Convents and Institutional Work in the Roman Church
By Chas. T. Everson
WHILE much corruption and sin exist in the convent and monastery, yet in the Church of Rome they occupy an invaluable place; for the mystery of iniquity can easily use means that would not be legitimate in the work of the mystery of godliness. The convents and monasteries are indispensable to the progress, and we might say the very existence, of the Church of Rome. Catholicism depends very little upon preaching as a means of propaganda. Protestantism preaches and instructs the people, and thereby endeavors to build them up in the principles of righteousness. But the Church of Rome preaches very little, as her power is found to flourish best among those who are little informed, but who have a blind, bigoted faith. The Catholic Church therefore does not depend much upon preaching to hold its prestige and enlarge its borders, but puts its reliance largely upon institutional work. It maintains large hospitals, orphanages, schools, colleges, and institutions of various kinds. These institutions are generally under the control of some convent or monastery. In the hospitals maintained by the church, or in which they have a leading voice, the interests of the church are served in a remarkable way. The hooded nun has long been associated in the public mind with the care of the sick. In the hospitals under Catholic control the monks and nuns are the nurses, and even in the government hospitals of Italy the nuns still serve as nurses, and hold almost a monopoly of this branch of the medical science. The influence that the Church of Rome wields in this branch of its work can not be overestimated. The Catholic nurses work upon the hearts of the sick and suffering with kindness and insinuations, so that those indifferent to the church become attached to it by new ties. The Protestant coming under their care is kindly treated, and every effort is made to induce him to embrace the Catholic religion. But if they find that he remains stubborn in his “heresy,” they try a new tactic upon him, and threaten and abuse him. Every means is used under these favorable conditions to gain converts to the Church of Rome. Not long ago a young priest who had recently left the Church of Rome fell sick, and as there is no Protestant hospital at Rome, he was brought to a Catholic one. He was so hampered and dogged by the priests and nuns that he18finally yielded to taking the Catholic communion before he died. After his death a friend of mine who went to see this priest was told that they had taken care of him, and would bury him in their cemetery as he had returned to the church before dying. Such incidents as this ought to show us the necessity of having some place here at Rome where those who are struggling after the light and truth might go when sickness overtakes them, and where the impressions of the truth might be deepened instead of destroyed. The reason that the nuns are retained as nurses is not because they necessarily make the best workers in this capacity, but because they have a monopoly of the place. The people would gladly accept other help of this kind; but who will provide it? Here is an opening waiting for the consecrated nurses of the third angel’s message to step in; and they are really the ones to fill it. I hope that something may be done in this direction before long. The church depends upon its convents to furnish the needed help to carry on its hospitals. Also the monastic life enters into the work of the orphanages. The nuns by means of orphanages gain hundreds and thousands of members for Catholicism every year. The principles of Catholicism are instilled with persistence into the tender young minds of those who are wholly dependent upon institutions. As a consequence the orphans, when grown to manhood and womanhood, go forth from these institutions bigoted Catholics, and it takes miracles to gain them from the bosom of the church. These, in turn, found families, and to the minds of their children they impart the same superstitious teachings and prejudices which they have received while in the orphanage. Thus the influence of the convent is felt for generations. These monastic orders hold other institutions also under their sway, such as old people’s homes, and institutions for the blind, cripples, etc. If one of the inmates of these homes were disposed to embrace any other religion than the Catholic, he would find himself immediately at a great disadvantage. In Turin we have a member of our church who is in an old people’s home that is a government institution, but under clerical influence. One can hardly imagine the struggle this brother has had in order to remain faithful to the principles of the truth. Likewise in the institutions for the infirm these religious orders dominate and rule the inmates, soul and body. You will doubtless ask what advantage the church gains from these institutions for the blind, the infirm, etc. They serve a double purpose in the economy of Catholicism. In the first place, for these institutions they can get large endowments and gather many alms, and thus greatly enrich the church; and in the second place, they serve to keep the people faithful to the church, as it will provide them with a place of refuge in old age or in case of some infirmity of any other nature. In countries where the people live from hand to mouth with little prospect of laying by any money, the helplessness of old age and sickness is ever a giant specter before them. The church has institutions where they can be cared for in old age, and consequently they must try to hold the friendship of the church.