Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-09
A MAN OF INTEGRITY.
Life Story Of John Howard, Famous
Philanthropist.

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In a list Of great men of integrity
It would be unjust to omit the name
of John Howard. the English philan-
thropist, for although he devoted his
life to alienation of his fellow-man,
his work was accomplished with so
much unselfishness that his name Is
revered in all civilized countries.
Bentham, In summing up the life
Of this good man, eulogizes him as
follows: 'Tn the scale Of moral
desert and labors of the legislator and
the writer are so far below heaven.
His kingdom was Of better world:
he died martyr after living an apos-
tle."
After visiting all the countries Of
Europe in his humanitarian work, in
his old age he decided to extend his
labors to the far east. His friends
tried to dissuade him, but he replied:
"I am not insensible Of the dangers
that must attend such journey.
Should 1t please God 20 cut or my
life In this design, let not my conduct
be uncandidly imputed to .rashness
or enthusiasm, but to serious, delib-
crate conviction that I am pursuing
the path Of duty, and to the sincere
desire of being made an instrument of
more extensive usefulness to my fell
low creatures than could be expected
In the narrower circle Of a retired
life"
John Howard was martyr TO duty
and finally succumbed In carrying 1t
out, for he was stricken with his fatal
malady while visiting one of the hos
pitfalls in which he was interested, and
and died on January 20, 1870, at the
age of "a. "Give me no monument"
he said, "but lay me quietly In the
earth; place sun-dial over my grave
and let me be forgotten"
Howard's death occurred in south
ern Russia, but life like his had
made the sort Of burial he had re-
quested impossible. His remains were
followed by concourse Of people, re-
spectfully and sorrowfully to the
grave, over which was built a. brick
pyramid; and a handsome cenotaph
of white freestone, with Russian in
scription, was erected to his memory
at Kherson, Russia; and q statue.
executed by Bacon, was erected by
public subscription in st. Paul's, Lon
don.
Howard was q man Of deeply reli-
gious feelings. He possessed q pow
erful will, great pertinacity OF endur-
ance. From the day in early life that
he entered upon the duties Of high
sheriff of Bedfordshire he devoted
himself entirely to his philanthropic
labors. He worked unaided either by
state or charitable institutions.
Constituting himself inspector OF
prisons at home and abroad, he trav-
eled upward of $4,000 miles. notebook
In hand, visiting prisons, hospitals,
lazerettos, schools and warehouses;, In
terrogating the authorities, counting
the steps measuring the rooms, taxi
ing copies Of the regulations and test
ing the supplies
Howard himself was no sentimental
list, and while he insisted that justice
should be blended with humanity, he
never forgot to aim at the reformation
of the prisoners. All the work accom-
plished by Howard was practically
without assistance. He would never
receive support from any source for
his own personal use, and is sand to
have spent as much as $4,000 Of his
own fortune in the work, and to have
refused an offer Of assistance from the
government.
Doubtless the reforms which How
ard inaugurated were reforms urgent
ly called for by the enlightenment Of
the age; but this fact rather enhances
than diminishes the imperishable glory
which belongs to him Of having been
the foremost to give an articulate voice
to that demand.-Atlanta Journal