CRIMINALS AND THEIR TREATMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7222, 18 July 1884, Page 7

CRIMINALS AND THEIR TREATMENT.

According to invitation, a reporter of the New Zealand Times attended Sunday night’s meeting of the Wellington Spiritualistic Association, whereat, through a male medium entranced, a spirit, who stated that his name on earth was John Mackay, gave a discourse on “ Criminals and their Management,” The meeting, which, besides the ordinary circle included a number of visitors, consisted of about 25 person?, fully a third of whom were ladies. The .meeting was held in a private house in Xugeatre-street, the room set apart for the purpose bring au apartment about 25ft long by 18ft wide. The circle proper consisted of some 12 persons, who weie seated in a semi-circle, in front of which was a table at which the medium sat, and at the right horn of the crescent was a harmonium presided over by a lady, The medium was a man of apparently about 20 years of age, who did not exhibit any peculiar characteristics, excepting that he appeared to be rather of a retiring disposition. The proceedings were opened by the singing of a hymn, which was a paraphrase of a very old hymn, u There is a land of pure delight.” This was followed by the reading of a portion of the 10th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, referring to a damsel who was possessed with the power of divination. The reading was followed by the singing of*another hymn, during which the medium, who is said to be a clairvoyant, went off into a trance. The medium, while seated at the table, gave one or two little spasmodic shudders similar to those which are premonitory symptoms in the cases of persona suffering from epileptic fits, and with closed eyelids remained in that position until the hymn was concluded. HU corporeal frame was then presumed to have been taken possession of by the controlling spirit, which in this instance was stated to bo that of the late departed John Mackay, and in his trance the medium rose and delivered a short prayer, after which he gave a short address relative to the treatment of criminals iu the various prisons. The controlling spirit deprecated the present system of treating criminals, who were looked upon more like beasts than human creatures. It should, he said, be recollected that those men were butiu valid spirit?, who were capable cf being taught and elevated to something better. It therefore behoved those on earth to regard criminal prisoners as fellow-creaiure?, and if they did anything to cast ott the moral fetters of the prisoners, they would be doing good. Many of those who were in their prisons were beginners iu crime, and should not be permitted, on a first offence, to be herded with hardened criminals who would contaminate them. Those who were in charge of prisons were only too frequently of a repulsive character, and these, if the reformation of prisoners was aimed at, should be changed for persons who were calculated to exercise good moral influences on those , committed to their care. Women might

r.o olifniinA to fake charts of fern .le piLwrr-’ who by their precept and influence would 'u-:-.,rci-o a great influence for gO'>d, A criminal ,vr ; H r. r.p/iitual invalid. They did not shun tin; bed side of a sick person, and why, therefore, did they shun the prisoner’s, who was morally sick ? There were many who were nver-o/to teaching trades in pri-sonq bat «)jh he con entirely wrong. Many

y., lin r- »).;!! by H|;.;cul.\tion »-r by gambling got iuio prison, and th<*y nrght during thur term ~f acquire a trade which wr.uifl enable thorn in their liberation to earn an honorable livelihood. lie b> •oaght them to lea-1 thrir erring fellow creatures upwards and instruct them, knowledge was power. The controlling spirit, through the medium, remarked that the Hub j jet being such a wide one, he thought i* would be belter if those present asked him questions, which ho would willingly answer to the best of his ability. A number of questions, some of which were of a most inquisitorial character, were propounded. The controlling spirit stated that whilst on earth he hud no personal experience of prison life, his knowledge of prison life having been derived from what he had learnt since he had been in the spirit world. He expressed himself us being in favor of substituting solitary confinement for capital punishment, be considered that the State had no right to take life. The punishment of solitary confinement wa*, be admitted, more terrible than the punishment of death, but was only com* mensurate with the crime of murder. The spirits who Communed with those on earth did not pretend to be infallible. In answer to a query as to whether he was happy in tho spirit world, the controlling spirit said that they wore happy so far as their iudiviclujl position enabled each one to appreciate Imppintiris. True religion consisted in the love of God, no matter whether they were Christian, libuddiat, or Mahommcdau. Tie objected to material manifestations being held on Sunday evenings, as he thought that the meetings on those evenings should be devoted to the investigation of purely religions subjects. Another hymn was thou sung, during which the medium came out of his trance. The proceedings then terminated,