The highest ideal of prison life is not simply punishment for evil
doing, but should be a reformation in the lives of those who are thus
incarcerated. We are glad to know that there is really a reformation
being brought about in the rules and government of the prisons in our
land.
It is said of one of the kings in a country in Europe that, being
desirous of knowing how the common people lived, he dressed himself
as a peasant or tramp and went about from place to place among the
poorer class of people, and while thus lounging about the city he was
met by a policeman who demanded him to give an account of himself. Not
giving the proper satisfaction, the policeman hurried him off to a
dungeon-like cell. The prisons under that king’s domain were in a sad
condition—dirty, filthy, alive with vermin, and were most degrading
places. Thus the king was obliged to spend the night in such horrible
quarters, which was in great contrast to the royal palace. However,
it was a night well spent, though but little enjoyed by the king. He
was touched as never before by a sympathetic feeling for the poor
unfortunate human beings who were cast into such places. He at once
ordered a renovation of all the prisons throughout his kingdom.
Aside from our penitentiaries, there are jails, work-houses, and
places of imprisonment, many of which are allowed to become filthy,
with lice and other vermin in almost every crevice, making the place
not only extremely unpleasant but unhealthful to every inmate. No doubt
if many of our lawmakers and other influential people of our country
were compelled to spend a few days or nights in such prisons there
would speedily be a great reformation in the prisons of our own land.
Aside from cleanliness and government of prisons and jails there
is a reformation in which we can all have a part, and help to
point the unfortunate ones to Him who is able “to bring out the
prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of
the prison-house.”—Isa. 42:7. A number of our penitentiaries have
comparatively good libraries furnished by the state; some have not yet
been supplied with libraries; and even among those that are supplied
there are more novels than good, wholesome religious works. However, in
some prisons each prisoner is supplied with a Bible of small print, and
there has been an earnest plea from the prisoners for good, wholesome
religious literature by way of books, tracts, papers, etc. Our jails
have as a general thing been sadly neglected on this line.
A few months ago we made an effort through the Gospel Trumpet
Publishing Company, of Moundsville, W. Va., to supply jails and prisons
with small libraries of good unsectarian religious books, such as would
be a benefit to the prisoners and tend to lead them to a higher aim
in life. We were soon greatly surprised to realize the demand from
prisoners for such literature. A few hundred jails were thus supplied
with libraries and religious papers. It was almost astonishing to learn
in reply by their letters of appreciation that in many places they had
never been thus remembered before. Some prisoners had been in for a
number of months without any religious reading matter and scarcely any
one to visit them.
Being thus reminded of a lack of duty brought to mind the words of
Jesus, as mentioned in the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew, wherein he
was speaking of the end of time when the nations should gather before
him and he would separate the good from the bad. And we read where he
says, “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat:
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me
in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was _in
prison_, and ye came unto me.... Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one
of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
My dear reader, how will it be with us when we appear before the King
in all his glory in that day? Can he say of us that he was in prison,
and we came unto him? Or shall he be compelled to utter these words:
“Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I
was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me
not in: sick, and _in prison_, and ye visited me not. Inasmuch as ye
did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me”?
While we enjoy our beautiful homes and the pleasures of life and
freedom, the question comes directly, Have we done our duty toward
the prisoner? Have we visited Jesus in the prison? We may not be able
to go there in person, but we can visit them by providing them with
silent messengers by way of good books, tracts, papers, etc. There are
doubtless thousands of professing Christians who never gave a dollar to
help a prisoner, who never visited a prison in person or in any other
way. There are those who could spend hundreds of dollars in supplying
prisons and would not feel the weight of it financially, but we should
make an effort on this line by giving to the extent that we may feel
the weight of the sacrifice, and thereby God will be greatly glorified
and many prisoners led to seek the Lord and live a pure and holy life.
Some of the most intelligent and highly educated men are found behind
the prison-bars and fill felons’ cells. It is not always the man of low
type, ignorant and uneducated, that thus meets his doom. There are men
and women from every class of society. There are men who are hardened
in crime, whose consciences seem seared, yet none so hard-hearted,
none so low down in the depths of sin that they have not a spark of
manhood to which there is an appeal. Brutal treatment will not reach
such specimens of manhood; however, they must be brought under strict
discipline of the requirements of servitude and given to understand
that perfect obedience is required; yet with all that, when they are
told in a kind, gentle, loving manner and given to understand that they
are entitled to the best privileges of the prison as they deserve it,
that little spark of manhood will soon be kindled into a flame. There
are prisons where a small per cent. of the monthly earnings are placed
to their credit, which in a few years amounts to a large enough sum
to give them a fair start at the time of their release. If they are
disobedient, so much is taken from their credit. But aside from the
kind moral treatment there must be something more effective. The hearts
of these hardened criminals must be changed by the power of God. The
prison officials who fail to realize or recognize this necessity have
to a great extent failed in their reformative efforts. Every effort
possible should be extended in behalf of the spiritual welfare of the
prisoners.
[Illustration: Tracked by Bloodhounds—Captured.]
There is an evil existing in our jails and work-houses that is
startling and alarming, nevertheless it continues throughout the
breadth of our land. A young man or wayward boy is arrested for some
trivial offense; it is probably the first time he has been guilty of
thus breaking the law. He is placed behind the prison-bars to await a
preliminary hearing before a justice of the peace. He is then liable to
be sentenced for from thirty to ninety days in jail, or bound over to
court, which is to be in session a few weeks or months later. In the
meantime he is confined in the jail to await his arraignment before the
court.
Let us now take a look at the jail itself and its inmates. It is well
secured with solid walls, iron doors, and prison-bars. There are a few
private cells, a broad hallway, and large room into which from five to
fifty persons are confined. Sometimes even a greater number are thus
imprisoned without grade or discrimination of crime. The tender youth
must intermingle with those who are steeped in sin and hardened in
crime. He is here taught to play cards, read novels, use vulgar and
profane language, practice the most vile habits, plan for burglaries,
and comes forth a rogue at heart, and a hardened criminal. Otherwise,
had there been the proper discrimination, separating those who are just
starting on the downward course from the hardened criminals, there
would be a reformation in their lives instead of a degeneration. These
are facts that can not be denied—facts that stare us in the face, and
are sad truths that will continue to hover over us, as it were, until
the good people rise up and protest against it for a proper reformation
on this line. The good people of our land would be surprised, yea,
stricken with consternation, were they to visit most jails and
work-houses and make a thorough investigation, to behold the filth and
general sanitary condition of the place, which is infested with lice
and other vermin.
It is right and proper to send people to jail or prison who will not
behave themselves. They need both punishment and reformation. This
can be done effectually and with good results if the proper course is
pursued.
_HISTORY OF WEST VIRGINIA PENITENTIARY._