The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-11-14

right. His awards will not be determined
by outward professions nor by the meta
physical technicalltieS of our creedS, but by
the realities of life and character, the accu-
mulated deserts of the soul. The great
apostle however it may be with many who
profess to speak in his name. deals in no
hollow articles, holds out to selfish and
SlOthful persons no fatterng Overtures of
compromise. He does not say, perform
this ecclesiastical ceremony, or believe that
theological dogma, and you shall be saved!
He atfirms untlinching. in its length and
breadth. the solid and wholesome truth. God
will render to every man according to his
deeds
1T is the fashionable teaching in many
quarters that the best preparation one can
make for death and judgment is to dress up
in vicariOuS robe. to cOnstrain the mind
into the belief of certain theological DropO-
SitiOnS. to repeat with submissive lips GER
tain ecclesiastical fOrmulares. The preva-
lent opinion would find expression thus:
God will render to every man according to
his form of religious belief. or according to
the mood and spirit in which he happens to
be when he dies! But the apostle in the
text; the New Testament, in its general
scope; the great dictates Of reason and con-
science in their unperverted conclusions,
pronounce no such thing. They all declare.
in uneQuivOcal accents. God will render to
every man according to his deeds"
| No one will claim that good may not re-
suit from proper system of education. l
would have religious and moral instruction,
but above all would have education. and |
would judge of the manhood OF the prisoner
BY truer standard than professions of any
kind. On the question of manhood l refer
you to the article by Alexis in Vol. ii. No.
| q &c
haviOr." Of professions of faith | would
| beware" for more than one half of the
inmates of this prison are protesting chris
tianS. We have a standard in this world
for judging man. but God alone knows
christian. How then, can you expect men
| to reward you? have read stories OF a
| good many christian lives. and very seldom
did l find the true christian looking for his
reward in this world Don't think that |
am writing this while in sarcastic humOr
or that | intend to cast the faintest slur at
religion. l believe in religion but not loud
professions or OStenlatiOuS display; of much
church going; of the making of long prayers
with name signed to them, as l have seen
at times in certain papers; or of eXtempOre
sermons upon every occasion: but religion
that we recognize is there, without either
4 cOncealment or demonstration of the fact.
| quote from the writer in the last issue
of The MIRROR: And if on the other
hand. the seeds of christianity are sOwn in
willing soil and spring up only to be
chOked by the weeds of soothing. profanity,
ridicule; these coupled with his humiliat-
ing condition, and the fact that his pro-
testatiOns are universally looked upon with
dstrust. these. [ say, are enough to shake
the strongest hearts," etc. My view of this
is. that where the seeds of christianity are
|
and ridicule will have the power of bringing
forth no other feeling than that of pity. and
| cannot see why there need be any profess
tariOns, to invite universal dstrust.
Is there a claim made that the men
in this prison or in any other, need religious
instructions to show them the path of duty?
Surely every intelligent man knows the
right from the wrong and of what use
would religious in ;truction be to an imbe-
cile? When you try to implant religion in
the heart OF the criminal before you have
made a man of him. it is like starting to build
house from the roof down. Let us have
instruction if you will, but not with view
of placing premium on religious profess
siOns.
If l was advising the warden of this or
any other prison. l would say, Let Ito
man reap an advantage by protesting
piety." If | was advising the chaplain, l
would say, place no more confidence in
man on account of his professions of faith
If l was advising the governor of the
state, 1 would say, Pardon no man
on account of his professions of
change of heart. neither let it influence
you in any way for you have no means of
telling whether he is hypOcrite or chris
tian, and the burden of probability is in
favor of the former To every man
would say. Let the tests of manhood be
such that premium is not placed on n.y.
pOcrisy." PHOENIX.
General Brinkerhoff, addressing great
/ audionco N Qlai0 on Prison, Sunda1 ri