THREE IN JAIL by A. F. Ballenger

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 4, 1893

THREE IN JAIL.

By A. F. Ballenger

FROM the report of Elder A. F. Ballenger, in the Review of November 21, we take the following extracts:—

As a result of the trials held at Centerville, Md., November 10 and 13, three of our brethren are now in the county jail at Centerville. These brethren are Isaac Baker, Geo. W. Marvel, and Milton A. Bryan. Brother Baker is forty-five years old, and has a wife and eleven children, the youngest of whom is but three months old. Brother Marvel is about sixty years old, and has a wife and several children, most of whom are grown. Brother Bryan is about twenty-eight years old, and has a wife and one child, a baby eight months old.

Brother Baker's crime(?) was plowing his field Sunday, the 9th day of last April. Brother Marvel's was setting out tomato plants in his garden on Sunday, June 25. The only witness against him was his own son, who holds the office of constable, and who went purposely to catch his father at work in order to prosecute him. Brother Bryan was seen cutting sprouts, chopping wood in his dooryard, and digging in his garden, by two men who were acting as spies, and who had previously threatened to have him arrested for working on Sunday.

After the trials, and just before leaving Centerville, Professor McKee, several of the Maryland ministers, and the writer, called at the jail to bid the brethren good-by, but were rudely ordered by the sheriff to leave the jail and to stay away. We were thus refused a privilege usually granted to the friends of the vilest of criminals. The brethren came to the window of their cell, which is in the second story of the building, and talked with us through the iron bars; and with this picture of persecution stamped on our memory, we bade them good-by. This is but a single manifestation of the persecuting spirit that is now enveloping the world, and which will soon rule in the hearts of all whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life.

The fine imposed by the court was $5.00 and costs, which of course our brethren would not pay, and the alternative is thirty days in jail.

From the Union Record we take the following in reference to other cases tried at the same term of court:—

Alexander Dodd and Brother C. O. Ford were arrested for hauling window sash, glass, and weights for the new meeting house, from the Jackson Street wharf, on Sunday, June 4. The principal witnesses against them were the two brothers of C. O. Ford. One of them was at that time agent for the steamboat company at the wharf where the goods were discharged. He refused to put the goods in the warehouse on the wharf, and did not notify his brother, C. O. Ford, of their arrival, till Saturday night, at 8 o'clock. The next morning Brother Ford and Brother Dodd hauled them up to the former's store, followed by the witnesses, one of whom testified in court that he had vowed to cause the arrest of any Seventh-day Adventists he saw working on Sunday. Some time ago Brother Ford's brothers, who made the complaint, went and paid the fine and costs for their brother, C. O. Ford, without his knowledge, for they evidently saw that he would go to jail rather than to pay them himself. This left Brother Dodd alone in that case. When the facts were presented, the jury quickly rendered a verdict "not guilty," holding that the work done was one of necessity on the part of Brother Ford, and, therefore, it was lawful for Brother Dodd to assist him. It would be amusing to know how Mr. Frank Ford and Mr. Samuel Ford felt as they reflected on their part in the transaction. First, they had their brother arrested, clearly through malice, on account of his religion, then they went and paid $8.00 to keep him from jail, and the court decided the work lawful.