PRISON AND REFORM WORK.

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 238, 19 April 1915, Page 39

PRISON AND REFORM WORK.

This department is not naturally so popular as many in our W.C.T.U. work, sue li a.'* Hand of Hope work, the Cradle Roll, etc.; but do we all realise that even the « riminal is within the sc o£)e of our womanly work and influence? Do we realise also that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ passed through arrest, trial, condem nation, and imprisonment? “He wanumbered with tlie transgressors.” “He was taken from prison and from judgment.” Who like Him could have power to sympathise and to succour the tempted? It was His mission “to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house,” and “to proclaim liberty to the captive.” Then when the great tragedy of His human life was ended, the world’s Great Prisoner became the world’s Croat Liberator,” sending by His people a wonderful message of life and gladness to the sad and miserable prisoner. In New Zealand prison work is necessarily, and fortunately, much restricted, especially among women, and scarcely anything by way of report hi- reached me this year, V*t, .it the centralised women’s prison at Addington, Christchurch, there is an important w*.k to be done, and we beg our pr Christchurch W'.C.T.l’. sifters to step into this open door of service, which no other I'nion h.is the privilege of doing, for elsewhere there are very few women prisoners. The present regulations, unfortunately, prevent the ministration of women, however suitable, in the prisons conducted for men prisoners. Mrs J. K. Harney, the World’s Superintendent of my department (Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.A., writes to me as follows: “I am very grateful for the Convention number of the X.Z. ‘White Ribbon,’ in which 1 find your report of prison and reform work, which I read with great interest and pleasure. ... I regret that women are debarred from ministry to the male prisoners. This is an unwise ruling, and I trust you women voters will give attention to it. course, we understand that visitors to such institutions should be accredited middle-aged, motherly women, devoted to spiritual help of the prisoners, and also to the help of their families. “I shall be glad to hear more concerning the Addington Women’s Gaol, at Christchurch. ... A calendar means so much to those that are in for long terms. They

all seem to appreciate them, and if Scriptural, they give a good thought at least each day. Do let* me hear again from you. Can 1 help you m any way?” I find that ever since IN.X4 the last Sunday in October has been observed throughout the land as Prison Sunday. The movement has been national in its scope, and ministers have been urged to bring the* question in its various bearings before their eongre gations. The result- arc* to be seen in the* ever-im reasing public inte rest in more sympathetically inb lligent re form. If etui Chri-t< bun h Convention would al-o adopt thi- “Prison Sunday” among the- Notable l)i\<. information could be prepared for the October “White Ribbon” to prove helpful in the preparation of suitablestatements from tin* pulpits. Al.-o, if arrangements could be made foi some of the Convention members to visit the Addington Gaol much more sympathy would be evoked among our women. At present their views are generally vague, and consequently in effective. Pahiatua reports: “An .!<lir< ‘Prison Work’ given at a Home meeting last April by the Superintendent of the* Department.” Charitable and Reformatory Work, also included in my department, could surely have been reported from many branches. Was it generally understood that all sue h work should be reported to me ? Invercargill “Victoria Home for Friendless Girls” is -till being conducted with great efficiency and is •roving a great blessing to many. SISTER M< >OD\ BE! I . Supt. Prison .md Reform Work.