The age-herald., 1900-11-30

'"rhe Sisters know no creeds here-they serve humanity in its widest sense," de- clared the Rt Rev. Bishop Allen of Mobile as he stood in the grand stairway of the magnificent new St. vincent's Hospital yes- terday afternoon and talked to the assem- bled people who crowded the great halls, corridors and reception rooms the guests of the Sisters Of Charity on the most mem- orable occasion in the noble history of charity in Alabama.
 The scene was dramatic in the highest de- gree, and the words and presence of the distinguished prelate were intensely thrill ing, as indeed were all the splendid speeches and proceedings. All the notable men who in turn took their places beside the bishop spoke with wonderful fervor and eloquence even as the great priest himself spoke.
 It was a real Thanksgiving Day for Bir- mingham and for Alabama, as Mayor Dren- nen so eloquently said. We have been enjoying a period of unexampled prosperity, the Mayor said, but next to our lives we had to be thankful most for this splendid hospital-this palatial home of widest hu- man charity.
 At last St. Vincents had been dedicated and was thrown open to suffering humanity, and all the people who were willing to be the guests of the Sisters of Charity had come to view the monumental work done in the name of charity.
 Opened to Suffering Humanity.
 At last, after all the struggles and trials, the tolls and the hopes, the delays and dis appoln tments, the full fruition of noble promises was come, and one of the most perfectly appointed hospitals in the world stood ready for the work of mercy in min istering to the generations of human sui ferers as they shall come
 At last after the works and the prayers, the plans and the purposes, the watching and the waiting and the striving, the splendid house of charity set upon the hill. cemented with love of good and rious devotion, stood finished; and lighted from ba asement to golden cross on the towers s ton. it was ready for all who would come, the white-capped angels of charity waitlFE within with no question to ask save, Art thou a sufferer?
 The Work Completed.
 At last, the Sisters of Charity and all those who with them had labored In thds labor of charity were of right to say they had kept the faith, fulfilled the promise, and were ready to begin anew the work of gentle charity's wide empire of gentleness and goodness and sweetness
 At last all that had been pledged. and vastly more, was given: the finest hos pital and the largest but two in the states of the south the best equipped and one Of the best in every respect in existence the world over
 The dedication of the hospitality formal religious services took place in the hos pital chapel, beginning at o'clock In the morning. the Right Rev. Bishop Allen eel ebrating pontifical mass, the first celebra- tion of that mass that ever took place cn Jefferson County. These solemn services were virtually private, inasmuch as there was no room for the outside public; and only the bishop and his priests, and those Immediately connected with the conduct of the church and with the hospital were pres ent.
 Public Reception.
 At o'clock in the afternoon the Sisters of Charity and hospital management began to receive the public, and from that hour until after 6 ~o'c clock there was great crowd of visitors, representing every occu- patton of men and women and every form of religion or lack of religion; for the pub Hc was invited absolutely without regard to creeds or dogmas or lack of creed or dog ma or form of faith. 1} It was estjnsted that four thousand peo-