DEACONESS. One of an order of women in the Christian churches. Traces of the order appear in Apostolic times (Ilan. xvi. I; 1. Tim. v. 9 sqq.) and deaconesses were generally found in the early Christian communities. Their duties were in general to supplement the work of the deacons and perform for members of their own sex such services as could with less pro priety be performed by men. They assisted at the administration of baptism, acted as door keepers on the woman's side of the congrega tion, instructed the female cateelmmens, took charge of the sick and poor women, and were present at the interviews of the clergy- with women. They were set apart for their work by laying on of hands and prayer by the bishop. In the earliest times, widows were generally chosen. and it was considered seemly that a dea coness should be of mature years. In the West ern Church decrees of councils abolishing the order are found as early as the fifth century, and by the eighth it had entirely disappeared. In the East it lingered longer, but the duties be came much restricted. The modern development of the institution in the various Protestant (diuretics of Europe and -\ merica dates from the third decade of the nineteenth century. in 18313 Pastor Theodor Fliedner of the United Evan gelical Church of Prussia founded a deaconesses' home at Kaiserswerth in Rhenish Prussia, which has served as a model for similar institutions in many parts of the world. The inmates of these houses devote themselves to charitable work, but take no vows and are hound to no fixed term of service. Provision is generally made for their
instruction and training. and they are miller the supervision of an inspector or superior. There are now many deaconesses' homes in Germany, and they are found in nearly all countries of Europe. In the Church of England much of the normal work of deaconesses is done by the various sisterhoods. III Ameriea an order of deaconesses was established in St. Andrew's Parish, Baltimore, of the Protestant Episcopal Church. in 1855. A canon was adopted by the General Convention in 1889, regulating the order and providing that members should have ade quate preparation, both technical and religious. which slniuld extend over a period of two years. Training schools meeting this requirement are now maintained in New York and Philadelphia. The General Conference of the Epis copal Church in 1888 made provision for the establishment of the order of deaconesses. There are now ninny homes belonging to that Church in the United States, the value of which in 1595 amounted to more than $500,000. The Lutheran Church also has several homes, the first having been organized in New fork in 1852. The Pres byterian General Assembly in 1891 sanctioned the order. Consult: Potter, Sisterhoods and Deaconesses (New York, 1873) ; Robinson, The Ministry of Deaconesses (London, 1898) ; The Church Quarterly Rericir, No. 94 (London, 1899), pp. 302 sqq. See StsTErtnoops.