Okolona messenger., 1908-07-22


a&4 AN life not because he was leaving Chi
[~SE=s-ET cago. but because he was going back
10 prison. He had escaped some
months before but in o those little sociological oascs
in the big cys desert life, known as the Salvation Army
meeting. he had been converted and he was going back
to serve out the rest Of his term.
What is the marvellous spiritual alchemy OF this thing
called conversion which transmues baser motives
into pure gold? Few men would consider themselves
happy bound for prison. and fewer still would vouna-
rily surrender their liberty. even if only the precarous
freedom Of the escaped prisoner The traditional speca-
Gle in connection with on the way prison is that
Of sulen vicious desparng men, handouts and guards
misery and vice eand wrecked lives possibly weeping wives
than widowed and children worse than orphaned
But here everything was changed. This converted
prisoner did not enjoy the prospect Of going back
prison He did not relish captivity for its own sake But
in marvellous way those years Of confinement Of
prison fare and degrading prison toll the stripes
and cropped har--in way these things paid debt
10 conscience and the ept which conscience gave was
passport to all the Kingdoms Of spiritual peace Prison
walls might mark the bounds Of physical liberty cell
might conhne the body and chain the limbs But there
is mighter freedom Of the soul, and this found it
That why he faced the prison walls with SMILE and
why the cell made the day he returned to it the happest
day Of his"
We hear great deal about the conscience that, doth
make towards Of all but not quite so much Of con-
science its role Of heroes as well as terror stricken
victims We usually associate the operation Of con-
science with guilty, covering in their hiding places.
persued BY the ures Of their fears through the hell
Of their making But there is brighter side TO the
picture and conscienc not always Nemesis simply be-
inexorable There is arelentessness to the ioys
Of conscience which will give up its happiness under
any circumstances Conscience is as nexorable in its
rewards if is remorseess in its punishments II will not
permit obedience to be unrequied any more than will al
low disregard Of its mandates to 90 unpunished.
And il conversion" which put this Chicago con-
vic in the OF winning this rich prize of conscience
Preachers usually define conversion in the home phrase
turning around or about facing and that describes
it about we'll as any other except that II is aways ap
Piled to facing in the right direction The good man who
turns his back the right is not spoken 81 as being
converted Probably great many people are converted
without realizing ii and there are certainly great many
people who imagine themselves converted but who have
really changed the secret course Of their thought
motives conduct Their backs may be turned On
their old life but they going through the world With
their necks twisted that they really face the Old life
for which they secretly long and which they secretly i've
would be dscouraging indeed to our childish human
nature fond aot the sweet things and 50 fearful Of
blows, doing right had recompense and il conscience
was merely great lash goad lis into doing the tasks
Of goodness But must all learn the lesson of little
chldren--that II Is largely own fault If we yet he
blows and that the sweet rewards are ours for The trying
We must pay our debts and make restitution ,vhan w
ROB the world of what don't rGhtfuy belong 10 us but
Is iOr ourselves alone % say whether conscience shall hold
n whip or cornucopia of happiness IL the hand she
stretches out toward Isl