Chas. A. Purdunn, Illinois-Do you consider it best to investigate each case individually that is up for parole?

Bishop Fallows-In the Reformatory, yes. Each case is properly investigated by the Board of Managers of the Reformatory. The superintendent of the institution is the man, all things being considered, best qualified to give a judgment regarding the inmate under consideration. Each boy's case is carefully considered pro and con, and we sit up sometimes until near morning in order that we may do full justice to the cases that come before us. Individual consideration and treatment by the superintendent and the board ought never to be relinquished.

Adjourned 10:45 p. m.

TUESDAY NIGHT SESSION.

The Congress was called to order at 8:15 o'clock, the invocation being offered by Rev. Aloys M. Fish, of New Jersey.

F. G. Pettigrove, Massachusetts The Committee on Resolutions, to which was referred the following resolution, introduced by Dr. McKelway, recommends that it be referred to the Executive Committee:

Resolved, That the Congress of the American Prison Association endorse the plan advocated by the National Child Labor Committee and other organizations for the protection of children, for the establishment of a Children's Bureau under one of the departments of the National Government, for the investigation and publication of the facts relating to child life, including those relating to the correction and reformation of juvenile delinquents.

The resolution was referred to the Executive Committee, as requested.

P. R. Costello, as chairman of the Auditing Commitee, read the following reports, and moved their adoption. The Congress unanimously accepted the reports:

To the Board of Directors, American Prison Association:

Your Auditing Committee has examined the treasurer's statement and finds it correct.

To the Board of Directors, American Prison Association:

Your Auditing Committee has examined the accounts of the finan

cial secretary and with the data at their disposal finds them correct.

Rev. John L. Sutton, president of the Chaplains' Associa

tion, took charge of the meeting at this point.

THE CHAPLAINS' ASSOCIATION.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

REV. JOHN L. SUTTON, NEW ORLEANS, LA.

The prisoners in our various state penitentiaries may be classified as follows: First, those who are sorry because they were caught; second, those who are sorry because they are being punished; third, those who are sorry for their sins.

All that can be done with those of the first class is to teach them that the way of the transgressor is hard and that their sins will find them out; and the only way to avoid being caught is to cease transgressing.

The second class are to be pitied, for very little can be done to help them; our Lord on the cross gave no relief to the thief on his left hand, because he prayed that his sufferings might cease, but showed no signs of repentance. While the law was framed to punish man whenever he committed a crime, alas the evasion of the law is so frequent that the penalty has nearly lost its power. Although we judge and condemn by its powerful arm, reformation is the exception, not the rule.

The third class can and should be assisted by all of us who take into consideration that we are our brother's keeper; for it was our Lord who said to the thief on his right hand: "This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." This man knew that he should have been caught and was willing to suffer, but was sorry for and confessed his sins.

I recall the words of our Governor on one occasion, as I appealed to him in behalf of a prisoner. He said, "This prisoner was a bad man." I agreed with him that he was at one time a bad man, but I said, "He is now sorry for his sins, and my honest opinion is that God has forgiven him." Then the Governor replied, "Then man ought to, and if God has pardoned him for his many sins, I will pardon him from prison."

In the year 1901, fresh from college, I began prison work at Angola Penal Farm. This is a large cotton plantation on the Mississippi River. I had no idea of remaining in this kind of work, but had been there only a short time when a number of the prisoners informed me that they desired to be baptized in the Christian faith. The captain in charge laughed at me when I requested him to arrange for me to baptize them; but seeing that I was in earnest, he sent the prisoners, under guard, with me to the river. There on the bank of the Father of Waters, the still small voice spoke peace to those burdened souls, and there it was that I learned the true meaning of our Lord's words when he said, "I was in prison and ye came unto me."

Later I was very much impressed with an old colored prisoner who had been detailed to cook for my family. In 1902, when the Mississippi River was higher than it had been known for many years, the water reached the house where I was residing and I was compelled to move my family out to the hills. I obtained the warden's permission to have this old darkey remain in the house to look after my things. Upon my return a few weeks later I found this old negro with a high fever, and when I asked why he had not gone to the prison hospital, he replied that he did not want to leave my property alone. I hurried him to the hospital; there he was given all possible attention, but the fever had taken too strong a hold on him. One afternoon as I sat on his bed and asked if there was anything I could do for him, he looked up at me and said: "I have missed your prayers since I left your home; will you please pray with me now?" After the prayer he expressed a desire to be baptized, and I baptized him. Taking my hand he said: "You have been kind to me, and I know that my time has come, and thanks be to God, you have helped me and I am ready to go." The next day we laid his body to rest.

Another notable case was that of a prisoner who had twice escaped from the walls at Baton Rouge and in a third attempt killed one of the guards. He was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment and kept in solitary confinement about two years. I visited him there regularly and talked and prayed with him. Finally he became reconciled and then interested in the salvation of his soul, and our present chaplain has recently informed me that today he is one of the most zealous and enthusiastic members of the Volunteers' Prison League.

The spiritual work in my part of the field was brought to a higher plane of activity during last February when we had a much needed and highly appreciated visit from Mrs. Maud Ballington Booth. As a result of her visit we can boast of a Volunteers' Prison League membership of over 600. These instances are referred to that my brother workers who can doubtless relate some as pleasing instances, will gain greater faith in the possibility of redeeming our unfortunate brothers.

Two great difficulties are encountered in prison reform work. The first is the absolute need of good, moral men as prison officials; men who will accept the spiritual meaning of the law and be indeed their brother's keeper. They are the ones who come into daily contact with the prisoners and it is from them that the most good can be derived. Here is a gulf that must be spanned, and how? Very easily; physicians, lawyers, teachers, ministers, in fact all men in positions of importance must be qualified to take their places in life. Why should the guardians of 80,000 souls be such a flagrant exception to this wise precautionary method? Why should they be chosen, irrespective of ability or character, and as a rule be drawn from the political world?

While in one of the largest cities in our State, I arranged with the sheriff and the deputy in charge of the jail to hold services there on the Sunday following. At the appointed hour I was on hand, but was informed by the man on duty that he could not allow me to hold any services, giving as his reason that his family lived in the building and he did not care to have them annoyed. But I was allowed to enter the jail. There I found the prisoners gambling with cards and dice, using foul language and cursing, and the keeper himself had to acknowledge that there had been several fights that day on account of gambling. This officer could tolerate all this within sight and hearing of his family, yet had the audacity to object to divine services! He yielded, however, and I held services. From this and many other similar instances that I could mention, we can plainly see the crying demand for moral and competent prison officials.

The other great need in the prison reform work is for the