REDEMPTIVE WORK IN ENGLISH GAOLS.

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 344, 18 February 1924, Page 2

REDEMPTIVE WORK IN ENGLISH GAOLS.

“For 1 was hungry, and you never fed! me; I was thirsty, but you never gave im drink; 1 was a stranger, but you never entertained me; 1 was unclothed, but >ou never clothed me; 1 was ill and in prison, but you lievei looked after me.” Matt xxv. 42, 43. (Moffat's Translattion.) The hungry are thought of as the “submerged tenth,” unemployables, work-shy's, vagrants, casuals. The strangers are considered as undesirable aliens. The ill-clad are thought of as the chance victims of the struggle for survival. The prisoners in our gaols arc referred to as criminals, outcasts, enemies of society, unchangeable, unconvertible human beings. Our mental attitude too often is “Serve you right; you deserve all you get; you have broken natural laws, you are beaten in the struggle for life, therefore take the consequences.” This attitude may be consistent in the worshipper of mammon, but to the followers of Jesus the words quoted above must come as a great challenge. “Inasmuch as ye did it to one of these brothers of mine, even to the least of them, ye did it to Me” (Matt, xxv. 40). A vision should be ever with us of God suffering in the person of the unemployed worker, the orphan and fatherless, the sick in mind and liody. the prisoner in solitary confinement, and the helpless victim taken to the scaffold. . . . To see men and things with the eyes and imagination of God demands mental and spiritual heroism, and a continuous process of spiritual enlightenment .... Of sixteen reforms suggested in 1921 by the Society of Friends, eleven have been accepted. Conversation durinr; times of associated labour, visits from outside visitors, associated recreation for prisoners enduring penal servitude, and increased educational facilities, are among the changes made during the last two years. It is in the work of education that the John Woolman Adult Mdueational Settlement has been more particularly

concerned. An invitation was received from a chaplain of a J/ondon prison to provide lecturers for adult prisoners of sixteen to twenty-one years old, and in response to this appeal two, and on one occasion three lectures per week were given, dealing with biography, travel, civics and history, the plan followed Ixdiig a forty minutes' lecture and twenty minutes for questions and dis cussion. All who shared in the work were surprised at the interest and intelligence shown, and experts in their subjects have admitted that questions were >ften more pointed and searching than those of outside audiences. Ton cent rat ion of mind and the exclusion of other interests no doubt contributed to this end. Gradually other la>ndon prisons were included in the scheme, and at one 1 urnfour prisons were served from th** Settlement. After a time consecutive courses were suggested, and a course ot twelve lectures tin Civics was commenced in a Ho ratal institution. Thirty-four joined voluntarily, and the writer had them as students for twelve consecutive weeks. Note-taking, collateral reading, and essay work were undertaken. On questions like unemployment and edueattion some poignant documents were produced. A passage from one reads:— “The effect of the Great War is responsible for two-thirds of the people in all Europe being out of work. It is hard lines for poor people to live nowadays, through this last war, as people who had good situations when they went to the war, some one else took over their work, and after the war is done they come back to find, they have no work, and then perhaps they go and steal something and get put in prison. That is how half the crime in England this last few v -ars has been raised about 50 per cent., and perhaps many of these men and women only want a job to satisfy them. If they can’t get it, what is the consequence prison or starvation." Many similar passages could ho quoted. It is probable that the essayist was speaking out of a personal experience, and was giving out of his study of civics a criticism of our social order, mirrored as it often is in the spending of years in a penal institution. From small beginnings interest has been quickened, and from all quarters information was kought. In most prisons of the country there are now

classes and meetings each week. in one London prison Toe. H. lias supplied lecturers, and one lecturer told the writer how he hud been brought back to feeling the need of u church by Toe. H. and prison work. Foi years he felt iu need of a church, but now he seeks for the sustaining power of grace in order to carry through the work he has undertaken. "In others’ good he finds Ins own.’ This waiter, in a London prison, twelve voluntary lecturers are dealing with Literature, Livies, Geography, History, Science, Shorthand, Bookkeeping, and i languages, and as many as one hundred and seventy-live prisoners are meeting on one evening. in womens prisons, dressmaking, fancy work, physical drill, in addition to cultural subjects, are being undertaken. Many societies are helping. The People's League of Health, the Vacan Land Cultivation Society, the Y.M.C.A., Can. bridge House, Toynbee Hall, and Adult Educational Settlemenu are all engaged in the work of saving the mind, sweetening the soul, and keeping alive the hope of the new day. What this means to the victims of a diseased order it is impossible to say. An incident of my own can illustrate. Walking down Petticoat London, one day, I was stopped by a youth selling garden peas from a borrow. He held out his hand, 1 grasped it, and conversation began. Had 1 been in 1 ’entonville Prison. "Well— yes. Did I believe on allotments? “No, but I arranged." “Well, Sir, 1 want a piece of land. Will you give me the address of the gent, who lectured on •Allotments’?’’ A new hope had arisen, a new resolve had been born. The work has only begun; the work of following up has not bqpn seriously undertaken. The Prisoners' Aid Society work is in great need of strengthening. To befriend the men and wo.,ien inside is only half the work, and not the most important. Food, clothing. and shelter are assured while under "State protection.” but under our so-called freedom outside the victim is driver hither and thither by the cruel winds of misfortune, suspicious policemen. nervous employers, friends and family cold and unkind. The victims t«nd the chances of going straight difficult. and often the new resolve is i d»rd. and the prisoner is almost compelled to pursue a round of anti social

conduct in order to find the means of subsistence. Here is a piece of redemptive work waiting to be done. Who will help to redeem and liberate the divine element in the least ot these, Gods brethren? Who will help to lessen the suffering of God in the person of His children? —Charles H. Simpson. —From the F.O.R. News Sheet.