The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-26
N0vICES TOOK THE vows.
INDICTED WITH SOLEMN RITES IN
TO THE ORDER OF MERCY.

With the Beautiful Ceremonial of
the Catholic Church, Miss Nellie
Cannon of Atlanta, Became Sister
NJ. ImeIda, and Miss Ellie Davis of
Eatonton, Sister vi. Anastasia.
Ceremony Conducted by Very Rev.
BENJAMIN j. Kelley at the Chapel
of the Sisters of Mercy-The Affairs
and Tabernacle Twined with smi-
lax, Beautiful with Flowers and
AbIaze With Waxen Lights.
Two novices of the order of Sisters of
Mercy received the black veil, took the
VOWS, and were indicted into full Sister,
hood yesterday morning. The ceremony
took place in the chapel of the convent,
and was accompanied by the beautiful
and impressive rites ordained of the Cath
Ole Church for this solemn occasion.
That yesterday was the Feast of the
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
made it a day of rejoicing throughout the
Catholic world; that it marked the day
when two novices were added to the Sis
tiers of Mercy made 1t memorable in Cath
ole Savannah. Such occasions come not
often to the converts, and it is but seldom
that an opportunity to witness their sob
emn beauty is presented. Two years of
novitiate and six months of postulate must
the intended Sister of Mercy serve before
she may receive the black veil of the or
der and be permitted to take the vows
that bind her to the life of a relgeuse.
The novices who took the veil
were Miss Nellie Canton of At
lanta, in religion Sister NJ. Imelda,
and Miss Effie Davis of Eatonton, in reli-
gion Sister NJ. Anastasia. For two years
and a half these young women have been
preparing themselves for a religious life,
and have now taken the VOWS that bind
them until death to the service of the sick
and distressed, the comforting of the weak
and unfortunate, the instruction of the
young and the guidance of the hearts of
all to knowledge of the solemn truths
of the Christian religion.
The chapel of the convent had been
made beautiful for the occasion with
palms and trailing smiax, interspersed
with graceful masses of brides roses and
white carnations. The main altar was
ablaze with lighted candles whose soft
radiance furnished almost the only light,
and the decorations of the smaller affairs,
in which La France roses and pink carna-
lions predominated, added the touch of
color that made the scene perfect. Every
where the somber purple and black of the
Lenten season had given way to the
beauty and light that betokened the Feast
of the Annunciation.
me ceremonies accompanying the con-
ferring of the veil and ring the latter
marking the newly made Sister of Mercy
the bride of the Church, were conducted
by Very Rev. Benjamin ]. Kelley, vicar
general and administrator of the diocese.
Father KailaV f-
recent severe illness. and was compelled
to sit during the celebration of the mass
AT O'clock the choir of the ssterhood,
assisted by Mrs. Franz Hubner, began TO
sing the "Neni Creator" and the process
sion entered the chapel and proceeded to
the altar, where Vicar General Kelley and
his assistant Father Kennedy, awaited
it, The procession was preceded by the
cross-bearer, Miss Gertrude Lyons, fol-
lowing whom came the little flower girls
eight in number, daintily gowned in
white, crowned with white roses and
bearing bouquets of the same sweetly
symbollcal flowers. Next came the Sis
ters of the Order and last the Mother
Superior and the mother assistant, be-
tween whom walked the two novices des-
tined to receive the vows. The novices
wore still the white veil of their novitiate,
making a striking contrast, in this re-
spect, to the biack-veled Sisters. The
tinued to burn throughout the ceremony
that followed the entrance
Father Kelley Intercepted the novices
upon their preparation for a religious life
and their understanding of the vows they
were about to take. The responses given,
he began the celebration of the mass. In
his sermon he spoke of the sacrifices men
will make TO gain the uniform of rank, The
hardy courage they will eVince to secuie
the insignia of power. The veil the movie IS
were soon to receive, Father Kelley COM
pared TO such uniform, a mark of spe
cial favor, that they would wear not only
in this life. but in the glorifed life to
come. The remarks of Father Kelley,
though, because of his weakness, necessa-
Tily short were beautifully in keeping with
the occasion and of interest not only to
the novices. to whom they were particu-
larly addressed, but to all of the limi ell
circle within hearing of the speakers
voice.
At the conclusion of the sermon the two
novices received the communion and made
their professions. Then they laid aside
finally the white wells of their novitate
and assumed the black wells of the Sister
hood receiving at the same time the ring
that bound them through life 10 service in
the noble good work of the order Las "
they took the vows, and from the Sisters
of the order, beginning with the Mother
Superior and the mother assistant. re-
ceived the holy kiss of peace that welcom-
ed them.
During the celebration Of the mass the
choir intoned the Ave Maria, especially
appropriate TO the Feast of the Annuncia-
ton of the Blessed Virgin. The choral
services were beautiful throughout, but
in the sing ng of the Ave Maria the voice
of Mrs Hubner was heard to especial
advantage.
Because of the fact that the larger chap
el has been used by the congregation of
the Cathedral. since that building was
destroyed by fire, and has only lately
been vacated, it was not i'm condition to
be used for the services, and the smaller
chapel became the scene of the ceremony.
For this reason it was necessary to limit
the invitations issued and those who wit
messed the ceremony were necessarily few
in number Among them was Mrs. Can
non Of Atlanta, who came from that city
to witness her daughter take the veil of
the order and make the VOWS.
PIUEHS TO ne TRIED TO-nAy