"MY BROTHER'S KEEPER."

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 73, 26 March 1923, Page 7

"MY BROTHER'S KEEPER."

■ ■ • DUTY TO DISCHARGED PRISONERS. "If all the local societies took this up. I believe we could save many a man who is only foolish, from becoming a criminal." said the Rev. Jasper Caldcr j last night, in summing up his scheme for | enlisting the aid of the men of the city jto help their weaker brethren who had been convicted in our courts. The Princess Theatre was crowded, a large number of men being gresent. including several connected with the local courts. The speaker stated that his proposal did not include the assisting of hardened criminals determined upon a life of sin, but rather men who had been foolish and weak, and who had the sense to plead guilty and try again. "There's nothing like owning up." lie said. "No Roman Catholic believes more firmly in confession than I do. When a man has admitted his guilt he's gone far to making a fresh start. If there is any man here to-night weak enough to have started something wrong for God's sake let him let go and own up to someone before it is too late. When lie has the aid of religion he will pull through all right." The speaker said that real Christians found it hard enough to keep to the i-traight and narrow path; how men imagined that they- could be square without it made him pause and wonder. His scheme -was simplicity in itself and rather resembled last Sunday's "Big Sister" scheme, which would be in operation after Easter. When a man left the court he was to be allotted a "Big Brother," who would see to it that the delinauent was made to feel that the citizens were not going to hound him i because of his misdeeds. They would 1 endeavoi _■ to find suitable work for him as work was always his salvation. Mr. Campbell, the probation officer, who was keen over the movement, had asked him ' to publicly appeal to the business men of ' the city to help by giving these men 1 work. They might rest assured that humanly speakins only real triers would jbe sent alone for jobs. If the Church lof England Men's Society. V.M.C.A., and other kindred bodies offered their ser--1 vices, success was assured. Messages ' ifrom' Sir Robert Stout. Mr. Justice Stringer, Mr. Povnton. S.M., and others were read by the preacher who declared : that these gentlemen entirely approved _ his action. No bulky organisation or official recognition was necessary. All j that was needed was a lirt of men -who , believed that brotherhood meant personal service as well as companionship. In a mild way he had been "big brothering" for many years, and found the arrangement a great success. If the scheme was expanded there was no limit to its usefulness. It was essentially a B Christian movement, for did not the , Master say, "Inasmuch as ye have t ministered unto the least of these, My brethren, ye have done it unto Mc lilso."