Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-07-31


ce-Impressions of the Seenes-A
Vast Throng of Fourteen Hundred
Present by Compassionate Classes
and Ages are There from the Youth
to the Gray Haired Man Who Has
Spent His Life Within these Dreary
Walls.
ITHACA, n. Y. July 30.-A description
in full of the famous Model New York
State Prison at Auburn would make
columns OF mighty interestin readin"
but | only have time to tell you of
Sunday morning visit.
At nine O'Clock hundreds of visitors
have gathered in the spacious vestibule
of this beautiful eastle-like ivy covered
stone building
Soon ponderous door is swung open
by doorkeeper in bright uniform and
we make great rush into an elegant
chapel, elbowing each other for the
choicest seats in the galleries.
Seated, look about me, having
few minutes before the opening hymn
to ''studyAmy audience although in
this instance | am confined to reading
character by the contour of the back of
the head ms no prisoner must show his
face, save the choir, as | first learned by
observing strusty,' on passing him
in the first hall, standing like striped
statue, with his face four inches from
the wall.
There are seven hundred men seated
in frant of me, in uniform pants, having
the conventional prison stripe, but
wearing shirts in all the VARYING colors
f,f f,,r ;al,f l.a.
an entire absence OF collar and tie save
the pianist who wears a coat and vest
also.
The back of every neck is clean shay
en- and hair well brushed.
Two muscular uniformed guards oc-
cupy cushioned seats in each of twelve
barred windows.
! count twelve descendants of Ham in
this great convict congregation and then
| recollect every flock must have its
black sheep; there are four white hair
ed men, possibly resided here since
| their youth, and over there, so far away
| that | am unable to tell from this pos
terror view il he be an Irishmen is one
red-headed man, as conspicuous as a
red geranium in bed of pansies.
See those beautiful letters in gilt
where all can see-they read: - good
name is rather to be chosen than great
riches and loving favour rather than
silver and gold, how suggestive to
many heIe who are forced to reflect up
on this great truth once in seven days.
! Upon observing the splendid physi-
que of these men | am reminded OF the
recommendation Of a western governor
that our convicts all be sent to do battle
in the Philippines, question like all
others that has its pros and cons.
! Now the chaplain rises and an
nounces: MY dear friends, after hay
| ing preached to you every Sunday for
two years, this morning | shall have a
praise service and | hope you all have
your Bibles with you and hymnals -
a wave of uneasiness like the billow
that rocks the vessel passed over this
motionless audience; my first uncharita-
BILE thought was surely these men are
not expected to carry Bibles but | soon
learned that they are expected to bring
the Bible and Hymnal, with which
every cell is supplied to the praise SER
vice but the chaplain excuses them by
saying he was sorry they had not been
notified OF this service in time, and the
audience again assumes its satisfied
quiet demeanor
Now the choir OF ten with piano ac-
compartment sings "Nearer Home"
and the chaplain announces "Let US
read in concert Psalm 98," when we
hear half dozen faint voices following,
conspicuous among them big brother
in black" just in front of me. Here q
duet is sung and these men might earn
a salary in an aristocratic church choir
for to sweeter voices have never lis
tened and | have heard some of the
great ones Of earth.
Let us pray says the chaplain in
stead of let US all bow in prayer be-
cause he probably knows the suggestion
would go unheeded but here and there
is an humble bowed head, my colored
friend with his Bible among them. as
in great field of stubble and thistle an
occasional flower appears 80 here in
this sea of sinners an occasional seem
ing ripentant and .devout one is found.
| Truly Many are called but few are
| chosen
When this coatless throng OF strong
men joins in singing, "Ho my com
rades see the signal we feel that P. P
Bliss did not live in vain and that we
would gladly miss our dinner to
havesuch music prolonged into the
afternoon.
Now the chaplain gives short talk
along the line of freedom in Christi
and there is no eye of these fourteen
hundred is not fastened upon him;
whether they love the Lord or the chap
lain or fear the devil or the guards the
deponent saith not.
And when he refers to the Sunday
School lesson as being upon Daniel in
L. AZ - AZ