Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-01-17

general dedicates herself to benefcence
al large. In the church itself she may
assist at baptisms and prepare com
municants for continuation and she has
the altar linens and vestments under
Lei especial care.
But the lot of the deaconess is not
always cast in quiet places, with the
( whole charitable machinery Of a great
city to support and encourage her. As
a missionary her work at many lone.
~ POST may consist Of the entire minis
Iterial charge Of it, from giving religious
instruction 70 fighting an epidemic Of
disease. Two Of the graduates of the
New York school who are now living
in a log house on the Indian agency OF
Lemhi, in Idaho, found 50 much to do
when they arrived there that their eX-
perience in settling down was like that
of colonial pioneers. Even today each
girl is caring for her own horse. sad
ding II herself and riding off in the
early morning .to.execute her daily pro
gram Of mercy.
With duties which may take her to
the ranches Of Idaho or the slums Of
New York, which range from cooking
meals for the sick and the poor to
keeping track OF the large expenditures
of some great parish, the deaconess
must not only be trained in the most
opposite accomplishments but she
must also be furnished by nature with
an extraordinary mental equipment
The age limits for admission to the in.
s'itution have been fixed at twenty-one
and thirtyfiye, and a certificate from a
physician is as essential as one from a
clergyman. Indeed the routine Of life
at ST. Faiths is not for fragile women.
The day begins at $50, with break
fast at 100, after a short service in
The oratory. For an hour after break
fast the future deaconess learns by
personal experience something about
practical housekeeping and then he
rest Of the morning Is devoted to men
TAI training lectures being given on
the I'D testament, the life and works Of
on Lord, the Epistles, theology, chris
tan evidences, church history. lltur-
gies, missions the art Of teaching. ana
hygiene. The afternoon is about even
Iy divided between the abstuse cleo
lives Of Greek and ecclesiastical music
and the common place subjects Of
cooking, bookkeeping and laundry
work. The academic subjects are for
the benefit Of The deac0ness herself.
The practical work 71ahles her to care
for others and & Zach them how 20
care for themselves.
In the afternoon and the earIE even
/ ing the deJcoDess Las an opportunity
to practice her attachments. In some
one Of the many squalid districts Of
New York she has ac.ual eNporie. e. in
paros hlal or city mission work, does
some hing in the clinic the guild or
he club By ninc O'Clock, however.
she is back at the school for the even
/ ing service IN the oratory which closes
he day
II the exterior Of lne three stone
'puses is conventional. the oratory,
with its severe adornment, seems at
MS evening hour far removed from
ne ordinary turmoil Of the city out
ide On its walls Of neutral green it
as cross-paths Of wide strips of black
God At the altar end there is a plain
lick cross ana o simple white base-re-
e The rows Of plainly carved black
ews face each o,her across the aisle.
ling At the close Of the day with
nv Eve vouno toilers tn The vine
Il If the Lord. little bit weary,