BV 
 
 4424 
 
 .L8 
 
 G4 
 
 1895 
 
BV 4424 .L8 G4 1895 
 General Synod of the 
 
 Evangelical Lutheran Church 
 The deaconess work in the 
 
 Rvanaelinal T.ntheran rhnrch 
 

 ^bc ^ caconc88 XlXDLovl'^ 
 
 . in the . . 
 
 lEvanoelical Xutbeian Cburcb 
 in tbe XTlniteb States. 
 
 Report of the Committee on Deaconess Work. 
 
 Presented to the QliNfiRAL ClU NCII. at Caston. Pa., 
 
 OCTOBER 14. 1895. 
 
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/^i^f OF PR,^T£,^^ 
 f JUN 15 1998 ) 
 
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REPORT 
 
 or THR 
 
 Coniniittcc on IDcaconess Moih. 
 
 Your Committee appointed by the last Convention of the 
 General Council at I'ort Wayne, Ind., to report on the pr«3gress 
 of the Deaconess cause in our Lutheran Church of this country, 
 begs leave to submit the following report: 
 
 There are at this time six Motherhouscs for Lutheran Dea- 
 conesses organized and in operation. They are located in the fol- 
 lowing cities: Philadelphia, (3maha, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, 
 Brooklyn, and Baltimore. According to language, they may be 
 classified ' as German, Swedish, (lerman-Lnglish. Norwegian, 
 and English. The first three are in connection with the General 
 Council; the following two with the Norwegian Synod; the Bal- 
 timore Mothcrhouse was established by the ( leneral Synod. 
 
 ^^'e sul)mit a brief survey of the history, the principles and 
 the present statistics of these different institutions: 
 
 I. The Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses. (Mary J. 
 Drexel Home.i 
 
 Rev. C.\ki. GoKDi-.r.. Pastor. 
 
 This institution represents the first successful effort to trans- 
 plant the German Deaconess work on a large scale and in a sys- 
 tematic manner to America. The needs of the German IIosj)ital 
 in Philadelphia and the distressing experiences made with paid 
 mirses had naturally directetl the attention of its leaders to the 
 service of Deaconesses, which had been gradually substituted 
 for that of paid nurses in the majority of hospitals in the Father- 
 land. When the important change had been effected in. the con- 
 stitution and administration of the (K^rman Hospital in Philadel- 
 phia which brought it into regular connection with the Lutheran 
 Church, the way was opened for the introduction of Deaconesses. 
 In the fall of 188^? the preliminary arrangements were made to 
 
 JUN 15 1998 
 
brinp^ to this coiintrv a little colony of German Deaconesses from 
 Iscrlolin, whose leadin*^ Sister had been educated in Kaisers- 
 werth. In June, 1884, they arrived in Philadelphia, and at once 
 took charge of the German Hospital. 
 
 In order to make the institution permanent, the president 
 of the German Hospital, Mr. John D. Lankenau, resolved to es- 
 tablish a regular Motherhouse of Deaconesses in connection with 
 the Mary J. Drexel Home, an asylum for aged people, which had 
 been planned by him years ago in memory of his deceased wife. 
 A separate organization was founded under the name "The Mary 
 J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia ]\Iotherhouse of Deaconesses." 
 Mr. Lankenau then at once proceeded to erect the magnificent 
 building opposite Girard College and west of the German Hos- 
 pital, in which the Sisters found their home after having been the 
 guests oi the German Hospital for four years. November 11, 
 188G, the cornerstone was laid, and on December G, 1888, the 
 house was dedicated and formally presented to the Board of 
 Trustees by its generous founder. CJn the same day, the first rec- 
 tor of the institution. Rev. A. Cordes, was installed. 
 
 Up to this time Rev. A. Spaeth, D. D., had been acting as 
 pastor and spiritual adviser of the Sisters. In 18!)2 Rector Cordes 
 resigned and was succeeded in 1893 by the Rev. Carl Goedel. 
 
 The work of the institution has been steadily growing and 
 expanding during the few years of its existence. The Year Book 
 for ]8!>r), which has just been published, shows forty-two Sisters 
 on the list. Their work is distributed over the following stations: 
 1. The German Hospital, twenty Sisters; 2. Parish work in Zi- 
 on's and St. Paul's congregations, two Sisters; 3. The Easton 
 Hospital, three Sisters; 4. The Lutheran St. Johannis Home in 
 Allegheny (in connection with the Ohio Synod), two Sisters. In 
 the Mary J. Drexel Home the following departments are served 
 by the Deaconesses: 1. The Children's Hospital; 2. The Old 
 People's Home; 3. The Lutheran Girls' School; 4. An infants' 
 school. 
 
 The Philadelphia Motherhouse of Deaconesses aims to carry 
 on its work as closely as possible on the lines laid down by the 
 restorer 'of the female diaconate (the late Dr. l-Miedner) and fol- 
 lowed so successfully by the leading (Jerman Motherhouses. It 
 means to preserve the historic link with the Deaconess work in 
 its German home, and has therefore sought and received admis- 
 sion into the General Conference of Deaconess Motherhouses at 
 
Kaiscrswcrtli. At the same time, the Philadelphia Molhcrhouse 
 has, from the very he.Ljinniii}^, endeavored to advaticc the general 
 cause of the female (haconate in this country in every way. It ed- 
 ucated the first Swedish Sisters for Pastor P'ogelstrom's institu- 
 tion in ( )maha. It gave a temporary home and preliminary 
 training to a number of Christian women who offered themselves 
 for this work in the General Synod. It received and trained Sis- 
 ters for the Dayton Motherhouse, and for weeks entertained a 
 prominent lady who is a leader of the Deaconess cause ni the 
 Methodist Church, thus giving her an opportunity to become fa- 
 miliar with the character and spirit of German Lutheran Dea- 
 coness work. 
 
 2. The Swedish Motherhouse of Deaconesses in Omaha. 
 Rf.v. E. a. Fogel^trom, Pastor. 
 
 The Swedish Lutheran Deaconess work in America com- 
 menced at tlie Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Mother- 
 house of Deaconesses, when Sister P)Othilda Swenson was sent 
 there by Rev. E. A. Fogelstrom in June, 1887, to be trained for 
 the projjosed Swedish Motherhouse at Omaha. The following 
 year, 1S88, he also sent four other Sisters to join Sister Bothilda. 
 One of tlicse Sisters liaving left the work after one year, the other 
 three returned to Omaha in June, 1890. After two years' faith- 
 ful service at the Philadelphia Motherhouse, Sister Bothilda was 
 sent to Europe for lier further training. Siie took one year's 
 course in the Motherhouse of Stockholm, spent some time in 
 visiting Kaiserswerth and other European Motherhouses. and 
 come back to take charge of the work in (/)maha in the fall of 
 1890. 
 
 During the time of the Sister's training in the llast, Pastor 
 I'^ogelstrtMu had succeeded in building a hospital for tlieir future 
 work in Omaha. .\t the close of the year 1800 this institution, 
 the Immanuel Hospital, had been finished at a cost of about 
 f^i0,000. December 20, 1800, the first i)atient was admitted, a 
 poor Swede coming from the far \\'est, Wyoming. In 1891 a 
 home for the Sisters was built opposite the hospital. All the 
 property of the Institution in Omaha is worth about f40.00(», with 
 a debt of $10,000 yet remaining; this debt, however, is more than 
 covered by legacies already made to the Institution. 
 
 April 5, 1801. the Institution in (^maha held its first anni- 
 versary and at that time the first Swedish-American Deaconess, 
 Sister Bothilda Swenson. was consecrated. This was a time of 
 
j^rcat rcjoicinj?, several kadinj^^ iiKii of the Augustana Synod and 
 Rector Conies, from the l'hiladeli)hia Mutherhouse, taking part 
 in the services. Since then a festival lias been held once a year 
 and six other Sisters have ])een consecrated. This Swedish-Amer- 
 ican Motherhouse has at jiresent 7 Deaconesses. (5 help-Sisters, 
 and 7 Probationers, in all 20 Sisters. Outside of the Motherhouse 
 these Sisters have been working in three permanent stations: At 
 the Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., .*? Sisters; parish work 
 in Rev. Perm's congregation in Sioux City, la., 1 Sister; and in 
 Rev. Kranz's congregation in Duluth, Minn., 1 Sister. Besides 
 this regular work, the Motherhouse in Omaha does quite a good 
 deal of temporary work in the city and neighboring congrega- 
 tions. In the summer several Sisters teach parochial schools for 
 children. Six months ago Rev. Dr. Swaerd's congregation in 
 Omaha engaged one Sister. A call from Rev. Petri's congrega- 
 tion in Minneapolis for a Sister to do permanent parish work has 
 also been accepted, the work to commence this fall. 
 
 This, the only Swedish-American Motherhouse, feels a great 
 need of a much larger number of Sisters. 
 
 The Augustana Synod has at several annual conventions 
 very earnestly recommended this Deaconess Institute, and at its 
 last two conventions the question of receiving it into full organic 
 union has been brought up for the consideration of Synod. At 
 the convention in Chicago, June 18, 181)5, the question was post- 
 poned until next year, when the Synod will meet in Omaha; then 
 it will no doubt be decided. 
 
 3. The Milwaukee Motherhouse of Deaconesses. 
 
 Ri:\-. J. V. On I., Rector. 
 This Motherhouse is the result of the labors of the late Dr. 
 W. A. Passavant, who, nearly half a century ago, took the first 
 step to introduce the Deaconesses into America. In 180.3 he 
 opened the Milwaukee Hosi)ita] wliicli, from the very beginning, 
 was designed to be a Deaconess Hospital, but not until several 
 years ago did Providence open the way to make this an accom- 
 plished fact. In December, 18!)1, after a course of, instruction 
 given In- the Rev. II. W. Roth. D. D., the foundation of the 
 Motherhouse began to be laid by the consecration of three Sis- 
 ters, one of whom had been in the work at Kaiserswerth and 
 another at Neuendettelsau. Sister Martha was made Directing 
 Sister, and in the summer of ISJK*^ a rector was called in the per- 
 son of the Rtv. 1. V. ( )hl, of Quakcitown, Pa., who entered u])on 
 
the duties of his ofHcc in October of the same year. In the annual 
 report just jnibhshed the Rector says: "The Mothcrhouse, as now 
 organized, conforms to tlie best Munjpean models in all their es- 
 sential features, without being a stereotyped reproduction of any 
 one of them. The princi[de is recognized and consistently carried 
 out that for America and the Church in America certain modifi- 
 cations and adaptations are necessary in order to secure for the 
 Deaconess cause the same regard and encouragement that it now 
 enjoys in the l-'atherland; and we believe that this can be suc- 
 cessfully done without sacrificing any of its distinctive features." 
 
 The number of Sisters now attached to the Motherhouse is 
 17. Of these 8 are Deaconesses, 3 of whom were consecrated 
 June n of the present year, and 9 are Probationers. The course 
 of study, which is regularly taken up in October of each year and 
 ends with the examinations in May, embraces all the branches 
 usually taught in Motherhouses; and the terms of admission are 
 practically the same as in European institutions. This Mother- 
 house is, moreover, believed to be the only German-Englisii 
 Motherhouse in the worl<l. Both languages are constantly used 
 in the instruction and In conversation, and there is regular alter- 
 nation between the two in the Chapel services. 
 
 At least four new Probationers were expected to enter in 
 October, with a prospect of even more. The Rector states that 
 there is a growing int'^rest in the work throughout the West antl 
 Northwest, and that he has to answer numerous letters of in- 
 quiry. 
 
 The following charitable institutions, founded by the late Dr. 
 W. A. Passavant, look to the Milwaukee Motherhouse for their 
 supply of Sisters: The Jacksonville Hospital, at Jacksonville, 111.; 
 the Passavant Hospital (Pittsburgh Infirmary), at Pittsburgh: 
 and the Passavant Memoiial (Emergency) Hospital at Chicago, 
 111. 
 
 4. The Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses Home and Hospital 
 at lirooklyn. 
 
 Sister Elizabeth redd e. who stands at the head of this insti- 
 tution, writes about its origin and |)resent status, as follows: 
 
 "Our work began here in April, 1883, on a very small scale, 
 among the sick and ])oor Norwegians. The necessity for a proper 
 place to care for the sick, who had previously been referred to 
 the County Hospital when in need of hospital care, became so 
 urgent that in the spring of 1885 a small house was secured 
 
which (h(l service as a home for the Sisters and a hospital, so far 
 as its limited capacity would permit. The difficulty, so commonly 
 encountered in originating^ a new Deaconess home, of securing 
 the proper persons to take hold of the work with the proper 
 spirit, was gradually overcome, and under the guidance of the 
 good Lord, our work has prospered beyond our most sanguine 
 expectations. Considerable charitable and missionary work is 
 being done outside of the hospital, particularly among the fam- 
 ilies of Norwegian sailors. 
 
 "There has always been a difficulty in procuring Sisters in 
 Brooklyn, so that at present our number is only eleven. But 
 with God's blessing our Home is ever perfectly harmonious and 
 pleasant; the Sisters are earnest and ever eagerly working for the 
 one cause — the furtherance of Christ's work among those who 
 need it most." 
 
 5. The Norwegian Deaconess Home in Minneapolis. 
 
 Seven years ago the w'ork in Minneapolis was started by 
 Sister Elizabeth Fedde, who is now Sister Superior of the Brook- 
 lyn Motherhouse. When she left Minneapolis in 1890, the institu- 
 tion had 12 Sisters, a small home and $2,000 towards a larger 
 hospital. At present there are 31 Sisters, 10 of them consecrated 
 Deaconesses, trained partly in Christiania, Norway, partly in 
 •Miiuieapolis; 12 Probationers and 9 in the Preparatory course. 
 The course of training is divided into a Preparatory course from 
 October to February, and the Deaconesses' course from March 
 to May. The Sisters of this Motherhouse supply a hospital in 
 Grand Forks, N. Dak.; one in Plilsboro, N. Dak.; one in Sioux 
 City, S. Dak.; and a Children's Home in Beloit, Iowa. 
 
 6. The Motherhouse in Baltimore. 
 
 Several years ago the General Synod appointed a Deaconess 
 Board for the purpose of practically reviving this office among 
 its churches. Its labors have been so far successful, that on the 
 first of October a Deaconess Motherhouse and training-school 
 was opened under its auspices in the City of Baltimore, whose 
 churches had offered suUable acconmiodations for the establish- 
 nunt of such an institution. 
 
 "The object of this house," says the President of the Board, 
 Rev. Dr. G. U. Wenner, "is to afford an opportunity to the young 
 women of our Church to engage in the work of the Christian 
 ministry in such forms as are appropriate, sucli as nursing, teach- 
 
iiig, caring for the poor and neglected, and helping the pastor to 
 look after and care for the flock. Its aim is to open to thetn 
 larger fields of usefulness in the service of the Church, and by 
 technical training and effective organization to make them a new 
 force in the extension of the Master's kingdom. The methods 
 will be in harmony with those pursued in the Deaconess' Houses 
 of Europe, with such adaptations as the special needs and condi- 
 tions of America may suggest. The nucleus of the work has been 
 secured in the Sisters who for several years past have been care- 
 fully trained for this purpose in this country and in Germany, 
 and who are soon to be set apart for the special work in which 
 they are about to engage. They will have charge of a hospital, 
 a Christian school, and various branches of parish work. But all 
 of this local service is simply the foundation of their principal 
 work, that of training young women for similar service in other 
 cities and congregations. In this work they will be aided by a 
 competent faculty, selected from the pastors and physicians of 
 Baltimore, who will impart instruction in the various branches 
 of sciencp and Christian literature. 
 
 "Two classes of young women will be welcomed to this 
 House: First, those who, after serving a period of probation, de- 
 sire to remain with us permanently, or for an indefinite period. 
 Secondly, those who come to prepare themselves to be Christian 
 workers or pastoral helpers in their own homes and congrega- 
 tions, and who remain with us therefore only long enough to ob- 
 tain the requisite trauiing." 
 
 Summary. 
 
 Sunmiing up this brief survey, we find that there are l.'il (or, 
 if we include 8 in the course of preparatory training in Philadel- 
 phia, l.'^O) Lutheran woiucn engaged in the work of the Dea- 
 coness, or preparing for it. Their Motherhouses represent an 
 aggregate value of about ^700,000, and the amount spent on this 
 w(irk during the past year may be moderately estimated at ?75,- 
 000. All the principal nationalities and languages of our Church 
 in this country are sinndtancously taking hold of this great and 
 sacred cause, and whilst they all are anxious to conform to the 
 best European models in all their essential features, they recog- 
 nize the fact that for America certain modifications and adapta- 
 tions may be necessary in order to secure for the Deaconess 
 work the same regard and encouragement that it now enjoys in 
 the Fatherland. We have good cause to be profoundly thankful 
 
8 
 
 for what has been achicvcil in this fitld by the Lutherans in 
 America durin.tj tlie last decade. We may well rejoice that the 
 Church of the pure Word and Sacraments is taking such a lead 
 in this blessed ministry cf the female diaconate. But we cannot 
 deceive ourselves as to the fact that after all we have made only 
 a very moilest beginning in this work; that the majority of our 
 people are still profoundly ignorant and sadly indifferent concern- 
 ing its claims antl its blessings. We would therefore most respect- 
 fully urge it upon this venerable Body, that it should use its 
 influence to arouse a warmer interest in this blessed work; and 
 that in our Synodical meetings and Conferences a proper place 
 be given to it alongside of our missionary and educational 
 operations; that our individual pastors, and, through them, 
 our congregations may be impressed with the importance 
 of this work and our obligations towards it, so that the number of 
 devout women may be quickly increased, who will cheerfully and 
 for the Lord's sake respond to the urgent appeals of our Mother- 
 houses for an increase of laborers. 
 
 For the benefit of those who are desirous to inform them- 
 selves more fully on the history, the ])rinciples and metluids of 
 the Female Diaconate, we take the liberty of mentioning a few 
 books and treatises in German and English, that will be of use 
 to the inquirer: 
 
 Th. Scliiictir: Die wriMiclic I )i;ik<.iiic. :5 IJde. 
 
 ,/. Dissclhofl: Juliiliit(> (zuin oOtcn Jul)iliiuin Kai.sor.s\verths). 
 
 F. .\fcvvr: Von di-r Diakonissin mul iliroiu IJcruf. 
 
 /:. W'nckcr : Dcr I)iak(mi.s.s('nh('ruf. 
 
 /i. Wmkcr: The Dcaconcsa Callinj,', tian.slatt'tl l)y Emma E. End- 
 licli. Aj.ix'Ddix hy A. Spaeth, D. D. Mary J. Drexel Home, Philadel- 
 phia. Siiitflo copioH, TjO fonts. 
 
 77/. Scliiicrer: Im Dii-nnt dt>r Lit-lic. 
 
 Til. Scli.-tvfcr : DiakoniMsr-n Kalci'hi.smus. 
 -^ /. /•'. O///; DcaconcHsoH and Their Work. 
 
 Aiiniinl of the Mary J. Dicxcl I fume. 
 
 Jithrhuch des Mary . I. Dn-xd Helm, printed I'm- fice distrihiition by 
 the Mary J. Drexel Home 
 
 AiinalKof till' IiiHtiliiti f I'roti-.'^taiit Dcaeonesse.'^, jmhlished l)i- 
 
 luonthly at I'ittHhurKh, Pa. 
 
 Respectfully submitted by the Committee. 
 
 A. Sl-AKTII, !<:. A. FOCJEI-STROM, 
 
 J. V. Oiii.'. C. A. ICvAi.n. 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 
 
 nil III nil II nil 
 
 01 
 
 nil III II III nil III III ml 
 
 2 01201 7606 
 
 Jiithcran goaaiiiefif) UHotluMiuniiicii in the alnited ^^tatcfi 
 
 "The Mary J. Drexel Home and Philadelphia Motherhouse 
 of Deaconesses." 
 
 L'loo Soiiili Ci)llcgt' Avtiiuc, Philadelphia. 
 
 Rector: Ri;\. (!ari. (ioKDEi.. Sister Superior: Wanda v. Ukktzkn. 
 
 The Milwaukee Motherhouse. 
 
 Twentv-stfonrl, Cedar, and State Streets. Milwaukee, Wis. 
 Rector: Ri;v. J. F. Oiii.. Directing Sister: Mariha Gensike. 
 ^ BtHjucsts to be \vritt<'ii td the " Iiistitvition of I'rotostant Deaeonesses 
 
 nf Alleyhcny Co.. Pa." 
 
 Immanuel Deaconess Institute. 
 
 Monmouth Park, Omaha, Neb. 
 
 Rector: Rkv. K. .-X. Fo(;ki.stro.m. Sister Superior : I'.oi mii.da Swf.nson. 
 
 The Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses' Home and Hospital." 
 
 i^)rty-si\Lh Street and Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
 Sister Superior : Ei.izabkth Fkddk. 
 
 Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Institute. 
 
 1 117 L*.''.rd Street, Corner l.")!!) .\ venue South. Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 Sister Su])eri()r : I nci-.iioui; Si'om. wd. 
 
 Deaconess Motherhouse and Training School of the General Synod. 
 
 '.)07 North I'ullon .\ venue, Baltimore, Md. 
 Rev. W . n. Dr.MiAK, 1). D., I'astor.