The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-02
SENTENCE, TO READ
[ B.I|'B!L|E,RE|f0R||MSBOY.
Thief Who Stole Five Cop.
les of Scriptures Carries
Out Judges Order.

u
LOS ANGELES. March 2.-what is
from some staudpoints the most re
markable court sentence ever i'm.
posed the reading OF the Bible for
thirty days has Just been com.
pleted by Harold Lane. Lane, who Is
only twenty years old. recently VIC.
lated the terms Of atten.year proba.
tfonary sentence for burglary, By
stealing five Bibles, and when Judge
Wilbur offered him the alternative
OF serving seven years in the peni.
Tertiary or reading the Word Of God
for a month, he eagerly chose the
latter.
His record as probationer had
been good, and he. was unable to ex.
plain-even to himself-through what
strange impulse he took the Ave vol.
umes which led him back into 1ails
and courts.
But he feels that his sentence was
wonderful thing and that 1t has
done wonderful things for him. His
acts while in the county Jail during
the last thirty days bear out his
words. ..
Gives Bible Instruction. .,
He has interested his various tank.
mates in the Bible, has obtained ei<llt
copies for their use, has taught the
ten commandments to one man bound
for the penitentiary and has taken
special interest in expounding the
Scriptures to his cellmates. Frank H.,
Thompson, twenty.three, who made a
mistake of committing forgery.
81 shall always be an apostle OF the
better life." says Lane. II shall not
become a mission worker. a minister,
nor an evangelist, because l do not
believe in taking money for spread.
ing the word of Cod Christ; Him.
self. was poor man.
Il believe every man must work
out his own salvation; and the Bible
Is the key to that problem. Reading
the Book has done much for me. Ii
] had read 1t sooner would be better
off.
Il like the Book OF Proverbs and
the Book of Esther best. II man
would memorize all the proverbs he
would have an answer to every argu
ment on every subject. Thompson.
my cellmate, and discussed the pro.
verbs, especially the thirteenth and
fifteenth verses of chapter three.
which read:
Quotes the Scriptures.
Happy is the man that findeth
wisdom and the man that getteth un-
Outstanding;
SHE is more precious than rub;es
and all the things thou canst desire
are not to be compared unto her..
~ had been getting wisdom In the
School OF Hard Knocks, but now i get
It from the Bible.
Next TO Proverbs. like the Book
OF Esther, advise every person IN.
terested in Judaism to read It. What
wonderful story OF a slave girl who
rose from lowly position to free the
children of Israel At least, that's
what I got out OF It."
Lane believes That II more people
would "lend helping hand to out.
casts" there would be fewer men in
Jail. He says that many men be.
lieve themselves not wanted by the
churches and other religious organi.
cations. and therefore seek the saloons
and the poolrooms as last resorts for
warmth and fool.
He formerly was on the vaudeville
stage, and he hopes to renew that
life and through sketch he Is writ.
ing about his own experience TO teach
young men what he has learned
that crime does not pay"
AS his partner In the sketch he will
take his cellmate. Thompson, II that
young man Is successful in obtaining
probation. as he hopes to do.
--o-