Dr. Norman G. Marvin shared his feelings about Jesus Christ with inmates of the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing
The prisoners were joined by a common interest— Jesus Christ.
Each prisoner was given a bible before the meeting so he could follow the lesson and look up scriptures.
Photos by Barb Kinney Story by David Lewis
'The Lord sets the prisoners free'
Behind a podium, a man with thinning brown hair and horn-rimmed glasses flips through the pages of his brown, leather-bound Bible.
He faces an aisle that separates about 15 rows of rowes. The murmur in the chapel ceases as the man picks up his Bible, signalizing the beginning of the service.
Twenty-eight men are scattered in the pew. All are clad in blue-denim shirts and blue jeans. Not names, but numbers identify members of the congregation.
The confident man with the Bible smiles reassuringly.
Jim Bibb, state budget director, said he had never received any complaints about the makeshift chapel.
"Jesus Christ came to save all sinners," he says.
A Bible study at the Kansas State Presidential in Lansing is under way. The presidential library recently converted into a chapel, now serves as a place of worship for the in-
"There's no excuse not to have it," he said. "If you get the money for a house, you just don't sit there. You get concrete houses and then start building the house."
The chapel, however, needs extensive renovation, according to Rusty Carline, an inmate from Pontiac, Miach.
"A lot of people out there think we have a chapel, but we don't," Carline said. "We want a good place for worshipping. A lot of people just seem to just see the inside of the building."
The make-shift chapel was the result of a 10-year movement to build a new chapel for the prisoners.
Melvin Traultoff, an inmate from Emporia, said he could not understand the council's delay in approving the renovation project.
In 1970, the Kansas Legislature approved a fund-raising effort by inmates to create an All-Faith Chapel at Lansing. For three years, the prison chorus did benefit states in communities throughout the state and received donations, the inmates raised $37,000.
Since 1972, the money has drawn $12,000 interest in a Leavenworth bank. The State Finance Council, which rules on prison inmates, said the agency how the inmates' $400 would be spent.
"I haven't received anything," he said.
"I'm not aware at all of any letter. None has been sent to me nor have I seen any."
Psalms 146:7
Bibb said the council would not act until it convened in the next few months.
At this point, the prisoners virtually have no chance to build a new chapel, even if the Legislature approves the $49,000 expenditure.
Robert Atkins, deputy director of programs for the prison, said a lack of prison space had made it impossible to build a new chanel.
"Physical changes were made at the institution," he said. "There was a new installation, and we were building the Site. The site talked about was the site of the old isolation building, which was torn down in
Atkins said a new athletic building was built on the isolation building site.
Carline said problems had plagued the converted blood bank, despite attempts to improve it.
The chapel is often too hot or too cold, he said. Inmates often cannot hear the chapelman's voice because of noise made by the air conditioner unit that serves as the air conditioner.
"There is no building site. A new chapel would hinder recreation."
The chapel's low-level asbestos roof is torn in places. There also are no private rooms for Bible studies or discussions with the chanin, Carline said.
Trautloff said he thought inmates needed more access to the chapel, which is locked except during service time.
"The doors ought to be open," he said.
"It you can go up to the yard for recreation,
but you can't get up to the chapel unless a guard is there."
John See, an inmate from Lawrence, also said he thought the clerk needed more renovation. But See, vice director of Convicts for Christ, a prison organization that fights inmates to Christ," said he apprehended programs provided by prison officials.
Norman G. Marvin, a Bible study leader from Kansas City, said "saved" prisoners rarely returned to prison.
"On an average night, 30 to 56 prisoners up for Bible study," he said. "One time, 80 or 96 game."
"We have services five nights a week and Bible study on Saturday," he said. "A guest group visits every Sunday afternoon."
John Wright, assistant chaplain at the penitentiary, said between 30 and 50 people attended the Bible study sessions.
"Statistics show that 90 percent of the prisoners who accept Christ never come to prison. They can go out into society," he said.
Marvin Davis was one of the inmates who regularly attends the bible study.
Volunteers from the community and prisoners who attended the bible study joined hands to pray for each other at the end of each meeting.