The Washington herald., 1914-03-29
THE PRISONER.
BY EMORY >. HAYNES.

never once thought he was doing any
thing unusual, Is it possible that the
public does not understand that to visit
such as are in bonds is, to clergyman,
a primal and everyday duty? And
should not an oyershepherd, bishop,
do what he knows his ministers are daily
doing? Did he not find great peace of
mind by conscious duty done, in preach
ing to the prisoners?
Does the public not know how large
in the thought and prayer of all clergy
men are the criminal classs BY night
and day the ministrstion of repentance
goes on. Always in a prison is visiting
clergyman. Always at a cell door is
a kneeiing form. Always behind the
clicking bolts, shut in at least so far,
is the minister He breaches on Sun
day behind locked doors and under the
muzzle of ready rifles.
He hears such heart-bresking tales as
bear him down as no other load bears
down. He takes messages of repent
ance, mournful echoes of blasted affec-
tions, pleas to loved ones that are heavy
with sorrows unspeakable. The prison
chaplain does the work of Gods angels.
Pastors with commissions come from
afar. Whatever the physical defects of
some old prisons, the wealth of spiritual
and brotherly sympathy was never so
great as now.
That a class of thirteen should have
been confirmed as Christian converts in
Sing Sing prison is not strange. In
that house of guilt and sorrow the PEN
itent is everywhere about the preacher
of mercy The truth of the Christian
religion demands that clouds of angels
from heaven are always lowering over
those gloomy gables. II anywhere on
earth Gods angels come near. it should
be there
Ii is this ministration OF immortal
mercy that is generally the last thing
thought of by the popular mind. So
ciety has indeed pushed the convicts
out. But heaven has not pushed them
out OF loving sight If these men are
doubly guilty more than the rest of US,
then the Heavenly Father regards them
doubly needy OF His care. There may
be different angels sent from those sent
to churches. Angels of repentance and
forgiveness. But let US be sure they
are quite within reach. 'regions of
angels
Familiarity with cOnvicts Invariably
proves that they are simple minded
more than vicious. To say it is ''the
fool and his folly" is exact, and not an
unkind Characterization. The crimes
were so foolish. needless folly to any
thoughtful person.
We think the culprit cunning and
crafty. That he may be, but he is always
blunderer. a short-sighted simpleton,
who should have known "be sure your
sin will find you out" So patent is
this aspect of the convict mind that ii
is pitiable. The philsnthropist and So
cial student invariably is overwhelmed
with pity, because the wrongdoing was
so plainly silly, thoughtless, idiotic. and
has been followed by so sure penal
misery
1t is true that few minds keep their
balance behind prison walls. All are
beside themselves with the catastrophe
that has overwhelmed them. To say
that nearly all are soon made insane
would not be far from the truth. The
good bishop shuddered when momen-
tarily locked in a cell. Few men can
resist that awful shudder. Eagerly the
visitor rattles at the bars and cries
"Unlockl Let me OUT" But when one
cannot be let out and knows it, and
the first long, sleepless night creeps on
hour after hour, few are the brains in
which something does not snap before
morning. Nor can the break of nerves
ever be mended.
The one man who. alone. endures the
prison unharmed is the innocent man
Our prisons may be holding many in
nocent men. Their conscious integrity
saves them. Such has been the saliva
ton of many patriotic prisoners in all
history. Il was sick and in prison,
said the spotless Saviour.
Then there are the guilty who become
innocent. Thank God for this escape
Thousands have been truly chastened
and then and there converted" The
evil mind has become the good mind
Forgiveness has been brought through
the cruel walls and past the iron bars
1t is as genuine forgiveness as any
you, sir, ever got from heaven. Who are
we, poor mortals, to judge our brother
mans forgiveness? ITO his own Mas
ter he standeth or falleth."
| bear witness. by many years OF OBJ
servation, that some of the most sanity
lives are found in the prison. This in
nocence by pardon is the unstained
vesture given the convict by the Saviour
of mankind-He who said, Il was sick
and in prison and ye visited me" 1t is
blessing that has no superior. Do
yo,, eyer claim ~