New Britain herald., 1930-10-30
COMMUNICATED
Objects to Misuse of Sabbath

Melrose, Conn. Oct. 2S, 1880 Editor. The New Britain Herald: As Connecticut now has no statt fair, especial attention is given tt the Eastern States Exposition a Springfield. t is Q little late in sea. son; but l wish to publicly protes against the opening of the latter eX.
 position on the Lords day. I read
 pie there on the opening Sunday, this
 fall. with six governors among the number. l am a descendant of Lot
 of Bible history. In the New Testa-
 ment, all that is said about his char acter is, that he 'veXed his righteous soul from day to day" with the un-
 lawful deeds of those around him.
 It irritated and troubled him all the
 time, to sec the people forgetting God, and manifcsting contempt for
 His commandments.
 Personally, as a proprietary farm CT, l resolved never to set foot on the grounds of the Eastern states Exposition, unless it repudiated it's bad past record in regard to Sabbath dissertation, and started to make public amends in some suitable man. ncr. I have exhibited 14 plates of fruit at q Connecticut state fair, and brought away II prizes. But l long ago resolved never to go to, nor to exhibit any farm produce at, the New England States Exposition, as a protest against it. l have never seen the grounds. though living not over 12 miles from them.
 I am not afraid to stand alone against the entire population of New England when I know that l am right, and that have God OH my side, together with such men as Blackstone, Gladstone, Washington. Lincoln, Roosevelt, Daniel Webster, and many other men whose names are not rotting. Solomon, the wise man, said: "The memory of the just is blessed; but the name of the wick cd shall rot" l am glad of it: l will do all I can to help them rot.
 Abraham Lincoln once said: AS we keep or break the Sabbath, we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which humanity rises" Webster said: "The longer I live, the more highly do esteem the pro- per observance of the Christian Sabbath. and the more grateful feel toward those who impress it's i'm portance on the community" Moody, the evangelist, stated: show me a nation that is giving up it's Sabbath, and I will show you a nation that has in it the seeds of decay"
 The Sunday newspaper, the auto mobile, the telephone. the radio, and other modern things, are gradually breaking down what little is left of our once holy day, that God intended it to be. Years ago it was called "thc holy Sabbath" then Sunday" and now it is week end" or a virtual holiday. All the trouble is with the wrong hearts of the people, or the evil hearts of unbclief in departing from the living God" against which the battle-scarred Paul warns us ill he Bible.
 I should like to have the people of New Britain and elsewhere know hat not all the farmers have given lp belief in God and the Fourth The farther you get put in the rural disticts, away from he cities, the greater respect you ind for Sabbath observance. l at ended a biennial session of the American Pomological Society, at City, N. J. On one of the hree days, several persons spoke OH he subject of Roadside Stands" One man from New York state told now his physical efforts had been increased by selling produce seven lays in the week." The audience be- gan to look at one another with sig facial expressions. The speaker had a big goitcr on his neck. The next speaker. young Pennsyl- Iania vegetable grower, told of his luCCtSS III lllt IOGuSluC Sldllu JuSl- lcss. First he enumerated the things 1e did do; then the things he did not 10. The first one of the latter was: I keep closed on the Lords day" The ring of applause that went }round that hall was to me worth ,oine 25O miles to hear.
 l could write all day on this sub ect; but ] will not presume to im- pose too much on your space. The greatest newspaper is not the one with the largest circulation, but the onc that gets the closest to the hearts of the common people" hope his letter will keep out of your vast basket.
 GEORGE w. SMITH