The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-06-06

future, feelings of the bitterest sorrow fill my
soul. and am in every way an object for ones
deepest commiseration. But how many are there
in this wide and so-called christian world who will
extend pity, let alone mercy and forgiveness. to
the poor convict? He is the despised of humanity,
and is not deemed worthy of the slightest notice or
regard. Whatever charitable institution or char.
itably disposed persons may do for him upon his
release is done in way that tends to degrade in
stead of elevating him. in his well as in the
eyes of society.
Now, my friends, to what do you attribute
this? Are you believers in total depravity or are
you so busy in the accumulation of worldly goods
and fame that were you to stop by the wayside and
help the poor sufferers in the spirit of christianity
to which you make such bold pretentions that you
would either njure your own interests or lose the
esteem and kind regard Of your fellow-men? If
so. God help you and have mercy upon you, for
cannot. will endeavor to show you, in clear
and comprehensive way. the fallacy of your actions
and the mmensity of the injury worked by the
following out of such course. Would you be-
lieve me that by following out such a course you
are directly responsible for very large percent
age of the crimes committed3 Oh hear you
say. 'preposterous! In what way am responsible
for the depredations daily committed? Am to
be annoyed and fettered and compelled to contri.
butte towards the elevation of class who has
proven themselves to be the destroyers of all
morality and all that pure and holy? My friends.
you must not Judge the criminal by the newspaper
stories you may read.-The delight of many of our
metropolitan journals is to paint in the blackest
and vilest manner. and make the most simple
<ho odafi 10 in
this line Of news, especially. that they give full
scope to their sensational desires, and make 80
much of our daily literature unfit to be read by
the young members of our families cause our
daughters or our sisters to blush with shame. The
newspaper reader is educated in the belief that
facts are unimportant which fail to effect him
with some degree of excitement. His daily in.
ference is that he has before him miniature his.
tory of the world. while in reality he is being re-
galed upon a collection of heterogeneous Incl.
dents. selected as most likely to tickle the jaded
palates of a great public. These are the sources
from which you obtain your opinions. but to form
a correct opinion you must know the convict per.
sonally and associate with him. Then. and then
only, will you be able to form correct decision.
You will find he is a man created by God, the same
as yourself; that he has precisely the same pains
pleasures, hopes and aspirations, and is acute
to any sense of injustice yourself; that beneath
the striped garb. or matter how rough external
appearance, he has yet heart as capable and
susceptible of love as any man. s. The fact that
he may or may not have had the opportunity OF
building the foundation to grand and noble
character, and did not avail himself of the oppo r.
tunity, does not Justify your everlasting condem.
nation total Indifference to his welfare. He is
looked upon more in the light of brute than OF
| a human being. He is tossed and buffeted un-
mercifully upon the tempestuous sea of life and
the fact that he has already undergone punish.
ment for his offense seems to count nothing.
Just as long as you pursue such a course to.
wards your criminals, just long you close up
all avenues of obtaining honorable living Just
as long you fail to give him the proper recogni-
ton. encouragement and support, just SO long will
all the efforts that are being extended towards
his reformation be useless. But just reverse your
course and there will be happiness and rejoicing
on both Sides for you will always find that a hu.
man heart leaps kindly back to kindness. Where
all has been misery. sorrow and degradation will
become joy and happiness. Oh, what a glorious
thing it is to be happy OF course it is pleasant
everybody knows, but it is also good thing for it
warns our hearts, expands our minds, makes us
more gentle more tender, more fun of charity 10
men, more full of love to God. 1t is to human
nature what the blessed sunshine is to the earth.
"Why is it that SO little Of such influences should
be found in the worldl In this as in many things
else it is easier to ask than to answer In this as
in many things else faith speaks to us of the gra-
cious intentions of kind father, and sight shows