Work in Canada and Mexico.
In my several visits to the prisons of Canada I have generally found
the officers very courteous. There are sometimes there, as here,
changes of administration, making the work of reaching the prisoners
more difficult. In the large prison at Toronto the officers were
especially kind and gave me the privilege of preaching the gospel to
the prisoners as often as I could attend chapel services. Much
interest was manifested and I trust good was accomplished.
MY SECOND EXPERIENCE IN STREET PREACHING
was in Hamilton, Canada. There for weeks, night after night, rain or
shine, I sang and preached the gospel in the open air. I was
especially helped of the Lord and met with blessed success.
In 1886, I took with me from Toronto, a dear young sister, who was
called of God to join me in my work. She went with me to Florida and
many other states. She afterward married an evangelist but died a few
years later, being true to God, so far as I know, to the last.
SERVICE WITH Y. M. C. A.
During a visit to London, Canada, after visiting the prisons I went to
the hospital to visit the sick. While singing, a message came over the
telephone saying that the Secretary of the Y. M. C. A. requested me to
lead their meeting on Sunday afternoon. Would I come? I said, "Better
wait till I return to the city. I can't tell." The secretary had to
know at once, so he could announce it through the papers. So I
promised to go, as they had no speaker. I felt discouraged, as I
could think of no message suitable for that large, mixed audience, and
prayed for guidance. Sunday afternoon--still with no message in
mind--I started to the hall. As I walked along the street, praying, I
said, "Lord, give me at least a text to read." Just then I saw on the
ground a scrap of paper, the torn leaf of a Bible. I picked it up,
looked at it, and there my message, text and all, opened up to my
mental vision. I went into the pulpit depending entirely on God, and
the light broke in on my soul, and the power of God fell on the
people. I told them how I was depending alone on the Lord for the
words as He gave them to me. It was a victorious meeting. I leave
results with the Lord.
A GIRL RESCUED.
In one of the Canadian cities I found in the jail a beautiful girl who
was very dissipated and unruly. The officers could not control her--no
one had any good influence over her. The Lord laid the burden of her
soul on my heart. I treated her with love and respect, and tried in
every way to win her for God. Finally, she realized that I loved her
soul, though no one else cared for her. Then she sought the Lord. She
was a Roman Catholic. I told her I would go to the House of the Good
Shepherd and speak to the Mother Superior, and see if they would not
take her in, as she had no home. She wept with joy at this, and told
me of a plan some wicked men had made to be at the jail when she was
discharged at 6 o'clock Saturday evening and take her to haunts of
sin. I hurried out to the Sisters early in the morning and found them
at mass, and waited, determined to save the poor girl from further
downfall, and drunkenness. The Sisters, seeing my anxiety and
sincerity, agreed to help me. Then I went to the officers of the jail
and got them to release the girl at noon. She was taken to another
city and thus saved. When the hour came for her release from the jail
in the evening, sure enough several men made their appearance and
watched and waited for her to come out. At last they began calling her
name. Then the officers went out and told them the girl had been
pardoned, and had left at noon for another city, with protectors.
Another brand had been plucked from the burning for the Master's
Kingdom.
SHUT OUT--OTHERS ADMITTED.
At one time amidst great inconveniences I reached Kingston Prison. I
saw some of the officers Saturday night and they were kind and
willingly consented that I should have opportunity to hold or assist
in services the next day. The next morning I went to the prison
through a drenching rain--without an umbrella, arrived early and
waited for the chaplain. When he came, I told him my desire and what
the other officers had said. But he refused to even let me go inside
to listen to the service. When I asked his reason he said they would
not allow women in the prison. Yet while I had been waiting I had seen
several Catholic sisters enter. I have had similar experiences in our
own land.
STONED.
One day as I was passing along the street in the quaint walled city of
Quebec, some boys threw stones at me, while an old man urged them on,
saying, "If it's Salvation Army ye are, ye should be killed." The Lord
have mercy upon them and upon all who oppose His work or His workers.
For ourselves we must not count these things strange. "It is enough
for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the servant as his
Lord."
AN INFIDEL DEFEATED.
While in Toronto, Canada, I often went to the parks on Sabbath days
and held services--the mayor of the city, who was a devoted Christian,
often himself helping in these open-air services. One stand in the
park was usually occupied by the infidel element. They would hold the
place all day so that others could not have the privilege of doing
work for God--so as the place was public property upon which they had
no rightful claim I went early and so secured the place before them.
When their leader arrived the people were listening to the gospel in
song and testimony from worthy witnesses. He was very angry--said it
was his place to speak and he must have it, and ordered me to stop and
leave the stand, but I kept on with the service as God directed and he
went away a few steps and called for the people to follow him, and he
would address them. No one seemed inclined to go and a bystander told
him his followers were few and he had better desist from trying to
disturb a religious service. So we had the victory and God was honored
that day in the work which He sent his servants to do.
Among my papers I have found the following letters of introduction
given me while in Canada by Hon. John Robson, Provincial Secretary:
Provincial Secretary's Department,
Victoria, B. C., Oct. 5.
Dear Brother:
The bearers of this are prison evangelists of a very high and
deserving character, whom I asked to call upon you. If you could
get up a meeting at Y. M. C. A. rooms for them, it might do good.
In haste yours,
JOHN ROBSON.
* * * * *
Provincial Secretary's Department,
Victoria, B. C., Oct. 5, 1888.
Dear Mr. McBride:
The ladies whom this will introduce to you are prison evangelists
who are desirous of doing some work in the penitentiary, and I
take the liberty of bespeaking for them a kind reception at your
hands. They enjoy a high reputation and are well deserving of
your kind attention.
Very sincerely yours,
JOHN ROBSON.
A. H. McBride, Esq., Warden Penitentiary.
* * * * *
Victoria, B. C.
Mr. Robson bespeaks for Mrs. Wheaton and lady companion courteous
attention at the hands of the warden of the Victoria gaol.
WORK IN MEXICO.
Not many years after engaging in special prison work I went into
Mexico and have since gone there quite frequently. As a rule the
people are ignorant and superstitious and consequently hard to reach
with the gospel. But though I was compelled to speak through an
interpreter it is surprising how soon they know if one is sincere and
earnest. In the prisons they are very poorly cared for, often having
to wait years for trial and sometimes dying of neglect. I am told that
natives of our own land if thrown into prison there fare worse than
others.
A BULL FIGHT.
Once while in Mexico I found there was to be a bull fight not far from
the prison where I was to hold service. My heart was sad because of
the intense anxiety of the Mexicans to see the exhibition. They came
long distances and there were many very old people who seemed
impatient for the hour to arrive when Mexicans, bulls and horses
should be thrown helplessly together--that they might view the combat.
This cruel sport--so long a favorite pastime both in Spain and
Mexico--was at one time abolished but was afterward re-established out
of policy--in order to please the Mexicans. For me to describe this
kind of fiendish pastime would not glorify God, nor help the public,
but would have a tendency to brutality, being neither elevating nor
refining. But should we not, dear reader, try to do all in our power
to lead people to a higher plane of morals and send missionaries to
help people to know Jesus who satisfies every longing of the human
soul, and gives peace and rest here, and a home in Heaven through
eternity?
SIX UNDER DEATH SENTENCE.
At another time I visited a prison in Mexico where there were six men
under death sentence. They could not understand me, but I knelt by
those great, strong men and wept and prayed to God who could carry the
message of love through my tears to their hard hearts and they were so
affected that we all wept together. I am sure they were remembered
that day by the God who sent me to show them _His_ love for the lost
and who gave me a love for the poor criminals that nothing can
destroy.
DIFFICULTIES.
During my last trip into Mexico, 1902, I found the prisoners in one
place in a most deplorable condition. They were almost starving and
neglected in every way. I had considerable trouble in getting into the
prison on that day, as I could find no one to interpret for me. So we
went from one office to another trying to find some one to admit us to
the prison. As I entered one public office a fierce dog came rushing
at me from an adjoining room. I fled out of the door in dismay with
the dog and an old Mexican woman at my heels. I tried to make her
understand what we wanted and then hurried away. Finally we found a
fellow decorated beyond description with tinsel and other adornings
who furnished me an interpreter and admitted us to the prison. It was
very difficult to make the poor prisoners understand how deeply I felt
for them, but I could put my arms around the poor women who were there
and I could take their little babes in my arms and thus show my
sympathy, then telling the story of Jesus who said, "Father, forgive
them, for they know not what they do."
MINISTERED TO A SUFFERER.
I found one poor wounded man who had just been brought into the prison
sitting on the ground with bloody clothing and matted hair. He was
weeping and tried so hard to explain something to me. The interpreter
was evidently slow to tell me what the poor sufferer wanted. I was
heart-sick to know what to do, as we had only a short time to stay and
I could not bear to leave him without in some way ministering to him.
But I thought of the fruit remaining in my handbag. I thrust an orange
into his bony hands. He grabbed it and with both hands thrust it to
his mouth eating peel and all. Poor man--he was evidently starving.
Reader I wish I could make clear to you the pitiful sight! The sequel
showed me why that was providentially left in my handbag. How thankful
I was to minister to that poor fellow's need in even a small degree.
How I longed to help them all.