The daily sentinel., 1910-02-04
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
CHURCH AND THE
PRISON WORK

The following letter, which was
published in the Christian Science
Sentinel of January Is, shows that
the church is taking much interest
in the unfortNnates at the Colorado
state penitentiary:
Canon City. Colo,
December so, 1903.
Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy,
Chestnut Hill. Mass.
Dear Leader:-We feel sure that
you will be interested In an account
OF successful penitentiary work. and
am sending with 1t the word of
love which for years l have desired
to send. About nine years ago our
church began to hold regular Chris
tian Science services in the Colorado
state penitentiary on the first Sun
day of each month At the present
time there are about 500 of the $50
inmates who voluntarily attend, and
there is courteous attention given by
Mexicans, negroes, Chinese, japanese
and Indians as we'll as by American
bankers and professional men.
At the present time there are in
the prison library 80 copies of Sci
ence and Health" and 3 copies Of
miscellaneous Writings" OF our
regular periodicals there are % SEN
tinels, Journals. l Der Herold and
12 Quarterlies. Four copies of the
Monitor are received daily-one for
each cell house-this being the only
daily newspaper allowed inside the
walls. II is first read by some of the
officers and the chaplain, and the Ii
brarian told Mr.. Avery this week
that, If at any time the Monitor was
delayed, there were inquiries imme-
diately from the officers and the pris-
oners. The chaplain said he had not
thought 1t possible for any denomi
nation Ito edit such a good paper.
After the Monitors are read by the
officers, the librarian (who has full
charge of the distribution of our lit
erature) says he places numbers
leach prisoner has a registered num-
Der by which he is known) all across
the top of the first page and down the
side, and the paper then goes to each
number in turn. By the time it gets
back 1t is worn out.
The Life of Mary Baker Eddy"
by Sibyl Wilbur. which was recently
placed in the library by Mr.. Mont
gomery Estate publication commit
tee). has been read rs times. The
librarian is aprisoner who has life
sentence. He has been interested In
science for several years, and his sys-
tematic plan for the distribution of
our literature has greatly lessened
our work.
We endeavor to do our work in an
impersonal way, for we have learned
by experience that our literature
does the needed work. The generous
contributions from our state associ-
ations abundantly supply us with
funds to carry on this work We
have our hymnals In the chapel, and
the prison choir select and practice
the hymns for our service. One day
our second reader. Mrs. Bessie Smith.
received a telephone message from
the prison saying a negro was being
dismissed that day whose only re-
quest was to be permitted to take
with him a Christian Science hym-
nal. 1t is needless to say the per-
mission was gladly given.
The different wardens and officers
of the penitentiary have always been
very kind to us, and they have only
good words to say for our work. This
is becoming a model penitentiary,
and is the only one which places men
on their honor at work outside the
institution. The prisoners are build
ing an automobile road between Can-
on City and Colorado Springs which
when completed will be as fine a
piece of work of its kind as can be
found. They have built a scenic
drive in Canon City known as the
Skyline Drive" views of which +
have sent to Mr.. Rathvon.
We were very grateful for the
sweet message you recently sent to
our dear little Howard, and may /
tell you that his favorite prayer is
your dear verse beginning. my pray
er some daily good to do" Mr.. Avery
Joins me in tender gratitude and love
for all that your books and noble
life-work have done for us.
Your students student,
AJDC arINrNrIr>