New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-29
4 NEW ORDER OF EPISCOPAL NONhS
1T WILL BE INSTITUTED TO-DAY BY BISHOP roi'
TER WHEN RUSSELL wHiTcoMB lhN


TER. WHEN RUSSELL wHITcoMB THE
FOUNDER Will. TAKE THE VOWS.
new celibate order Of laymen in the Protestant
Episcopal Church will be Instituted to-day d. o.
Chrysostom's Chapel. at Seventh-ave. and 1hir'y-
seventb-st by Bishop Potter. The order VIII De
called the Community Of the Brothers OF the Ohu'
and has been founded by Russell Whitcomo, re-
Gently a student in the General 1heoio2icai "ei'i'
nary with the approval of the Bishop ana the
c.crgv The peculiar service known as the service
for the profession OF brother" will begin at II
o'clock this morning when MI. Whitcomb VIII take
the VOWS of poverty, chastity and obedience anu
will become Brother Hugh, the head OF the he"
community of monastic laymen.
Work among the poor will be the main purpose In
the life OF the Brothers of the Church. Their WORK
will be largely among the children in the sunday
schools and in their homes Work among the chill
dren VIII be supplemented by a systematic attempt
TO elevate the character of the young men In the dis
trct by means of reading rooms. lectures enter
tainments and religious meetings. The mouse OF
the new community is situated at NO. 81 west
Thirty-nfth-st. The basement will be used for the
kitchen and dining room the latter apartment being
turned into a night school for boys. The parlor
floor will devoted 10 the purposes OF a reading
room and hall for entertainments. On the noor
above the library and private chapel OF the commu-
nifty are situated. In the chapel. which Is a small
rear room. the daily communion VIII be celebrated
Ing rooms for the use of the members Of the order
The Brothers OF the Church Will be distinguished
by a plain habit, consisting of long brown cassock
with a black the breast, and bound at the
waist with black grde. For the street. the cos
tune Will be of the brown MATERIAL only the
cassock will be much shorter reaching to the knees
in order TO make the gdrb less conspicuous over
the cassock overcOat, with cross embroidered
In black the right arm. Will be worn According
TO the rules of the order. the postuant takes the
VOWS for five years. to be renewed each succeeding
year. The of life in the community VIII be
of sufficient severity and austerity TO meet the re-
quireinents and the food will be OF the simplest kind
Russell Whicomb. the founder OF the order, was
born in Boston twenty-nine years ago ana was
member of the Church of the Advent IN that city
Later he went 10 oxford University, England and
returned to America TO take up the study OF law IN
the office of his uncle, but forced TO give up his
legal studies account Of trouble with his eyes. lie
then returned to Boston and engaged IN business
but the desire TO devote himself 10 the work OF the
Church led him 10 enter the General Theological
Seminary to fit himself for the ministry. becoming
convinced however, that he could accomplish more
good as layman. he decided 10 establish the com
munity of the Brothers OF the Church. The Brohers
OF the Church Is the second monastic order OF lay
men attached TO the Episcopa! communion the other
being the order of the Brothers of Nazareth, which
wa nde1