The Prisoner's Joy
Jeremiah McAuley
"Jeremiah McAuley, you are sentenced to serve fifteen years of hard labor in Sing Sing Prison."
The words of the austere judge were still ringing in his ears when Jerry McAuley saw the story of his life — "The way of the transgressor is hard" — engraved over the prison entrance.
His father had been a counterfeiter. At thirteen Jerry took his first lessons in crime. At nineteen he was a river thief and the terror of the New York waterfront. Ironically, he was innocent of the robbery charge that sent him to Sing Sing. His underworld associates had framed him with trumped-up evidence.
For four years he hated the men who sent him to prison and dreamed of his escape. Then, one morning, as he and the other prisoners filed into chapel, he recognized an old friend on the platform. The surprise almost tumbled him to the floor.
"That's Awful Gardner! What's he doin' up there?" he muttered.
When his old friend came down on the floor to speak to the men, Jerry listened in amazement. "I was wearing stripes like you only a few months ago," Awful explained. "then I found Christ as my Saviour and —" A rain of tears blocked his flow of words. Awful Gardner
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knelt in prayer, but sobbed and cried so loud that the prisoners could hardly understand his words.
Jerry McAuley looked uneasily around him, then furtively raised his hand to wipe his tears away. Then, as if under a spell, Jerry listened to the speaker tell how he had become a Christian.
Back in his cell Jerry beat the dust from his Bible. Then for the next few weeks he used every free moment for Bible reading.
Inside he was fighting a battle with his sin. Even though he wanted to pray, it just did not seem that he could. Then an inner voice whispered, "Remember the prayer of the publican."
Jerry McAuley fell on his knees, but instantly sprang up to see if someone was watching. He dropped down again, cried to God for help, then jumped up, still ashamed. His conflict continued until one night he fell on the cold stone floor, not caring if anyone watched. "I'll stay here all night if necessary to find forgiveness," he vowed. But that was unnecessary.
In his agony he saw Christ hanging on the cross and he seemed to hear Him say, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
His body quivered with the thrill of new life. He jumped up, clapped his hands, and shouted, "Praise God! Praise God!"
A guard was passing in the corridor. "What's going on in there?" he yelled.
"I've found Christ," Jerry shouted.
"Be quiet, or I'll report you in the morning," the guard threatened.
But Jerry McAuley's witness was not to be silenced so easily. First he won his friend Jack Dare, then several
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other prisoners, before the governor granted him a pardon and he walked out a free man.
When Jerry returned to New York, he found society reluctant to accept an exconvict, even though he had been converted. He fell back into some of his old habits for a while. Then a city missionary found him penniless and wandering the streets. He gave Jarry spiritual counsel and helped him find employment.
Jerry McAuley had a vision. He had a house in the waterfront district. He resolved to use that place to start a rescue mission for men like himself who were cast down and needed a helping hand. As people came, he ministered to their physical needs and led them to God to remedy their spiritual needs.
In October 1872, at 316 Water Street, Jerry opened the Helping Hand Mission. Inspired by his success in winning down and outers to Christ, other zealous Christians began starting missions all across America. One of Jerry's converts, Colonel H.H. Hadley, started sixty-two rescue missions himself.
Jerry McAuley, the man who found joy in prison, died on September 18, 1884. But the rescue mission movement he helped to spark continues on.
