Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-05-20

Yes injail, and locked in, at that. But
did not stay long, only long enough TO hold a
brief religious service with two or three friends
who had gone in with me, and with few pris
oners.-s After the religious service conclu-
ded, some papers and tracts were given them to
read The papers were daily newspapers. The
tracts were of religious character.
But the thing thatmost interested me was the
fact that there We're among the prisoners two
boys about fifteen years old. Itwasnot the Jail
of Sandusky county that they were in, but of a
neighboring. county. Still | could not help
thinking that perhaps boys sometimes to
be found in every Jail.
Those boys were very different in their APP
pearance and behaviour, although both were in
jail But how sad it was to see two boys so
young imprisoned, and that for stealing! The
younger of the two had evidently taken pains
to arrange his clothing as well as he could. He
looked neat, and had an air of responsibility
about him. But he had been in Jail before, and
was known as quite rogue. He sat down on
bench with the other prisoners and kept quiz
ct and gave strict attention to every word that
dened. Instead of sitting with the rest he sat
on the topmost step of step ladder where he
could look out of the window. He amused him
| self with chewing tobacco and splitting saliva
upon the floor. He only came down when the
papers and tracts were to be distributed for he
evidently wanted something to read. Both boys
said they could read. Just before going out l
put my face down between the two boystO speak
| a few words to them without being overheard.
| As did so | was met by strong odor of to-
bacco-smoke from their breath and clothes |
was not surprised. But thought it in keeping
boys in Jail.
| / talked with them few moments about liv-
| ing so as not to get back there again. They
said they wanted to get out, and meant not to
be found there in future. But what safeguard
could they find to keep them in the ways of vir
tue? L could not do less than direct them to the
Bible and its instructions just what they need
ed And as | came away could not held think
! ing about this point. Ii is practicable to teach
even children to love and obey the principles of
the Bible And the boy who will simply take
the New Testament and read it and obey it ac-
cording to the best of his ability, will never do
anything for which he will deserve to go to Jail.
And here is sufficient argument in justification
of all efforts to instruct children in religious
truth. Nothing better can be done for the null
titudes of destitute and ignorant children than
to teach them the principles of virtue and reli-
gion. They can very early understand them,
| and learn to practise them.
1t is very true that the way of virtue is hard
| for child when he is poorly clad and hungry
Hence the physical wants of the poor and ig-
norant should be relieved as far as possible
They need both physical and moral assistance
/ Thus proper degree of consideration will lead
us to see that nothing is more important than
the care of children who are poor and destitute
and therefore exposed to temptation All those
whose circumstances are comfortable. and who
are not exposed to the trials and temptations of
poverty and ignorance, ought to be helpers in
| the work of giving aid and instruction to such
/ as need them. 1t is work ofgood to the poor
a work of great value to the community in gen.
| eral, work which tends to increase the value
of property, and to make life pleasant. 1t is a
work of great value to our political welfare, for
our free civil institutions can flourish and
strengthen themselves only when virtue and
intelligence are spread abroad among the people
n