Evening star., 1899-03-30

accommodations for the students and dea-
conesses, having months ago been compelled
to rent some Of the dwellings in the vicinity
to accommodate those unable to secure
quarters In the home.
This purchase of ground referred to cost
the society over $4,000 and enlarges its
holdings to include the entire frontage of
North Capitol street from Pierce street to
NJ street The site Is primarily for a build
ing to be known as Rust Hall. which, when
completed, will cost in the neighborhood of
100000, and will be fitted with all the ap
pliances necessary to thorough practical
training of women proposing to enter the
deaconess work.
That the location of the institution at
this point with the stately building contem-
plated will prove an ornament to the neigh
borhood goes without saying, and when the
supplementary buildings which will be
erected as necessity demands there is no
doubt but it win be the national college for
deaconesses preparing for work which
knows no bounds.
- Work of Deaeonesses.
The deaconess work under systematic
government Is comparatively new In the
Methodist churches, but through its sue
cess of the past few years the churches Of
the land have been led to acknowledge its
value. Such is their training that through
the Kindergarten, industrial schools. boys
social clubs, temperance legions, Sunday
schools, parish work and trained nursing
been made known.
In the early days of the Christian church
the deaconesS was recognized. but for
long series of years little or nothing to
indicate that women had other place than
worshipers was placed on record, at least
in the history pertaining to the non-Cath-
olic churches. One reference is made to
deaconess among the Puritans in Amster-
dam, in 1885, and until 1893 nothing more
is found to trace the women deacons' title.
At that period a German pastor employed
woman to assist him in his ministrations
to the poor and unfortunate, and subse-
quentIy others were employed, and a dea-
coneSs house established. This pastor,
F'iedner by name, after some correspond
ence with Rev. Mr.. Passavant, a Lutheran
minister, in 1919, brought over to Pitts
burg four women who had entered such
work, and, others joining them there, COM
menced systematic work in that city and
vicinity. Other churches learned the value
of the work, and to more or less extent
Were the labors of the deaconess recog
nized-the Episcopal Church opening a
house in Baltimore and afterward Tin 1880
adopting canon for the government of
their work. 1t was not until 1885 that any
attempt was made to organize a deaconess
home in the Methodist Church, and this
was in Chicago, where a few devoted wo-
men gave themselves to the work. This
movement was indOrsed by the Rock River
conference, and through 1t the recognition
of it by the general conference of 1885 was
invoked. That body gave 1t approval, and
so amended the discipline of the church
as to make the deacCness a part and parcel
of the machinery of the Organization.
The rules and regulations for their en-
ployment and prescribing their duties, re-
qure them to minister to the poor, visit
the sick, pray with the dying, care for the
orphans. seek the wandering, comfort the
serrowins, save the SHINING, land, relin-
gushing all other pursuits, devote them
selves in general way. to such forms of
Christian labor as may be suited to their
abilities. No vow shall be exacted and in
every annual conference within which they
may be employed they are under the con-
| troll of a committee of nine, three of whom
be women"
Origin of Work in Washington.
Though this became known to the MEM
bership of the church through the denomi-
national papers and other sources. and
there was some interest expressed by the
individual members of the church here, it
was not till the winter of 1SS9-'90 that the
subject was brought forward in such a
manner as to lead to the systematic COM
mencement of the work. and such results
as to lead, practically. to the establish
ment of the head of the movement at the
home and school here. In that season Miss
Jane Bancroft, now Mrs. George O. Robin
son of Detroit, secretary of the bureau of
deaconess work of the Woman's Home
Missionary Society. visited Washington.
| She presented the subject of the establish
ment of the nome In some OF the churches
| ard at the residences of Bishop Hurst,
Postmaster General Wanamaker, Senator
Blair and Mrs. E. j. Somers, in way that
| awoke much interest. Mrs. Lucy Webb
| Hayes, wife of the President, had been the
president of the missionary society and had
| taken a deep interest in the training of wo-
/ men as missionaries. At her funeral at
| SIegel Grove, Ohio, attended by thousands,
the suggestion was made that a suitable
/ memorial to her memory would be the
| founding of q school to prepare young wo-
| men for the work she had had so long at
| heart. and many looked with favor on this
| suggestion. Subsequently, at meeting of
| the board of managers, resolution was
| adopted asking for offerings to be conse-
| Grated to the erection of building bearing
| her name, to serve reminder of her
| deep interest in behalf of missions in our
| land At the meeting of the executive
| board in Indianapolis the establishment of
| such building was determined upon, and in
| answer to appeals 81. 600 was raised for the
| purpose.
| The efforts of Miss Bancroft were re-
| warded Mrs. Susan ]. Wheeler proffered
| the rental of a house for beginning the
| work, and house 1873 F street northeast was
| taken. fitted up and formally opened and
| dedicated May 15 1890. During the first
year eight young women offered themselves
for instruction. the most of whom are yet