Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-31
GNurtcster 9alIg Spy.
rFrom the Ohio State Journal.l


GRACE GREENWOOD AT THE ONO PEN1.
TENrIARY.-Grace Greenwood through inyi-
tatlon OF the Chaplain, read her lecture on the
Heroic IN Common Life, to the prisoners in
the penitentiary last Sabbath. She preuded
the lecture with the following remarks
u have been requested by your Chaplain
to read to you this morning. lecture on the
Heroic III Common Life-which have been
reading tor two months past, in various cities
OF the North and East | willingly consent
to do this, tor the reason that | have always
feit deep, peculiar sympathy for that class of
men and women to which you for the present
belong. More than once in the Old Word, l
nave turned from the palace to the prison, as
possessing, for me, the most human interest.
may say here, that no foreign penitentiary
which | visited, struck me as being conducted
as justly and humanely as the one i'll which
we are to-day. But it is sad and dreary life
at the best That cannot be denied. Liberty
was ordained Of God for every human crea-
1ure. And yet venture to say that this life
~ShordS as grand opportunities for true heroism
as any earthly condition--however lofty or
= fortunate. For such of you as have under
the pressure OF great temptation, or the fierce
impulse OF misguided passions, been guilty of
crimes against God and your fellow men
there is the heroism of bravely, yet meeklv
submitting to the hard penalty of your fault,
as wholesome discipline for your good. For
such OF you as may be innocent-the victims
OF false testimony, conspiracy, or strongly
terminating circumStances,-for you to bear
your unmerited misfortune manfuly and pa-
tlently, in no murmuring or revengeful spir.
it, is more than he,oc-it is living martyr.
dom.
1t may be that i'm the distant years of eterni-
ty, some of you will look back to this dreary
building as the place in which you took your
first steps toward Christian manhood and wo-
manhood-toward Heaven. You can have
great help, if you will acceptit. Prison walls,
bars, and bolts, cannot shut out from your
souls the sweet and sacred memories of home
and happy old tmes-of the faces of your
mothers-sorrowtul and worn, yet full of love
and forglveness-of the piteous gray hairs and
bowed heads of your fathers-of the faces of
brothers and sisters-wives and husbands
and the dear little faces of your children All
these memories and loves plead with you, to
lead true and noble lives, henceforth. Nor is
this all. Gods love follows you within these
gloomy Whatsoever as His beautiful sunshine
finds its way through these grated windows,
this morning, and falls upon your heads like an
visible blessing. And even when you are
shut into your narrow cells at night you are
not alone. Gods plying angels stand at your
bedside, and watch over you-poor stray chill
dren of the Father-with yearning tenderness.
bringing you sometimes dream of home and
your dear ones-Sometimes hope of pardon
and heaven. Oh, take heart A pure and
honorable life is possible for you all-God has
not lost his hold Of you yet.
l consider it a privilege to read to you. I
shall be very happy if find myself able to in
terest you in my subject"
During the introductory remarks, and also
throughout the lecture, the utmost attention
was paid, and the lecturer should receive
praise for her eschewal of reproach, and up
braidings with which most "moraI Instructors
treat the unfortunate men and women whom
they attempt to benefit. The touching por-
tons of the lecture showed that the convict's
heart is not sealed fountain.