New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-12-30
THE MISSIONARY OF PRISONS.

Still prayers are strong and God good;
Man Is not made Tor endless Ill
Dear spre! my souls tormented mood
Has yet a hop. thou canst not KILL STERLING.
HAVE recently had an interview with Dorothea
L. Dix, the American Mrs. Fry, the God-ap-
pointed missionary to our prisons and alms-ho
This short interview has SO refreshed my soul,
that am moved 10 impart some of its influence
to you, and your readers. Perhaps you need
such encouragements less than do. For myself,
must confess that, even while speak words of
hope and progress to others, my own spirit is, at
times, almost crushed under the mass of misery
and wrong forced upon my observation. When
IN these responding moods, often think of Car
hnl, the comedian, whose inexhaustlble stock of
fun enabled all classes of people to forget their
sorrows and anxetics under its merry influence
While his popularity was at its hight, a stranger
applied to physician in the city resounding with
echoes OF Carllni's mrth, to know what could be
done to cure the intense depression of his spirit
$50 and hear Carlini,' replied the doctor; he
will chase away your gloom i'll spite of yourself"
Alas !" rejolned the patient, !" am Carlini."
Is It not so sometimes with all prophets of the
Future, who dwell! amid the social malaria of
clhes' Is not the bravest spirit sometimes COM
PEELED to cry out in agony, Con this irghtful dis
order ever be brought into harmony? Yet even
from the dismal depths of such states, l ,cill
utter the prophecy of faith and hope; for Di-
VINE voice speaks through the clouds, assuring
me that my despairng feelings are wrong, and
my cheerful utterance is right.
Yetthankiul am for every visible proof that faith
Ia the power of Love is slowly gaming ascendancy
over habitual reliance on the law OF Force. Miss
D1s experience is full of~this blessed encourage.
ment Those who know her. as l have done, are
aware that her life has been one continued exer.
hon and self-sacrlfice for the good of Others To
those who DO not know her, she would, in unaf
fected humility, shrink from having it told.
1t Is little more than two years since her attcn
ton was arrested by the condition of prisoners
particularly of those who were insane Years Of
unremittng industry as teacher, and legacy
from deceased relative, had given her compe
tence sufficient for her simple mode of life Sh,
might have rested after her long. continued toll
and carried with her, into honoycd retirement, TIT
consciousness of innume.abe acts of kindness
bestowed and duties faithfully performed. Blu
| felt" saws she, "that had no right to live 70
myself alone; that there was much work to
done in the world, and there must be somethin
for me to do While eagerly asked OF mysel
What is nv appointed mission was led INT
the prlson. houses of the land, and soon saw tina
my work was there"
And bravely is she performing her heavenl
mission! Travelling alone IN cold ana storm
expendng her income, her energies, and he
health; witnessing scenes of degradation an
filth, exceedingly revolving to the fastidlous del
cacy of her character and continually brough
into contact with mental and physical suffering
agonizing to her compassionate heart.
Through her benevolent influence on select
men, county commissioners, and State Legislators