The Nevada journal., 1853-07-22
ADDRESS.
To the Miners Of Grass HaHey and u

| ADDRESS.
To the Miners Of Grass Valley and N
cinitU. $50 =
FELLOW CITIZENS We would spea
to you affectionately on an important sub
ject We would enlist your sympathy an
cooperation in removing great evil from
our midst. You are aware that the, ,obser
vance of the sabbath has greatly fallen in
to disuse withus. Sabbath desecration ex
lists in almost every form, and the sacrel
institution is not forgotten wholly, nor ar,
all our citizens reckless of the multiforn
evils consequent upon its, dissertation
Many still remember the sabbath day, tina
day .endeared to them by thousand sacred
associations which are linked with then
IrecoHections of their paternal fireside, o
childhood, Of lessons of early instruction
and above all, of the sanctuary and it:
privileges, they can not forget it.. To bio
its remembrance from memorys page, e,woul(
be to efface the most cherished and loved
recollections of the past. They would not
forget it, nor can they be indifferent to the
various effects of its desecration upon so
ciety, neither can they be content without
making some effort to avert this great evil
AS evidence that there are friends of the
sabbath in this community, crowded
house of the most respectable citizens o.
Grass Valley, convened in the Nj. E. church
where sentiments were expressed, breath
ing the. profoundest respect and sympathy
for the sabbath and resolutions express
ing in the strongest terms the divine origin
of this institution and its superior claims
upon man, were universally adopted. A
subsequent meeting was held on the even
ing of July 10th, when means were sought
for counteracting the prevalent dissertation
of the sabbath in the form of secular busi-
ness, labor, trade and traffic, which was
thought much might be done by securing
the cooperation of the miners. Accor-
dinghy we were appointed committee to
address you on the subject. Without cir
cumlocution we at once state to you the
object of our address. In behalf of the
friends of the sabbath, Of good order, and
good morals, we would persuade you to
abandon the custom of laboring on the
of laying in your supplies, thus
thronging the streets, stores, and making
the sabbath the day of trade and traffic t;
and to return to the time honored-Heaven
andHeaven blessed arrangement
of doing all labor and trade in six days,
and resting on the sabbath.
We say custom because it is no more
with you. However great necessity may
have appeared in former years or may yet
appear in different portions of the country,
for this ruinous innovation, certain it is,
you miners of Grass Valley and vicinity
can claim no such necessity. You do so,
not because your early training, your bet
ter judgment, your finer feelings, or any
compels you, but because others
have done so, because the majority of mi
ners continue to do so, and because it may
be convenient for you. What reasons can
you urge for not abandoning this custom
or the call of the friends of the sabbath, and
when the interests of society so loudly de-
mands it? Do you object that we are act
ing partially, unkindly in addressing you
alone, thus Indirectly pointing you out to
the public as the greatest moral delinquents,
whilst the merchant, the mechanic, the sa-
loon keeper and others are equally if not
more responsible ? No doubt they are all
fearfully responsible. They have the pow
er as body to suppress this evil, but indi-
vidually they have not. 1t has been found
difficult if not impracticable for them to act
as body. Some will sell to you on the
sabbath if you ask them, as they regard
your dust more than the law of God or
good of society. Thus you compel others
to throw open their doors to you for they
will have your custom at all hazards. True,
they can not be held guiltless in this, or
principle is miserable
one. But you tempt them to depart from
correct principle-your shining scales are
powerful. Some men will put their con-
sciences under their counters or in their
bottles, when you place them before their
eyes. Therefore we address you first, not
because you are deemed "sinners above all
others" but because you are the most nu-
merous, most influential portion ofthe COM
munity, are capable of accomplishing more
in this noble reform than any other class
of our citizens.
Do you say it is impracticable ? That
the custom is long established, that the
multitude follow it and that we can not
turn them. So you might say impossible
for company of your enterprising frater-
nifty who are about to dig down noun
tain or pierce it with a tunnel. But they
can do it. And it takes no Sampsonian
strength or effort either, only let them re-
move particles enough. Continued shovel
fulls will bring the highest mountains into
the valley repeated strokes will pierce
through its rock ribed sides. Then seek
to change this custom, by removing par
ticles. Go to work at it as you would run
a tunnel or sink shaft. Instead of strug-
Cling after the multitude because they will
go, and not turn back, YOU turn yourself,
influence your nearest fehow, your partner
to turn, then both of you influence others,
and rest assured the desired object will be
accomplished.
But you say you cannot spare the time
that it will not pay. "Ah! there is the