The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-10-06
WATER, MINNESOTA, OCTOBER 6, 1892.

smoking" and l am trying to find the
fire. There must be some fire, when
there is so much smoke.
The second answer is made on basis
of high mathematics. The writer said,
that in Adams time hundred per cent.
of mankind was bad, while at present
the proportion is one in a hundred mill
ion. Vainly tried to form "a rule"
of it. That kind of mathematic is too
high, and [ am afraid, it could never be
reached by a common rule. Besides /
do not think the proportion fair one.
Suppose the percentage of one bad man
in a hundred million would be true,
suppose also the population of the
whole globe is fifteen hundred millions,
the result would show only fifteen bad
men in this world. That this proper
ton was taken micrOscopically every
body will see who will take the trouble
to look through the statistical reports
in regard to the number of prisoners
confined in the city jails, county baStiles
and state penitentiaries. They are all
OvercrOwded. Besides, to have fair idea
how many bad men there are in the
world, we would have to consider the
multitude of sinners who are walking as
free men outside of the prison walls. |
admit that it would be very interesting
to find out the correct proportion. tried
it for awhile, but my efforts were fu-
tile, as it is impossible for me, in my
present situation, to secure all the sta
tiSticS necessary to solve the question.
But as long as it remains fact that all
the jallS and prisons are OvercrOWded
and that in the outside world are be-
sides so many bad men, we must con-
slider this as proof conclusive that the
world is not growing better | am in
clined to believe, that the world is get
| ting worse in spite of so many efforts
| to conceal the truth, in order to deceive
ourselves and neighbors. 1t is true,
however, that we should always pause
before we judge; at least we should
never judge by appearance. Appear
ances are often deceitful. Therefore
whenever | will see my opinion in re-
gard to this question disprOved and
shaken in it's foundation, l would be
the first one to rejoice over it, and
will come before our editor with the
Outcry of me0 catIp0. In the meantime
my opinion will have to remain un-
changed. l came to the unfortunate
conclusion that the world is not grow
ing better. The natural inference
would be to find the cause that yields
such an effect. The Frenchman would
say instantly, cherchez Ia femme, but
we are more serious about it. We
would like to reach at once the bottom
of the truth, and to hit the nail on the
head, provided of course it is not our
own fingernail.
Sometime ago l read somewhere, that
the Chinese merchant is not allowed to
continue in business unless every debt
he owes is paid on the New Year. AS
consequence the Chinese merchant is
considered very honorable in the world,
and bankruptcy is seldom heard of
there. The idea presents itself to my
mind, if it is not exactly the same with
spiritual bankruptcy. Every man who
knows that he must toll and suffer to
pay for his excesses, remains always
honest; every man who realizes that he
must pay here and hereafter for every
selfish and sinful act, will always reach
a high degree of morality. Please turn
the table now, and you will see that it
would be poor method of making a
ever debts he might incur or whatever
extravagances he indulged in, devoted
relative would assume his liabilities
Every man who believes that confes-
sion can wash away his deeds, that for
a life of sin and selfishness he can atone
by generous gifts to the church, ought
to be made responsible for the root of
all evil. We cannot put bad and poor
material into one sOul-house to-day,
and tomorrow say, Lord, 1 repent"
and have the slothful deed remedied
Every thinking man must realize, that
| the Ultimate Sniritral and moral de-
velopment of man can only be retarded
by such belief. LEO.