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 times prisoners have said to me when speaking to them, "That's
the kind of religion mother had. You remind me of my own dear old
mother;" and many, even statesmen, and the attendants in the capitol,
and in the President's mansion, have said to me with uncovered heads,
and tears in their eyes, "That is the kind of religion mother had. I
wish I was as good as she was." I find the crying need to-day in all
stations of life; from the palace to the dungeon, is real, genuine,
heartfelt, common-sense salvation, not to be cranks and fanatics, not
to be one-sided or half-way professors of religion; but to have the
Holy Ghost in our hearts and lives, and a burning desire to help every
one into the Kingdom of Heaven. Being "all things to all men" that we
might win some wandering souls to Christ.
O the joy of knowing that you are doing just what God wants you to
do--winning souls for His Kingdom, from all walks of life; often in
houses of ill-fame souls are truly saved and reformed. Often in
saloons men and women are impressed by the straightforward message of
love brought them. You say, "No use to try." O thou of little faith,
wherefore did'st thou doubt? I have much encouragement among the
criminal classes, for they are despised and rejected by earthly
friends.
I might give many more instances, but this is probably sufficient. Let
no one think for a moment that these poor unfortunates have no tender
feeling, no remorse because of sin. They see their shame and feel the
separation from home and loved ones. There must be places to confine
criminals and protect the lives and property of other people, but we
must remember that behind all the guilt there are precious souls that
live through all eternity.
Sin is treacherous, the human heart deceitful above all things and
desperately wicked; perhaps under unfavorable conditions the heart of
the most moral man or woman may generate the evil of the human nature
and cause it to show its corruption in crime. All that saves some
people now from the felon's cell, or gambler's hell, is that they hold
the propensity of their corrupt hearts in with bit and bridle. And
thousands tread the earth in freedom, who, if justice could find them
out and fasten their guilt upon them, would be in the prison stripes
and iron cells. So be not so ready to cry "Crucify him!" "Stone her!"
until you can look into your own heart and see that it is pure and
clean.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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