The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-05-09
CHAUTAUQUA.
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the waters of knowledge; to get
glimpse into the lives of those men
who have shed luster upon mankind,
will meet its reward. Out of the
multitude some one soul will be
plucked from the wreckage, and cause
all to pause, hesitate and ask:
DOES THIS LIFE PAY?
Is not one hour of freedom and honor,
a thousand fold better than the pres
ent life of misery, sin and shame?. We
have seen men who had lived long
life of careless folly after a few months
companionship with the books, so
carefully selected by the Chautauqua
Circle, stand up and admit that their
whole life had been wrong. They had
started wrong, and never gave a
thought to retracing their steps, until
the terrible consequences. sure to re-
suit from their mode of life, had been
pointed out to them through the book
they were reading. They had consid
cred the Renaissance period as one of
fools: history, as fiction; and biogra-
ply, as lies. Why? because they had
never read these things with desire
to believe; had glanced at them super
flcially, and put them aside, deeming
them of little Importance in the affairs
of life, fit only for the school-room.
But here, in our circle, where they are
permitted, unrestrainedly, to discuss
the studies before them and prepare
papers bearing upon the work in hand,
the eyes have been opened, and the
heart and mind filled with the great
beauties of nature; the wonderful
ability, the great possibilities of man;
and transformation takes place that
no one, but he who feels it, can describe
or feel. Here men meet, every alter
nate Sabbath, to discuss subjects that
elevate, teach, and inspire; and herein
lies the very essence, the corner stone
of reformation.
CHAUTAUQUA SUNDAY.
Every alternate Sunday at l p. M.
about 30 inmates, the average enroll
ment of the circle, enter the chapel
and from the moment the meeting is
called to order until 2:3O-and
frequently later-no one interferes
with the freedom of a member. The
president has entire control of all the
deliberations and points of order that
come before the meeting; and while
the class, as whole, is under the i'm
mediate supervision of Asst. Deputy
Glennon, he has had no occasion tC
use his official power to reprimand any
man for indecOrum or an ungentle
manly act. Chaplain J. H. Albert
who is the Circles Critic, has the same
deep interest in its progress that he
gives to all subjects pertaining to the
higher elevation of man, and while ad
vising, instructing, and making clean
some question under discussion, fire.
quently enters into those discussions
with all the zeal of member. This
has tendency to make the men, for a
time, forget their condition; and also
causes them to devote all their leisure
to hard study and preparation for each
meeting. so as to be able to maintain
their own in the discussions. Ere
quently members of the warden's
and deputy warden's family, visit the
circle; and occasionally other visitors
attend, when special programs are ar.
ranged in the line Of music, declama
tiOns and essays upon various subjects
in which the circle demonstrates its
ability to entertain, and carries con.
viction to the hearts of the visitors
that there is some little good left in a
convict; requiring only the encourag.
ing word and the knowledge that some
interest is felt in their future we'll.
being, to draw out the better side OF
their nature. Nothing can do more
to this end, than the Chautauqua in
tluence is doing; and it is to the high.
est credit of the authorities, that
realizing these influences upon the
character of men, do everything pos.
sibls to encourage and assist its pro.
gress. Some men may be ungrateful
and do not fully appreciate these ben