Library Collections: Document: Full Text

"Yes, the bow of hope is always to be seen in your horizon."

"Is it not well to have it so?"

"Yes, if you can -- but were I in your situation I think I should give up in despair."

"What would that accomplish?"

"Nothing, but to let them see the wreck they had caused!"

However her argument failed to dispirit me. Indeed I felt stronger for her sympathy, and determined to let matters take their natural course, believing that the dark riddle would be sometime made plain to my comprehension. I was now suffering what I was put in to receive -- a "dres-sing down" for daring to speak the truth respecting the Church dogmas.

And now I must not turn back, but face this new enemy I have called into the field, by boldness of speech here -- and must endure my punishment for telling the truth about the insane asylum dogmas.

Yes, I am being "Punished for Telling the Truth!" And God grant I may never escape from this calaboose of torture, by recanting the truth respecting creeds or asylums!

CHAPTER LII.
The Prisoner Who Called Himself "Jesus Christ!"

One evening at our dancing parties I was introduced to a fine looking young man, with whom I held a very agreeable and intelligent conversation, wherein I failed to detect any indications of loss of reason, or mental unsoundness. Know-ing that he was a new arrival, I, of course, looked for some mental aberration, as his passport to the privileges of our institution.

But having signally failed, after the most searching scrutiny, to detect the slightest title to this claim, I began to fear here was another smuggled victim of some evil plot. The longer I conversed, the more confirmed was this suspicion.

Determined to pursue my investigations on this point, I sought and found his attendant, and inquired what was the character of the insanity of this young man.

He replied, "I am as ignorant as you are, Mrs. Packard, on that point. I have watched him with the closest scrutiny ever since he was entered, and have entirely failed to detect the first irregularity in any respect. Indeed he is the most kind, obliging and exemplary person I ever saw, and as for sympathy and tenderness towards the patients I never saw it surpassed in any one."

"I fear we have another bogus candidate for the honors of this institution;" replied I, "for I am sure that so far as in-telligence and reason are concerned, he is a most unfit person to receive the brand of insanity."

"That is my opinion of his case thus far," replied his attendant, "and yet I may be able to detect some peculiarity upon a longer acquaintance; still from his appearance during the weeks he has been under my care, I should judge he was the last person who ought to be put under a lock and key."

"I very much fear he is another of the many victims of unjust persecution, sent here by those who employ this Insti-tution to shield their own crimes, for there is evidently guilt somewhere in entombing such a promising young man as he is. Won't you please ascertain if you can, what are the facts in the case, and tell me at our next party? for I am making ob-servations and seeking facts for a book on this subject."

At our next party I accordingly pursued these inquiries, and found that, although he had been on the most vigilant search for facts on which his imprisonment was predicated, he had found nothing that could afford any solution to his mind of this dark mystery. He more than confirmed his previous defense of his entire sanity, by adding:

"He is the most forgiving, kind, tender sympathizing person I ever saw."

"Yes," thought I, "here is doubtless another instance where there is too much Christianity for this perverted age to recognize, and therefore he must be offered in sacrifice upon this altar of insanity. Can it be that men as well as women, are imprisoned here, because they exhibit too much of Christ's spirit? I will find out whether this brother in bonds is of this class."

With these thoughts I met my new friend, and extending my hand, said:

"Good evening, Mr. --, I don't recollect your name."

"My name is Jesus Christ!"

"Jesus Christ!" thought I, greatly taken aback -- I knew not what to say -- Oh, this is your insanity, this is your crimi-nal offense, doubtless -- but how is this? I am determined never to call a person insane for the utterance of opinions, merely, no matter how absurd -- but here is an opinion where, I fear my philosophy will he balked -- my principles are not going to stand this test!

With these thoughts, I ventured to pursue my investigations, and recollecting how reasonable and sensible he had appeared, I asked him in reply to this introduction of himself:

"But how is it, Sir, you can call yourself 'Jesus Christ,' when he is the Son of God, and came to earth, and was here crucified for sinners?"

"Oh, I am not that Jesus Christ, but another Jesus Christ! -- he is my oldest brother, and I being of the same family bear the same name, but, of course, there can be but one oldest brother in the great human family, any more than in any other family. Haven't you more than one son in your family?"