An Unoccupied Missionary Field
By David Paulson
MANY of our people living in the immediate vicinity of jails and county prisons, have never discovered that these institutions present wonderful missionary opportunities. A prisoner is a sinner, like any other mortal, the only difference being that he has positively learned that the way of the transgressor is hard, and so he is likely to be in a favorable state of mind to be reached with the story of the gospel. He has plenty of time to think, and one reason so many people get into trouble is that they do not take time to think. We have left this kind of missionary work almost entirely to the Salvation Army and the missionaries of other denominations, and God has certainly blessed them in their efforts. Some have stated that they have difficulty in securing permission from the jailers and sheriffs to do missionary work in their institutions. This is partly because these officials have learned from experience that there are many well-meaning persons who are extremely indiscreet, having utilized such opportunities in listening to the prisoner’s supposed or real grievances, and unduly sympathizing with him, or perhaps in circulating gossip in regard to the prison management, in the community; therefore they can scarcely be blamed for being somewhat suspicious of every one who desires to secure these privileges. Nevertheless we have found that as soon as prison officials are satisfied that we are doing good in a reasonable way, and have no other motive, there is no class of men who are more ready to co-operate with us than they are. We have letters from all the leading officials in this country, expressing the warmest appreciation for the Life Boat and its work among the prisoners. We suggest this plan for those who wish to work in this field: write to us, inclosing a few stamps, and we will send you several copies of the Life Boat, and also copies of some of the best letters from leading prison officials; and then you can send the same to your jailer or sheriff, and after he has read them, and noted with what appreciation these prison officials regard the Life Boat, he will, in most cases, readily grant you permission to come there once a month and distribute Life Boats to the prisoners. You can send to us for the number that you desire, and pay for them at the rate of one and one-half cents a copy. For the first month or two, until you and the prison officials become well acquainted, it will be the wisest course merely to hand the papers to the prisoners through the bars, with perhaps a cheering word or two, going about quickly and quietly. If the Lord sees that you can be trusted in this kind of work, you will soon secure permission to hold regular jail services on Sunday, or what would be still better in most cases, have personal talks at some length with each of the prisoners, and a word of prayer with those who desire it; and then you will soon find yourself in the center of a most interesting work, one that will give you experience for other lines of missionary work. In such work you will frequently be thrown in contact with good people of other denominations, and you will discover, if you have not already done so, that some of them have a deep Christian experience, and that many of them have made far better use of their opportunities to assist their fellow men than many of our own people who have had great light, but have shed so little of it abroad on a lost humanity who are sitting in darkness. Address all communications to 28 Thirty-third Place, Chicago, Ill.