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 arrived at Rawlins, Wyoming, at nine the next morning. We hurried
to the prison. It was Decoration Day and most of the guards were off
for a holiday--the men being locked in their cells. The warden kindly
said to us: "I wish I could let you talk to the men, but my officers
are gone and there is no one to guard them, and I am compelled to
remain at the office to see after business." I was sure God had sent
us, and said: "Will you permit us to see the men in their cells?"
After much deliberation he said: "I'll tell you what I will do, I'll
turn the men loose in the dining room if you think you can control
them, and let you have an hour to talk to them." I said, "Surely I can
manage those men--why, they are my children, sir," and so down the men
came from their cells and O such a meeting! I was at home and my
"boys" were on their honor and I talked to them as a mother and we
sang together hymns that they knew, and bless God He was guarding the
men, and I had nothing to do with the matter only to obey Him and tell
them the old, old story of the redeeming love of a Savior who died to
save us from our sins and give to us eternal life. As I grasped each
one by the hand at parting, I found the men quiet and peaceable,
humbly begging me to come again. Then I saw the heavy iron doors close
between us and knew I would probably never see them together again as
we were there, but looked forward to the great day in which, if he
would, each man could have a part in crowning Jesus Lord of lords and
King of kings.
After having dinner with the few officers present in their own dining
room we hurried to the jail. There we were permitted to preach the
gospel to the prisoners and they received us gladly. As I left the
jailer expressed his appreciation of the visit, saying it was so good
of us to come to help the prisoners--especially the girls.
Arriving at Lincoln, Nebraska, we attended the evening service of the
National Campmeeting then in progress there and the next morning went
to the prison. The warden kindly granted us the privilege of a gospel
service with the prisoners. After holding this service and visiting
the sick in the hospital we returned to the camp ground. Reached there
during a testimony service just in time to be invited by the leader to
sing a certain hymn. Instantly I was on my feet and soon on the
platform saying, "Yes, I will sing, but first I must sing,
"The toils of the road will seem nothing
When we get to the end of the way."
And shouts of praise went up to God all over that ground, for He
especially anointed me to sing that hymn. I felt every word of it, for
though weary and tired from the journey, I knew God had been with me
and had given victory all along the way.
In this brief sketch I have failed to mention some services held in
missions and also special services on all the trains on which we
traveled--perhaps bringing to some their last warning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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