The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-20
THE REFORM
OF CRIMINALS.
Christmas Letters Sent TO Pris.
Oners in This City.
Received From the Prison Letter Mission in
England-A Brief Sketch of the Methods
in Vogue There.

A bulky package. done up In heavy brown
paper, was received in the Office of Chief
Crowley few days since, the result of the
following correspondence, which commenced
in August last:
SMETHCoTT REcToRY, LEEBorwooD. !
SHREWSBURY, ENGLASD, Aug 6, 1917
p. CrOUtey, Esq, chief Of Police, San Fran
cisco. cal, L. S. 1-DEAR SIR: am sending
line to ask II We may have tie pleasure OF send
ing you some letters. specially prepared for pris
oheTs, at Christmas. in connection with Mrs.
Meredith's Mission TO Prisoners. IL you do not
ob1-cI and think the prisoners would Ike them.
please kindly say how many you would like me
10 send aud in what languages. They are all IN
manuscript, contain simple gospel truths aud
earliest convenience, believe me, am, dear sir,
yours faithfully. MISS d. e; ELLERToN,
Secretary Prison Letter Mission.
(For Mrs. Meredl h.
The above was intrusted to Sergeant
Healy, who replied to 1t, and during the
month of November received the fol lowing:
SMETHCoTT RECToRY, LEEBoTwooD,
SHREWSBURY. ENGLAND. Nov. 4, 1891.
Dear Sir: In accordance with your kind-per,.
mission, l send you 700 christmas Letters"
specially prepared for The criminal classes, and
trust they may prove useful aud acceptable. If
you find they are not suitable to the class OF per
sons under your supervision, perhaps you will
kindly let me know. But II they are and another
year you would like larger number, | shall
have much pleasure in sending them 10 you.
Trusting 1t may please God to bless this little
effort 10 the benefit of those for whom 1t is in-
tended, am, dear sir yours faithfully,
MISS ID. q. ELLERTON,
Secretary Prison Letter Mission.
Cor Mrs. Incredibly
To p. Crowley, Esq, Chief Of the Police, San
Francisco.
YOUR CHRISTMAS LETTER.
When the package was opened the con-
tents were discovered to be large number
of envelopes with Your Christmas Letter"
printed on the outside. and each contsine d
a letter in manuscript Of which the follow
ing Is sample;
CHRISTMAS, 1891.
Dear Friend-I am writing to wish you A
Happy Christmas" audnot only TO wish it, but
tell you how you can have IL. Jesus Christ came
into the world TO secure happiness for all who
the angels announced, GOOD tidings OF great
JOY, Tor unto you is born Savior" A Savior
OF much sorrow, and Will forgive US all that Is
past aud help US 10 do better In future.
% one who can cure US 4 We are sick and COM
ne SAD: Come unto me all ye that labor and
are heavy laden and will give you rest.''
VIII Their we know 1t or not. we are all heavy
laden with sin. and can only get rid of ID by
coming 10 Christ What is coming? When
simple words and lie always answered them. So
coming to-day means Just telling Jesus every.
thing and believing he can and will help.
There is not person In the world. however
good ihelI life may be, who does not need
sinDed." But the Lord Jesus Christ, dying on
the cross, has taken the punishment on himself,
and the Bible says be Is ''Ihe same yesterday
aud to-day and foreyer.n That God will help YOU,
and that this may be to you "a happy Christ
mas" is the wish OF your sincere friend,
ALL.
Each letter is beautifully decorated in
the manner of Christmas remembrances
with flowers, either hand painted. natural
pressed, decalcouania or handsomely itho-
graphed, and every letter was written by
different person.
PRISoN-LETTER MIsSIoN
Inquiry developed the information that
this mynner of reformation of the criminal
classes Is widespread in England, and the
mission 10 a Systematically arranged Or
RaniZatlop, and to the forwarding or its
aims and purposes hundreds OF charitably
inclined women in Eng land labor arduously
The prison Letter Mission" is, however,
only one branch Of system of reform now
In vogue In Great Britain, and probably is