any Hindoo or Mahommedan Associations that might afterwards be formed
for the same purpose. At present the Indian criminal has no friend to
lend him a helping hand. Prison officials in various places have
personally informed me that they are distressed at being able to do
nothing for criminals, who, having lost their character and being
abandoned by their friends, have no alternative but to return to their
old associates. If our example causes others to rise up and make efforts
for reaching and reforming these classes, who would not rejoice? At
present it is a sad fact that throughout India the native criminals are
debarred from all opportunities of being reached by the softening
influences of religion. The Europeans have their Chaplains,--the
Natives are allowed to have no one to minister to their souls' needs, or
to bring to bear upon them those moral influences which might, and we
know often would, lead to their reform. There seems no reason whatever
why the following rules, which have been drawn up by the Ceylon
Government, should not be adopted likewise in India:--

General Rules made by His Excellency the Governor, acting under the
advice of the Executive Council for the Government of Prisons, for
the guidance of the prison officers, _under and by authority of
Section_ 26 _of the Prisons Ordinance_, 1887.

226. Ministers of religion and religions instructors shall be
entitled to visit prisoners under commitment for trial and prisoners
undergoing sentence after trial, and to give religious and moral
instructions to those who are willing to receive the same on Sundays
and other days in which prisoners are usually allowed freedom from
work, between the hours of eight in the morning and four in the
afternoon.