The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-29
FIVE DON, BAY.
Unique Brooklyn DOrganized on
What- do.

WHAT DO.
Upon tine verses 13 and IA Of Isaiah,
lviii, has been built the foundations of
a society that is intended to revolu-
tionize many things. It is a modest,
-unassuming little society now, but it's
founder believes thai II will wax largo
and prosperous and spread ike a green
bay tree in southwest Georgia swamp.
Down with Sunday newspapers, sum
day street cars, Sunday letters and
sundry other Sunday Institutions" is
the battle cry of the men who are fight
ing under the banner of this society.
The Society of the i've Dont's" is
the title of this unique organization,
which is thriving in Brooklyn There
is something very attractive about the
name. Henry N. Niles, the founder,
who lives at ego Quincy street, says he
chose the name because Of its quaint
a-ttractiveness. Here are the five dont's
to which all h members pledge them
selves to cleave for osAyear and prob
ably longer:
l. Don't ride simply fof pleasure on
Sunday.
2. Don't (save in an ocean voyage)
Side in a public conveyance on Sun
day.
3. Don't read a Sunday newspape on
Sunday.
4. Don't buy anything on Sunday, ex-
cept in case of an emergency.
5. Don't mail letters on Sunday.
And here is the pledge which Mr..
Niles converts must sign:
Motto: For even Christ pleased not
Himself" Romans K 3. Read Isaiah,
lvfii, Is.
Realizing the prevalence of Sabbath
1nro1ro+5O~ o~I 49, LIae-.~- L4~
holy observance of the Lords Day
brings to individuals, to homes, TO
churches and to nations, conscious also
of the power of example, / promise to
make it a rule to observe THE Five
Dont's' until n yea from the first
of mex January.
1 further promise to keep q. record of
the nnmber of times that I consider it
necessary to deviate from this rule and
sent a letter TO the secretary in De-
cember of each year stating how many
times | lave broken my rule, how
many [ have influenced to join the So
cidty and some facts regarding myself
which may be Of interest to other men,
bers and promote a better acquainI-
ance.
My second and succeeding annual let
tiers shall state my intention to con-
tinue a member of the society for an
other year or my desire to withdraw
therefrom.
Sunday pap according to Mr..
Niles, can be easily dispensed with.
There is no supposed necessity for
them, like there is for street cars, and
he thinks that by judicious advertis-
ing of his society in the he
will eventually succeed in undermining
the Sunday adjunct to the journalistic
establishments of the country. He has
already since last August secured over
twenty members, who have pledged
themselves not ito read the Sunday
newspapers on Sunday.
The theory upon which Mr.. Miles
expects to abolish street cars, newspa-
pers, letter mailing n like Sunday
denominations is this:
He argues that the cars will ceas
to run after he gets enough persons
to promise not to ride o them; that
the will cease Ito inf1ict
themselves on the public when his
membership grows large enough &c
take away all the readers; that places
where goods are sold On Sunday viii
close after people cease to buy; and
that the United States mail service
wifi take a Sunday off every week
when the people become Five-Don'ters
and stop mailing letters on Sunday
Mr.. Niles does not believe that the
simple offenSe of riding OF cars anC
mailing letters on Sunday is scanda
magnatum, but the trouble, he says
comes in that this offense involves tn
labor of others.
Il organized this society,"" said Mr.
Niles, when I was out in Montclair
N. j., for the summer. The suggestio'
came to me when 1 heard a young mar
who is a emb Of the Tompkins Av
enue Congregational church say thai
he never rode in the cars ON Sunday
Before that time I had alwa+s beer
guilty of every one of the ofensel
which are named in the five don'ts. Blu
that set me to thinking, and I though
of this society. 1 nave been agreeabl!
surprised at the large membership
have secured so far. 1 nope by the al.
Of the newspapers TO 500 spread tn
society all over the country."-Brook
Ign Eagle.