ll confirm his views that you can not
reform. You will meet with harder things than this in life, yet must
not think of yielding the struggle, let what will arise."

These efforts tended materially to lift the cloud from the prisoners'
minds, and give them more hope. It really gladdened the hearts of many
to learn that the privileges, which they had come to love so well and
esteem so highly, were still to be theirs.

6. _S. school commences._ The next Sabbath the S. S. was resumed. Nearly
the usual number were present. A few Christian gentlemen from the city
were teachers, a sufficient number to guard each prisoner and see that
nothing contraband passed. These were good men, some having long been
laborers in the school. On the whole, things appeared more encouraging
than on the Sabbath previous. That frosty appearance had in a measure
departed, though it was by no means wholly gone.

7. _The warden's views considered._ The idea that "prisoners can not be
reformed" is contrary to Scripture, history, and experience. The former
gives the assurance that the vilest, the chief of sinners, those whose
sins are as scarlet or crimson, may be saved. Then history deals in
facts where such have been radically reformed, and have become good men.
Some who were once in prison are now upright, industrious citizens.
Hence, the assertion shows lack of confidence in Scripture assurances
and historical knowledge.

But one asks, "Do you think it possible to reform all, or a large
proportion of prisoners?" We can assume it of those here as of the world
in general. Whether out of or in prison, we are to sow the seed, and
some will germinate. We must work, use all right appliances, and leave
the event with God, not knowing "which shall prosper, this or that."

Again, the objection comes: "Prisoners will be often hypocritical,
profess goodness from sinister motives, pretending to have reformed for
a time, and then become as bad as ever."

Admit all this. But are not just such traits found in the world all
about us? Where are there more wicked wretches than some outside the
prison, who have "put on the livery of heaven to serve the devil in?"
What meaner men inhabit God's earth than some who have succeeded in
working themselves into the church, and can boast of coming to the
communion regularly? How many profess and fall away on every hand, yes,
sink deeper in corruption than before! The fact is, this pretended
argument to the