This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
180
MARIA FELICIA

work elsewhere, and childless families had not to hire hosts of servants. Childless widows, widowers and persons who for their love of God remained single, took care of orphans and hospitals. The most enlightened and noble members were selected as Brother-assistants. Their duty was to travel once in every three months from one settlement to another, to investigate and discover if their assistance or their counsel was needed, either in material or spiritual things. If at any time a member of the Union wished to take along journey, he had to announce it to some older member, that he might be warned of danger possibly threatening his body or soul and that his absence might be accounted for; the safety of all the members was thus provided for, and an end was put to loafing.

“Among the Brethren were many skillful painters, composers and writers, against whom even their enemies had nothing to say except that their works were too elaborately composed, as if works dealing with the loftiest subjects deserved less care than those in