m doubts. I felt
something like freedom in prayer before making the regulations of
the Servants' Society. Sometimes my natural understanding seems
enlightened about things of that kind, as if I were helped to see
the right and useful thing.

In closing this chapter, some allusion must be made to her latest
effort. It dates from 1840, and owed its foundation principally to her.
It was that of the "Nursing Sisters," an order called into existence by
the needs of every-day life. As she visited in sick-chambers, or
ministered to the needs of the poor, she felt the want of efficient
skilled nurses, and, with the restless energy of a true philanthropist,
set about remedying the want. Her own leisure would not admit of
training a band of nurses, but her desire was carried into effect by
Mrs. Samuel Gurney, her sister-in-law. Under this lady's supervision,
and the patronage of the Queen Dowager, Lady Inglis, and other members
of the nobility, a number of young women were selected, trained, and
taught to fulfil the duties of nurses. They were placed for some time in
the largest public hospitals, in order to learn the scientific system of
nursing; then, supposing their qualifications and conduct were found to
be satisfactory, they were received permanently as Sisters. These
Sisters wore a distinctive dress, received an annual stipend of about
twenty guineas, and were provided with a home during the intervals of
their engagements. There was also a "Superannuation Fund" for the relief
of those Sisters who should, after long service, fall into indigence or
ill-health. Christian women, of all denominations, were encouraged to
join the institution; while the services of the Sisters were equally
available in the palace and in the cottage. No Sister was permitted to
receive presents, directly or indirectly, from the patients nursed by
her, seeing that all sums received went to a common fund for the benefit
of the Society. These Sisters appear to have worked very much like the
modern deaconesses of the Church of England. They rightly earned the
title of "Sisters of Mercy."

These are but examples of Mrs. Fry's good works,--done "all for love,
and none for a reward."

Many other smaller works claimed her thoughts, so that her life was very
full of the royal grace of charity. The list might have been still
further extended, but to the ordinary student of her life it is already
sufficiently long to prove the reality o