New Mexico Penitentiary, Santa Fe, N. M., Sept. 19, 1903.
Dear Mother Wheaton:
I was pleased to hear from you, and was exceedingly happy to know that you are going to put your experiences and n.o.ble work of the past amongst the unfortunates in prison into book form.
Certainly, dear mother, no one knows the heartaches and sorrows of this cla.s.s better than yourself. G.o.d has blest you in preparing you for this work and sending you from prison to prison to gather in the wavering souls from eternal destruction.
G.o.d grant you many years more of service in the field where souls are perishing and when your earthly career shall have closed, the shining crown of eternal bliss in the presence of the King of Heaven and Earth, will forever be your beacon light to make you think of the ones below. Many, yea many unfortunates not yet born will read from these same prison cells of the work of "Mother Wheaton" in the prisons of our country. My every breath and prayerful utterance is "G.o.d be with you till we meet again."
As ever, one of your boys in Christ Jesus,
PHILIP M., Sec. C. E. S.
TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.
Office of the Executive, Santa Fe, N. M., Oct., 1895.
Judge E. V. Long, Las Vegas.
Dear Sir: This will introduce to you Mrs. Wheaton, traveling in the interests of the prisons and asylums. She may want to hold a service at the asylum. If so please see that the opportunity is afforded her.
Yours respectfully, W. T. THORNTON, Governor.
New Mexico Penitentiary, Sante Fe, N. M., Sept. 19, 1903.
Mrs. E. R. Wheaton has been paying our inst.i.tution visits on various occasions for some years past, and during these visits has done very much valuable work towards furthering the discipline of the inst.i.tution. Her words of comfort and wholesome advice together with her teachings of Christianity has cheered many a poor, unfortunate soul up to believing and hoping for a better future; to realize that justice demands that some punishment be meted out to wrong doers and violators of the laws of the land; that such punishment is not eternal; that they can receive consolation and comfort their conscience even inside of the prison walls by resolving to be better men, by a closer observance of the moral laws as dictated by their conscience, a faithful compliance of their duties as men or women, and a strict obedience to their overseers acting under the law and, above all, an abiding faith in the Almighty G.o.d.
Mrs. Wheaton has taught them to understand that they must not only resolve but must demonstrate by their actions in every day life a sincerity of purpose.
The management feels very grateful indeed for the splendid work so generously devoted in the interest of humanity, which I consider also a most valuable a.s.sistance to the prison management in maintaining discipline and turning out discharged prisoners as better men and women, better equipped morally, physically and spiritually to meet and solve the problem of living an honest and upright life, earn and care for those who may be dependent upon them.
H. O. BURSOM, Superintendent.
CHAPTER XIV.
Gone Home from the Scaffold.
"Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die."--Psalms 79:11.
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer."
One of the most touching things, and to me the most important of all this G.o.d-appointed work, has been my special mission to those who are doomed to execution.
If there ever is a time in our lives when we need a friend, it is when we are sick, in trouble, or about to die. The last words of our loved ones are very dear to us all. Nearly every home has at some time had a call from the death angel. And looking through the bureau drawer, you might see the little garments, shoes and playthings that used to be our darlings" before they went away. Turn the leaves of the old Family Bible and you will see hidden between its pages a lock of hair, perhaps father"s or mother"s. We look up to Heaven through our blinding tears, and cry out between our sobs: "Oh, G.o.d, help me to say "Thy will be done.""
In looking over my packages of old letters from the departed ones who have paid the penalty of a violated law, dying either in the electric chair or on the scaffold, I find them coming to pieces, some so badly worn I can scarcely read them. And I know the hands that penned them are now returning back to dust.
In order to show how G.o.d saves when they are truly penitent, even men of this cla.s.s, who are counted the worst of criminals, I will give an account of a few instances which have come under my own observation, and extracts from some of the letters I have received--written before execution. And let us remember that our Savior declared that every sin shall be forgiven to men, except the sin against the Holy Ghost.
INDIFFERENT BUT FINALLY CONVERTED.
The first one who was converted under my ministry, before going to the scaffold, was executed in August, 1885, in the state of Kentucky. On going to jail I found this young man there with the sentence of death upon him. The burden of his lost condition came upon my soul in great power. I felt I should die unless he was saved, and cried mightily to G.o.d for his conviction and conversion. I held several meetings there and was entertained a part of the time by the sheriff"s wife, who was a Christian lady. She, too, was very anxious for this young man"s salvation. As I took the train to leave the place, his mother accompanied me to the depot--crying and pleading, "Oh, pray for my poor boy. It will surely kill me." The bitter wail of that mother"s heart seems to still ring in my ears. Letters from the sheriff"s wife came often, telling me of the boy"s still seeming indifferent. But she said that he often inquired about me and wanted to see me.
I prayed for this soul almost incessantly for forty-five days, being scarcely able to sleep at night; and he was finally converted. After his conversion I received from him the following letters:
----, KY., August 5, 1885.
My Dear Friend:
I received your card this morning and was very glad to hear from you indeed. Mrs. Wheaton, I feel my Savior in my heart. I know that He will save my soul. I am praying to my G.o.d every hour in the day. I am praying for G.o.d to place something in my heart to tell the people when I go to the scaffold. I want to tell them what my Savior has placed in my heart--the man that suffered and died that I should have everlasting life. I wish you could be with me once more on earth to sing and pray with me, but if not, I will meet you on that other sh.o.r.e. My friend Charley is praying and singing with me every day and night and says he will meet us in the kingdom. They are all well here but Mrs. N. (the sheriff"s wife). She has been sick, but is better now. I would like to be with you once more before I die, and if not, look out for me when you reach that happy land. Good-by, good-by. Remember me in your prayers. I have yet nine days to live.
From your friend, H---- F----.
----, KY., August 12, 1885.
My Dear Friend:
I received your card tonight at my cell door. I seem to see you now at the door of my cell, praying for me. The sheriff came in this morning and put shackles on me. But I thank G.o.d that after two days more I will be at rest. I have been praying to my Father to teach me something to tell the world at my last hour. I would like to tell everybody what my dear Savior has done for me. He has given me what I asked Him for and He will go with me to the scaffold. I will see you again, "In the fair and happy land, just across on the evergreen sh.o.r.e." I am ready to go home to rest. I have suffered enough in this world, so I will bid the world good-by. I will have to bid you good-by for the present. I will see you again. I will watch for you. Excuse me for not answering you sooner. I am in my cell and it is very dark for me to write, but I do my best. I fast and pray most all the time. Good-by once more for a while.
From your true friend, H. F.
Below is an extract from a letter written by the sheriff"s wife to me shortly after the execution took place:
Dear Sister:
I fulfill the promise I made to poor Henry the day he was executed, to write you a letter and tell you all about him after he was gone to that bright glory land. It would have done you good to have seen him the last three days he lived. He was as happy as he could be. He had a smile on his countenance all the time and never broke down, no difference who of his friends came to see him. He talked to his mother and brothers so nice and gave them such good advice. He told his mother to not grieve after him, but to rejoice, for he would be so much better off after he was gone, for he knew that he would be at rest. And if they would live and do right they could come to him. The people that were here that day (and there were between four and five thousand) were surprised to see the beautiful countenance he left the prison with. He helped to sing that beautiful hymn,
"And must I be to judgment brought, And answer in that day For every vain and idle thought And every word I say?"
with the chorus,
"We are pa.s.sing away,"
and he was heard distinctly by all. He clapped his hands while he was singing; then he stepped on to the trap and was soon gone. He had a prayer on his lips when the black cap was drawn over his face, and said, "Good-by" to all his friends, and repeated, "Good-by." He told me to tell you he expected to meet you in heaven. His mother and brothers send their kindest regards to you. May G.o.d bless you.
Your sister in Christ, S. N.