The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-27
REV. F. E. LYON KEPT BUSY
HE DELIVERS FOUR ADDRESSES IN
INDIANAPOLIS IN ONE DAY.
Object of the Central Howard AssOcia-
tfon Is to Befrfend Men Who Have
Been COnvicts.

Rev. Frank Emory Lyon, Superintendent
in Indianapolis to arouse interest in the
work. principal feature of which Is to
secure employment for ex-prisoners, de-
Hvered four addresses yesterday. In the
morning he talked at the Meridian street
Methodist Episcopal Church and Taberna-
Gle Church; in the afternoon at the Y. NJ.
c. A. and last night at the Second Presby-
terian Church.
DIR. Lyon made a special appeal to the
young men to lose opportunity of lend
ing helping hand to the ex-prisoner. Mr..
Lyon made the point that sixty-three per
cent. Of all the men In prisons are under
twenty-three years of age. The speaker
said that the star of hope for the prisoner
rose in 1773 when John Howard was elected
sheriff of Bedford Jail. After transform
ing that institution he visited other jais
Of England and soon convinced the keep
ers that the men under their charge were
not monStrosities, as they had supposed,
but were men of hearts beating within
their breasts, a large per cent of whom
man with a great heart, a fertile brain and
private fortune, which he was willing to
use in this behalf. He crossed the conti-
nent, visited the larger prisons Of Europe,
spoke into the ears of governments and
told them what he believed could be done
for the prison population of Europe.
until he finally contracted the jail fever
of which he died, thus giving his life liter
ally for the sake of those whom he came to
save. "But his work was not ended with
his life," said DR.. Lyon. 1T had only
begun He had set on foot the movement
for prison reform which has been going
on ever since and which has so greatly
changed our prison buildings and prison
discipline to a more humanitarian stand
ard, and the attitude Of the state itself
toward the prisoners.
COLD SHOULDER TURNED.
DR.. Lyon says that too often society at
large turns cold shoulder to the man out
of prison and so he goes up and down and
finally drifts into crime again. The speaker
emphasized the assertion that a little help
at a critical time with the discharged pris-
oner does a great deal of good. OF course
much depends on whether the man has
learned the LESSON 1a ,ba, ana a ofsSl as
per cent. of the men who come out of
prison, come forth with a definite purpose
to lead a better life. This man is some
body's brother or somebody's husband.
perhaps" DR.. Lyon said. He has the
weaknesses of the rest of US. He has fallen
but he wants to rise again. He is not SO
likely to fall again as the young man who
has not learned the great lesson of life."
I'VE are taking these men and planting
them anew In society,", DR.. Lyon explained.
1--WE are reinspiring confidence in them
selves and helping them to become what
we desire them to be and what they desire
to be-" The speaker said this sort of man
needs some one who can come to him face
to face, hand to hand and help him on his
feet as personal friend These men are
sensitive and imagine that every man
knows they are just out of prison. This
sort of pan goes after job as If he had
been stealing sheep and the average en-
ployer turns him down. DR.. Lyon declared
| that ninety per cent. of all the men his
society had helped have become good citi-
zens He said that since January the soci-
| ETY. has helped seventy-five men. He held
| that If love will not save these men. moth
| ing else will. I'VE have come to the con-
| ciusion that every man is worthy OF saw
| ing" said he. I'VE believe in these men
| and we find no men In whose hearts we
cannot seek and find a saving quality"
At the conclusion of DR.. Lyons talk the
| men Joined In the hymn, Rescue the Per-
| ishing," and during the singing a collec-
tion was gathered for the benefit of Dr.
| Lyons work.