The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-06-13

Z,
semble that go to make up
sleeping apartment which will
compare favorablv and even luxu-
riously with the conditions under
which some of the occupants la
bored on the outside. Everything
is comparative. If you have not
saen he the best, it is easy to con-
tent with something else. How
ever, l would beg that none OF my
readers get wrong impression
here. / do not advise them, most
emphatically not, to attempt to
break into the penitentiary to OBJ
tain these luxries.
Some theorists might try to form
a hypothesis from this peculiar
feeling and adap liability to ones
surroundings here and attribute it
it to an evidence of naturally de-
PRAYED or low nature but it would
not be right to do so. For while
with a few men this might be true,
still with most men in prison this
feeling of resignation must be at
tributed to habit which grows on a
man as he stays there month after
month and year after year, to force
circumstances, combined with a
passive acceptance of existing con-
ditions. Kismetl
There are many more phases of
life here that might be dwelt upon,
but we have already imposed upon
the good nature of our editor. lust
one more illustration and we are
done.
We have shown l think, con-
clusively what is accomplished for
the wellbeing fthe prisoner, bodi-
ly, morally, mentally and physi-
cally. What does the State do for
his spiritual welfare? Nothing is
left undone in this direction either.
With resident chaplain, man of
big heart. thoroughly imbued with
the spirit of his calling, accessible
at all times, and with one or more
of the good priests from Loyala
College, the good work is carried
on. Sunday is a day of complete
rest with us; from early mass and
separate Sunday school sessions to
the general church meeting in the
afternoon for all of US together, d O
chaplain and priest work shoulder
to shoulder
Are our services impressive? Do
they do any good? Come up once
to our chapel under the doctrine;
come and judge for your self. I'M
pressive! yes. Nearly one thous-
and men assembled, listening in
tenly to touching and earnest
discourse or singing a iavorite
hymn, led by trained choir and
accompanied by the massive new
pipe organ.
We NAV not be a religious body
OF men as whole though there
are many earnest and sincere
Christians among us; but one can
not but be impressed by the ser.
vices. Probably the very fact of
our being situated as we are adds
to the solemnity of the occasion
and makes one more susceptible to
such feeling. But the exhortation
of the preacher, the hope and
promises held to all in His name,
combined with the sublime tones
OF the organ as it thunders forth
its Gloria in Execlsis" or the
ever beautiful Near Ny God to
Thee, strikes a chord that vib-
rates and thrills like a magnetic
current to the very center of ones
being; and one goes forth from this
mysterious influence, refreshed
and chastened in spirit, back to
ones room, with the theme of the
preachers discourse running
through ones mind, and the thrill
Of the melody of the Gloria re-
verberat:ng tremendously and in
sistenly to the very depths of ones
soul.
The very walls themselves hurl
the message back to you. Come
unto Met sticks-it stays