Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1852-05-22
T HE B U G L E i.
From the y. Y. Tribune.
The Duty Of Society 10 Criminals and
Discharged COnvlCtS.

Rev. Mr.. STORMS, OF brooklyn, delivered
very eloquent Sermon upon the above subject
on Sunday. at the Church of the Messiah
Broadway, before a numerous congregation
The Rev. gentlemen took for his text the las
clause of the seth verse, 2jth chapter of Math
thcw-"I was in prison and ye camo unto me.
lie commenced by taking general view Of tho
duty of Christian, to those who have dcviatcd
from the paths of rcctitudc and virtue. There
arc two great principles of the Christian char
aoter,--thc first to feed the mind with the doc
trincs Of Christ the second 70 give food and
clothing and comfort whore they are needed.
This is true Christian charity. 1t is to save
The same sublime virtue which is expressed by
Christ in his Nilsson BY the careful labor Of
Christian men, Asyums have been established,
Retreats and Institutions, have been formed
which have cXcrtcd tho most beneficial influ.
cnces upon mankind Christianity can point to
what Iniidciiiy or Pagani,m cannot show
ASylums are her trophics-hcr field is the
world, which is embiagoncd on her banners 49,
The first class OF criminals said the speaker
arc those who have been cntrappcd by older
villains. There are such persons in all our
prisons. The second class is larger in number !:
those who have been trained in vice from their
YOUTH and who have had no education but in
sin. Those arc generally trained in cities or in
the outskirts of large towns. The child is thus
made familiar with sin, and its only thought is
to hide it. 1t is therefore not wonderful that
they pursue sinful course, and become the
inmates of prisons. There is not one of those
but who might walk the earth as useful men,
Der of society, had he received proper training.
In such souls there is always occasion for cour-
age and hope. The worst and smallest class
are those who have had examples of parental
pioty, but who arc notwithstanding, dcp.avcl
OF such men doubtless there is small hope
although some even Of them, have been saved
against hope and they may be reclaimed
They are like us, with human hearts, suscopti-
bic of being impressed with sentiments of Chris
tianity. 1t is clear that criminals cannot be re-
licvcd from punishment, when that punishment
is just but when tho conviction is illegal, it be-
comes society to exert its influence in this be-
half; and where the law under which they
have been convicted is unjust, it is obligatory
or Christianity to urge its repeal but a just
law conscrvcs and advances the interests Of So
cicty. 1t is intended to educate the criminal,
and the carefullest vigilance should be oxcr-
csed in the appointment of Il osc having charge
of those unfortunates. The speaker alluded to
sympathy for the criminal in consequence of the
pain he was sentenced to undergo for real crime,
as pernicious and exerting bad influence; and
in substantiation, adverted to the Apostle Paul,
who says " If l have been offender and de-
serve death, refuse not to die" Our efforts
should be to save criminals, morally. The de-
posit of power, continued the speaker, is always
dangerous in the hands it is placed in, and in,
this connection he urged the necessity of appoin.
ting men as jailors whose example and inAu-
ence would tend to reform those over VIII ON he
exercises the authority of master. This func-
tionary stands before the prisoner as a sort of
representative of the society he has left be-
hind. If cruel,he engenders asprit of revenge,
and still keeps him q criminal in feeling. If
imbued with Christianity, the influence no ex-
erts will be for the benefit of the criminal. It
is, therefore, the duty Of society to see that
proper men, regardless of political considera-
tions, are selected for these stations. By adopt
ing this course, the first step in the way of re-
formation will be gained The second point
dwelt on by the speaker was proximity to crime
A criminal he continued, put in conjunction |
with an old offender, viii tend to augment his |
appetite for crime, He becomes saturated with |
evil which II is hard or even impossible to erad-
ieate. Solitary confinement for long terms, |
with view of reformation, he thought imprac-
ticable, although he deprecated the custom of
eonyicts minsling together. The best mode
would be to confne them solitarily, say for one
day in week, thus giving them time to think
and contemplate. For short terms he recon-
mendcd solitary confinement. Instruction in
all useful branches of industry he also recon-
mended, and solitary confinement for short
terms would make books attractive, where else
where they would have been spurned, all can