27th February

The judge and the condemned person

Charles Colson was a former adviser of president Nixon. He was involved in Watergate and was imprisoned for several months. He becomes a Christian and dedicates his life to announcing the Gospel in the american prisons. Voluntary visitors join his group Friendship in Prisons to announce the Gospel to the prisoners.

After one of his visits at the moment when he goes through the check point at the exist, Colson notices that one of the voluntary persons, the judge Clement, had not followed the group. He is discontented and gows back. He finds Clement in the cell of James Brewer. Clement says to Colson: "Just wait a minute, it is important. You know it was me who condemned James with the maximal punishment. Now he is my brother and we need a minute to pray together."

Colson says: "I was petrified at the doorstep of the cell. In front of me were two men, one had influence and the other one did not have any influence at all, one was white and the other was black, one had condemned the other. Everywhere else except in the kingdom of God this prisoner would have been prepared to kill the judge with his hands. However, here they were one and they prayed together. While they prayed their face reflected an extraordinary happiness."

When the judge Clement left the prison he was very touched and said that he had prayed for Brewer every day since he had condemned him. Brewer was condemned four years before.