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ome　of　its　members　in　gaol　for　conscience'　sake。　　We　are　also　one　of　the　few　religious　bodies　which　can　boast　that　many　of　those　who　are　in　our　ranks　have　gone　through　terms　of　penal　servitude。　　We；　therefore；　know　the　prison　at　both　ends。　　Some　men　go　to　gaol　because　they　are　better　than　their　neighbours；　most　men　because　they　are　worse。　　Martyrs；　patriots；　reformers　of　all　kinds　belong　to　the　first　category。　　No　great　cause　has　ever　achieved　a　triumph　before　it　has　furnished　a　certain　quota　to　the　prison　population。　　The　repeal　of　an　unjust　law　is　seldom　carried　until　a　certain　number　of　those　who　are　labouring　for　the　reform　have　experienced　in　their　own　persons　the　hardships　of　fine　and　imprisonment。　Christianity　itself　would　never　have　triumphed　over　the　Paganism　of　ancient　Rome　had　the　early　Christians　not　been　enabled　to　testify　from　the　dungeon　and　the　arena　as　to　the　sincerity　and　serenity　of　soul　with　which　they　could　confront　their　persecutors；　and　from　that　time　down　to　the　successful　struggles　of　our　people　for　the　right　of　public　meeting　at　Whitchurch　and　elsewhere；　the　Christian　religion　and　the　liberties　of　men　have　never　failed　to　demand　their　quota　of　martyrs　for　the　faith。

When　a　man　has　been　to　prison　in　the　best　of　causes　he　learns　to　look　at　the　question　of　prison　discipline　with　a　much　more　sympathetic　eye　for　those　who　are　sent　there；　even　for　the　worst　offences；　than　judges　and　legislators　who　only　look　at　the　prison　from　the　outside。　〃A　fellow…feeling　makes　one　wondrous　kind；〃　and　it　is　an　immense　advantage　to　us　in　dealing　with　the　criminal　classes　that　many　of　our　best　Officers　have　themselves　been　in　a　prison　cell。　　Our　people；　thank　God；　have　never　learnt　to　regard　a　prisoner　as　a　mere　convictA　234。　He　is　ever　a　human　being　to　them；　who　is　to　be　cared　for　and　looked　after　as　a　mother　looks　after　her　ailing　child。　　At　present　there　seems　to　be　but　little　likelihood　of　any　real　reform　in　the　interior　of　our　prisons。　　We　have　therefore　to　wait　until　the　men　come　outside；　in　order　to　see　what；　can　be　done。　　Our　work　begins　when　that　of　the　prison　authorities　ceases。　　We　have　already　had　a　good　deal　of　experience　in　this　work；　both　here　and　in　Bombay；　in　Ceylon；　in　South　Africa；　in　Australia　and　elsewhere；　and　as　the　nett　result　of　our　experience　we　proceed　now　to　set　forth　the　measures　we　intend　to　adopt；　some　of　which　are　already　in　successful　operation。

1。　We　propose　the　opening　of　Homes　for　this　class　as　near　as　possible　　　　to　the　different　gaols。　One　for　men　has　just　been　taken　at　　　　King's　Cross；　and　will　be　occupied　as　soon　as　it　can　be　got　ready。　　　　One　for　women　must　follow　immediately。　　Others　will　be　required　in　　　　different　parts　of　the　Metropolis；　and　contiguous　to　each　of　its　　　　great　prisons。　　Connected　with　these　Homes　will　be　workshops　in　　　　which　the　inmates　will　be　regularly　employed　until　such　time　as　we　　　　can　get　them　work　elsewhere。　　For　this　class　must　also　work；　　　　not　only　as　a　discipline；　but　as　the　means　for　their　own　support。

2。　In　order　to　save；　as　far　as　possible；　first　offenders　from　the　　　　contamination　of　prison　life；　and　to　prevent　the　formation　of　　　　further　evil　companionships；　and　the　recklessness　which　follows　the　　　　loss　of　character　entailed　by　imprisonment；　we　would　offer；　in　the　　　　Police　and　Criminal　Courts；　to　take　such　offenders　under　our　wing　as　　　　were　anxious　to　come　and　willing　to　accept　our　regulations。　　　　The　confidence　of　both　magistrates　and　prisoners　would；　we　think；　　　　soon　be　secured；　the　friends　of　the　latter　would　be　mostly　on　our　　　　side；　and　the　probability；　therefore；　is　that　we　should　soon　have　a　　　　large　　number　of　cases　placed　under　our　care　on　what　is　known　as　　　　〃suspended　sentence；〃　to　be　brought　up　for　judgment　when　called　　　　upon；　the　record　of　each　sentence　to　be　wiped　out　on　report　being　　　　favourable　of　their　conduct　in　the　Salvation　Army　Home。

3。　We　should　seek　access　to　the　prisons　in　order　to　gain　such　　　　acquaintance　with　the　prisoners　as　would　enable　us　the　more　　　　effectually　to　benefit　them　on　their　discharge。　　This　privilege；　　　　we　think；　would　be　accorded　us　by　the　prison　authorities　when　they　　　　became　acquainted　with　the　nature　of　our　work　and　the　remarkable　　　　results　which　followed　it。　　The　right　of　entry　into　the　gaols　has　　　　already　been　conceded　to　our　people　in　Australia；　where　they　have　　　　free　access　to；　and　communion　with；　the　inmates　while　under　going　　　　their　sentences。　　Prisoners　are　recommended　to　come　to　us　by　the　　　　gaol　authorities；　who　also　forward　to　our　people　information　of　the　　　　date　and　hour　when　they　leave；　in　order　that　they　may　be　met　on　　　　their　release；

4。　We　propose　to　meet　the　criminals　at　the　prison　gates　with　the　offer　　　　of　immediate　admission　to　our　Homes。　　The　general　rule　is　for　them　　　　to　be　met　by　their　friends　or　old　associates；　who　ordinarily　belong　　　　to　the　same　class。　　Any　way；　it　would　be　an　exception　to　the　rule　　　　were　they　not　all　alike　believers　in　the　comforting　and　cheering　　　　power　of　the　intoxicating　cup。　　Hence　the　public…house　is　invariably　　　　adjourned　to；　where　plans　for　further　crime　are　often　decided　upon　　　　straight　away；　resulting　frequently；　before　many　weeks　are　past；　　　　in　the　return　of　the　liberated　convict　to　the　confinement　from　　　　which　he　has　just　escaped。　　Having　been　accustomed　during　confinement　　　　to　the　implicit　submission　of　themselves　to　the　will　of　another；　the　　　　newly…discharged　prisoner　is　easily　influenced　by　whoever　first　gets　　　　hold　of　him。　　Now；　we　propose　to　be　beforehand　with　these　old　　　　companions　by　taking　the　gaol…bird　under　our　wing　and　setting　before　　　　him　an　open　door　of　hope　the　moment　he　crosses　the　threshold　of　the　　　　prison；　assuring　him　that　if　he　is　willing　to　work　and　comply　with　　　　our　discipline；　he　never　need　know　want　any　more。

5。　We　shall　seek　from　the　authorities　the　privilege　of　supervising　　　　and　reporting　upon　those　who　are　discharged　with　tickets…of…leave；　　　　so　as　to　free　them　from　the　humiliating　and　harassing　duty　of　having　　　　to　report　themselves　at　the　police　stations。

6。　We　shall　find　suitable　employment　for　each　individual。　　If　not　in　　　　possession　of　some　useful　trade　or　calling　we　will　teach　him　one。

7。　After　a　certain　length　of　residence　in　these　Homes；　if　consistent　　　　evidence　is　given　of　a　sincere　purpose　to　live　an　honest　life；　　　　he　will　be　transferred　to　the　Farm　Colony；　unless　in　the　meanwhile　　　　friends　or　old　employers　take　him　off　our　hands；　or　some　other　form　　　　of　occupation　is　obtained；　in　which　case　he　will　still　be　the　object　　　　of　watchful　care。

We　shall　offer　to　all　the　ultimate　possibility　of　being　restored　to　Society　in　this　country；　or　transferred　to　commence　life　afresh　in　another

With　respect　to　results　we　can　speak　very　positively；　for　although　our　operations　up　to　the　present；　except　for　a　short　time　some　three　years　ago；　have　been　limited；　and　unassisted　by　the　important　accessories　above　described；　yet　the　success　that　has　at　tended　them　has　been　most　remarkable。　　The　following　are　a　few　instances　which　might　be　multiplied：　

J。　W。　was　met　at　prison　gate　by　the　Captain　of　the　Home　and　offered　help。　　He　declined　to　come　at　once　as　he　had　friends　in　Scotland　who　he　thought　would　help　him；　but　if　they　failed；　he　promised　to　come。　It　was　his　first　conviction；　and　he　had　six　months　for　robbing　his　employer。　　His　trade　was　that　of　a　baker。　　In　a　few　days　he　presented　himself　at　the　Home；　and　was　received。　　In　the　course　of　a　few　weeks；　he　professed　conversion；　and　gave　every　evidence　of　the　change。　For　four　months　he　was　cook　and　baker　in　the　kitchen；　and　at　last　a　situation　as　second　hand　was　offered　for　him；　with　the　＇sic＇

J。　S。　Sergeant…major　of　the　Congress　Hall　Corps。　　That　is　three　years　ago。　　　He　is　there　to…day；　saved；　and　satisfactory；　a　thoroughly　useful　and　respectable　man。

J。　P。　was　an　old　offender。　　He　was　met　at　Millbank　on　the　expiration　of　his　last　term　（five　years）；　and　brought　to　the　Home；　where　he　worked　at　his　trade　a　tailor。　　Eventually　he　got　a　situation；　and　has　since　married。　　He　has　now　a　good　home；　the　confidence　of　his　neighbours；　is　well　saved；　and　a　soldier　of　the　Hackney　Corps。

C。　M。　Old　offender；　and　penal　servitude　case。　　Was　induced　to　come　to　the　Home；　got　saved；　was　there　for　a　long　period；　offered　for　the　work；　and　went　into　the　Field；　was　Lieutenant　for　two　years；　and　eventually　married。　　He　is　now　a　respectable　mechanic　and　soldier　of　a　Corps　in　Derbyshire。

J。　W。　Was　manager　in　a　large　West　End　millinery　establishment。　He　was　sent　out　with　two　ten…pound　packages　of　silver　to　change。　On　his　way　he　met　a　companion　and　was　induced　to　take　a　drink。　In　the　tavern　the　companion　made　an　excuse　to　go　outside　and　did　not　return；　and　W。　found　one　of　the　packages　had　been　abstracted　from　his　outside　pocket。　　He　was　afraid　to　return；　and　decamped　with　the　other　into　the　country。　　Whilst　in　a　small　town　he　strolled　into　a　Mission　Hall；　there　happened　to　be　a　hitch　in　the　proceedings；　the　organist　was　absent；　a　volunteer　was　called　for；　and　W。；　being　a　good　musician；　offered　to　play。　　It　seems　the　music　took　hold　of　him。　　In　the　middle　of　the　hymn　he　walked　out　and　went　to　the　police　station　and　gave　himself　up。　　He　got　six　mo