Number of punishments during the year ending the 30th day of

Note.-One man has wore the ball and chain about 2 months, as he was considered dangerous without it.

CHAPLAIN'S REPORT.

To the Hon.

The Board of Inspectors of Prisons for the State of New-York: Gentlemen-The undersigned, chaplain of Auburn prison, in compliance with an annual duty prescribed to him by law, respectfully submits the following report for the first ten months of his chaplaincy of said prison, ending Dec. 1st, 1851.

That so much of its concerns as are placed under his charge, viz: the educational, moral and religious, are in a very satisfactory condition. Still the short period in which I have acted as chaplain here, will not enable me to speak emphatically, of the results of my efforts; but I look forward with much confidence to the future; and am encouraged to continue my exertions for the reformation and conversion of these guilty and unfortunate

men.

The present is a new era in the history of Auburn State prison, being the first time that a chaplain has ever been appointed from the Protestant E. Church. The introduction of that spiritual and experimental volume, the Prayer Book, is to all appearance, having a very happy effect upon the minds of the men confined here. The difficulty anticipated by non-Episcopalians, in introducing the services of the church into this place, had only an ideal existence as they have admitted to me many times since its introduction. The discoveries that many of these guilty and unfor tunate men have made since their acquaintance with the Prayer Book, have both pleased and surprised them. Contrary to the expectations of many, they have found its doctrines scriptural and evangelical; its prayers and songs of praise, instead of being defective and stale, and enslaving as they supposed the devotional feeling, they have formed a fitting language for every emotion which could occupy their souls; every varying feeling

of the soul has been gratified: it does not as was anticipated, wear out, but like fine gold its brightness increases with its use, and the secret of this is that its breathing thoughts and burning words were inspired by the spirit of truth. He that is familiar with this book is conscious of the oneness of thought, feeling, sentiment and language, which pervades the Holy Scriptures and the Book of Common Prayer.

And in it, we find the absence of every thing which can mark it with a sectarian character. It embodies those great truths of the Holy Scriptures, which are not the peculiar property of any age or country, much less of any sect or denomination of Christians. They are truths which belong to the church in all ages, and bind the ert of all Christians in a bond of harmony and

love.

And we lift our heart in gratitude to Him who directs all things, that in His wisdom, He inclined you to send to these guilty and erring ones, this Companion of the Bible.

After a short experience here, I found that my greatest effort for the good of these immortal souls, must be made on the Subbath, in the public preaching of the gospel. I found a great difficulty in dealing with them profitably at their cells. They deny that they are guilty; or that they were led into the commission of the crime of which they are all charged by other men worse than themselves, who are still at large, others were under the influence of drink; and in this way they raise a barrier against any moral and religious instruction and admonition that I may give them at their cell doors. To these I have no gospel message to deliver, "Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." My commission is to sinners, and, judging from many of these men's own account of themselves, of the goodness of their heart, the correctness of their conduct, and the multitude and excellency of their meritorious actions, we should conceive them not to belong to the lost race, whom the Son of Man came expressively and exclusively to save. To pursue the self-justiciary, here, into all his "refuge of lies," and sweep them away before his face, when he has the opportunity of defence, and drawing about him his cloak of hypocrisy, is almost a hopeless