The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-11-21

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largest ever known. Let us bear in mind
the warning words of Hodge:
Those therefore who seek to eXalt men
by mere cultivation OF the intellect are
striving to make SatanS of them.'"
L admit that ignorance is the source of
crime. but to much smaller extent than is
generally considered. Many criminals may
be ignorant. but it does not follow that the
ignorance was the source of the crime To
Illustrate; take the rural districts of almost
any of the Kingdoms of Europe, and crime
is almost unknown, yet the inhabitants are
WOefully ignorant You transplant these
ignorant men to populOus city and then
their ignorance forms an easy road to crime.
But it is only an accessory and not the di-
rect cause. Statistics uniformly show that
with the increase of educational facilities,
crime also increases. and you will have to
find another panacea for lost manhood
than simple education. Many within these
walls are we'll educated and there are not
few college graduates among our number.
What kind OF an education would enable
these men to regain their lost manhood?
Perhaps the writer referred to industrial
education or manual inStructiOn-yet this
can hardly be. for in an article sometime
ago, he said: Permit me to say that the
man who is intelligent enough to learn a
trade cali always earn an honest living if
so inclined. trade or no trade" This was
in answer TO all article in favor of teaching
all here useful trade. So it follows that
he is not favOrably inclined to industrial
education and he must, therefore, refer to
literary education as the means of prepar
ing the many who ''can" earn an honest
fn An |
to have a clearer exposition of PheniX's
theories upon education, and his mOdus
Operandi for regaining lost manhood.
''ShOuld means be devised for allowing
prisoners to reap an advantage from relig-
ious prOfessiOns?" | said naught that would
intimate this. The fact is, that l did not
eXhOrt any one to make profession of re-
ligiOn. The point that l endeavOred to
make was the great influence for good that
additional opportunities for religious in
structiOn and education would have. did
not wish to enter into theological discus
sion. but as Phoenix has had resource to St.
Paul for authOrity-''GOd will render to
every man according to his deeds'-I will
see what he says in support of my position.
Faith cOmeth by hearing. and hearing
by the void of God.' Is not this direct
injunction to study the Bible? "GOd will
render to every man according to his Deeds"
but Jesus himself sald For the Father
judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment to the Son." And again: HE
that believeth upon me hath everlasting
life." This is all: and if we accept the
Bible at all, we must accept this simple
doctrine. There is no need OF ''ecclesiaSti-
cal ceremonies" or chronological dOgmas."
or ''vicariOus robes" If we believe our
former transgressions will be "blOtted out"
God will render to every man according
to his Deeds" but He places the remedy in
our own hands. St. Paul also says: Every
one of us shall give an account of himself
to GOd,"-''Of himself" not of any hypo-
critics that his discerning eye may have dis
covered; and he gives this advice which is
peculiarly applicable here: LET us not
therefore judge one another more; but
judge this rather, that no man put stnm
bling block, or an occasion to fall in his
brothers way" AS regards "sOwing the
seed in willing SOIL" think that Phoenix
draws little too previous conclusion.
The sowing of the seed. even in fertile
soil is only portion of the many details
necessary to harvest the ripened grain. To
90 to the source of the analogy, is not seed
often sown in fertile soil, that springs
into life only to be chOked by weeds, with
cred by lack of rain or burning sun, or
killed by frost? We cannot all have the
faith of St. Paul, and it is not to be Won
dered that there are some of our number,
who have honestly started on the right
road, but overcome by ''scOffing, profanity,
rdicule. distrust, humiliation" they have
succumbed to temptation and lost their
hold upon Christianity. In regard to the
loud protestations that Phoenix speaks of,
do not approve of them, of standing in