Mrs. Elizabeth R. Wheaton.
My Dear Sister: Yours addressed to the boys in prison here was received, and I shall take the responsibility of answering your letter, which is so full of the Word of G.o.d.
Your songs I shall never forget. I wish you could come and pray for us and sing those sweet songs to us every day.
I have got a life sentence in this prison. I do not know whether you remember me or not, but I remember you and always will, I hope, and I pray to meet you in Heaven. Since I listened to the songs you sang, I have felt that I was nearer Heaven than ever before. Your few minutes with us in this prison helped me more than all others that I ever heard preach the Word of G.o.d. Your service enlightened me more. I feel better and I think that every one in here will long remember your few minutes" talk with them on that blessed Sunday morning. I shall constantly pray and try to become as pure in heart as I think you are. Your home is surely in Heaven, and I will endeavor to reach that home and meet you there. Pray for me that I may become acceptable in the sight of our Lord.
I pray the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of G.o.d and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you.
B. P.
Lancaster, Neb., Oct. 25, 1891.
Our Dear Sister in the Lord:
I received your kind note through our Brother Burge. I am thankful for your words to us and for the encouragement I received through you. I am trying to live a Christian life, to follow the teachings of the words of G.o.d in the book He has given. I am persuaded of myself I can do nothing, but by the help of G.o.d and our Saviour I am able to resist temptations and sin.
The world looks down upon me from two standpoints--the one because of my color, and the other because I try to serve the living G.o.d through Christ our Lord. I feel that I am weak and need much help, both from the Lord and from the brethren and sisters. I need your prayers daily to help me in my surroundings and trials. We are hated and mocked, but this does not move us.
My faith is strong and I will, through the grace of G.o.d, meet you in Heaven. In my imagination I still hear those words that you spoke to us, and I hope they will continue to ring in my ear.
I do not fail to mention you in my prayer to G.o.d the Father, in the name of our Lord and Master.
Our chaplain has just returned from the prison congress and he gave us a talk on prison reform.
From your brother that is colored, that had a talk with you in the warden"s office.
J. H. No. 1579.
West Virginia Penitentiary, Jan. 31, 1892.
Dear Sister Wheaton:
Your letter to "Boys in the Penitentiary" was received, and it gave me pleasure to read it to them in the chapel, as also that enclosed for the female prisoners; and after reading the latter the officer in charge gave it to the sisters, and they can digest its helpful contents in the quietude of their own apartments.
At the very mention of a letter from you I could see many faces light up with interest, and I am sure your earnest and faithful appeals for recruits to the Master"s cause on your visits to this place will never be forgotten; also that many hearts feel to thank you for the kindly and unabated interest that prompted your letter of cheer and encouragement. G.o.d bless you with power by His Spirit in your n.o.ble work. Twenty-six lifetime men are confined here, and I am one of the number; but I am glad to tell you that even here I have learned a freedom which is not compa.s.sed by iron bars, and I am looking forward with confidence when I will come into the full enjoyment of that inheritance which is "incorruptible, undefiled and fadeth not away." Have been here over thirteen years; converted twelve years and nine months ago, and have been trying to do something for my Master ever since, and I feel glad that He has wonderfully blessed and kept me in His love. Pray for us that G.o.d will save the fallen.
Yours in Christian love, W. S. D.
Oregon State Penitentiary.
Salem, Ore., April 3, 1892.
Dear Mother Wheaton:
Your kind letter was handed to me by our Superintendent to-day, and we were more than pleased to hear from you. May our Father in Heaven protect and keep you for many years to come in the faithful work of rescuing the souls of men who are so far astray that each one saved seems like a miracle. Many a prayer has gone up from the solitudes of our prison cells for Mother Wheaton"s health and success, and many of us in conversation have oft repeated, "G.o.d bless Mother Wheaton!" But we have not lost sight of Jesus, always our Friend. We have services every Sunday. Mother Smith (G.o.d bless her!) comes once a month, and each Sunday our pulpit is occupied by some minister from the city. Then some night during the week our choir has rehearsal; so you see, we have plenty of opportunity to worship and listen to the divine Word, and in consequence we are very grateful to our kind officials, who earnestly look out for our spiritual welfare, especially Mr. Downing, our good Christian Superintendent, who would not rest easy if he thought one of us was in want of anything that he could obtain for us that would be for our good. We often think of the difference between some other prisons and ours. "Oh, Father in Heaven, not as we will, but as Thou wilt, but spread a little divine love in those quarters where it is so much needed"--that is often our prayer.
G.o.d bless you and protect you in your n.o.ble work, and may the jewels in your crown be many, are the prayers of many of the inmates of this inst.i.tution, and when you come again many an honest hand will unite with yours in our expression of love and faithfulness for Him who died on Calvary, not in the arms of a loving mother, but between two such men as many of us have been; yet one of them dwells with Him in Paradise, which proves to a certainty that He saves to the uttermost. G.o.d bless you again.
Write us often, and when you reach those pearly gates there will be those to meet you who will say, "You showed me the way."
Yours in Christ.
WM. AND YOUR BOYS.
Lancaster, Neb., Aug. 20, 1892.
Dear Sister in the Lord:
Yours of the 5th at hand. I always rejoice to hear from you, or to hear you speak, for your words are words of comfort, and are after the doctrine of our Lord and Master and according to the Scripture. It is a great comfort to me to hear or speak with those that live in Christ Jesus. No I have no thought of turning back to the poor and weak elements of this world. By the help of the Lord I will press on to the ends that I may claim all the promises, and I want to be found faithful in all good works, and in doing good to those that have need. The promise you spoke of can be found in Revelation, 14:12. You ask if I will seek to be such. Yes, with all my heart. G.o.d, that knows all our hearts, knows that my desire is to live and work for His sake and for His glory. As for me, I am not worthy to be called His child, but only a servant, because I have wasted my life in sin when I ought to have served my G.o.d and Lord. But four years ago the Lord drew me unto Him. I repented of my ways, gave my heart and soul to G.o.d the Father, and Jesus our Lord. I received forgiveness of my sins, and not many days after I received the promise of my Lord.
That was the promise of the Comforter, which came to me--even me.
And now shall I turn back? No, G.o.d helping me, I will endure all things; for He is able to keep me in the hour of temptation. And oh! His promises are so true to them that put their trust in Him.
In Isaiah, 41st chapter and 10th verse, and again in 1st Kings, 19th chapter, 7th verse, we are told the journey is too great for us without G.o.d"s help. But if we accept the help we shall be faithful to the end. And here is another promise that He will help in time of need: "Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matt. 28:20.)
He has promised to reward us according to our works. (Rev.
22:12.) I have done nothing worthy of reward. But you have labored and have kept the faith, and G.o.d will reward you for all your trials and tribulations, and give you a crown that will never fade. Yes, G.o.d helping me, I will meet you in Heaven, where there is no more sorrow and no more weeping, but joy in our Saviour. May G.o.d bless you. May He give you health and strength to the end, is my prayer. Pray for me, for the prayer of the righteous availeth much.
Yours in Jesus, P. B.
Ionia, Mich., October 21, 1894.
Mrs. Wheaton.
Dear Madam: I write to thank you for those pamphlets you sent me, and I think I can say they did me good. At any rate, I am trying to faithfully follow their suggestions. I practically devour any of that kind of reading, for, thank G.o.d, I do hunger and thirst after instruction in His word--I should like to have said righteousness, but I don"t--there! I cannot finish what I was going to say, for a blessed thought has just come to me--that is, Abraham believed G.o.d, and it was counted to him for righteousness. I not only believe G.o.d, but Jesus Christ also. So I believe I may say I hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Anyhow, I pray every day to get nearer to G.o.d. You will be glad to hear that I have decided to leave all and follow Him. I have consecrated my life to His service. When I get out, wherever I feel that He calls me, I shall go there, if it is to China. I am praying for sanctification. I want to get so close to G.o.d as to always be able to feel His presence. This is just two weeks since you were here, and I started to serve G.o.d. Praise the Lord, I think I am justified in saying that I am a new lad.
I have given up tobacco and don"t feel the need of it any more than if I had never tasted it. I have given up profanity just as easily. Now I want to read the Bible every day. Since you were here I have read Corinthians I and II, Revelations, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, and am now reading the Acts of the Apostles.
Before you came I had thought a little of being a Christian, but had not taken any steps towards it, but you decided me, and I thank you for it.
I must close now or my paper will give out. Pray for me that I may receive sanctification and have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. G.o.d bless you.
I remain, yours sincerely and respectfully, M. J. B.
Lancaster, Neb., Feb. 3, 1895.
Mrs. Elizabeth R. Wheaton.
My Dear Sister in Christ: Yours was received with welcome and thanksgiving to our Lord that comforts us through His Holy Spirit. Yes, G.o.d has given me grace to overcome many temptations.
He is my whole trust and confidence, and I know He hears my prayers, and He will open a door for you here. There are some hungry souls here for the truth. I believe if you had been permitted to have service, some would have been saved. About the first of December there were some seeking quite sincerely. My desire is that I might be found faithful to the end, and I ask your prayers for me to Him who is able to save to the uttermost.
I am so glad you had the Spirit of G.o.d in your service in Lincoln December 25. We had the follies of this world without the Spirit of G.o.d. But the world knows its own and they please not our Lord. And because we are not of the world, the world hates us, and that without a cause. I have been praying for you that G.o.d will give you the victory in all things. And now may the peace and grace of G.o.d our Lord be with all His saints and them that truly love Him.