Springfield Globe Republic

A NEW MONASTIC ORDER.
Commodore Stockton's Grandson the
Founder of the Episcopal Monks.

In Thirteenth street, a few blocks
east of Third avenue, at the end of a
long row of similarly-built houses,
stands a plain, three-story brown-stone
building. A silver plate, larger than
ordinary, with the inscription, "Holy
Cross: Clergy House," beneath a small
black cross, gives the only clew to the
use to which it is put.

The founder of the order is a young
graduate of the late Commodore Stockton.
Until 15 years of age he had lived
almost entirely in the open air on New
Jersey hills and in Virginia. He loved
to hunt and fish, was a crack shot, and
an excellent horseback rider. He was
an athlete as well, and was fond of all
manly sports. When about 18 years
old he lost his father, an Episcopal
clergyman. Very soon after this his
mother also died. Then his fiancee.
Thrown upon his own resources, he
worked his way through college by
teaching. He had more than physical
ability, and was a student as well as an
athlete. His education was finished in
Europe. In knowledge of Latin and
Greek he was well equipped; he was a
good Hebrew scholar, a mathematician,
and a machinist. Having been long
troubled with asthma, he went to Europe,
and while there conceived the idea
of founding a religious order, which
should do among men much the same
sort of work as is done by sisters in the
church among women. It should consist
of men who would give up the
world and sacrifice their lives in doing
good. A son of Bishop Huntington
heard of this idea and offered his services
in carrying it out. Four years
ago these two young men, neither more
than 27 years of age, met in New York
and began their monastic life.

Their labors and devotion have continued
during this period. At present
the number which has entered the
order is four. The Father is the young
Princeton graduate who was its founder
- the Rev. Robert S. Dod. Of late
his old attacks of illness have returned,
and last summer he went to Texas,
where he has since been on a ranch.
Young Mr. Huntington recently took
upon himself the vows of the order,
and was received by Assistant Bishop
Potter. There have been two other
members of the order, one of whom resigned
a year ago and is now in the
Episcopalian ministry.

In order to belong to the Holy Cross
a promise is required to surrender forever
all that one possesses of worldly
property, to refrain from marriage, to
follow the example of the Lord in
thought, and word, and deed, and to
give perfect obedience to the rules of
the order and the commands of its superiors.
In following out their obligations,
the members live with exceeding
plainness. No carpets are on the
floors, only the plainest furniture in
the rooms, and only the simplest food
lies on the table. The order expects
some time to have a building of its own,
in which its ideas can be more perfectly
carried out.

The daily life of these men is occupied
in prayer and missionary work on
the east side of the city. It is their
custom not to turn aside from the
straight path to and from their labor.
They shun society and never attend
public meetings. Their work is practical.
Besides teaching in the city mission
schools, they last summer founded
a school in the country where boys
might be taught trades, and they have
now in mind a home for inebriates.
When tramps visit this house for assistance
they are sent to the cellar,
where they earn a meal or lodging
with saw and saw-buck. - N. Y. Commercial
Advertiser.