The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-12
THE METHODIST WOMEN
INTERESTING CEREMONY OF SET-
 TING APART DEACONESSES.
Home Mission Society Will Begin to Work at the Court Street Church Next Friday
 Morning.

One of the interesting ceremonies pf the forthcoming sessions in Montgom- cry of the Woman's Home Mission of the Methodist Church. South, will be the setting apart of three or four dea- conesses of the church.
 The advent of uniformed female servant of the Protestant Church Is one of the marks of the progress of civili' zation. The female deaconate was rec ognized in Paufs day. when he said: T recommend unto you. Phoebe, our sis- ter, who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchreae."
 The office of deaconess was also rec- ognized by Pliny in the year 112. when. as Governor of Bithynia, perplexed by the stubbornness of the Christians in holding to their faith. he wrote to the
 Empress Trajan: "To get at the truth. I deemed 1t necessary to put to the rack two maids. called by the Christians dea- conesses, but I was unable to discover | nothing more than perverse and con- tumacious superstition"
 With the Reformation the New Tes- | lament deaconesses were not recog-
 nized by the church. During the six teenth century, however, both in Ger
 many and the Netherlands, the female deaconate was officially restored. The waIdensians appointed deaconesses in | their congregations.
 The modern development of the movement dates back from 1SS6,
 when Pastor Fliedner founded at Kaiserswerth the first deaconess insti- tuition. This office Is recognized by the Protestant churches of Germany Eng land. Sweden, Scotland and other countries of Europe. In America the Lutheran Church. Protestant Episcopal Church, Methodist Episcopal Church,
 Baptist, Congregational, United Breth-
 ren, and Presbyterian churches have | this office.
 The varieties of work done by the
 deaconess are almost endless. They are such as ministering to the poor caring for the sick, providing for the
 orphan. comforting the sorrowing' | seeking the wandering, and any relig- | ious teaching work to which her church | may assign her. The condition upon
 which she enters upon this work IS | that she reltnquishes all other, and de- votes herself to those forms of Chris tian work to which she may be found
 to be adapted.
 This office was created in the South ern Methodist Church at the last Gen.
 era1 Conference in 1902, and the devel- | opment was committed to the Woman s Home Mission Society. In these three | years ten deaconesses have been set apart, two Deaconess Homes have been established, one of which is large
 plant at Los Angeles. Cal, known as | the Homer Toverman Deaconess Home
 valued at $10,000, and the other Is To-
 cated at Waco. Tex. and is known as
 the Rebecca Sparks Deaconess Home
 On Sunday. April 18th. three or four
 deaconesses will be set apart by Bishop Charles B. Galloway of Mississippi, at
 the Court Street Methodist Church.
 The uniform worn by these deacon
 esses is a black dress, small black bon
 net, with white ties, and white turn
 over collars and cuffs. The uniform is
 worn simply as a badge by which the
 deaconess is protected in going into
 the slums, and by which she may be
 recognized by those who need her as-
 sistance.
 These deaconesses are not bound to celibacy, and can at any time retire
 from the service by giving three months notice to the church authori- | ties
 The great meeting of Methodist wo-
 men will begin at the Court Street
 Church Friday morning, but a reception
 will be given the visitors Thursday | evening.
 | tend the meeting.