Your letter was received last Saturday afternoon, and was quite
encouraging to us, for we may do some good work in the prison with
one who feels interested with us. Your letter was particularly
welcome, as the same morning came a letter from Mrs. J. I. W.
Thacher, Secretary of the Women's Auxiliary Conference of Boston,
who responded promptly and satisfactorily to my letter, though she
was sick in bed. After the hurry of Christmas is over, they will
send you two barrels of literature,--"Registers," "Harpers,"
"Centuries," "Atlantics," and some few other materials. I feel as
if this will be "good news" to you. Yes; it is a good time to turn
the minds of the men, women, and boys in the right direction. "A
little kindness" and good advice may help some of the poor
creatures to a better life. Think Orthodoxy takes a wrong
starting-point in teaching one that he is "totally depraved," and
that he must wait for a sudden conversion in order to become good.
I feel as if Unitarianism is the better way, upholding that we are
"not totally depraved, but incompletely developed," and that our
salvation depends greatly upon individual responsibility. That we
have it within ourselves to become what God intended we should be,
and what was possible with Jesus is with us,--that we may become
"sons of God" as he was. We are not to "shift the responsibility
off on to some one else," as M. J. Savage says. These poor
creatures must be taught that the sin is greatly on their own
shoulders, and they are capable of overcoming if they only will.
Mr. Savage's closing sentence is fine,--"Not to do wrong, one must
develop in himself the ability of magnificent self-control!" That
is the starting-point of many of life's failures,--lack of
self-control. Teach these poor creatures that lesson, and some
trade by which they can support themselves when they leave the
prison. You wrote us word you subscribed to two of our papers. I
take it for granted they are the "Register" and "Unity." If so,
will call your attention to a review of a book on "Prison Reform,"
in "Unity," Dec. 16, 1884. I sent you yesterday a tract, "Unitarian
Belief in Bible Language," marking several passages which I thought
might rouse some of the poor men and women and _boys_ (it is the
_young_ we must work on, and see to it that we are making better
men and women for the future) to a truer view of what sin is; also,
"Wrestling and Blessing," by Rev. William C. Gannett. His first
section, on "Inherited Burden," is capital, showing that in spite
of it we may come off "conquerors." The whole of the tract is
good.... Hoping we may continue to aid you in the prison work, and
with the good wishes of the season from the Women's Auxiliary
Conference to you and all prison-workers and inmates,
Cordially yours, S. ELLIS.
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