Year: 1873

april. .tAwlw Acting Quartsrmaster General


FAST DAY IN MASSACHUSETTS.


The annual fast in Massachusetts is not
observed with The gravity and decorum of
former years. There are no long faces,
few long prayers, fasting is unknown, and
recreation Is the general order Of the day
Indeed so wide is the departure from the
custom Of the olden time, so little is the
observance Of the day in accordance with
the prevailing idea Of fasting, that many
preachers, and laymen too, think there is
IN incongruity and absurdity in appoint
ing solemn fasts any longer.


This year Governor Washburn left out
? the word Humiliation" in his proclama.
ton, probably thinking it better to omit
the call to humiliation when he knew il
inserted it would be utterly disregarded
Perhaps this may be the first step to omit
2 ting the whole custom. Some of the min


listers criticised the Governor somewhat
roughly. but If the people will not betake
themselves to humiliation at the Govern.
or's order, but will allow their thoughts
to run upon carnal things and their feet to-
ward the theatre and other places OF
amusement, what is the Governor going
to do about 1t? Others of the fast day
speakers, and very respectable number
too, thought that since the spirit Of the in
stitution had departed, leaving only the
dead form behind, it mattered little how
soon the practice were ended.


~ Yet there are some things about Fast
day that are very good in their way. We
usually get some wholesome advice and
gentle admonitions about political affairs


And this was not neglected in Massachu


sets on Thursday last. Oakes Ames and
Ben Butler were served up in several pull.
pits. One minister thought the salary
steal was worse than the Credit Moblier,
and castigated bold Ben severely. 1.-THE
man." he said, "who devised and execu-
''ted this scheme is the representative from
''the Essex district and he proposes to
''make himself Governor OF Massachusetts,
next fall. If he becomes Governor of
''our State after having let it down into
''this deep disgrace. let US hope that he
''will not omit the word humiliation in
ibis Proclamation for Fast day next
"spring. for surely Massachusetts will
"never have reached lower depth of
Humiliation than will then have come to
"her." We fear that such sharp shots as
this from the pulpit will not help the
chances of the member of Essex for Gov
ernor, but may assist him to fast and pray
politically.


All the Fast Day preachers of Massa-
chusetts are not so caustic as the one quot
ed above. Many of them chose to omit
the sharp word. and to speak candidly and
mildly Of the duties of the citizen and the
State and their relations. deprecating un-
Just criticism Of those who are in office,
creating distrust without cause, and bring
ing the government into disrepute Such
are those Bohemians, said one speaker.
''who entrenched behind the press will
''tell you that both the President and the


"Governor are so surrounded bv rings
land cabals that they cannot be trusted a
''moment; that outside of the Offices
''where they write there is no spark of vir-
tue left" This preacher was not inclined
to take their view Of matters. to place his
judgment and conscience under such di-
rection. but to cultivate faith and trust in
mankind. 1t is the fair question for Fast
Day. he thought, where am inspiring
the work of the Statea Where am max
ing it more tender?" Both public and
private servants" said he, "are men, and
we can get as good service from one as
from the other. The careless habit of de-
..nouncing the public authorities, of speak
ling as if all men in public trusts were in
"rings. as if all the postoflice clerks were
''thieves, as if the choice by ballot neces-
''sarily degrades men. is rs dangerous as
''it is foolish. The fountain rises TO its
''source--no higher, no lower. The clerk
lin the water Office is just as honest as he
would be in the gas ofiice--no less. no
more. The clerk in the postoffice is as
"frsssworthy as in the telegraph Office
mo less. no more. And you and !. the peo-


pie. are to see that each man is true to his
DUTY. We defame ourselves. and iniure
"the common veal. if we tolerate a suspi. |
Scion, which If admitted means that our
whole system is failure. In truth there
lis no failure. There are plenty of people
''te tell US that we need no special day to
''consider our religious dates as citizens
THAT to-day is wasted because we are not
"all building new stores, or betting on