The Catholic World, Vol. 26, October, 1877, to March, 1878Various
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 26, October, 1877, to March, 1878
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
This is all that Mr. Dugdale means to convey when his words are
translated into ordinary language. When he dismounts from his scientific
hobby, however, he imparts counsel for the treatment of criminals which
we heartily endorse. Thus, in speaking of industrial training, he says
(p. 54): “The direct effect, therefore, of industrial training is to
curb licentiousness, the secondary effect to decrease the craving for
alcoholic stimulants and reduce the number of illegitimate children who
will grow up uncared for.” He tells us that with the disappearance of
log-huts and hovels—and, we might add, the reeking tenements of our
cities—lubricity will also disappear. This is true to a great extent,
but surely it is not all that is required. We might cultivate the
æsthetic tastes to the utmost, we might have a population dwelling in
palaces and lounging in luxurious booths, and be no better morally than
those who, while enjoying those privileges, tolerated the mysteries of
the _Bona Dea_ and assisted at the abominations which have made the city
of Paphos the synonym of every iniquity. All attempts at the reformation
of our criminal classes without the instrumentality of religion will
prove unavailing. You may “make clean the outside of the cup and of the
dish, but within you are full of rapine and uncleanliness.” These words
will for ever hold true of those who inculcate and pretend to practise
morality without religion. The attempt has often been made, and has as
often signally failed, so that we regard the presentation of proof here
superfluous. The student of the history of social philosophy is well
aware of the truth of this principle, and none but the purblind or the
unwilling fail to perceive it. Religion is the basis of morality, and
morality the pivot of reform. Let the friends of the criminals recognize
these fundamental truths, and they may then hope to make some progress
in their work. Then it will be time to defend and demonstrate the merits
of the congregate system of imprisonment; then we might with profit
insist upon the proper classification of prisoners, the necessity of
proportioning penalty to offence, and not blasting the lives of mere
boys by sending them for twenty years to Sing Sing for a first offence,
thus compelling them to consort with ruffians of the most hardened
description during the period which should be the brightest of their
lives. Then all those reforms which philanthropists are ever planning
might be wisely introduced, but not till then can we hope for the
millennium of true reform to dawn upon us.
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RELIGION IN JAMAICA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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