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.