Smyrna times., 1886-06-30
Our Satnrnalia

Mr.. TOR:-There is some and more
than the usual amount of excuse allowable
for the sense of freedom from toll that Sat
urday night brings to the Knights of Labor
and those who labor not, neither night nor
day-tO know that the morrow, Sunday. Is
the day of rest But by no manner Of
means Is there any excuse allowable for
the way IN which some would prefer to Gel
ebrate the eve of Sunday. If our streets
must needs swarm with people on Satnrdov "
nights intent on shopping, our trades peonle
should have theretrOm the full benefit. but
not accompanied as it is by the most h0rrid
blasphemy of the . Holy name of God y Mt
almost every instant of time. 1t is time thar
right-thinking men-and the town is fIll of
them-shOuld call a halt to such liberty as
TINS, wherein n few worthy or worthless
roughs, black and white, who choose to
stand IN front OF the leading stores of this
Town ana invoke the judgement of God
upon tho place by their blasphemv. 1t is
enough again for their wives anil daugh
ters VINO have right to he protected lU
these good men to bear tho scrutiny of las
clvious glancos, to hear the ill-ennccaled
Jest that Is so freely banded about. II is
time halt was called. No gentleman will
utter rude expression on the streets and
no man, be he white or black will bias
pheme the holy name of God at any time
Some will say:
Oh it belongs to the trade of the town
and it must be endured for life is short in
trade"
Then let us close oue churches. Such
mockery that the prosperity of a town de-
pends ON the most hOnid blasphemy as
any one can hear on our streets each Satur-
day night
In justice to the town authorities il must
be said that with the limited means they
do all that they can to tide over each Sat
urday night without open breaches of the
Of the peace in violence and blOOdshed,
making no attempt to suppress the dread
full blasphemy that runs riot. Let us think
of this we sec few earnest men ready TO
unshacllc themselves from the tolls and
coils of party and go in for the suppression
of the sale of rum A finer Sentiment
among them establishes as an aid to this
work reading rooms, and from time to
time stirring lectures are given to helm
alOng--and then the grand results lies in
the dim future. And above it all writhes
the filthy serpent of blasphemy on our
Streets with not one protesting voice
against It. We would not want to see the
purity of our daughters sullied, even to aid
the temperance cause, by going on the
streets here one Saturday night and pre-
valhng on some of the erring ones to spend
few moments in profitable readinO in a.
1t we would not, but we will make wav in
our pews on Sundays for the graceful
feathers and fine apparel Of the wives and
daughters of men who thrive on tho blos
phemy begGtten of the hell-bOrn sale and
trattc In this town Of alcoholic drink. Lot
us stop to think. This thing happons here
every Saturday night Patrol the streets
and-see and hear for Yourselves. Let II 90
on, and what then? Apart from blood
shed we can nc any time expect to SEQ this
town IN possession of lawless mob il is
one OF the results or judgments of this pre-
sumption IN blaspheming the holy name of
In Germany they find it most conven-
lent to wash their dirty linen once a year
we do not even do that but are content to.
walk amidst an atmosphere so foul with
6lasphemy. that the gliding on our PRAYER
books should become furnished while ON
the way to church. Ifit does not It is aii
the same permitted to take place at IIe
time herein stated, the prelude always to the
worship Of Sunday, and if we choose to be
indifferent to it our Summer guests can
hardly fail to form the opinion that on
Saturday nights the talk on these streets
Is in some respects no better than the con-
versqtion one can hear In tho sums OF the
large cities at any time. s.