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
This young man either because of his wealth and position, or because
of his good conduct in prison, or both, was given privileges and often
sent outside the prison grounds. Often I plead with him to come to
Christ. But one day the old demon of drink had overcome him and having
secretly obtained some liquor, while at a game of cards he shot
himself. Let us throw the mantle of charity over that blighted life,
and leave him in the hands of a just God. Who will be willing to
answer at the bar of God for that soul? "Woe unto him that giveth his
neighbor drink, that puttest thy bottle to him and makest him drunken
also."--Hab. 2:15. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord."
JUST OUT OF PRISON.
"O the wrongs that we may righten,
O the skies that we may brighten,
O the hearts that we may lighten--
Helping just a little!"
While traveling on the train one day, the brakeman said to me: "There
is an ex-convict in the smoking-car." "All right, I will go in and see
him," I said. I went and took him by the hand as he sat alone in the
rear seat of the car, sad and dejected, with no money, no friends, no
home. His mother had died while he was incarcerated in prison; home
broken up, nowhere to go. How glad I was to take this poor soul upon
my heart, and intercede for him in silent prayer; and then have him
come into the other coach and share my lunch. At parting he promised
me he would live a temperate life, and serve God the best he knew. I
believe the dear Lord had me travel on that train to meet that poor
unfortunate and help and strengthen his faith in Christianity, by
showing him attention outside as well as inside the prison walls. How
often a soul is saved from a downfall by a word in season; a kind
hand-clasp, a "God bless you; cheer up, look up, better days are
coming," etc. When hope is well-nigh gone, and friends have forsaken,
and all has failed; yet we can always tell such that "God never
fails."
DYING IN PRISON.
One day as I was alone in a gloomy prison a poor boy called to me and
said, "Write to my mother, but don't tell her where you found me.
Please don't tell her, for it would kill her. She never could live and
know her boy was in prison." On the dirty floor, lying on a pile of
still dirtier straw I found this poor prison boy dying. I fell on my
knees and poured out my heart to God in his behalf.
"That head had been pillowed on tenderest breast,
That form had been wept o'er, those lips had been pressed,
That soul had been prayed for in tones sweet and mild;
For her sake deal gently with some mother's child."
Do not tell me that it does not pay to labor and pray with these dear
lost ones. For if I can be the means of rescuing but one soul from
eternal punishment, thank God, it pays me.
WILL IT PAY?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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