BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF CHARITY. Under these names, there exist in the Roman Catholic church two widely ramified beneficent societies, for the nursing of the poor and sick in hospitals, without distinction of faith, rank, or nation. The order of the brothers of charity, or Compassionate Brothers, was established in 1540, at Seville, in Spain, by the Portuguese John di Dio (died 1550), who had served in Africa under Charles V. The funds for the purpose were obtained by begging. The primitive object of the society was the care of the sick, and the reformation of women of immoral character: it was composed of lay-members, under no rule. In the year 1572, the order received the papal recognition, and was subjected to the rule of St. Augustine. All the privileges of the mendicant orders were conceded to it in the year 1624, and it was then divided into a Spanish congregation, with a maj.gen. in Granada, and an Italian or extra-Spanish congregation, with a maj.gen. in Rome. To the latter belong also the brothers of charity in Switzerland, Germany (where Austria is their chief seat), Poland, the Netherlands, France, and other countries. The European members of the order clothe themselves in black; the extra-European, who are under a separate gen. of their order in America, wear brown. Their services to distressed humanity continue to be field in high estimation. The sisters of charity, formerly also, on account of their dress, called gray sisters—independent associations of unmarried Christian females, for the alleviation of human suffering, especially for the tending of the sick and the poor— were first called into existence in France, in 1634• by Vincent de Paul (born 1576), greatly assisted by the noble-hearted and self-devoted widow, Le Gras, by birth De 3Iarilac. The society was recognized in 1655 by Clement IX., and in 1685 already num
bered 224 convents. The French revolution sorely interrupted theabundant and benev olent labors of the sisters of charity by the suppression and proscription of their con vents in France; but Napoleon restored the order in 1807 by the convocation of a general chapter of the scattered sisters, under the presidency of the empress mother, and bythe grant of the necessary funds; and there exist at present inore than 300 associations in France, where, in the villages, elementary education is in great part conducted by them. They attend the sick in all the great hospitals. There exists in Germany a Roman Catholic association of unmarried females, not bound by conventual rules, and possessing the right of withdrawing from the association at pleasure, but placed under a strict supervision, and occupied in the same duties as the sisters of charity. The insti tute of deaconesses (q.v.) in the Protestant churches of the continent of Europe is of a very similar character.