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
Leaving Canon City we hurry on, visiting next the State Prison at
Lincoln, Neb. There we found another poor man under death sentence,
who gladly listened while I taught him the way of life. Oh, the joy
that filled my soul as I told him of the Savior who would pardon all
his sins. After seeing the other prisoners who are always glad to see
true friends, we hastened on to Omaha, Neb. Here I held four services
in jails and Rescue Homes. When leaving Omaha as I was singing on the
train I found some ladies crying; one of them, grasping my hand, said,
"When you sang 'My Name in Mother's Prayer,' I thought how often my
mother, who is in the baggage coach, has prayed for me, and I will
never hear her pray again." I soon changed cars and bade farewell to
the sorrowing friends, hoping to meet them with that mother where
there is no death nor tears.
[Illustration: CRIMINAL INSANE HOSPITAL, CHESTER, ILL.]
Resting for a short time at Tabor, Iowa, I then went to St. Louis and
on to Chester, Ill., to hold services in the State Prison. We were
here four days and held services in the State Prison, jail, and
Criminal Insane Hospital, where there are more than one hundred
inmates.
Once while holding services here one young man was saved and his mind
restored. He has now been preaching the Gospel for several years. "Is
there anything too hard for the Lord?"
We next visited Gatesville, Texas, where is located the Reform School
for Boys. Obtained permission to see the boys and it fortunately being
a holiday I was allowed to hold services in both the white and colored
wards. The way the boys seemed to enjoy the meetings and to hear them
sing was encouraging. Leaving for Huntsville, Tex., we went to
different towns, holding services in jails and on the streets till
Saturday, when we arrived at Rusk, Texas, and were met by the
chaplain, Mr. Dawson, who treated us kindly and gave me the privilege
of holding meetings on the Sabbath. Had a very impressive service in
the afternoon in the prison yard where we gathered round a coffin to
pay the last tribute of love to a departed prisoner, after which we
held a meeting in the prison hospital.
We next visited the State Prison at Huntsville, Texas, where we were
kindly given the entire time in chapel service, and also the privilege
of holding services in the different wards of the hospital. Here all
seemed encouraged and were much effected, the tears flowing freely
upon many of the pale faces.
I received upon this visit the following kind tribute from the
Assistant Superintendent and Prison Physician:
I was present at the services conducted by Mother Wheaton at the
Huntsville Penitentiary, on August 7, 1904, and noticed with much
satisfaction that her remarks and singing were very much
appreciated by the men, and many of them seemed very much
affected, and I think that the service will be conducive to much
good hereafter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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