of pressing interest.
The Assembly has already sanctioned and regulated the organization of
women's work in collecting for foreign missions, and in sending out and
superintending missionaries. The great and growing strength of the
movement thus recognized is one of the most gratifying things in our
mission; ... but of still older date, and not less powerful, is the part
taken by women in the home work of the parish church. Lady visitors are
carrying messages of divine truth and of human sympathy into the
dwellings of the poor both in town and country. Many have been trained
as nurses that they may be skilled ministrants to the suffering and
sick; and there can be little doubt that the greater part of the actual
personal help which ministers receive in parishes is from the women of
the congregations. But those who have done most of the good work are
most instant in asking from the Church some means of doing still more.
From ministers and from their female helpers have come many requests to
the committee for some provision for training; some recognition and
organization of those who are trained.... In the Church of England are
many homes for nurses and deaconesses; training institutions for female
mission work of every kind; and the rapidity with which they are
multiplying proves of itself how much they are needed; also
non-conformist institutions of the kind, and some separate from all
Churches. Your committee believe that the time has fully come for our
Church's taking steps to supply her own wants in this important
department of mission work."[75]

The General Assembly then directed the committee to inquire into the
subject of women's work in the Church, and to bring up a definite report
to the next assembly. The committee accepted the task, sent out requests
to every parish for suggestions as to the forms of Christian work to be
carried on by women, and the best means of making preparation for their
special training, and prepared themselves by personal inspection of the
leading institutions for training women workers in England to be able to
answer intelligently the same questions. A scheme was reported in 1886
which should incorporate all existing parish organizations, such as
Sabbath-school teachers' and women's societies of all kinds, and should
aim at increasing their number and working power. In 1887 regulations
were perfected for working this scheme, and the approval of this by the
Assembly of 1887 made the new