
i is kept in perfect order, the proper vest
nents must be laid out each day, the altar
inen attended to and the bell rung for
ZACH service. Tho cantrix leads the sing
ng at all tho services, while the organist
s required to be in her place only at YES
,ers. At other times there is singing
Without the organ accompaniment.
Tho sisters garb, or habit, is very much
he same for each order. There is the plain
,laok or dark blue serge dress, tho black
yirdle, with its three heavy knots, signify
ng poverty, celibacy and obedience; the
white linen collar and cross worn over
t. and the close fitting linen cap No
great austerity in the matter of diet is
,raoticed. All Fridays in the year are
lays Of fasting, and all vigils Of high fes-
ival days, like Ascension day, for in
tance, are kept as days of abstinence
yew York Sun.
The Three Spirits of Man.
There are but few beliefs that are more :