Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1815-04-10
Published by Request.
SABBATH.

mon lle&s EztSly Hoiucu III osAah0, Wy s'e
Hon. Judge Green, who, in compliance with
particular reques', gave copy Of ii for publ
cation.
IT Is our happiness 10 live IN an age, and
under a government, where all denomina
lions of worshippers are not only tolerated,
but protected in the free exercise and tuh
enjoyment Of all their religious rights. And
The sacred principles Of our holy religion
are so identified with cur social equipments,
and our civil responsibilities, thaF all wise
and good men, must readily and highly ap
prove the necessary and wholesome provl-
sions OF the law, which make it the indls-
pensible duty of al towns, and religious so
cieties to make suitable provisions Tor the
due observance of the Christian Sabbath,
and the public worship OF the great Author
of all out mercies who hath himself COM
rnsnded us to keep his sabbath, aud 20 rev
erence his sanctuary "A correct oOser-
vance of the holy sabbath, has ever been
considered as constituting the strength as
well as the beauty of the basis, on which all
religion and morality rests. Should that
be subvered, the whole fabrick would be
endangered, If not destroyed Hence, there
fore, in all we'll regulated communities IT
has been strongly guarded by their laws );
and cannot be violated with lmpuniIy. And
hence all labours and diversions which are
not required by the obligations OF necessity
or charity, are forbidden by the laws OF
this Commonwealth. Whenever, there
fore, satisfactory evidence, derived from
proper sources, shall be furnished you GEN
tlemen, against any individual, who may
be accused of having done any thing on the
sabbath, which cannot be warranted either
by necessity or charity; II will be your du,
" as Grand Jurors for the body OF this
county, 10 present such person that he
may be punished for his offence, as the
law REQUIRES. Il must afford great sauAiac-
ton end delight 70 all the lovers OF good or
der in society; as well as to the plous and
religiouslv disposed that the pubilck at
tention to this important subject, appears OF
Late. TO have been exerted TO remarkable
degree in various parts OF this Common
wealth. Societies for this, and other rell-
gious and moral purposes have been form
ed in most of our counties and towns, from
which TIC most salutary effects may be no.
ped and expected. The influence OF such
moral and religious associations, In check
ing the fashionable follies and lmmoraliiies
of the day in supprcssing evil and desiruc
tive habits, end In countenancing and en-
couraeing the practice of virtue and the
discharge of all the 6lial and social duties
and charities Of life is intellectually great.
All good men, therefore, must wish them
success, and will give them support. But
in their laudable zeal 10 reform abuses,there
NAV be some danger of going too tar, and
reouiring too much. Great caution must
he used, that the " bruised reed be not bro
ken, or the smoking Fax quenched'" 10
reo,lire more of man than ne IS bound to
render.has generally been found sure way
of exciting resistance to acquisitions which
are reasonable and Just And thus 10 un-
dprtake at once to prevent all travelling up
m the sabbath, even where 1t may hereto
fore have been most criminally INDUCED ;
might perhaps have tendency 10 create
Greater evils, than it was intended 10 cure
So much, and so far as may be Tor necessa-
~ or charitable purposes, every one has
legal tight to travel. And tls not always
safe for individuals TO assume to be either
nnre wise, or more powerful than the law
II IS not TO be expected that even good and
religious men will always precisely agree
iatheir definitions OF necessity and charity
And it will not always be considered can
did. or even charitable in us to measure our
NEIGHBOURS construction OF these compre-
hensive expressions by our own imperfect
standards Besides, men have permanent
d,,iics to perform, for the correct and faith
full discharge of which, they must account
win their own master, anu to him alone
The father of family for instance, may
deem it primary duty to devote as large
norton of the sabbath as possible TO the
care and instruction of his household in the
bosom of his family on that holy day--and
should that day oyertake him (without any
negligence on his parO few miles distance
from his beloved domestic circle who
shall say, that his return 10 it is violation
of the laws either of God or mana viola
lion of the laws of God, am sure it cannot
be. Neither have | any hesitancy in believ
ing that such travelling would not be an of
fence agaIns, the laws oftheCommonweal.h
And there are many other occasions on
which it may be equally lawful for men to
travel, or even to labour "The sabbath
was made for man, and not man for the sab
bath" Whatever therefore, necessity OF
charity may require to be done, IT is lawful