The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-15
CHEERING THE CONvICIs.

SUNDAY ADDRESSES BY MRS. MARY A. LIVER
MORE AND GOV. HENDRICKS, IN THE
CHAPEL OF THE JEFFERsoNvILLE PRISON,
The Louisville Courier Journal, of Sun
day, says that the services at the Jeffer-
sonville prison yesterday were of an uDsu-
ally interesting and impressive character.
Mrs. Mary A. Livermore addressed the
convicts, over five hundred N number,
while her remarks were supplemented by
few words from Governor Hendricks,
who spent the day in Jacksonville on his
way home from the South. The chaplain,
Dr. Gsy, went through the Episcopal
liturgicsl service, the men joining heartily
In the response and the singing.
Mrs. Livermore was introduced, and,
coming forward in her dignified, womauly
way, touched every heart in the large hail
by her simple "My dear brothers," and it
was easy TO see that she had touched
chord that vibrated in every bosom. She
spoke of life as a battle field; to fight on
the side of right is to fight on the side of
victory to fight ON the side of wrong is to
suffer inglorious defeat; every human be-
ing Is compelled to enter the contest
whether he will or not; with God loving
us-with our dear one, either here or gone
before,
WATCHING THE RESULT OF THE CONTEST,
how dare we falter in our allegiance to
the truth? How dare we, with sainted
mother, or tender wife, or an innocent
child never losing sight of us, how dare
we side with the wrong? A temptation
sssails u'; we resist 1t; it assails us again;
we resist il again; its visitations are re-
newed and at last we fall. Do you ask
why God permits all this il He loves us?
He gives us the power to resist this temp
tation, and even after the lowest fall He
helps us to turn our back pom the past
and to accomplish our own reformation;
the whole future is before us in which to
realize our besi possibilities. BY this time
there was not a dry eve in the house;
tears streamed down the mems faces, some
were convulsed with grief. She closed her
sermon with regret that there is no or
ganiZation here similar to the one in Mas
sachusetts, which provides employment
for convicts Immediately after release, and
thus decreases the tendency to q recur-
renee of guilt. The state had done nobly
In providing a separate prison and reform
atory for women, she said, a reformatory
which assumed the responsibility of it's in
mates, even after their discharge. She
wished as much could be done for men.
Her few closing words were
ToUCHINGLY IMPRESSIVE,
and when she resumed her seat, and the
chaplain asked for some silent testimony
OF approval from the men, every hand was
held up. A look OF surprise passed over
the audience as the chaplain introduced
Governor Hendricks, of Indiana. He
feared to mar the effect OF Mrs. Liver
more's eloquent address by lengthy
speech, but he hoped the words she had
uttered would inspire them with a new
purpose in the remembrance that such a
woman was their friend. He spoke of the
majesty Of the law, that could not
be defied with impunity, and concluded
by saying that penal legislation had only In
view the reformation of the criminal. A
irdly spirit pervaded ali he said, and
round OF applause from the men greeted
his closing words. At the conclusion of
Gov. Hendricks's address the convicts