Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-02-08
BTsetIns OF the Society for tHe Better Oh
nn-u.... II - G.hhnaa


A meeting of this society was held last
evening, at the Second Presbyterian Church.
Fifty or sixty of the solid men Of the city at-
tended. After reverend gentleman had
addressed the Throne of Grace, and prayed
God to create healthy Christian sentiment
against the desecration of the holy Sabbath
in this city, and to forgive the sins Of the
city against the Sabbath, Stanley Matthews,
Esq, stated the object Of the society, which
is given in its title, and gave history of its
organization. 1t was instigated by the re-
ported success of similar effort in New
York. II began about year ago, by the
organization of q committee of twenty gem
tlemen, who appointed Corresponding Sec
1etary, and rented an office.
The Secretary had devoted his whole times
to the work, and besides correspondence, had
published and distributed tracts. The Com
mittee, with few friends who had contrib
uted from personal solicitation, had carried
on the work and paid its expenses; but
more funds are wanted, and they had now
called the meeting to see if they were to
have the pecuniary aid and co. operation of
the community. He then described the way
the Sabbath is broken in this city, which he
regarded as worse in that regard than any
city in America. Formerly, Sunday was
the most lively day at the steamboat land
ing. Ferry boats, also, were most fully
freighted on that day; and, in the killing
season, they brought over droves of hogs,
which were slaughtered on the Sabbath-day.
Pork packing and curing went on also on
that day. Selling liquor at retail, TO be
drank on the premises 1.-THE selling of liquor
grows immoral in proportion to the small
ness of the quantity sold1 a thing which the
law makes penal offense, was suncommonly
lively on that day. Latterly, when Christ
ians are passing. along the streets to church
on Sunday, on devout meditation bent, they
are accosted by newsboys, urchins from FIVE
to fifteen years old, soliciting them to pur-
chase Sunday papers. And it was not so
much the annoyance of the passers, as the
fact that hundreds of young boys are drawn
away from the means of religious instruc-
ton, to make q triae by selling news
papers on Sunday. land perhaps with
the wages of sin purchase bread for
hungry widowed mothers.l The Commit
tee did not propose to put the enforce
ment of the Sabbath on the ground that
it is binding on the conscience this
was elaborated very fine and diplomatic1,
but to enforce the laws, and to create pub
lie sentiment that would sustain the officers
of the law in putting down the violations of
the Sunday laws, and would demand it of
them; and he thought that the present diff
cultits that threatened the destruction of the
country, showed the importance of enforcing
all the laws.
This alluded go directly to coercion that it
elected applause all round the meeting
properly subdued, of course, to the sanctity
Of the place, it being the basement of the
church. By promoting the observance, the
committee believed the whole country would
be saved. Without it what is the whole
structure of our law worth? Without the
Sabbath no other law could be enforced
They had intended to call a meeting a
long time before; but had postponed it on
account of the political excitement which
preceded the election, and the Secession ex-
citement since. 1t would seem by this, that
Sabbath keeping, like Felix, waits more
convenient season. 1t is something like the
home which sSme benevolent gentlemen
projected for the destitute news boys, which
is awaiting easier times.
The Corresponding Secretary, Rev. Mr.
Tracy, then related the actual operations o.
the Committee. 1t organized on the Isl
of April. His duties had been the gathering
of statistics Of Sabbath desecration, and thu
preparation, publication and distribution O
tracts on the Sabbath.
The policy of the Committee was to attack
one evil at time and pursue it, not allowing
themselves to be diverted by auy side issues
or discussions. In accordance with thai
Napoleonic system of tactics, they had frs
directed their undivided forces at the crying
of papers by the news-boys. They procured
| eco signers to petition to the Mayor
TO have the police suppress the cryinI
ofpapeIs. They would not permit their ain
to be diverted by any discussion about th,
actual selling of newspapers, or the printing
or editing OF newspapers on Sunday; bu
went straight at the crying of news-boya
with an undertaking directness.
The result was that the police had parti
ally suppressed the crying of papers. Som
Of the time it was much hushed. At othe
times it revived; but the average tone wa
slightly subdued!
) They had, in addition, resorted to tn
power of the press, and had published tracts
TIE first tract showed that the sabbath, a
a civil institution, is essential to the we'll
being of man." The second gave the law
of the State and the ordinances of the cit,
against violating the Sabbath. The thrC
was on the Sunday liquor-tratfic. This wa
the first public exhibition of the Society
The daily press had been used to some ex
tent to aid the project and the religion
press to some extent. Without the Sabbath
Government would not be worth saving
The Union might as well drop to pieces,
the Sabbath is not preserved.
A great reform had been wrought in New
York. The crying of news-boys had beel
hushed, and the liquor shops had been com
PEELED to close their front doors and to ad
NIT their customers only through side O
back doors. Theatrical exhibitions, O
which there used to be thirty in operation
ON Sunday, "ministering to the basest pas
sions of man." had been suppressed. Lin
denmuller, who blasphemously called hi
concern society of German Shakers, wa
the last to give in, but had finally been sub
dued. They had great encouragement from
the great work wrought in New York, an
from their success in effecting din,inusnd
tone in the news-boys here, by means of tn
police; and their purpose was to create
public sentiment that would sustain th
public officers in the discharge of their duty
AS nothing can be done without resolu
tions, a gentleman moved to appoint Com
mittee on Resolutions, who formally retire
to an ante room. During their brief at
sence, reverend gentleman of an exceed
ingly stern and holy aspect, said that ma
ton without Sabbath was without Goo
When he was in Paris, he said to his guide
'you are a nation without Sabbath an
without God" The guide said it was sC
He was Catholic and so was his wife, bu
they had no God in Paris. Take away th