The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-04
An Open Letter,
ear Christian People and Officials
RiohtnOnd ~. Fst 8'ls2 E3

Dear Christian People and Ol1lclHls -
Richmond:
MANY OF you will no ubttremcmber
that when / lived among you / was
always interested In the rel gious Worh y.
the prisons OF your city, spending most ''s
Z of my spare time and some that cou'Ni
hardly spare in that work.
B. ~ hen left Richmond the work was
progressing nicely, and many CHRISTIANS
wore Interested now understand
through reliable lnformnnts, that y mas
completely fallen through; tina ,nn o
Christian work is conducted IN inc c'.y
jail at all, and all because OF inc la ~
q aeadef aud e the ana pq npf,eIa IS 'p
yyc know that this work for the prison.
crs neyer receives the sympathy ana
assistance II should; 1t does not seem
To appeal TO tie churches as such y
great work should, There should pc ~
corner of our glorious country witnon,
thc ,"mesgcnscrs OF pcace"; there should
~ no nublic Institution of this kind
left without Its preachers Of tho Gospel
| FOR our claims ana that we are Shris
ian country, and even our money pears
our motto, "In God We Trust
Dear Christians of Richmond, YOU nave
n plain duty before you. Are you dong
IL? There ought to be some ofFyou llee.
and willing to do TINS Work. W. az :, -
|
proclaim lIbarty Qrom SIND 10 the cap
| tiwos and the opening of tile prison TO
themthat are bound" (Isaiah lx:D' We
| must beware lest liG come AGAIN i'Hoiiis
MS not doing Ills will, we VIII receive
lie reward of our negligence, for He
will come again In the Gay I, OF ,N wem,
eennce Of our God" Qsa!ah lsl;2) 'fhen
40 not forget that He says, u was In
i nrlson and ye came unto me. MAT.
i Irxv,sf). and His sad words, "lnnsmuch
ns va did ii not and "These shall 80
away into everlasting punishment
i CMatt, xxy.45-4O, These are solemn solemn
(. warnings. i, 80, :
q Fholidays? or, those of you that remain
4 in the city are cooling or on tho cars
going To the parks, and some are NJ
"A landing tho tent meetings? But While
Vol, are doing all these things, don
forget that Jesus Is In jail and wou.sl l'Ne :,
i to see some OF you down Tiers, any
while we know you may pc ao'ns W.. y
vouI, and singing, Must / be carried e
the skies on flowery beds OF ease, While
b others fought to win tho prize and sailee
through bloody seas7'' Rememhsr the
work is not easy at the JAIL we Know
4 how prone We are to forget THESE l,,l'lss
II and 10 think that the "other tello ny,
q should do them. we know That thefe
is not much Of 4 fresh arr or i'sumn,,a
re resort , about our prisons; y IS I aIs.
hard to talk and sing when your e t,'arl
q IS wilted 10 a more LINN rag, when th 81.
is q 'racket' going on muct o. y, -, -,
& time, when It seems as 'f you coula Z ~ i,
i interest ono otthese nhsn ana MutNI 1an'
their souls salyat9oni Wheh nv, Spu a enl,.
ma made and rilslllns into the shut9hn aa
When liberated Yes, we kno ~ d low,
but the work is never lost ana ~ , rbg'
in tho "laook OF Tsenemprahhs : wa don Ion
perhaps, it IS good thing tha ,,, ~ ISL /,
], have q stampede from RENT 1n cause ps' STAN
the churches, for y mhHht ,StHT and mos
ltylish q people Sps shurchss Y
don't say this last Withous y sN4's Z