shed minister of the Reformed Church, aided by a devout and
worthy minister of the Lutheran Church, Rev. Louis Valette. It has grown
up under the joint and harmonious patronage of these two State Churches.

A later deaconess home, entirely devoted to training and employing
parish deaconesses, was started in 1874, under the sole control of the
Lutheran Church. Some pastors secured the co-operation of a few young
Christian women to consecrate a portion of their strength and time to
the service of the Church. From this beginning sprang the work that
exists to-day. The home is located in the Rue de Bridaine. There are now
sixteen deaconesses, six of whom are probationers. Five of them are
located in different parishes in Paris, usually at a long distance from
the central house. Each goes forth early in the morning to her parish,
where is a room of some kind serving as a center to the work. Materials
used in nursing and medicines are stored here, and there is an office
for the physician, who comes at stated periods to give free
consultation. From the district house the deaconess goes in all
directions and in all weather to look up families which have fallen away
from the Church, to gather in children for the Sunday-school, to visit
the sick, and to collect garments and money from the rich in order to
distribute them among the poor. Such are some of their duties. Each
sister is under the direction of a pastor, and is aided by his advice,
while still remaining a member of the community to which she belongs.

In both of the deaconess houses of Paris, as in the German houses, a
special service sets apart those sisters who have passed their period of
probation, and have been received into full connection. As one of the
deaconess reports beautifully says: "When Christ calls the soul to a
special vocation he gives it special grace, and those who consecrate
themselves to him he consecrates to their task by the strength of his
Spirit. So in conformity with the usages of the primitive Church we give
consecration to our sisters by the laying on of hands. The consecration
is not a sacramental act, conferring a particular character, greater
sanctity, or special powers; neither is it simply a ceremony or pious
formality. It is a real and efficacious benediction, which the Saviour
accords to our sisters to consecrate them to their holy work, as he
accorded it to the deacons who received the imposition of the apostles'
hands."

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