The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-23
STRANGEsT or ANGLICAN MONKS
An Order Of ~ Members which Labors In
the East, End Of London.

The recent ritualistic Investigations in
England have brought to light the exist enc e
Of a society of monks who resemble their
medieval predecessors more closely than
any other of the Anglican orders. They
are located at Plaistow and are usually
called the Monks OF Plaist ow ;" after the
place in which they are active, although
their real title is the Society Of the Divine
Compassion.
The most noted order Of Anglican monks
is the Society Of st. John the Evangelist a.,
with headquarters at Clever, in Berkshire.
This order was formed some yea RS ago to
spread the advanced or ritualistic ideas in
the Church of England and some Of its
members came to his country. The most
important parish they founded was the
Church Of the Advent in Boston. There at
one time wac Bishop Hall of Vermont who
oametothis countr ~ as Fat her Hal, s. 81. f.
some years 2 As it Ia a missionary society
the word Of the nome house is absolute.
whether II Ia a decision to send the members
to Ceylon or Chicago. Some Of the priest
who have refused to obey such absolut .
domination have remained in his count ~.
The London order, which has lust come
TO be talked about, confines it's work to a
parish of about 5000 souls in the East End
Of London. The monks are beloved and
respected by all the PEOPLE among whom
they work, although their financial re-
sources are meagre. 1t was one Of these
fathers who was reoentl y asked 10 lead
the unemployed In an East End demon
stration n they were the most active
workers in a hospital that sheltered the vic
tins OF the last smallpox endemic in the
East End. They are under the control of
the Bishop OF st. Adams, who has interfered
with their practices only to the extent OF
asking them to remove the reserved sacra-
ment from the high altar OF their church.
II Is now kept in their private chapel.
IL Ia Interesting to note in this connection
that the reserved sacrament il kept always
on the altar in at least four New York Epis-
copal churches without the interference OF
the Bishops. The London monks, OF coIIrse
have confession, full ritual and all the ser
vices Of the advanced wing OF the English
Church. In addition they say the canonicai
offices, which are lauds, prime, tierce, sext.
are said in English.
The order was founded tive I've yeaTs
ago by three young Oxford men Of good
family. The Bishop Of st. AIbans recei we'd
the order and blessed the black cassocks.
the n and cowls they wear. There
: are now only Ave fathers, three brothers
and ten nOvitiates in the order. One 81
the priests had a large Parish which he 0avo
up TO join the monks, and one Of the noyi-
tiates was a successful painter. Another
was a lawyer with a large practice. Every
man who applies for admission must have
some position to sacrifice before ne will
be considered. Sacrifice OF some worldly
good is Indispensable TO admission to the
house in the country in which the novitiates
pass their period Of probation.
IL In in It's means Of subsistence that the
Order Of the Divine Compassion differs
most strikingly from the other monks OF
the Anglican Church. IL has no means
Of support but what the monks earn and
what the poor people Of its parish church
contribute. One OF the brothers has leo rned
10 DO . tailor that he MAJ make ali the