The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
PRAISE SERVICE In PRISON
A Weekly Break in the MOnOtony
of Life in the District Jail.
Religious Ceremonies on Sundays
Welcomed by the Inmates-Music
Leading Feature - Lawbreakers
With Good Voices in the Chorus.

Religious service in a jail surely seems
an instance when extremes meet. Strange
though the combination seems, it brings
great pleasure to the hearts of the three
hundred prisoners black and white, young
and old. of both sexes who are confined
at the District Jail. Three services are
conducted at the jail every Sunday. One
is held for the benefit of the white Catho-
lies. another for the colored people, and
another lead by members Of the Epworth
League, which takes the form of a song
service for everyone in the Jail.
The services are conducted in the huge
rotunda into which the four wings which
contain the cells open. Behind the huge
doors of iron grating, rise the stairways
which lead in zigzag fashion to the tiers
of cells Each Sunday at the service the
landings on these stairways are crowded
with prisoners who lend an attentive ear
TO the services and Join eagerly in the
singing. Sunday becomes for the unfor-
tunates the brightest day Of the week.
1t is the only day when the irksome prison
life is relieved by any outside influence.
The warden and attendants at the Jail
say that on Sunday the prisoners give
far less trouble than any other time.
The Catholic service takes place at
1890 o'clock Sunday morning. Yesterday
the depressing downpour of rain did not
prevent Father Mcclure, one of the prison
chaplains OF this diocese, from reaching
the jail to conduct high mass. Father
Mcclure does work at the public penal
and charitable institutions of the District,
and he is popular among those whom he
tries TO help. High mass of course comes
but once month, and the elaborate cere-
monies connected with ii evoke great in
terest among the prisoners at the jail.
There is a little altar with candles and
other appurtenances slowed away in
room at the jail during the week, but on
Sundays II is brought out to the rotunda
The singing at this service Is led by
number of women and men who volun-
teer their services.
Then after the altar is removed II is
nearly time for another service, that for
the coIored people. many OF whom have
been attentive spectators of the service
Just closed. The Rev. John Roberts, a COL
ored evangelical preacher who has not
missed a single Sunday at the Jail for sew
eral years. conducts these exercises. He
is assisted by Henry Williams, who leads
the singing 1t Is the singing which rem
ders the service dear TO the hearts of the
colored prisoners. There are. Of course,
prayers and sermon. They are short.
Every few minutes a song is announced.
Hymn books are not needed. The coored
people know by heart the old songs that
were, many OF them, sung years ago, when
the fathers and mothers of some of the
inmates Of the jail were slaves in the
Southern States. The leader plays the
opening bars Of the air upon the organ.
which stands IA the ro;unda. Then the
volume of melody which pours out from
the throats OF the duslty occupants of the
stairway landings fairly shakes the build
ing.
The negroes sing in perfect time, and
take delight in holding the minor chords
as long possible. Some of the men have
voices with great depth and resonance.
The colored women who crowd TO the
doors at the wing in which they are con-
fined add their clear contralto and soprano
tones One noteworthy feature OF the SER
vice yesterday was the singing of a quar-
tette of colored prisoners They sang sew