Nevada State Prison.
Carson City, Nev., April 18, 1901.
The Gospel Trumpet Pub. Co.,
Moundsville, W. Va.
Dear Friends: Your kind letter and the books were duly received, for
which please accept my thanks. I read your letter to the men one
Sunday morning just at the opening of service. The effect of its
kindly expressions upon the men in general I am unable to state,
but personally I wish to thank you. I have read your books and like
them. I like the plain speaking which I find there, in denouncing this
makebelieve Christianity. Above all men, the prisoner is quick to see
the non-practice of the teachings of Jesus by his professed followers,
and seeing it, they conclude it is all pretense. I speak of those who
read the Bible. Consequently very few make any effort to lead a true
life, and care very little for Christian reading. Of course they are
wrong in that respect, as they have been in many others, but being
blind they are unable to see, I know, and so does any one who thinks
or reads, that our penal systems are of the most unChristlike nature
possible, breathing more of the spirit of hell than of the spirit that
lifts heavenward. Why our people will continue in this spirit I know
not. Perhaps some time a true soul will arise in this special subject
and bring about more righteous conditions. God grant that it be so.
With many thanks for your kindly interest in the prisoner, and for the
books sent, I am, with Christian love, Respectfully yours,
E. S. ——, Life Prisoner.
Jonesboro, Ark.
Dear Friend: We received your letter and books. We were so glad to get
them. We were playing cards when the sheriff handed them to us. We laid
the cards away and went to reading, and the more we read the more
interested we became. I have prayed to God to forgive me of my sins and
I believe he does, and I want you to pray for me. There are three other
men in here that have turned to God, and it all came about through the
letters and books. We thank you for the Testament. Pray for us and
please send us more of those books and papers. They help us so much.