Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of Love

"Prisons and Prayer; Or, a Labor of Love" by Elizabeth Ryder Wheaton is a powerful memoir chronicling the author's twenty years dedicated to mission work among prisoners and outcasts in the early 1900s. As a prison evangelist, Wheaton's story is a testament to her devotion to sharing her religious beliefs within the walls of prisons and places intended to reform people, highlighting the difficult lives of inmates and celebrating stories of change and belief. Wheaton's mission began after personal tragedies; it was sparked by her early experiences of loss and grief as an orphan. Wheaton faced struggles, sought comfort in faith, and felt a divine urge to serve those abandoned by society, all of which are detailed to lay the groundwork for her ongoing mission, emphasizing the pressing need for kindness, empathy, and spiritual guidance for those behind bars.