The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-11-29
Josiah w. Leeds after PubIlshers OF
CorruptinE Literature.
For "The Friend"
On L1TURATURE AND SOME INVOLVED
RESPONSIBILITIES. r7

RESPONSIBILITIES.
When Jerry McAuley was but
nineteen years Of age, after an early
career in crime as river.thief, prize
fighter, and las he himself said) an
adept In "all sorts of wickedness," he
was finally arrested and committed to
Sing Sing prison for fifteen years at
hard labor. He was put to carpet
weaving, learnt to read and write, and
having experience Of some good Inn
pressiOns, would daily say prayer
the Lords prayer"-"from feeling
it was right to say it." ''Then," he
says. II got cheap novels and read, to
pass away the time. I read many and
many Of them. It was all the recrea-
tion I had, and diverted my mind from
my dreary surroundings. was cup
piled with them constantly, aud, 10
consequence, my head was filled with
low and wicked thoughts. 1 took .
fancy, from some Of the remarkable
stories read. that I might by some
good fortune by and by effect my es-
cape from the prison, and thea my
heart would fill up with murderousin In
tentionr toward the man who put tne
in" ProvidentiaIly. man who had
been confederate with hin n crime,
Orville Gardiner, but who, by Gods
great grace, had been convicted -of his
i'll deeds, had witnessed forgiveness
aud entered upon new lifef visited
the penitentiary, and publicly speak.
ing to the prisoners, Jerry McAuiey
was reached, and took to readtng the
Bible instead Of cheap novels. He
found he must give up looking to the
priest, but % direct to the Lord for
pardon. The passage In which be
speaks of his conversion, after night
Of prayer, Is instructive and stimulate
ing; z !, at once It seemed as If some
thing supernatural was In my room.
I was afraid to open my eyes. 1 was
in an agony, and the sweat rolled on
my face ia great drops. Oh, how
longed for Gods mercy! Just then,
in the very height Of my distress, 1t
seemed as II hand was laid upon my
head, and these words came to me:
My son, thy sina, which are many,
are forgiven. I do not know II
heard a voice. yet the words were dis
tinctly spoken to my soul. Oh. the
precious Christ! how plainly / saw
Him, lifted on the cross for my sins !
What thrill went through me. l
jumped from my knees; 1 paced up
and down my cell. A heavenly light
seemed to fill:it . softness and per
fume like the fsagrancs OF sweetest
flowers. I did not know II was liv.
ing or not. I Iclapped my hands aud
shouted, Praise God! Praise God ]!
Zone of the guards was passing
whats the matter? I've found
Christ answered, my sins are all
forgiven. Glory 70 Godr He took
out paper from his pocket and wrote
the number OF my cell, and threatened
to report me In the morning. But y
didn't care for that. My soul was all
taken up with my great Joy. But the
next morning nothing happened 10
me, and I think the Lord made him
forget it. What q night that WIS
I shall surely never forget the time
when the Lord appeared as my gra.
cious Deliverer from SIM" Eventually.
Jerry was released from prison by
pardon from the Governor, on account
Of good behavior, after he had serve,ti
about half the time for which he had
been committed. He had tho misfort-
une to be directed TO beer saloon w .
friend (so called) as a place 70 board,
lager beer being then q newly intro.
duced drink and said to be wholesome
and quite harmless. It proved, how.
ever, to be means for dragging Jerry
back into his old ways Of exceeding
wickedness. His effactual recovery
therefrom and subsequent useful life,
1t is not my present purpose to follow.