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
We could not have gotten on the car had it not been
for a gentleman, going on the same train, who had his servant help us.
We went to San Antonio before we could get a place to rest and it was
then morning, but God blessed us in holding services in the prison
there that day. I never reported the agent who was so rude to us, as I
was sorry for him, for I was told he was a cripple, and I thought he
needed his work to provide for his family.
IN A GAMBLING SALOON.
From Knoxville, Tenn., I went one night to the coal mine region. I
asked the landlord at the hotel for some one to show me a way to the
stockade some distance, and he sent his chore boy with me. We had a
long walk, and returned after meeting at night. It was late and as we
came down the mountain side I saw a light at a little distance, and I
said, "Where is that light?" He said, "That is the wickedest place;
they kill people there." Without waiting to consider the danger I
might be in, I said, "Wait here for me," and I hastened up the valley
and into the place, which I found to be a gambling saloon. Then,
without waiting, I poured out to them the Gospel message which burned
in my heart, I fell on my knees and prayed to God to save them from
the destruction to which they were going. Then I rushed out into the
darkness again, and found the boy waiting with the lantern and we went
on our way. I was thoroughly alarmed next day when I realized the risk
I had taken in going into such a place, but God has wrought mightily
for me all these years and preserved me from harm. As I write I feel
near home and heaven. Jesus is there. Soon I shall be with Him.
CONDITION OF CONVICTS.
I wish that some who whine so much in church about taking up the cross
could see the inside of those stockades as I saw them--see the
suffering that existed, the sorrowful, heart-broken prisoners with no
ray of hope, no one to care about them; everything poor, scarcely
enough to keep them alive; the poorest of places to sleep; men
fastened to a large post in the middle of the stockade by a heavy
chain, compelled to wear their clothing till it would decay on them,
often so ragged that they could not hide their nakedness, and guarded
by bloodhounds and armed men. It was not proper under other
circumstances for a woman to see men in such conditions, but they had
souls to be saved or lost, and the Lord had commissioned me to go to
these men and tell them that Jesus loved them and wanted to save and
deliver them from the power of the devil who got them into such
places.
UNJUSTLY CONDEMNED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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