The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-06

ings was published at the. time, we
pass over this most important event
of the year. sz-.r-a. ga
in December an excellent address
to mothers was delivered in our new
hall by Mrs. Homer A.. Nelson of
Poughkeepsie, state evangelist of New
York.
Work in the Jail.
Seventy visits were made by the SUI
perintendent and her helpers during
the year TO the Jail and one to the
chaingang, where fifty-nine papers and
magazines were distributed Eight
visits we're made in behalf of pris-
oners to lawyers and judge, and ten
letters We're written in their inter-
est.
In the Jail were distributed as
follows: Religious papers. 1,o49; Bible
lessons, liza; cards, 124; pages of
tracts. 249; quarterly lesson books, eS;
Bibles, Z; Testaments, 80; hymns, 254;
Moody Institute Cbooks), 1876; other
books, Z; some stationery and IA postal
cards.
New Years day an abundant lunch
was carried to 112 prisoners and s
quarts of milk and 2 lunches were Civ
en- to the sick men; clothes
to 8, and spectaeles to 1. To-
tai abstinence pledges were received
from Is white men and 20 colored and
a triple pledge from / boy The total
pledges is 43. We appealed to the Re-
corder and obtained the discharge of 2
prisoners, one on account of an aged,
sick mother, but think it is best as a
rule to let the law take its coudse.
In the case of a mulatto charged
with murder, we signed petition to
the chairman of the Prison Commits
sion without getting a response, and
on the day before the expected execu-
ton held our usual service in his ward.
The scene was affecting. The con-
demned man, Henry Brooks, who had
professed repentance some months be-
fore conviction, asked for the song,
Lord I'm Coming Home" and dur
ing the singing of the chorus, open
wide Thine arms of love, Lord, TIN
coming home" he shook hands with
every one, charging them to meet him
above, and there was not a dry eye.
That night one of his lawyers asked
him privately for full confession,
promising secrecy. Brooks maintained
his innocence, and after singing till IL
O'Clock, laid down in the cell, next to
the fatal trap, and was soon sound
asleep. The lawyer, Judge Twiggs,
was so impressed with his innocence
that he telegraphed the Governor for
d respite, and forty of our best lawyers
petitioned for a Communication of the
sentence, as the chief Witness a white
man, was a criminal, and a perjurer
We visited Brooks the day after and
asked if he We're spared, what he was
going to do with his life. He replied,
help other men to quit sinful practices
and believe on Jesus for salvation, and
that he was a rank sinner before he
got inside the Jail, but he would rather
be in there as he was than outside as
he had been" This man has now es-
tablished a Sunday school of twenty in
the state convict camp at Fargo, and
is doing his best to form a church, for
which we supply the necessary
literature. The Lord has been
very gracious in blessing the
labors of his landmarks dur
ing the past year, and seven or eight
have protested change of heart.
Our state superintendent of penal
work has sent to the state convict
camps, three Bibles, six hymn books.
one prayer book, and fifteen Moody
books, beside literature and stationery,
and has obtained permission from the
Prison Commission to establish Sun
day-schools in the three buildings
mems, women's and boys, on the State
Farm, near. Milledgevile." r'o es .#a