The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-16
THE DEACONESS HOME

THE DEACONESS HOME
An Enterprise That Should Call for
Liberal and Hearty Encouragement
in Wheeling and Surrounding
Towns. f5
Z !, It has been seldom seriously question:
er that there was in apostolic days an
order or department In church work IN
which women were solemnly set apart
or consecrated to the exclusive business
Of gospel expansion. corresponding to
that Of the ministry. And yet the Prot
estant church ignored this custom for
centuries, being finally aroused to Its
loss by the growing demand for a rec
ognitlon OF woman's public classltica-,
ton as well as her private service. This
recognition In the Methodist church,
came In the founding of the Order of
Deaconesses It Is what Wendell Phil
lips would call "the last nets" but 1t has
come to stay. for no action more. fully
freighted with hope for humanity gilds
the sunset glories Of the nineteenth CEN
fury. than the reinstating of Deacon-
esses in this church.
To Miss Lucy Rider Meyer, of Chica-,
go. should be given the credit for this
great movement In America and from
her training school have gone out scores
of young women consecrated TO this
noble work, who have verified Miss Will
lards words In thousands Of cases.
The first Deaconess to enter upon
her active official mission in this city
was Miss Alice shlvey. who came
through the work Of the Ladies Home
Missionary Society She has proven
herself in every respect the proper per-
son for this work and possibly no more
impressive ordination services were ever
witnessed than her conservation by
Bishop Earl Cranston, at the conference
at Clarksburg. She has gone from
house to house leaving the peace that
passeth understanding to bless many,
both the strong and the weak.
But reference Is made more especially
to the Deaconess Home which was re-
Gently given by the wife Of the Rev.
James Huston, Of California The
friends of the Deaconess movement
have been cheered by the prospect of a
home for some time. but not until the
early October were their hopes realized.
At meeting In the Fourth street
church the enterprise was inaugurated
by 5iiss, Henrietta Banchoft, of Detroit.
Michigan, the. field secretary Of the
Deaconess bureau. The Rev. S. e. Sc
guist. of Bridgeport, is the president OF
the board Of managers: Mrs. Henry Z.
Jones, secretary. and Mrs. W. P. Baggs,
treasurer. The board Is to be fifty in
numbed Of members from the various
Methodist churches In Wheeling.
Bridgeport. Bellaire and Martins Ferry.
The property donated by Mrs. Houston
is the former Holloway homestead. on
Howard street. Bridgeport. It is 4
magnificent gift and will prove one OF
the greatest monuments to the donor
ever built in this vicinity. tits two
story brick, well and substantially built,
with every convenience essential to the
comfort OF the occupants and for the
various meetings which may be held
therein
Not bnly were these buildings and
grounds presented for this noble pur-
pose. but Mrs. D. C. List, n sister of the
donor. has put it ip fine shape for use,
and partially furnished 1t.
!, The board OF managers met in this
building Saturday, to Inspect II and to
lay plans for It's immediate use. There
were present twenty-nine members of
those who have been elected, the full
number of the board not having been
appointed. The attendance was ludlca-
tive ofithc interest manifested. Rev.
Sesulst. the president. presided. and the
Rev. c. H. Maloney made the opening
prayer. The minutes Of the previous
meeting were read by Mrs. Jones, the
secretary. Reports from the commit
tees showed progress in the depart
mcnts assigned them. The ladies from
several of the churches volunteered to
furnished various needed articles for the
rooms TO be occupied at preynnt and n
general talk was participated In regard
Ing the future OF the work In this city
and adjoining towns, @