St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-15

for which they were founded. The first
American sisterhood was founded in
New York some thirty years ago. This
is the Community of St Mary, which
had its origin in the Church of the
Holy Communion, Sixth avenue and
Twentieth street, which is we'll known
as a pioneer in important movements
in the Episcopal church. Mother Har-
riet Cannon, the present mother supe-
rior of the order, was its founder. She
was one of a little band of five women
who, in 1868, expressed their desire to
the bishop of the diocese to devote their
lives to religious work.
They were first given the charge of
the House of Mercy in New York,
where girls from the street were taken
to be reformed. The bishop and sew
eral prominent churchmen, in the
meantime, considered the adVisabiIity
of establishing a sisterhood in the
church. The report was favorable, and
In 1865 the sisters were openly pro-
fessed, according to a form of service
prepared by the bishop for the occa-
sion.
The committee considering the for
nation of the order had recommended
that the sisters choose a name for
themselves, draw up a code of rules
for their organization and that chap
lain be appointed for the order. 1t also
recommended that the work of the sis
ters include "all the corporal and spir-
1tual works of mercy which a woman
may perform, and that she be devoted
to the sick and needy, and to the work
of educating the young" All this and
more was incorporated in the charter
of the sisterhood The first chaplain
of the organization was the Rev DR.
Dix, now the. rector of Trinity church.
The vows Of the sisters are not talk
en- lightly. They are for life. and. as
In monaStic orders, are the VOWS Of
poverty, chastity and obedience, which
are literally fulfilled. The order is gov
erned by chapter composed of the
professed sisters, who meet annually
Al these meetings new members are
admitted, If, having served a two and
a half years novitiate, they receive a
two-thirds vote of the chapter. They
are then profesSed by the bishop. take
the ring with which they are conse-
Grated to their life work, and assume
the full habit Of the order. The ring.
which is of plain gold, is worn upon the
4OUl III uHSeI OI the TlSnC mana.
The habit is of black merino, plain
and straight, the fullness of the skirt
formed by the box plaits, which fall
from the shoulders in the back and
front. The habit is secured at the
waist by a girdle of black cord There
are long, wide sleeves, falling over the
close-f1tting ones underneath The plain
linen collar, which is round in the back,
forms deep square in front The full,
white linen Of the head dress is gath
cred closely around the face, and the
wings OF the cap turn back over it.
The beautiful annunciation liIy. the
emblem of the order, appears in silver
upon a black cross. which is worn
around the neck upon a black cord
The habit of the novice is similar. only
modified somewhat in detail 1t is as
sumed after the first six months of the
novitiate has been served.
The mother house of the order is al
Peekskill, where the novitiates are re-
ceived and prepared for their life in
the community. A large plot of ground
rs owned at Peekskill. Upon it stand
the Noyes Home for Incurable and
ConValescent Children, St. Gabrieps
school, the convent, which occupies a
0u1ldlng formerly occupied by the
school, and chapel, built in 1892. The
sisters are not engaged in work solely
In institutions belonging to the order