The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-07-06
SISTERS OF CHARITY.
THIS COUNTRY HAS SIXTEEN PROT
EsTANT SlsTERHooDs.

Converts, Missions, Free Hospitals and
Houses of Mercy-Rules and Daily Rou-
tulant, Novice. Professed Sister.
1t is not generally known perhaps that
there are many sisterhoods outside the
Roman church.
AS matter of fact, there are 10 separate
orders in this OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sister
hoods, they are called. The conditions of
membership in these sisterhoods are very
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 be ample time allowed to test the vo-
cation, ordinarily at least az 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
q month In one of the charitable institu-
lions in which the sisters work. She is
then called a visitor. She takes part in
all the religious devotions of the house, a
chapel perfectly appointed, in every way
being connected with every establishment
in the sisters charge, and she assists in the
charitable work. She wears cap, but Is
otherwise clothed In her usual attire.
At the end of this month she goes to st.
Gabrieps, the convent at Peekskill. Here
she assumes the plain black dress, deep
white linen collar and close cap which dis
tinguish the postulant's dress. Her pro-
baton as a postulant lasts six months.
During this time she has every opportllni-
ty to Judge for herself as to whether she
likes her new mode Of life, and, what Is
also important, the sisters of the commu-
nifty have an opportunity of Judging
whether the postulant has a vocation for
the state Of life to which she believes her
self called.
At the end of six months she is formally
proposed to the sisters by the mother su-
perior as wanting to become religious Ito
use the technical term) and to be admitted
to a closer and further trial Of the life to
which, If she is deemed suited, she is ad-
mitted as a novice. She drops her sur
name and henceforth Is addressed as Sister
Mary or whatever her Christian name
may be.
In Roman Catholic converts 1t 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 lay and
choir members are designated by the COM
mon title SISTER"
Two years at least must be spent in the
novitiate, and often the time Is extended,
for no one can become professed or made
q special member of the order until she is
25 years of age. During this time she is
carefully instructed by the mistress of
novices In the duties she may be called to
perform. The rule of the order is given
her to read, and it is perfectly explained
to her.
If after such testing she still wishes to
become a member of the order-until the
very moment she makes her vows she is
free to return to her faInily-she Is ad-
mitted by formal service. She enters
thus fixed state of life, believed to be Of
God, fixing her destiny, which is therefore
regarded 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 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-
Ch1
is q professed or choir sister, she leaves
the convent and is sent to some of the 9th
err houses either as nurse in one of the hos
pitfalls or as a teacher in one of the schools.
Her life henceforth is one of active sympa-
thy and charity with poverty and suffer-
ing and training of the young, of helpful
ministrations among the penitent, the
prof1igate, the friendless and the helpless.
All this and more enters into the life of q
sister of charity. 1t Is a life given for
lives.
The daily routine of sister life-what
Is it?
1t Is simple, regular and easily observ-
ed. The seven canonical hours are observ-
ed by brief services in the chapel. 1t Is
not always possible for the sisters to at
tend each service-their duties may pre-
vent them from doing so-but there are
always at least 1.-TWO or three gathered to-
gether,'' and the office is read by the sis
ter superior or by the one next in author
ity.
The chaplain, or priest, comes In only
once day, for the communion service at
O'Clock. There is always a sister in
charge of the chapel or oratory. She Is
called the sacristan, and upon her devolye
many duties. She must see that the chap
ell is kept in perfect order, the proper vest
ments must be laid out each day, the altar
linen attended to and the bell rung for
each service. The cantrix leads the sing
ing at all the services, while the organist
is required to be in her place only at YES
pers. At other times there Is singing
without the organ accompaniment.
The sisters garb or habit is very much
the same for each order. There is the plain
black or dark blue serge Dress the black
girdle, with its three heavy knots, signify
ing poverty, celibacy and obedience; the
white linen collar and q cross worn over
1t, and the close fitting linen cap. No
great austerity in the matter Of diet Is
practiced All Fridays in the year are
days of fasting, and all vigils of high fes-
tival days, like Ascension day, for in
stance are kept as days of abstinence
Naxp VDrI