The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-02-29


always evident. Much experience of the cunning
devices of the hardened criminal, and the hearing
of many of his specious stories, have made Mr..
Wheatley preternaturally acute in detecting the
insncere, who soon lind out that a tale is not
swallowed at Brookestreet because it hangs to-
gether fairly well and is glbly told. But our
friend never forgets to mngle mercy even while
he unmasks the hypocrite; and to the truly pen
itent his heart, tender as any woman's, goes out
in unfailing sympathy and unwearied effort.
This Mission is indeed one of the most remark.
able illustrations of the power of grace. as con-
trasted with that of law. in turning the sinner
from the evil of his ways. 1t was the writer's priv
ilege one morning last week to stand in front of
the frowning gates of the prison at Wandsworth
as the clock chimed hafpast eight, the hour of
daily release to those who have paid the penalty
of their crimes. y Some thirty were set free on
that morning. and we were more than surprised to
find twenty-seven make for the little Msson-hall
near the gates. From their demeanor we had not
expected more than half dozen to breakfast
In former days Mr.. Wheatley used to stand out
side the portals, and give away the invitation
tickets as the prisoners appeared. Now, however,
the authorities are so convinced of the value of
this work that they permit the tickets be hand
ed to the prisoners inside. On both sides of the
gate. indeed the police seem heartily to befrend
the workers. 1t is only bread and butter and col
fee that are provided but on this OCCASION at any
rate the company set to work with an evident ap-
petite, sharpened probably by prison fare. AS they
ate and drank. Mr.. Wheatley read from Psalm
H., and spoke to them in conversational tone
with wonderful wisdom and skill. He seemed to
know exactly what stops to touch in order to find
the key to their hearts. He awOke dormant recol-
lections of early training and said some plain
things about the shame and disgrace they were
causing their relatives. = 4 We could not but
feel that that ten minutes brothery talk had done
far more to set these poor fellows on the right
track than ten years of penal servtude could have
done. Mr.. Wheatley was very faithful in his ad-
vice about drink, and out of the twenty-seven the
odd seven willingly signed the pledge. 1t was
with much satisfaction we learned that the Gus
tom of the County Arms" hard by the prison
gates, has gone down considerably since the Mis-
sion began its operations at Wapdswerth.
AS we have already said the mornings work at
the prison gates is but small part of Mr.. Wheat
ley's daily round. From noon, EDWARDS, he is
busy at the office in Brookestreet, Holborn. at
tending to the large and varied correspondence;
seeing those who call with view to start out
afresh in life laying tracks for getting them en-
ployment, and keeping touch with the thousand
and one intricate details of such widely ramiied
work. He is fortunate in having been able to
gain the ear OF many employers of labor, and it
is really astonishing what success attends his eff
forts to launch his proteges once more on a life
of honest industry. either at home abroad.
We have alluded to Mr.. Wheatley's relations
with the powers that be. At Scotland Yard,
may say. and down through all the ranks of the
responsible officials, his aid is eagerly welcomed
a go-between in furthering the future welfare
of these discharged prisoners. Long service men
from Portland, Dartmouth, and elsewhere have
their money. earned by work and good behavior,
paid to them through the st. Giles Mission. The
city and other magistrates constantly avail them
selves of Mr.. Wheatley's advice as to the fate of
those brought before them for judgment, partlcu-
larly in the case of boys charged with first Of
fence Many time and oft, through this inter-
ventiOn. the blessed prerogative of mercy is eXer
cised, and those who have yielded to temptation
in some evil moment are helped back to better
ways without the fatal stigma that sticks to
"gao1 Bird The services thus rendered by the
Mission and by Mr.. Wheatley its factotum,
cannot be adequately described here but they are
enough to entitle him to place among the real
benefactors of the nation. He now and then has the
genuine satisfaction of lending a hand toward the
release of one who has been unjustly convicted,
and bringing the real criminal to book.
We have only been able to give readers
passing glimpse of the good work that is done by
the ST. Giles Christian Mission, not only on behalf
of prisoners themselves, but of the general public.
We have said enough. however feel certain.
to establish our proposition that Mr.. Wheatley
by picking these fallen men and lads out of the
gutter OF vice and crime and implanting in them
new hopes and aspirations-thu thinning the
ranks of the dangerous classes, and adding many