The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-11-07

seeks the instruction of minister. accepts
of the salvation offered and joins the church.
Does it end here? No, his pastor at once
surrounds him with all the safeguards Ob-
tainable, and above all, he is taught to seek
the way of life in the Masters own words.
The Bible class and the prayer meeting de-
mand his attention.. He is taught that the
true fundamental duties OF a christian are:
TO continue steadtastly in prayer" and to
Read the Word diligently" Now. good
people. if it requires all of these agencies:
the Sunday school. the prayer meeting, the
class meeting. and the church itself. to car
ry on its work. how can you expect christi
anity to accomplish ANYTHING in here, where
none of these influences exist? Where. il
one makes the slightest move in this direc-
the chaplain, he is branded as a hypOcrite.
Aye, even a former chaplain is credited
with the remark. Beware of the processing
religious cOnvictn' Is this a condition OF
things to expect any refOrmatOry measures
TO be successful? 1t Is said that a cOnvic,
rarely carries his christianity outside of the
walls. This may be true, but the accusers
can have no means of knowing how many
men leave here, after having served theil
terms quietly. silently, and who may have
listened eagerly to the word of God and
laid the foundation OF an upright christian
character right in the confines of the prison
cell. And if on the other hand. the seeds
of christianity are SOwn in a willing sol
and spring up only to be chOked by the
weeds of scOffng. profanity, ridcule: these
coupled with his humiliating condition, anG
the fact that his prOteStatiOnS are univer-
sally looked upon with diStruSt, these,
say, are enough to shake the strongest
hearts, and, debarred from every loving
guard that the church throws around hel
freeborn sons, can you wonder that the
alien one, soon loses his feeble grasp on the
hand OF the Infinite. and sinks but deeper
into degradation to drown the memory OF
what might have been? Who is to blame
for this? Look to it that on the great
Judgment Day when the books are opened
that you dO not hear the dread words pro.
nOunced, For | was an hungered. and ye
gave me no meat: l was thirsty. and ye
gave me no drink: | was a stranger. and
We took me not in: naked, and We clothed
me not: sick. and in prison, and We visited
me not"
If you can bring the christian influences
to bear in all their strength and purity.
right within these walls, if you can arouse
and stimulate hearty interest in the study
Of the Holy Writ, form classes for it's study.
and in connection. have lectures on moral
and the kindred sciences, permit and en-
courage a free discussion of these grave
questions; you would change the whole
moral atmosphere Of the prison. The fact
that intelligent study and appreciation of
the gospel met with approval, and that
scOtfing profanity was at a discount. might
be the means Of bringing a few hypocrites
to the surface. But Judge not. that We be
not Judged" And who will say that the
hypOcrite surrounded by christian influences
is not more likely to become reformed,
than he would be among dissolute and pro-
fame companions?
To those who assert thatschriStanity has
done nothing towards solving the question
Of prison reform. | will say: Give it Oppor-
tunity, raise the morale of the institution,
multiply the means of obtaining religious
instruction, place premium upon the no
bier traits of character and it will need no
prophet to fOretell the result.
In the last issue of THE MIRROR. a con-
tributOr very truthfully remarked that there
were very few who could separate an arti-
Gle from its author. Should there be any
worth in my feeble exposition of the grave
problem | have tried to elucidate. l will not
detracr from its force by adding the weight
of my individuality, but take refuge in the
terse adage, PRINCIPAL. NON HOMINES.