PRACTICAL PRISON REFORM.
CHAPLAIN D. R. IMBRIE, HOBOKEN, PA.
A paper on “A Decade of Prison Reform: The Realized and the Unrealized.” Among other things he said: “What is society? It is an individual, of which the members are individuals. It is one in interest, one in object, one in benefit, with the individual its factor. Its laws are the laws of God, and it strives to keep the letter of the law (but not always the spirit), but one thing is lacking—an all-powerful, soul-filling charity. It is the object of public philanthropy, of sociologists, of reformers in general, of this Prison Congress, to bring to the social world a realization of the eleventh commandment—to love thy neighbor as thyself.
A very able paper was read by Rev. Dr. F. A. Gold, of Mansfield, Ohio, on “The Chaplain’s Work from a Pastor’s Point of View,” which recommended co-operative work of religious and semi-religious associations as helpers.
Rev. Dr. H. H. Hart, of Chicago, criticized the paper, about delegates sent from the Y. M. C. A. and W. C. T. U.; the young clergy and Brotherhood men visiting prisons for the purpose of reforming prisoners, he claimed that very many were not real themselves, and we could not look for any success.
Rev. David J. Starr, Chaplain of Ohio State Penitentiary, in answering Mr. Hart said, that to find instances where actual injury was done by preaching, one need not go to the prisons, we see it on the outside, at revival meetings and other places. However that should not discourage any one from trying to induce men to lead better lives through the Gospel of Christ. What we need is less preaching and more hard work of sympathy.
Hon. Frederick Howard Wines, LL.D., of Washington, D. C., spoke about the recent book by Dr. McKim, “Heredity and Human Progress.” The drastic remedies of crime, are they Christian? He personally considered it not worthy of being chosen as a special topic of the Association. The fundamental weakness of Dr. McKim’s position is his preconceived notions. Let each one look that book over, you are not likely to read it all.
Chaplain J. F. Orwick, Jackson, Mich., read a paper about the observance of Prison Sunday (the fourth Sunday in October). He lamented that in so few churches it was observed, except in Chicago, where 300 sermons were preached last year.
Oren C. Painter, Treasurer of The Prisoners Aid Association, Baltimore, Md., spoke of their annual report, that last year 1,577 men and women were discharged from Baltimore Prison; and that they aided 564 discharged prisoners, furnished 4,644 meals and 1,502 night’s lodgings to men and women.
Mrs. Deborah C. Leeds made some brief remarks about reform.
Professor Charles R. Henderson, Chicago, claimed that if the people did not wake up and realize the necessity to reform themselves, how shall we expect to reform other men and women of like nature.