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THE KING’S BUSINESS
filthy as to tobacco and dirt, in spite of a neat, broken-hearted little wife and two pretty girls who supported the homp. He could generally get enough wh'iskey to keep him quarrelsome, and his hobby was to pitch into any one who was a Christian, and, blaspheming in every breath, rave against the church, hypocrites and preach ers. Years ago he had been cruelly deceived by a preacher, and had given up all religion. He was constantly quarrelling and threatening his enemies. Of course, he did not respond to our invitations to come to the class. As the weeks went on he seemed a little more approachable and was willing to drop into our kitchen, use the phone, drink a glass of milk, and tell how wickedly Christians had treated him. One day he brought us some seed from his choice pansies, and then at last one night appeared at the class and took the most obscure seat' he could find. The teacher was certainly illuminated and inspired that night to give this poor man the message he needed. He sat through the lesson with A FTER a period of transition, in which some of the best workers in the San Quentin class were given their freedom .and left, the class is again growing. We are finding new faces every Saturday, and hav ing frequent decisions. Two weeks ago a man who had just come into prison, made a public profession of acceptance of Christ. He was in jail in a southern city, awaiting his sentence, when a colored man came in, also a pris oner; the colored man had a Testament in his pocket and loaned it to the white man. It was the first time in his life that he had read the Scripture, and when he came to San Quentin he asked for a Bible. This led to his decision in class.
eyes and mouth wide open, taking it all in. He did not even lean back in his chair. As he went out, he remarked, “That teacher is true and is preaching the old- fashioned Gospel.” From that time on he told others of the class at every opportu nity, and was full of the subject at home. About the third time he came, after the meeting the teacher walked a short distance with him,, and the man told how he had just received a letter from a brother who had been very wicked, telling of his con version at a Salvation Army meeting. We wish you could see the,wonderful change that has come into his life in these weeks. “I’ve sowed my last wild oats,” he said. “Haven’t used a bad word for three weeks.” “O, if I had only met this teacher twenty years ago!” He is sixty-six years of age and regrets his wasted life. This class was opfned by a young woman who had been greatly blessed by the Bible Institute and the ministry of one of our Bible Women. If magazines, both secular and religious, will be sent to me, I shall forward them on to the road camp, where about two hundred men are building state highways. I am now" giving one of these men correspon dence instruction in Bible, and he in turn is conducting a class for his fellow-pris oners. Jack Dunlop, a recent graduate of the Bible Institute, took the class last week while I was absent. The man who has done the best work in the class during the past year, and who has had a clear, ringing testimony for Christ, will be out of prison this month, if we can locate work for him; it is his desire to enter the Bible Institute.
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SAN QUENTIN PRISON
By Loren S. Hanna
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