THE DEACONESS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4761, 29 September 1893, Page 2

THE DEACONESS.

•_» . MEETING OP LADIES. Yesterday afternoon, at the hall of tho Young Men's Christian Association, the deaconess lately from England, Sister Edith, addressed a meeting of three hundred and fifty ladies upon the office and work of a deaconess. The hall was filled, and one hundred more ladieß were unable to gain admis.ion. Sister Edith first traced the etymology of the word " deacones.," which literally means a servant. The idea involved in the word was that of a helpful service of alacrity and willing activity. Women's work was essentially helping work — in work of help woman was in her right place. I As men and women were dependent in the natural life, so they were dependent in the spiritual life, and so the clergy and deaconess _hould work together in tbe Gospel. Sister Edith having traced the history of the office of deaconess and its position in the early church, proceeded to speak ofthe modern revival of the order. In 1861 Bishop Tait, the Bishop of London, had eet apart Elizabeth Catherine Ferrand, who had soon gathered a band of devoted women round her and founded a community in Burton Crescent, and carried on a great deal of quiet work, nursing, visiting and teaching in London. This in6t tution had grown steadily, and the Sisters had removed to Westbourne Park, which was now tbe present Mother Home, called St Andrew's House, of the London Diocesan Deaconeeses' Institution. Here the probationiets were trained in parish work of all kinds, and given praotical instruction in nursing, teaching, &c. They took a regular theological course of study, and their spiritual principles were developed and strengthened. The scope of work included all wants, and a deaconess had to adapt her wcrk to the wants of the Church, whateve they might be. A deaconess was not identified with any party in the Church — it wus sufficient for her to be a churchwoaian, and fitted, as far as possible, for tbe work she waß sent to accomplish. No vows were required of a deaconess, but when she was ordained bj the Bishop she dedicated her life solely to God, and in the Bight of the Cburch. Thiß being bo, a deaconesß had no wi.h to be married, although she took no vow to remain single. This was not because a single life was considered holier than a married one. Holy marriage waß God's appointment, and from her heart she balieved that it was God's will that every woman Bhould be married. In the present state of the world this was manifestly impossible, and to many these first ties were denied, but thiß matter was one so unfathomable that it waa hatdly a fit subject for the present meeting. Regarding the work to be done by deaconestej in New Zealand, five years ago tbe Bishop of Auckland had aaked for a deaconess, and at Wellington great need had be9n found for their services. Wa9 there not room for many trained workers in Christchurch P Nursing was one of the chief things badly wanted in the distriot— in the homes of the poor especially. Was not some definite teaching needed about the things of God, when the people of this city thronged to hear the most outrageous, unheard-of ideas— ideas that in past ages had been advanced and refuted, now presented in other forms P Those who would devote their lives to going in and out among the sinning andthe sorrowing, and by tender sympathy and gentle counsel lead them to higher things, were wanted in this town as much aB in London. The Bishop wanted to form a deaconesses' community in the city, .that should spread over its borders and send deaconesses through the length and breadth of New Zealand. The Guild of St Saviour was so well organised and was doing such good work, that Bhe felt it would be better to leavo rescue work to it, though no one knew better than the speaker how many more active workers were needed in that sphere. It was the Bishop's wish that the deaconesses should start on other lines. She hoped by kind permision of the hospital authorities that the deaconesses would be allowed to have training there for district nursing. Helpers were now wanted— those who would come forward and give their lives to ohurch work in poor parishes where the clergy would be glad of assistance, or in the community it was proposed to establish. Were there any in the meeting who felt a " call "—an inward! whisper, telling them to devote their lives to this great workP If there were, why did they hesitate ? The fear that it would be an act of presumption to come forward to a life so marked and prominent, or the fear that the necessary zeal would not be sustained, Bhould not obtain. They should remember that if the Holy Spirit called a life to such a great work, it would not be presumption to obey it, and the necessary strength would be forthcoming. If there were any who felt a call to take up the life, but who were bound by home ties, &c, let them wait and cling to their ideal, and they would find that the Almighty would in time remove all obstacles and make the way clear. A " Band of Helpers" wae to be established, of which the membership fee would be five shillings per year, to go to the Deaconesses' Homo. The immediate results and growth of the work would of course depend upon how it was supported monetarily. There were numbers of young people longing to give up their lives to God's service, bub unable to do so because they had to earn their living. If the Home was endowed and an income assured there would be no difficulty of thiß kind. At present it was useless to pretend that there were no fears for the future — if a woman gave up her all for God, and gave away her chance of laying up store for her old age, surely it would be said God would provide for her. Yes so he would, but God worked by means, and it was to the people of the place that the Master came and asked for assistance for those who served Him. Ai. fund had already been started by friends in England for the maintenance of the' Deaconesses' Home, and an account opened. at the Union Bank, where money could bepaid iin. In conclusion, Sister Edithbegged her audience to turn a deaf ear to. unbelieving critics who said that th» deaconesses' cause was lali very well at. Home but- was useless in the Colony. They owned to mistakes, to errors of judgment, to failures, yet the design of the- deaconesses waß for the glory of God and forthe good of humanity.. They had thestrong wish to succeed that was necessary to success. That the office of women in the Church was according to God'fe wil.., must be Been from a study of church hietosy and from experience of parochial machinery. That it was God's will that ftfee deaconess movement should extend in New Zealand was to be seen from the va.__.ty of circumstances that led to its start, and how, quite contrary to everyone's expectations, the Bishop of London had give., his consent to the departure of on 6of his deaconesses to try and start the work. It was God's work, and they could oaly pray and work and work and pray, for ita ' advanoe, doing their part bravely, readily, perseveringly, and leaving the reaulta to Him. At the olose of her address, the Sister eaid she would be at home on Oot. Id at St Catherine's Lodge at 3 p.m, to receive the nameß of any willing to beoome " Helpers."