The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-01
The Bishops Address


 We are ass embled here today to for mally open this beautiful wing of St. Yincents' hospital and to dedicate it to the service of the afflicted members of the human family. It is a noble and well equipped structure and is destined in the providence of God to increase the eff eiency of the hospital and to enable the Sisters to extend their labors in behalf of the suffering.
 Tt is well nigh 1S years since the Sis | ters of Charity came among you and be- gan their blessed work in the temporary hospital-the old DeBardeleben mansion, November 16, 1898. They entered upon their duties in the face of many difficult ties and not a few crosses felt their share. The difficulties were removed one by one through the patience and perse- verance of the Sisters and the sympathet- ic cooperation of the Rev. P. A. O'Reilly and the people of Birmingham. One trial weighed heavily on the entire community and led to the temporary closing of the hospital to the public. It was the death of Sister Regina Roland of Maryland, | from the smallpox, contracted in nursing a patient in the hospital. This sad event happened December 4, 1899. Fortunately during all these years of toll that have
 since elapsed no other death has oc- cured among the Sisters forming the staff of the hospital.
 History of Hospitals l Ut is well for us to look a little into the history of hospitals or institutions 1 for the care of the sick. Although a 1 few such institutions are said to have existed in Ancient Greece, it was only since the foundation of Christianity that systematic efforts were made to care for the sick in charitable institutions. The Result of Christianity This is the result of the teaching of the new law: That we are to love God above all things and our neighbors as ourselves" By the practice of this doc urine all men are linked together in q common brotherhood Equality before | God is the very essence of Christianity. This universal fraternity before God leads us to see in the wounds of tho sick of every race and creed the wounds that Jesus Christ bore for our sakes on the cross. It prompts and idealizes the sacrifices that priests and religious gen. erousy make to help the afflicted. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" John xiii :35. If 1 speak with the tongues of men and of angels have not charity, I am become as sounding brass and tinklng cymbol."
 I, tho davslopr,,ept of tha ,rin- ciples of the founder of Christianity that brought hospitals and other charitable institutions into existence. During the first three centuries of the churches existence she passed through various bit ter prosecutions but even then she did not forget her divine Taission for even her enemies noted her charity in caring for the sick and providing for the or phans.
 But in the fourth century, when peace had come to the church, the hospitals, as a charitable institution, became Q prominent feature of Christianity during the fourth and fifth centuries and we read that illustrious converts like Fa- biola turned their houses into hospitals. During the early middle ages hospitals were supported in various centres throughout the Christian world but the hospital just as 1t is organized today owes it's existence to the fatherly watch fulness, the great foresight and the very practical charity of one of the greatest Popes that ever sat the chair of St.. Peter, Innocent.
 The Thirteenth Century i At the beginning of the thirteenth century, partly owing to the destruce tion of the feudal system and the com | iuercial activity growing out of the crusades, people began to dwell more generally in towns than before The centralization of the population gave rise to social needs. While people were scattered through small districts, the | .,.tt kta trif +i,1