47

CHAPTER IV.

ENGLISH SISTERHOODS.

THE question is constantly asked, Surely there are Englishwomen who will come forward and labour for Christ's sake? and the remark often made, Do not let it be said that in England alone women are found wanting in Christian exertion, especially when it is asserted that in Great Britain and Ireland there is a surplus of 500,000

women.

Individuals there are who have devoted themselves to God's service. To mention a few, let us look at Mrs. Fry's labours and their results; and, though in a humble sphere, did not Sarah Martin of Yarmouth do "what she could"? Within the last few years how much has Miss Howell effected in the ten schools she has been the means of establishing in Westminster and Pimlico ?

These have doubtless all done great things; but devoted individual exertions are equally found where sisterhoods exist and thrive; and it is besides, and not instead of these that a combined effort is wanted. "Union is power," said one who knew what collective force could do. And what is collective force, but the system of sisterhoods? Practical experience has proved what an advantage they would be. Popular prejudice is strongly against them; nevertheless men of all parties have advocated them. Dr. Cumming says, Dr. Cumming says, "That during the

period of seven years twenty-six nunneries and convents have been opened in England; and I cannot pass through Southampton-row without meeting two and two of the Sisters of Charity, each with a basket, one containing Romish spiritual, the other containing English corporal, nutriment; and both labouring to make proselytes of poor to the Roman Catholic religion. I only wish we had Sisters of Charity, not of the Popish or Puseyite breed, but of the right Bible and Protestant stamp, attached to our churches, in order that we may have the full apostolical complement. There were Deaconesses in the Apostolic Church; and I do not see why they might not be revived with considerable advantage in the Church of the nineteenth century, and thus furnish to our Puseyite opponents one proof at least that we only have the true Apostolical succession."-Apocalyptic Sketches, 1st series, p. 411.

Sir James K. Shuttleworth says:- "The District Visiting Societies, and the institutions for training females to take charge of the sick, are expedients to enable the laity to aid the clergy in their spiritual duties. These plans are seeking a more complete organization, and I have no doubt that the isolated attempts which have been made to re-establish a Protestant Diaconate will ere long be moulded, by those who cling to the principles of the Reformation, into lay orders of communicants not permanently withdrawn from the ordinary duties of life, and some, not at any time set apart to spiritual functions." -Public Education, p. 244.

An eminent German physician gives the following result of his experience of voluntary and paid services:-He had been three years assistant physician in a foreign hospital, where paid nurses were employed, and had since then seen the working of the Kaiserswerth Deaconesses in another hospital. "By this," he says, "I had the opportunity of comparing one system with the other, to the great advantage of the Deaconesses." He had been

greatly annoyed by the necessity of perpetually watching the nurses, to see if they drank themselves or allowed

the patients to receive anything from without,-if they executed the medical orders with care and cleanliness ; and to find that, after the utmost watchfulness, little can be done and even where the regulations are complied with, they have not exercised that beneficial influence on the minds of the sufferers which is so important at a time when all are more open to impressions than at any other period. And this is the general experience with nurses who work for gain, though there may be exceptions. And it is very natural with those who consider nursing only with a view of profit. The toil is great, the duties often disgusting, the pecuniary remuneration in comparison small; so that those who undertake the office without a higher motive cannot belong to the higher classes of society.

To the true Christian the vocation of nursing appears in a very different light. The responsibilities and difficulties do not seem less, but these are compensated for by the privileges both for time and eternity.

He proceeds to state that where the voluntary system of nursing exists, he need scarcely say that no intemperance is ever seen. Every service is performed with the utmost kindness, cleanliness, order, and punctuality. If a shade of ill humour is seen, owing to the ingratitude of patients, or the difficulty of pleasing them, a word of encouragement is sufficient to make such nurses recommence their work of love with fresh zeal and redoubled patience and perseverance.

He says he has never heard a medical man complain of a Deaconess interfering with his orders, or giving her opinion on a patient's case; and that he dwells on this point particularly, as it has been used as an objection to the system. He believes the prejudice has arisen owing to the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity, as he had heard the complaints in several hospitals, where the pa tients were under their care; and, in some instances, he was convinced that there was some ground for it, as the Sisters seemed not quite to understand their calling,thinking it perhaps beneath them to be subject to lay

E

men; whilst Deaconesses well know that their submission elevates them in the esteem of the good. But he does not wish to undervalue the Roman Catholic Sisters of Charity, as the way in which many of them perform their duties proves that true charity is the motive of their work. He considers that the tone of mind of the patients is raised by the conduct of the Deaconesses, and that periods of illness cannot pass by without leaving some impression on the heart. To their teaching and example he ascribes the happy change in many cases. Instances have occurred of men,-desperate through discontent with the world, which had offered them so few attractions, who, weary with life, had even meditated suicide, who have left the hospital with thankful and grateful hearts, ascribing their blessed change to the Sisters who nursed them.

To the objection raised by some, that the patient must not be alarmed about himself, he answers that he never had the slightest reason to suppose that any of the Deaconesses had through her spiritual attendance injured the bodily welfare of one single patient; on the contrary, in many cases he had seen much benefit from it to the body. More than once a poor sufferer who had been always agitated and restless through his uncertain state, became calm and happy from the hour when death was declared the only issue of his disease.

66

Dr. Arnold says, in the introduction to one of his volumes of sermons: Religious orders, especially of women, of different kinds and under different rules, delivered only from the snare and sin of perpetual vows, these, most of which are of some efficacy for good even in a corrupt church, belong no less to the true church, and would there be purely beneficial.”—Christian Life, its Course, its Hinderances, etc. 1841.

Several attempts have been made to form them of late years. "For many years," said the Bishop of London not long ago at a public meeting, "I have felt deeply anxious for the establishment of one or more institutions, connected with our Reformed Church, in which females, not

fettered by domestic ties, not prevented from carrying out their wishes and aspirations by those sacred obligations, are desirous of devoting their best energies of mind and body to the service of Christ by administering to the happiness of His suffering disciples. I have regretted to see one institution after another, established for this object, fail."

"The parochial system is inadequate to grapple with the fearful wants of our neglected town populations. Something analogous to the monastic system of the Roman Church must be applied to it."-Guardian, July 13.

A writer in the Christian Remembrancer states, in speaking of the discipline and need of penitentiaries, "To unbought services alone can we look with anything like confidence for relieving this moral convulsion: holy women alone can minister with success to those suffering sisters into whom such a legion of devils have forced their way."—No. lxxxi. p. 210.

The most successful attempt has been that at Devonport, beset though it has been with difficulties and objection of no ordinary kind. The objects carried out are:

1. The Orphans' Home. The number of children at present in this institution is twenty-seven. These poor children scarcely knew the existence of God when they first came in. They are most carefully taught, and watched over with all the tenderness which could be bestowed on them by Christian parents.

2. College for Sailor-Boys. The present number is twenty-six. Most of them, when they enter, can neither read nor write, and are in the most profound ignorance about religion.

Besides religious instruction, they are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, and some of the more advanced ones French and the use of the globes.

3. House of Peace for Destitute Girls. Containing at present twelve.

4. Home for Old Sailors: in which they can have a quiet home for the last few years of their life.