Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of LoveWheaton, Elizabeth Ryder
Religion
Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of Love
Wheaton, Elizabeth Ryder
Evangelistic work; Prisons
Among the many who were converted during that Sunday morning service
in 1888, was a very amiable, intelligent, refined-appearing young man,
still in his teens, who was serving under life sentence. He was a real
"mother's boy," so young and so small that after his conversion I used
to call him my little son. He belonged to one of the best families of
the state. His father was a physician and a classmate and friend of
the governor. For the sake of his broken-hearted parents, as well as
his own, and being satisfied that he was really innocent of the crime
of which he had been convicted, I began to pray earnestly for his
release. But the case dragged on and though he was pardoned some years
later, it was not until after his father died broken-hearted and the
mother's health had failed under her weight of sorrow and an aunt had
gone insane.
During his imprisonment I at one time visited his poor mother in her
home. Oh! what havoc sin had wrought! What sorrow! For though I
believe him entirely innocent of the crime for which he was condemned,
his conviction was the result of his being led astray by evil
influences and associates.
Oh, that I could warn young men of the dangers of bad company, and
that I could warn parents of the dangers of discouraging their
children in waiting upon and serving God.
When this boy was quite young, he wanted to become a Christian and
engage in work for souls, but his parents thought it would be a
disgrace, as they were aristocratic, but alas! what snares had the
enemy set for him, from which he might have entirely escaped, if they
had encouraged him to be true to God.
I received many letters from him while he was in prison and quote from
two of them. We have not heard from him for years but trust that if
alive he is still living for God and Heaven.
Waupun, Wis., July 7, 1895.
Dear Mother, "In His Name":
Since my last letter to you several things of interest have
transpired. My attorney went to see the governor and then came to
see me. We went over some evidence, and at last I convinced them
that I alone can untangle the skein of false evidence.
I located a Mrs. N. and she gave an affidavit which would have
cleared me at my trial. She said she felt that she had been the
cause of all my suffering, but that she went to LaCrosse at the
time of my trial and was met at the train by a detective, who
told her if she wanted to keep out of serious trouble to take the
first train out of the city, and she did so. I expect to soon
have another witness to corroborate her statement. Then if I can
locate the sister of the deceased and get her evidence I will
have a sure case against those who perjured themselves to send me
here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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