The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-01
"Iro,nt, Saints.
Selected for The Times Dispatch.)


Iron Saints"
(Selcctcd for The Times Dispatch.)
And Josephs master took him, and
put him Into the prisoI,..''''--;Ge xxx.
Il Whose feet they hurt In the stocks;
tho iron entered into his soul."-Prayer
Book Version. Psalm $cv:i;1S
B85I5 IT. was not a 4 prison like those with
which We are fumiliar----airy, we'll lit and
conducted BY humane men. 5s a
Those who have seen the dreary prison
at Tangler will be- able to form a better
conception OF what the place was like.
Imagine large gloomy hall, with no
windows, a dirt floor or paved with flags
black with filth; no light nor air, save
whit might struggle through q narrow
grated aperture. where the friends Of tho
poor wretchcd inmates pass in the bread
and water, their sole food. No arrange
Sments 4yct any Kind for cleanliness or the
scparationof the prisoners All day long
there is the weary clash of letters as
the victims slowly drag themselves over
tho floor. II N "a tIsl VI Sf
n This was a hard life for Joseph who
was wont to wander at will over the
broad sunllt Syrian plains. Confinement
Is distnsteful to all, but intolerable to
the young, and especially those In whose
veins flow the untamed Arab blood,
Some may not realize how priceless free
dom Is, because they have never lost It.
In addition to the sense Of confinement
thcrc was the constant presence of his
letters. He was kept bound, and his
ankles were CALLED by the action OF his
chains. Thus no enjoyed the favor Of
the keeper of the prison. and was al
lowed exceptional liberty with It's gloomy
walls, SO he could reach the inmates.
but with each step the rattle Of the
chains reminded him he was a prisoner
still. 4
Besides all this his religious training
must have added to his distress. He had
been taught in his childhood by his ia
Their that good would come TO tho good
and evil to the bad; that prosperity was
The sign Of divine favor and adversely
OF Gods anger. And Joseph had tried to
be good. TIe has kept his fathers COM
mandmcnts and acted rightcousy. But
what had lie gained by his Integrity?
Simply the murderous jealousy and hat
red OF his own flesh and blood. Had he
not In the full flush Of youth resisted tho
Establishments OF tho beautiful Egyptian
because he would not sin against God?
And what had hoSgaincd by that? Ro-
proachcs and this undeserved imprtson-
ment Had he not been kind and gentle
to his fellow prisoners speaking COM.
fort to their hearts? And what had he
gained by that? 10 Judge by what he
saw, simply nothing; he might as well
have kept his kindness to himself. Il
Was It, then. any use to try to be
good2 Was there a God who rewards
every man according to his work? You
who have been misunderstood, who for
seeds OF holiness and love sown, reaps
only disappointment, loss suffering and
hate; you know something OF what poor
Joseph felt IN that wretched dungeon
hole, i.5 S
Memory and disappointment also poured
their bitter drops into his cup, What
had become OF those early dreams Of his
coming greatness? Were they not from
God? Was there no truth. no fidelity
In heaven or earth7 Had God forsaken
him? Had his father forgotten h.1n'
Did his brothers even think OF himi
Would they over try to- find hlmY Was
he to spend his whole life IN that dun
gcon, dragging OH q weary ne, and al
because he had dared to do right? All!
What wonder IL the young heart was
weighed down almost to the point Of
breaking!
Yet this imprisonment not only strength
oned his character, but actually seryed
Joseph's temporal interests. That very
prison was the place. where the state
prisoners were bound. ThIther were sent
even the court magistrates, Chief butler
aud .'chief baker" do not seem much
to us, hut they were titles for very
sugust people. Such men would now
talk freely with joseph. and IN so doing
give him an insi ght into political parties
and knowledge Of affairs generally,