This matter is now before the people. Will you not study the questions carefully and act? Will not ministers of religion and of law, merchants and artisans, all those in the various industries of life, men and women come to the help? True, the latter, however pure and exalted, is now forbidden entrance to the chapel in labors of love for the fallen men. Hence, that somewhat recent shock to the community in the stern refusal of Elizabeth Comstock's request for permission to address the inmates on their moral and religious interests. How long shall such things be in our prison? How long shall the light of science, of morality and of pure religion be virtually shut out from that abode? How long shall we work so as to make bad men worse, hard hearts harder, the depraved more iniquitous, the pestiferous more destructive to the safety and quietness of society? Till the people shall stir effectively, make their voice heard and their power felt. Why not change our system of imprisoning and put it fully on that of reform? Why not adopt the course of dismissing prisoners only on condition of good evidence of reform and on further condition of being returned in case of relapse into crime? Why not arrange for those who will not reform, as some will not, to serve in prison for life, thus freeing society of their depradations? Then why not use them humanely while keeping their time occupied in useful employment, still permitting each to enjoy the means of mental, moral and religious culture. Many, thus situated would, no doubt, live really good, pious lives, who, from their moral weakness, could not resist the temptations to crime which are met on every hand without. To such, the prison should act as a kind, beneficent guardian. Transcriber's Note: The following typographical errors which were present in the original edition have been corrected. In the Table of Contents, "B. and E's request" was changed to "B. and E.'s request". In Part I, Chapter 1, a missing quotation mark was added after "managing penal institutions". In Part II, Chapter 1, a missing quotation mark was added after "correction of prison abuses". In Part II, Chapter 6, "laborers in she school" was changed to "laborers in the school". In Part II, Chapter 11, "a line of sustantial agreement" was changed to "a line of substantial agreement". In Part II, Chapter 19, "On said of the cracked wheat" was changed to "One said of the cracked wheat". In the original text, two chapters were numbered 24. The second of these has been renumbered 24 1-2 (which matches the numbering in the Table of Contents). In Part II, Chapter 24 1-2, a missing quotation mark was added after "a system of especial surveillance". In Part II, Chapter 26, "Had they endeed his sufferings" was changed to "Had they ended his sufferings".