This view presents human nature in its most degraded state, and in its
darkest complexion. Here is man _doubly fallen_; here are the
fragments of moral ruin in their most _hideous array_. A field, once
green with inspiring promise, but now withering under a second blight.
A splendid and glorious creation in baleful ruin. An ocean, once pure
as a dew drop and smooth as a sea of glass, but now torn by
conflicting waves, and casting up mire and dirt. The view is too
painful! My heart sickens within me!
But it affords some relief to the mind, in dwelling on this gloomy
prospect, to find here and there a ruin less ruined than others--a
lonely column not _fallen_; a prostrate pillar not covered with _moss_
nor buried in the _earth_. The soul of man is not susceptible of
_utter_ ruin. Immortal, it cannot _die_; the inspiration of the
Almighty, and glorious once in his own image, it may grow _dim_, but
not utterly _dark_; it may _sink_, but will _rise_ again; it may
_wander_, but will not be finally _lost_. My remarks on this subject,
therefore, will be designed to shew, that there are, in this mass of
dark, polluted, and fallen mind, some redeeming traits remaining
_unruined_; something to admire and commend--something to imitate and
love. In doing this, I shall relate some of the many historic
incidents, which will prove the existence, and illustrate the nature
of those moral and intellectual principles, which have hitherto
survived that annihilating process to which they have been exposed.
The first incidents which I shall relate, will show that the prisoners
have _sympathy_ for, and take pleasure in _relieving the distressed_.
A female who had a husband in the prison, came with her two children,
three hundred miles to see him. By the time she arrived, she had spent
all her money, and had suffered on the road. As soon as this was
known, the prisoners made up a purse of fourteen dollars, and gave it
to her, besides giving her cloth to dress both of her children.
Another time a father and mother came there to see their son, and
being destitute, a purse of eight dollars was made up for them.
Another occasion for the charity of the prisoners was as follows:--The
sentences of two of the prisoners had expired, but not having the
money to pay the cost of their prosecution, they were not permitted by
the keeper to leave the prison. When this was known, the sum required
was immediately made up and given to them, and they were discharged.
By another train of incidents, it will appear, that they are pleased
with religious worship, and love to hear the preaching of the gospel.
They always attend when there is preaching, and listen with a degree
of interest and earnestness, which no preacher has failed to notice.
When, after years of earnest application, they obtained leave to form
a choir of singers for religious purposes, they furnished their own
books and instruments, not being able to get them of the keepers.
On another occasion, a company of them bought a lot of tracts for
gratuitous distribution in the prison.
As an expression of their sense of the importance of preaching, and of
the faithfulness of their Chaplain, they gave him money to purchase
him a coat.
At another time, they contributed about twenty dollars to a society
which had been formed to send the gospel to prisons.
A cluster of promiscuous incidents which I am now going to group
together, will demonstrate the existence of _other_ excellent
qualities.
Husbands and children are particularly careful to keep their earnings,
and at convenient times, send them to their parents and families.
Others are diligent at work, that they may have the means of making a
decent appearance when they get their liberty. Some apply themselves
to books, and a few have made astonishing progress in the sciences. I
knew one who made himself master of Euclid's Elements, Ferguson's
Astronomy, Stuart's Intellectual and Paley's Moral Philosophy. Another
made himself acquainted with most of the branches in a liberal
education. And many others became very good common scholars. Not a few
of them are chaste and moral in their conversation, and civil and
exemplary in all their conduct. And that they are not so lost to the
virtues of our nature, as some who are in different circumstances, is
evident from the fact, that they are proverbially, an _industrious_
community.
I dwell with pleasure on these virtues, which still smile and diffuse
their fragrance in the midst of surrounding desolation; and some of
them are found in every breast of that unhappy multitude. The fact is,
there are a great many principles of moral excellence, which go to the
formation of a _perfect character_; and it is _never_ that _all_ of
these can be found destroyed, or uprooted, in any one individual.
That monster over whose breast has been hung the pall of every virtue,
never _was_ and never _can_ be found. Some seed, some root, some germ,
remains to repair the desolation, and to smile in perfect growth and
endless beauty, where ruin has been the deepest. Hence the hope of
reformation. Hence the strongest argument to attempt it, both in
ourselves and others. The pulse of spiritual or moral health is still
beating in all those guilty souls, and proper attention would soon
restore them to its blissful enjoyment.
On the other hand, they exhibit many of the very _worst_ passions and
principles of fallen nature, in their _worst_ and most _appalling_
light. Against this charge nothing can be said in their vindication.
My only object in introducing this sketch, is, to show, that though
many of the virtues of the upright heart have been destroyed from
theirs, _all_ of them have not. There are some good and excellent
qualities remaining in every one of them; and I wish to turn the
thoughts and efforts of our Benevolent Societies to their improvement.
This is an inviting field for them to labor in, and they could not
labor here in vain. Christ came from heaven to save _prisoners_, and
the servants of Christ ought to be willing to follow his example and
visit prisons too. He might have kept better company in heaven, or
gone on an embassy to less guilty worlds, but he came to us, to
sinners, to prisoners, to save us from sin, and free us from chains.