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
Many years ago, while engaged in missionary work in the city of
New Orleans, La., I was one evening attracted by a large
gathering of people. In the midst was a woman kneeling on the
ground engaged in most earnest prayer. Many in the company were
of the worst class of people, yet they were quietly listening and
looking on with amazement. We were not accustomed to any one
praying on the streets in that manner. This was the first time I
had the privilege of meeting dear Sister E. R. Wheaton. I can
never forget the impressions made upon myself and others by her
prayers, exhortations and songs that evening. Standing near me in
that company was a woman who had charge of one of the worst
houses of prostitution in the city. Trembling and weeping she
said to me "I never heard anything like that before. That woman
makes me feel that I am an awful sinner, and yet she loves me."
That poor woman went to her house, sent for a Bible and read it
and spent the night in bitter repenting for her sins. She was
gloriously converted and then called her household together and
told them her experience and how the Lord had pardoned her sins
and made her happy in His love. She then exhorted them to
commence a new life; but if they would not, then they must leave
her house.
While in New Orleans, Sister Wheaton and those in company with
her were busily and successfully engaged in mission work among
prisoners and others of the worst class. Some years afterward she
again visited that city and the Lord greatly blessed her work.
One night, on a store-box in front of a saloon, she preached to a
large crowd. The saloonkeeper became very uneasy and called a
policeman to "take her away." He came, but found it quite hard
work to get her down and to another place. The people wanted to
hear her. She sang a song, the chorus of which was, in part:
"If to Jesus you are true,
There's a glory waits for you,
In the beautiful, the glad forever."
Then with clasped hands she stood quietly gazing upward, with
tears rolling down her cheeks. Then with much feeling she said:
"I am homesick for heaven." I can never forget how those words
impressed me and others at that time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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