The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-10
KHUD IvERsoN Summaries.
JACKsoNvILLE, Ill, Oct

JcKsoNvILLE, Ill, Oct. %, 1853.
To the Editor Of the National Era.
was much interested, this morning, in the
suggestions of DR.. Prince to our Sabbath school
children urging them To appropriate their con
tribution for a monument IN memory of knud
Iverson, toward the endowmeni OF II juvenile
reform school for our State, similar 70 those
which already exist in other States And the
question at once arose in my mind Why not
make this an occasion Of founding similar
schools, so much needed in every State in the
Uniona And Why shall not this consecrated
name become the watchword Of new hopes
and new destinies TO the juvenile offenders and
Of new era of higher and purer moral aim
and power to all the youth of our land
DR.. Prince has already labored, both 10 this
State and Missouri, in. behalf Of these juvenile
Institutes with commendable zeal and success
But ought there not TO be simultaneous
movement in all the States at once in this be-
halt, based upon the deep and thrilling inter
est which all our Sabbath school teachers and
children feel in the fate Of this noble but UNI
fortunate Tor perhaps should say most fortu-
mattel boy!
The State Of Illinois may well be proud Of
such q boy; and it may he proper for her,
therefore, in 80 noble cause, to take the lead
herself But shall not all the other States fol-
low
Suppose all our Sabbath schools should at
once address themselves 10 the work of found
ing in each State in the Union, in memory OF
tbesr martyr oomrade, KNUD lvrRsoN In
sf5rUTE, or JUyEsILE REFORM School on the
same principle as lies at the bottom Of those
already existing in some States With Such
aid and sympathy IA they would readily at
tract from benevolent individuals, and from
their parents and teachers, they would soon
accomplish the object; and they would there
by train themselves to most Christian and
praiseworthy work, and give n more effective
moral and Christian lesson to all the coming
generations Of our youth, than could he com
pressed into oil the books and sermons in the
world, apart from such practical Christian &C
ton. Once let the thing be started, aud the
Legislatures Of the States would grant all need
cd aid
Let, then, these monuments of that heroi.
martyr boy go rife all over the land, not in
piles of mute granite and marble or brass,
but in the more enduring structures of hearts
reformed and souls Observation-Disclosures
from the moral image of the heather murder
ers OF this noble boy, into the glorious image
OF his own heroic and devoted spirit.
| Pile these imposing structures high, even to
the clouds, not with stone laid upoa stone, but
with q whole army Of angelic forms, mighty
cloud of witnesses, in bright array ever ascend.
ing heavenward, though all coming ages Of
| time, still shouting as they rise, "Knud liver.
son, that martyr boy our heroic leader and
exemplar, has, under God, saved us also from
the darkness and the doom of our sin, and led
us TO the lamb of God that taketh away the
sin Of tho world"
This in my humble opinion, is the sort of
monument that the children of n Christian
people should erect to that bravest Of NIL
American boys. Snail it go up! Children,
youth, fathers mothers, what say you Shall
it 20 upl II 40, it shall do more for the true
honor Of Knud lverson than all the marble and
granite of the continent could, if put in one
plle and make the occasion Of Tie death Of
that one boy Of more value to the future wealth
and renown, AZ well as to the virtue and moral
power of this country, than all the gold of Cal
iforna, and all the murders that have been
psrpetrated or suffered on the battle field, from
tho days of Cain to our own. IL it be true, that
:" AS the twig il bent the trees incline" the
American people now have an opportunity Of
imprcssing upon their youth, in all coming
time such an effective lesson of true moral he
rosm and virtue, as has rarely if ever, been
accorded to any other people, in the whole
worlds history.
viii they improve it ! hope and trust they
may. Bur NOW is THE TIME-let all the friends
of our Sabbath schools and the youth of our
States see TO it, that it is not lost by delay.
Yours, truly, j. h. TURNER.