Sisterhoods
societies or communities of women living together under a religious rule, binding upon all, and with a common object for their united life. But in common use the word denotes those communities which are not enclosed, and whose life is one of active labor. An account of the great religious communities of women in the early and Middle Ages of Christianity falls under the head of Monachism. Indeed the state of Christendom for many centuries prevented the possibility of life and work for women such as that of Sisters of Charity. Women were affiliated to the great monastic orders, the Benedictine, Augustine, Carmelite, etc., but, with one partial exception, that of the Hospitalers, "Réligieuse Hospitalières," were invariably cloistered.
There were several communities of hospital nuns, the great hospitals of the Hôtel Dieu at Paris, San Spirito at Rome, Dijon Hospital, and several others in France being served by them. But they lived in convents adjoining the hospitals, and only left their cloisters to nurse the sick. Even when the Franciscan and Dominican orders of preaching friars arose, the nuns belonging to them, the Poor Clares and Dominican nuns, were strictly enclosed.
The first sisterhood in England, that founded by Dr. Pusey, was broken up in 1855, after the war in the Crimea, where some of the sisters had worked under Florence Nightingale. A few of the original members of this first English sisterhood joined a small community which had been founded by Miss Lydia Sellon in 1846, called the Society of the Holy Trinity. One of the largest and most important sisterhoods in England was founded in 1851 under the title of "Sisters of the Poor," by Miss Harriet Byron. St. Margaret's Sisterhood was founded at East Grinstead in 1854 by the Rev. Dr. J. M.
Neale for the purpose of nursing the sick poor or rich in their homes. The Holy Cross Sisterhood, whose headquarters are at Holy Cross Home, Hayward's Heath, was formed in 1857. One of the most flourishing sisterhoods in England-that of St. Mary's, Wantage-was founded by the Rev. Dr. Butler, afterward Dean of Lincoln, primarily for penitentiary work.
SISTOVA The "Sisters of Bethany," founded in 1866, have their headquarters in Clerktion and to mission work in poor partion and to mission work in poor parfounded in 1867, follows, as far as posfounded in 1867, follows, ws, as far as possible, the rule of St. Vincent de Paul, and is devoted entirely to the service of the poor; middle-class education and penitentiary work being excluded. The "Sisters of the Church," Randolph Gardens, Kilburn, founded in 1870 by Miss Emily Ayckbowm, developed with extraordinary rapidity. They have immense schools, teaching many thousands of children, and training homes for teachers.
Besides these large communities there are many smaller sisterhoods in England.
The first Protestant sisterhood in the United States was organized in 1852 by the Rev. W. A. Muhlenberg. The sisters took charge of St. Luke's Hospital, which he founded in 1859. Since then a number of sisterhoods have sprung up all over the country, notable among them being:
The Sisterhood of St. Mary, New York City, founded in 1865; the Sisterhood of iated in 1881; the All Saints Sisters of the Poor, Baltimore, Md., affiliated in ret, Boston, Mass., established in 1873.
In 1919 there were 113 Catholic and Protestant sisterhoods at work in the United estant sisterhoods at work in the United first home was established in Chicago in 1887. first home was established in Chicago in Danube, opposite Simmitza; 38 miles S. W. of Rustchuk, beautifully situated on undulating slopes. It has mosques and churches, and carries on manufactures of wine, leather, and wool. Here was signed, on Aug. 4, 1791, a treaty of peace between wine, leather, and wool. Here was signed, of some importance in the Russo-Turkish War. Part of the Russian army crossed the Danube here, and the town fell into their hands on June 27, 1877. Pop. about 14,000. the Danube here, and the town fell into their hands on June 27, 1877. Pop. about ant of Æolus, said by some to have lived 14,000. SISYPHUS, in mythology, a descendothers allege that he was a robber, slain by Theseus. His punishment in Tartarus for his crimes committed on earth consisted in rolling a huge stone to the top of a high hill, which constantly co recoiled, us for his crimes committed on earth con-