Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1844-04-11
ADDRESS
Ohio Sabbath Conventions
no THE CITIZENS oF ONO.
OF THE

! bus, Iroin various pats oi tire State,
coInposed of Young Men, aud Pioneer
! Fathers, aud Farmers, aud Mechanics,
and Men chants, and Physicians, ana
7 Lawyers aud Judges, and Ministers 0i
the Gospel, and Church members of
vnrIous denominations, aud Patriots al
the different political crccds, Ia consult
together and adopt measures for The
IpreserN alton of the Sabbath, beg leave,
hy their committee, TO lay before you
facts aud arguments Submitted To their
c0nslderallan, aud which formed the
basis ol'thcir action.
\ |, is universally admitted, that know
ledge and virtue lie at the iou.datI"n al
fhepr"spc.1ly and perpciuny "i II rePub-
llcan govelumeHt.
Z Ol course "a nation 80 extensive IN
territory as ours, 50 IIch III soil and So
aboundlng ia numhe,s, and vigorous ~
enterprise, cannot be kept from cfl'nina-
cy and RUN, without Ihe moral power
ASSOCIATED with the Sabbath.
! 1t is alike obvious, that the Sabbath
Iexcrls lts sautary power by making the
population acquainted with The beng,
prricrtIons and laws Of God with our
relations to lin ns lis creatures, aud
our obligations To Him as rational ac-
countablc subjects, and with our charac-
ter as sinners for whom HIS mercy has
provided n Saviour under whose gov
ernmcut We 1--we to be restrained lr"m
sin aud recuucilcd TO God, and fitted
by his word and spiIlt for the inheritance
above.
/ IL IS by the reiterated instruction and
impression which the Sabbath lupalio
10 the population of "a nation, by the
moral principle which 1t forms by the
conscience which II malnlans--by the
habits Of method, cleanliness and INDUS
Try 1t crcatcs-by the rest aud renovated
vigor II bcstows on exhausted animal
naiure-by the heightened life and
higher health il Affords by the holiness
II inspires, ~ cheering hopes OF Heaven.
aud the protection aud favor ol God
which It's observance insures-wb'ch
renders the Sabbath the moral conserva-
tor of nations.
| This olnniprcscnt influence the Sab
bath cNerts, however, by no secret charm,
or cumpendlOus action upon masses oi
unthinAing mind but by arrcstlng the
stream oi worldly thoughts, interests
and aiiectons-stnppIng the dn of buH'-
ness unloading the mud %! IT'S cares
and responsibilities, aud the body .oI IT'S
/ Iburthcns, while God speaks to men, aud
they attend and hear and fear, and
learn To do HIS will.
The Sabbath cXerts no moral power
upon those withdrawn from It's Insiruc-
tons, more than schools and somInarics
exert an intellectual power upon the &.
vagrant population who never attend
them aud the folly of attempting 10
maintain the moral character OF the ma
ton without the Sabbath, would not he
surpassed by the attempt To extend learn
ng over the nation by empty school
houses and colleges. In proportion,
then, as the population Of our naiIon Is
withdrawn from the instruction oi The
sabbath, TO the same extent will lis
moral influence To rcs,iain, and purify,
und save the nation, he impaired aud
temptations prrvaIlio corrupt our virtue,
undermine our institutions, and hasirn
us To that fearful state of guI!t and sat
irring which will render selrgoygrn-
mcnt impossible, aud despotism the les
ser evil
From the statements made to the
Convention, and what was notorious be-
fore, it appeared, that unless special cI-
forts are made for the preservation al
the Sabbath, It's cumSrrvaioty rowJ
must fall before The inundaiIons Of bust
ness aud pleasure.
The commerce on our scaboard, aud
on our rivers, aud on our canals and
.iurnpkcs, and rail roads, is putting ~
Drotion n secular enterprise which Is Hei
Idcadrning the national conscience, ant
rolling the wave ul oblivion over tia.
sacred DAY
That our population, doubling =" raP
IDLY, and rushing up to lis iiiiy aud hun
drcd millions, with It's corresponding
momentum of business aud Sabbath dCS-
ecration. wi constitute nali"no such
npicly aud violence, aud dlSsoluicnrss.
ds God is not won, tn reclaim, but "N-
terminate
That secular business is already 50
extended aud interviewer as to draw rr-
uctaut individuals more aud noic Inio
its stream, leaving NO alternative but ihr
united flight Of the people from us re-
ssiless course.
Already do we approach the pcril"us
edge of the cataract, from which there
i, no retreat, and down when. " w'
rush, nothing will be seen but the wrrrR
of our past greatness and tic ncmorln'
of blasted hopes
And now do we invoke TO the rescue,
our Governors, and Senators. aud mem.
bers Of the Assembly, and Judges of "nr
Couas and members of the BAR aud