History of the Catholic Church in the United States . rwarded to theConvent at Antwerp their request for a branch of that ven-erable community, which dates back almost to St. Teresa her-self, having been founded by Mother Anne of the Ascension,only thirty-seven years after the death of the illustrious re-viver of the Carmelite order, the Bishop of Antwerp ad-dressed a letter to Bishop Carroll, and the newly appointedBishop of Baltimore readily gave his consent. Kev. CharlesNeale selected four nuns, one from the Mother-house at Ant-werp, Mother Clare F. Dickinson, and three from the con-vent at
History of the Catholic Church in the United States . rwarded to theConvent at Antwerp their request for a branch of that ven-erable community, which dates back almost to St. Teresa her-self, having been founded by Mother Anne of the Ascension,only thirty-seven years after the death of the illustrious re-viver of the Carmelite order, the Bishop of Antwerp ad-dressed a letter to Bishop Carroll, and the newly appointedBishop of Baltimore readily gave his consent. Kev. CharlesNeale selected four nuns, one from the Mother-house at Ant-werp, Mother Clare F. Dickinson, and three from the con-vent at Hogstraet, Reverend Mother Bernardina Mathews,Superior of that house, and her nieces Aloysia and EleonoraMathews. They left Europe April 9, 1790, and after a tem-pestuous voyage landed at Mr. Robert Brents, near Port To-bacco. Rev. Charles Neale had given the httle communitya farm belonging to him, but as it had not a building suitedto the wants of the nuns, they exchanged it for property be-longing to Mr. Baker Brooke, who had just erected a large. PORTRAIT OP MOTHER FRANCES DICKINSON. (384) CONVENT AT PORT TOBACCO. 385 house. Here the comiriniiity organized, taking possession onthe 15th of October. Father Charles Neale gave them also£1,370 coming to him from his parents. Mother BernardinaMathews was the first Superior, and directed this little com-munity of contemplative nuns till her happy death, June 12,1800. By their severe rule these Carmelite nuns are re- J/ /Jco/(c FACSIMILE OP THE SIGNATURE OF MOTHER FRANCES DICKINSON. quired to recite the Divine Ofiice in choir, and to fast eightmonths in the year; to abstain from flesh meat, except incase of sickness; to wear woolen clothes, and to sleep onstraw. Rigid as the rule is, delicate ladies who have enteredthe community have lived to an advanced age. The convent prospered for a time, supported mainly bythe produce of their farm ; devoted to the exercises of theirrule, guided in spiritual matters and aided in their tempora
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