d, of the Astor
Library, for putting not only the facilities of the library, but their
personal assistance, at the service of the writer.

JANE M. BANCROFT.
NEW YORK CITY, _June 5, 1889_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE DIACONATE.

Compassion a Christian virtue--Brotherhood of all men in
Christ--Foreign Missions--Home Missions--Service of
ministering compassion gives rise to the diaconate--Diaconate
of women--Its qualities--Field of labor Page 9

CHAPTER II.

DEACONESSES IN THE EARLY CHURCH.

Little knowledge of early Church--Pliny's letter--Apostolic
Constitutions--Deaconesses, widows, and virgins--Duties of the
deaconess--Chrysostom, Olympias--Deaconesses in Western
Church--Decline in importance--Extinction--Influences that led
to decay 18

CHAPTER III.

DEACONESSES FROM THE TWELFTH TO THE NINETEENTH CENTURIES.

Beguines--Characteristics--Duties--Gerhard Groot--Sisters of
the Common Life--Obligations--Duties--Waldenses--Bohemian
Brethren--Luther--Calvin--Reformed Church at Wesel--
Deaconesses in Amsterdam--Damsels of Charity--Mennonites and
Moravians 34

CHAPTER IV.

FLIEDNER, THE RESTORER OF THE OFFICE OF DEACONESS.

Efforts for the restoration of the office of deaconess made by
Kloenne--Amalie Sieveking--Von Stein--Count von der Recke--
Fliedner--His childhood--Youth--Student life--Pastorate and
travels--Marriage--First prison society--Founding of refuge--
Need of training schools--Rhenish-Westphalian Deaconess
Society 46

CHAPTER V.

THE INSTITUTIONS AT KAISERSWERTH.

Opening of hospital training-school--Gertrude Reichardt--The
Home-life--Normal school--Fliedner's wife--Publishing house--
Orphan asylum--Insane asylum--Dispensary--Farm--"Salem"--House
of Evening Rest--Extension of work--Berlin--Foreign lands
Jerusalem--Beirut--Smyrna--Bucharest--Florence--Rome 61

CHAPTER VI.

THE REGULATIONS AT KAISERSWERTH AND THE DUTIES AND SERVICES