New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-12-10
LAMENT OF THE PRISONER.
BY OLIVER JOHNSON,


THE Convict immured in the prisons cold cell.
Away from the friends who have loved HIM we'll.
In silence sits musing scenes OF the past
His heart full Of g1iet his tears falling fast
How piercing his groansl how plaintiye his means
3" m only u Prisoner, whom nobody owns
o sad was the hour when he turned from the way,
And yielded his heart to the Tempter prey
The waves of despair, how wildly they roll
AS the darkness of night settles down ON his soul
How piercing his sroans how plantive his means
" | m only Prisoner. whom nobody owns
o SIN is n bitter and poisonous thing
1t pierceth the soul with its dart and its sting
And noueht but Repentance can wipe out the stain,
And the Convict restore to Gods favor again:
How piercing his groans how paintive his means
e m only Prisoner whom nobody owns
"
But bark to the truth which the Gospel procaims
To him that is bound in SINS CALLING chains
" Thou need st not despair for Saviour hath died.
And bids thee repentant, come stand at his side
He heareth thy groans H pities thy means
The Prisoner is one whom his Maker yet o,vns
y come at the call heed the message OF love
Which tue Spirit OF God brings down from above
turn from thy sins, cast thy ioes away
And open thy heart to the Gospels bright ray
God heareth thy groans He pities thy means
The Prisoner is one whom his Maker yet owns
Treat kindly the Prisoner We followers OF HIM
Whose hot, from
@ visit in mercy his dresry abode, SIZE
And point out before him The heavenly road
list 10 his groans--his pitiul means
The Prisoner is one whom his Max er yet owns,
The exercises III the Male Prison closed with the
glorious Millennium To appreciate the effect OF such
visit must be here and listen the expressions Of
gratitude and catch something the heartfelt pleasure
which the presence and singing of these uns:rels in
spire in our unhappy community
In the Female Prison the exercises were varsd By
the singing OF sacred pieces and the very appro-
pirate and beautiful song Ne7er give Up.
Our little community ght the electric spark these
lines and the chorus has since been frequently quoted by
those who have long felt The need OF something kin
die and encourage hope in the evening our prisoners
had o:heir LITTLE social meetings in the Hail. and then
the singers among them informally and sang some
feature OF the whole visit They sang their warm heart
stirring pieces sni seemed ii they addressed
directly 10 the Convcts and were so felt by them.
Only those VINO know the prisoners heart can
understand the eject Of such vsit-the hopeiuness
the courage the effort seredempton that wi! grow
ont OF i, The touching memories that swskened
by it l;ncer in the soul ike CLEAN is early sunsh,
snd many aspiration be again pure and good
aud hsppy starts mic being under the sweet concord
thst lows from the hearts well the lips this lisp
py ana excellent Family
May their shadows never be less
Yours z w FARNHAM
One of the prisoners doubtless expressed the
feeling of all when he said II We had been
devils and Abby had come alone among US. she
would have made US wish 70 become angels =
The power OF music reforming influence Is bat
little understood Experience viii yet show that it
IS lar more potent for good than most Of the agen-
cies that have hitherto been relied upon for the ell
ovation OF the fallen and the degraded
HAMILTON CoLLEGE-The Annual Catalogue OF