WOMEN WHO DO NOT SPEAK.

Lake County Press, Issue 977, 29 August 1901, Page 2

WOMEN WHO DO NOT SPEAK.

The June number of the ‘Strand’ contains an article from Sir George Newness, M.P., under the title of ‘ The Silent Sisters of Anglet.’ Anglet is a little village near Biarritz, in France, but on the borders of Spain, and the institution of the Solitaires de St. Bernard houses forty-live Silent Sisters. “Itis a sort of nunnery,” says Sir George, “ with the plainest of tables and chairs and food, as befits a renunciation of the luxuries of life. Three of them have been there for fifty-three years—since the foundation of this extraordinary institution—and have kept silence during the whole of that time, excepting under two conditions. Once a year the bishop visits them, and they are allowed to speak to him, and once a year to relations or friends who come to see them. They may confess to their priest. What sins one who never speaks to or seds another may commit it is difficult to say, though sins of thought and heart may be as deadly as those of word or deed. Then if they are ill it is necessary to tell the doctor what their ailments are, but in that case the Lady Superior is always present. The terrible monotony of such an existence is also broken in this way : that they are allowed to sing their prayers in chapel. With these exceptions, their life is one of absolute silence. Some will, perhaps, not believe that they keep this vow; they work together in the gardens, or, according to their capacity, at embroidery in the convent ; and it does seem incredible that women could work like that, year after year, without ever speaking a word to one another, but after careful inquiries I am able to say that the vow is kept with wonderful tenacity and religious fervor.”