The morning times., 1895-10-06
CAPTAIN 0LYS' SURPRISE
Reproved for a Supposed Desc
Grafton of the Sabbath.
AN APPEAL TO RECONSIDER
Com mnnder of the Ancient and Hon
orable Artillery of Boston on the
His Company Lectured by Resi-
dent Of the Confederate Capital.

| Boston, Oct, 5.-Captain Thomas Olys.
of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery
| Company, which left this afternoon To OBJ
serve its fail field day in Richmond, Va ,
this morning received the following
letter:
| "Richmond, Va, Oct. 8, S95.
Commander Thomas j. Olys, Boston,
Mass,
Dear Sir: 1t was with sincere pleasure
/ that l noticed recently the purpose OF the
Ancient and Honorables to visit Richmond,
and our people desire TO extend to you a
hearty and enthusiastic welcome, and TO
do everything they can to make your visit
pleasant and satisfactory one; hut must
confess That / was deeply mortified and
panied when the announcement was made
that you would arrive here on Sunday.
Personally am not sure that / know
n single member OF your organization,
but. as understand it, you represent the
best elements of Massachusetts society,
and IL indeed seems strange that when ,.rcn
who have sacrificed so much for the up
building and preservation OF our country
should regard the sabbath day so lightly
as To deliberately start out On that blessed
day OF rest and peace on Il pleasure tour.
HOPES THEY WILL REFLECT.
You and your fathers have freely spent
your life's blood endeavoring TO make this
iItt prosperous Out VI
the buiwarks of American strength is the
respect for the Sabbath dag, and when
the great ma iority of our people leave their
houses of worship and lose the rest that
they need and spend the time in Sunday
excursions and similar dissipatlous, then
we will be moving rapidly on the road TO
ruin.
II can't conceive how any men who
profess TO be Christians can set such an
example. pray that God win direct you
10 so alter your plans as to either spend
the Sabbath quietly here OF in Washing
ton.
II don't write as the representative OF
any organization. but know that voice
the sentiments of many Christian people
OF Richmond and Virginia. When you
come we Will cheerfully do everything to
promote your comfort and happiness, but
i again appeal to you not To permit
yourselves to commit this indiscrciion.
In travelling on Sunday you are neither
performing an act OF necessit y nor
mercy, and, while you might not be any
the less ancient or honorable, You would
certainly be more noble in the eyes OF
your fellow citizens if you remember the
sabbath and keep il holy Sincerely yours,
''B. f. JOHNSON"
CAN'T CHANGE HIS PLANS.
This letter bears the imprint, Il. +. John
son, Publishing Company.
Il certainly regret very much, " said Capt.
Olys, that anything of this kind should &C.
cur. or that there should be feeling of that
kind regarding out coming bccause, per
sonally, my disposition is Christian. l
would not do anything ~ desecratc the Sab
bath, nor to ALLOW n peace and quietDess
TO be desecSated by any one of my command.
But what does this man expect? Here, on
the Very eve OF o.s departure, on the day, III
fact, of our going, l get this letter
How can he expect us TO upset every
thing, 10 change all the arrangements now
completely perfected? We shall make no
display, noisy parade, but will proceed
quietly and in order directly to our hotel.
know that the church going sentiment is
very strong in Richmond. In fact. 1t fur
nished the suggestion for our coming on
Sunday.
81 was in Richmond this summer to Trr-
feet our arrangements and the chairman
of the committee on reception there said
10 me: How nice it would be if you could
only be in Richmond on Sunday, that we
might have You at church That was the
way the plan was made to arrive in the
afternoon, that the company could attend
the services to be held in the First Baptist
the largest church in Richmond,
in the evening. That is what we propose
to do"