/ 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 •^ 
 
 <5 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 Q. 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 JO 
 
 (D 
 
 
 
 
 w ^ 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 
 
 V 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ■^ ^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 j^ 
 
 $ 
 
 O 
 
 
 
 
 ^ S 
 
 c 
 
 m 
 
 
 
 
 ^ o 
 
 t« 
 
 to CO 
 
 
 
 
 ^ Eh 
 
 < 
 
 
 
 
 w 5 
 
 amuel 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ U 
 
 CO 
 
 ^ u w 
 
 
 
 
 ^^ P4 
 
 
 li 3- 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 2 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 "O 
 
 m w +j ^ 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 rH rH O XJ 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 c 
 
 •H g (0 
 
 
 
 
 ^.^ 
 
 2! 
 
 > 0) CO 
 
 
 
 
 #) 
 
 ci: 
 
 
 i 
 
 
 
 . .„..^ 
 
 
 . 
 
 
A 
 MOTHEE'S 
 
 PLEA FOR THE SABBATH 
 
 [N A SERIES OF 
 
 LETTERS TO AN ABSENT SON, 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY FACTS, 
 
 ^ 
 
 BY MRS. LUCY K. WELLS. 
 
 SECOND EDITION 
 
 WITH AN INTRODUCTORY KSbAY. 
 
 BY REV WILLIAM WARREN 
 
 PORTLAND: 
 
 HYDE, LORD & DURENi 
 
 1845. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1843. 
 
 BY WILLIAM HYDE, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Maine. 
 
 Stereotyped and Printed by 
 
 THURSTON, ILSLEY & CO. 
 
 No. 68 Exchange Street, Portland. 
 
I ft£C, APftiasi 
 
 PLEA FOR TliE SABBATH. 
 
 Lbtter 1. Divine authority of the Sabbath ,,13 
 
 " 2. The same subject continued 21 
 
 " 3. Physical benefits of the Sabbath 29 
 
 " 4. Intellectual benefits of the Sabbath 34 
 
 " 5. Moral benefits of the Sabbath , 41 
 
 " 6. Manner of lieeping tlie Sabbath 51 
 
 " 7. Same subject concludetl 57 
 
 3i3act SeconU. 
 
 NOTHLVG LOST BY KEEPING THE SABBATH. 
 
 The pray ing ship 68 
 
 The traveller 72 
 
 The teamster 78 
 
 Harvesting • •S2 
 
 Hay-making S4 
 
 Incident from the Life of Wesley 83 
 
 No Sabbath in our business 90 
 
 Facts illustrating the results of Sabbath breaking 92 
 
 The young servant girl 96 
 
 Incidents from the Life of Kilpin 97 
 
 The convict 99 
 
 Abuse of the Sabbath 101 
 
 Death-bed view of the Sabbath ,, 102 
 
 The infidel's Sabbath lOJ 
 
 Cost of Sabbath breaking 105 
 
1 CONTENTS. 
 
 The daughter 107 
 
 The pleasure party Ill 
 
 The murderer's cell 116 
 
 The launch 119 
 
 The Kennebec dam , 119 
 
 Scene in Nantucket 123 
 
 The lawyer and the Sabbath 130 
 
 The Sabbath breaker reformed 133 
 
 The Sabbath evening at home 136 
 
 The poor fish woman 137 
 
 The unknown. 139 
 
 The blessing and the curse 140 
 
 Hope and Try Again 143 
 
 Conclusion .....145 
 
INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 
 
 The Sabbath is among the oldest institutions on 
 earth. It does not, however, derive its value from its 
 antiquity, but from its apropriateness to the wants of 
 man. Its establishment at the dawn of time, when 
 every thing was fresh from the divine hand, bespeaks 
 its value. The illustrious example of Sabbath-keeping, 
 set by God himself, when he had finished the work of 
 creation, argues its value . The blessing he pronounced 
 upon it, when resting from the six day's work, reveals 
 its value. The experience and testimony of Sabbath- 
 keeping men and nations, demonstrates its worth. All 
 history, sacred and profane, shows it to be a gift from 
 God, and a blessing to man. The connection which 
 this ancient ordinance has with each dispensation of 
 God to man, and every other institution of religion, 
 proves its worth, and the fact, that the Sabbath was 
 made for man. 
 
 There is a sublimity in the conception of the Deity 
 in repose, for moral purposes ; and what higher illus- 
 tration can we hate, of the value of the Sabbath, than 
 
 such a representation of the Divine interest in it. How 
 I" 
 
6 INTRODUCTORY ESSAY, 
 
 could the law of action, so necessary and so mighty in 
 the Divine nature, be, for a moment, suspended, but 
 for the highest of ail moral purposes. During one 
 whole day, an infinite miracle was passing in view of the 
 universe ; could such phenomena have appeared, but 
 for a purpose commensurate in moral grandeur. God did 
 not need this suspension from labor for his own benefit, 
 or repose. As easily and joyfully might he have con 
 templated his works, and listened to the anthem of the 
 morning stars, without resting from labor, as with it. 
 It was to stamp the day as divine — to mark it as His 
 own; it was to illustrate its value, and point out to 
 man his duty. This act fixes upon the day a deep and 
 binding sacredness. It labels it — holy. And creation 
 must be melted down, and made over again, before the 
 Sabbath can be spared from it. Every principle and 
 spring must be cast and set afresh, to make it safe to 
 dispense with the conservative influences of the Sab- 
 bath. Man and the laboring animal must be formed 
 anew, and empowered with fresh energies and re- 
 sources, before they can go the perpetual round of labor 
 without Sabbath rest. The universal mind must be 
 set in a new organism, and endowed with fresh powers, 
 before the friendly influences of the Sabbath can be 
 foregone. In a word, the moral universe must be re- 
 constructed ; the machinery, throughout, calculated 
 over again ; each power and purpose, set upon a new 
 basis, and every part, impelled by a new impulse, before 
 the Sabbath's influence — the great mainspring of the 
 whole — can be spared from it, God planted in his 
 creation, at the first, the necessity for the Sabbath; 
 
INTROUUCTORT KSSST. 4 
 
 a)ul SO lonij; as the present system stands^ the Saboatb. 
 will be essential to it, and must remain. Abolish it, 
 
 and, in the words of Milton,. 
 
 " Earth feels tlie wound ; and Nature from lier seat, 
 
 Sighing through all her works, gives signs of woe, 
 
 Thai all i ■■ lost/' 
 
 Abolish the Ssjbbatb^and the aaimal natare langaisheSy 
 
 the general mind droops, and piety perishes from the 
 
 earth. 
 
 The bee, taught by instinct, constructs its cells, so 
 as to hold the greatest amount of treasure, with the 
 greatest degree of safety. And the one is found to be 
 consistent with the other; the greatest capacity, with 
 the greatest safety, or strength. So that the geometry 
 of instinct, here, laughs- at man's highest mathematical 
 ingenuity. Thus in the moral world. The great 
 Author of instinct, and all things, has so balanced and* 
 tempered the resources and moral elements in man, 
 that the highest amount of effort and moral good, is 
 gained only by suspension from labor, with moral re- 
 freshment, one seventh part of the time. And here, 
 too, the arithmetic of morals laughs at the vain calcu- 
 lations of mercenary men. 
 
 But man is angel as well as animal. And the 
 Sabbath is essential to the immortal, as well as the 
 mortal. So that his interests for both worlds, suffer 
 vitally, from a desecration of this day. And expe- 
 rience has generally proved that an attempt to rob 
 God of his day, is, in effect, a robbery committed upon 
 ourselves. God will not prosper sabbatb-gotten gain'. 
 He will not sanctron, by the smile of hi& providence, 
 the violations of his law. 
 
f^ IN-TROnrCTORY ESSAY. 
 
 And tJie mind — the part made in his own imago — 
 must follow the example of its great prototype, 
 the Divine Mind, while resting from the work of 
 creation, on the seventh day, or its powers can never 
 ripen into that perfection for which they were formed. 
 An incessant tasking of the intellect without Sabbath 
 relaxation, tends to enfeeble and derange its powers. 
 The highest degree of mental expansion can never be 
 reached, but by observing the natural and moral laws 
 of God. 
 
 If God then by his word, and his providence, and 
 example too, has shown such marks of respect and 
 regard for this institution, how ought man to treat it ? 
 man, for whom it was made. What though the rigor 
 of its ritual observance — needed in the darker ages of 
 the world — has been somewhat abated ! Has its author- 
 ity and force, as a part of the moral law, been relaxed ? 
 No ! The Sabbath is a life-artery, running through 
 every part of the moral system. It is incorporated into 
 all the laws, designed either for Israel, or for man. 
 Abolishing one of God's laws, then, does not annul 
 that statute which is common to all his laws. If 
 several lines cross each other at a single point, the 
 obliterating of one of those lines, or all but one, 
 does not obliterate the point in those lines common to 
 each, and where each is the same. So when the national 
 and ritual laws of Israel fell, each embodying the Sab- 
 bath, the Sabbath did not fall. It stood on a higher 
 JUid more permanent basis. It belonged to the moral 
 law, embracing a system of principles that were de- 
 signed for all men, and destined to last through all 
 
INTRODUCTORY F.SSAY. 9 
 
 time. And the idea that the distinction which God 
 has made in the days of the week, may be destroyed 
 by elevating the week to an equality with the Sabbath^ 
 is, if anything good, an improvement upon divine 
 wisdom. It is a philosophy or wisdom, whose work 
 will never be done, till all God's laws are revised, ot 
 effaced from the moral system. It is easy, hoAvever, 
 to destroy this distinction, not by elevating the week to 
 an equality with the Sabbath, but by lowering the 
 Sabbath to a level with the week. It is like certain 
 false theories of perfection, which, instead of elevating 
 the world to the high standard of moral attainment and 
 purity set forth in the Gospel, bring that standard down, 
 to a level with common attainments ; and when this ig 
 done, even ordinary attainments sink usually to the 
 level of indifference. So the attempted elevation of 
 the six days of the week, to a level with the seventh 
 will be, in the result, an ascending downward : for 
 instead of elevating the week, the Sabbath will be 
 sunk to its level. And this is not all > for the sinking 
 of the Sabbath, will sink the week ; so that a loss of 
 this heaven-ordained distinction, would give us one 
 general degraded monotony of viongrel time ! God 
 made this distinction ; and man cannot destroy it, 
 without destroying the most precious of his works. 
 For the Sabbath is as valuable as earth ; it is as valuable 
 as heaven ; it is as valuable as religion; it is as valuable 
 as the blessings which itself brings. Efface it from 
 the earth, and immorality abounds. Efface it from the 
 earth, and ignorance sleeps upon its surface ; revolution, 
 tyrann}' or anarchy, in turn, would sweep over the 
 
10- INTROPrrCTOUY ESSAT. 
 
 world The sanctuary would fall ; the Holy Bible be 
 closed ; every moral influence and avenue sealed ; and 
 religion with its precious ordinances and hopes would 
 take their farewell oi man. Is it not treason, then, 
 against the divine government, and against human 
 government, to trample the Sabbath in the dust ? Is 
 it not a war waged upon the great interests of God on 
 earth, and the very dearest rights and interests of man ? 
 It would be a sad business for man, had he the power, 
 to set himself to the work of destroying God's natural 
 creation; the six day's work of his hand. But would 
 it not be a far worse work, for him to destroy the holy 
 Sabbath, God's seventh day's work ? Give man the 
 power, and let him go to the work of destroying God's 
 natural creation. Let him dry up the rivers ; blot out 
 the seas ; beat down the mountains ; blow out the sun ; 
 and quench the thousand lights that twinkle over 
 heaven ; what a business this ! And who would not 
 remonstrate against such a work of destruction, 
 wrought upon the fair creation of God. And yet the 
 Sabbath, though not measured by revolutions of the 
 earth or heavenly bodies, as were days, and months, 
 and years, when God's fiat was put upon finished 
 time ; still it had a higher origin ; it liad for its creation 
 a moral act ; more important, immeasurably, than the 
 external revolutions of planets and suns. It was a 
 division struck by the hand of Deity. And he that 
 should destroy the holy Sabbath, marked by the first 
 and last change of Deity from labor to rest, would do 
 a far worse work, than he who should destro}'- the 
 visible creation of God. For the seventh day blesses 
 
I.NTUODUCTOIIY i:SSAY. H 
 
 the six. Tear from time the Sabbath, and time had 
 better end. Existence would be a curse to man. 
 Crqation's ends would remain unanswered. Show me 
 an interest on earth, either divine or human, "that 
 could long survive the wreck of the Sabbath. The 
 Sabbath is the key-stone in the arch of Christian 
 ordinances ; take it from among them, and they all 
 fall. ]n another point of view, it is a bow of blessings 
 and of promise. But, unlike the natural bow, it 
 precedes, rather than follows, the diffusion of blessings 
 upon the earth. It is hung high in the moral heavens ; 
 betokening God"s purposes of love to men. He has 
 set this bow above the clouds, to bind heaven and 
 earth together, in beauty, and moral harmony. In 
 fine, it is a standard, which, if the host of God desert, 
 tlie ark of God is gone. And it is left for the church 
 to decide whether this day of blessings shall stand 
 or fall. If christians do not honor it, who will? 
 If they undervalue, and desecrate it, who will not ? 
 Let the Sabbath have its place in the moral sys- 
 tem. Let it become the inclined plane, along the 
 ascent of which, the earth shall be elevated from its 
 moral corruptions, and fall to the millenial state. 
 And who will dare lend his influence to tear up this 
 plane, so that the trains of influence and engines of 
 moral power shall run at random, or be dashed in 
 pieces. The Sabbath is destroyed by littles. Appar- 
 ently trivial violations, growing into a habit, weaken 
 the sanctions, and destroy the sacredness of that day. 
 Here stands a pillar, supporting an immense roof or 
 dome. It is cut, and hacked, and cliiped, till its 
 
12 INTKODUCyORY ESSAV 
 
 beauty and strength are gone. At length it bends, the 
 dome settles, and thousands are buried in the ruins. 
 And who will not say that each act of whittling and 
 gashing that stately pillar, upon which so much rested, 
 was a great evil. But by a similar process, the Sab- 
 bath is destroyed. Every little violation is like the 
 cutting of that pillar. It helps to bring this institution 
 into reproach. One such act, tempts another to do the 
 same, till the beauty and strength of this pillar oi 
 our institutions are gone and every thing luvely and 
 of good report, sinks into ruin. 
 
A 
 
 MOTHER'S 
 PLEA FOR THE SABBATH: 
 
 PART FlPwST. 
 
 LETTERS FROM A MOTHER TO AN ABSENT SOK. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 My Dear Son: — The most painful circum- 
 stance attending the early dispersion of our 
 household band, is the impossibility of my im- 
 parting instruction on topics most nearly con- 
 nected with your present and future welfare. 
 As I endeavor to penetrate futurity, and picture 
 your coming destiny, my bosom swells with 
 anxious thoughts. Your habits and character 
 are now forming ; and as you now sow, you will 
 hereafter reap. While you were with me, I 
 endeavored to impress upon your young mind 
 
14 DIVINE AUTHOIllTV 
 
 the sanctity of the Sabbath, and I trust, though 
 years have since passed, the impressions then 
 made are not wholly obliterated. But you were 
 then too young to understand the reasons for 
 devoting one day in seven to holy rest, or to 
 feel the preciousness of this gift of Heaven to 
 erring, sinful man. Feeling assured, as I do, 
 that on the manner in which the Sabbath is kept, 
 the whole character depends ; that it lies at the 
 foundation of all that is pure and lovely, and 
 truly noble in man, I cannot be content with 
 the instruction you have already received on this 
 all-important topic. Temptations to encroach 
 on its holy repose will continually assail you; 
 and objections to its sacred obligations will be 
 urged by the enemies of our faith, and even by 
 some of its professed friends. You will see it 
 desecrated by those who profess even to love the 
 Savior ; and treated as if it were a matter of in- 
 difference whether they even remembered the 
 Sabbath day. To stem this fearful tide, which 
 threatens to sweep away what has been in all 
 ages the safeguard of the true religion — its pre- 
 server alike against the influence of ancient 
 heathenism and modern infidelity, you will need 
 to have the high authority and inestimable value 
 
OF THE SABnATII. 15 
 
 of the Sabbath, deeply engraven on your heart. 
 This 1 shall endeavor briefly to do in a series of 
 letters, and likewise show what is included in 
 keeping it holy. At the close I shall add a 
 copious selection of facts tending to prove that 
 the Sabbath was made for man ; given for his 
 best good in this life, as well as a season of 
 preparation for eternity — and that the blessing 
 of divine Providence specially favors those who 
 conscientiously keep it holy. 
 
 The keeping one day in seven holy, is gener- 
 ally regarded as merely a duty ; as a penalty, I 
 had almost said, inflicted for our forgetfulness of 
 the things of eternity. A duty it certainly is. 
 But if we recur for a moment to the circum- 
 stances attending its first announcement, we 
 shall feel that it is in truth a precious boon.— 
 It was given to man in Paradise, while he was 
 yet holy, and enforced by the example of the 
 God of purity. Did he need rest? His own 
 word declares that he fainteth not, neither is 
 weary ; nor was it necessary for him to employ 
 that space of time for the work of creation. — 
 He could have spoken it into existence, swift as 
 our fancy can frame a thought or call up an 
 image before the mind ; but for our sakes he 
 
16 
 
 DIVINE AUTHORITY 
 
 condescended thus to perform the work, that he 
 might set an example which should be binding 
 on man in all ages, under all circumstances.— 
 It was given to man as man, as something essen- 
 tial to his well being, and without which the 
 end of his creation would not have been an- 
 swered. Before the tree of knowledge was pro- 
 hibited, before even the sweet charities of do- 
 mestic life were his — even then was the day of 
 holy rest bestowed. There was no command. — 
 It was then unnecessary. While God yet 
 walked with man, and the heart of man rose 
 spontaneously in grateful adoration, it was 
 enough for him to know that his Creator had 
 blessed and hallowed that day as a season of 
 holy rest. He needed only a permission to turn 
 his thoughts to themes more delightful than even 
 contemplating the virgin earth, fresh from the 
 hand of the great Former, and resplendent in 
 yet unsullied beauty. He knew not then the 
 weariness of an exhausted, dying body. He 
 trod the earth with the firmness of immortal 
 vigor ; yet even then, after six days of toil — light, 
 indeed, in comparison with ours — for it was 
 not till after the fall that man ate his bread in 
 the sweat of his brow, — one day was to be devo- 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 17 
 
 ted to sacred repose, and religious worship. 
 Was not then, the Sabbath made for man. To 
 the Creator, that periodical homage could not be 
 necessary. If no voice of grateful adoration 
 iiad ascended from this little dim speck in the 
 creation, that single note could hardly have been 
 missed amidst the full choir of seraphim and 
 archangels, and when all the morning stars sang 
 together. For the oood of man alone was it 
 
 to o 
 
 then bestowed, not enjoined as a penalty, not 
 required as a painful sacrifice, for the image of 
 the Almighty was yet undimmed by sin, and 
 man was the favored, obedient child of Heaven. 
 If it was then a blessing to man, shall we lightly 
 esteem this high privilege? With bodies on 
 which sin has entailed disease, infirmity and 
 weakness, needing rest after even a few hours 
 of toil, to restore our exhausted nature, and 
 longing for it as for our necessary food, methinks 
 we should wait only a permission from him who 
 enjoined severe labor as a penalty of transgress- 
 ion, to enjoy repose after six days of toil. And 
 with hearts sullied by the mournful heritage of 
 sin, chained down to earth-born cares, and for- 
 getting in the flitting pageantry of this life, our 
 immortal destiny ; thrice welcome to us should 
 2* 
 
18 DIVINK AITTHORITY 
 
 be the season when we may forget our toils and 
 cares, and turning our thoughts heaven-ward, 
 commune with him who still condescends to 
 meet the penitent on that blessed day. It should 
 almost seem that our Creator thought these 
 motives would be sufficient to ensure the observ- 
 ance of the Sabbath ; that man would cherish as 
 his most precious heritage, this only remaining 
 vestige of the holiness and happiness of Paradise, 
 and that therefore a period of many hundred 
 years elapsed before we have any record of the 
 giving of a positive command. 
 
 That the Sabbath was remembered as a day 
 of holy rest, commemorating the glory of God in 
 the works of creation, wherever he was worship- 
 ped, there can be no doubt. In the history of 
 Noah, we have an intimation of it not to be 
 mistaken. You remember the simple narrative. 
 When Noah had once sent out the dove who 
 returned with no emblem of peace to the captives, 
 why did he wait seven days before sending her 
 again to explore for him the waste of waters? 
 Why, but because he considered it a solemn 
 appeal to Heaven for direction ; and for such an 
 appeal, what time so appropriate as the Sabbath? 
 And when the winged messenger at length 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 19 
 
 returned with an olive leaf, we may well imagine 
 the delight with which that token of peace and 
 safety must have been viewed. The waters 
 were indeed abated, and vegetation was spring- 
 ing forth anew in all its loveliness, and the eyes 
 which had so long viewed, through the window 
 of their floating prison but one shoreless ocean, 
 must have longed to look once more on the 
 green earth. Still the Patriarch stayed yet 
 other seven days before again sending out the 
 dove, thus giving the most convincing proof of 
 the sacredness attached to that day. But the 
 knowledge and worship of Jehovah were soon 
 lost and buried amidst the multiplied forms of 
 idolatry, except in the family of Abraham. 
 There, no doubt, the Sabbath was still regarded, 
 and through the long season of oppression , in 
 Egypt, when religious knowledge must have been 
 reduced to the lowest ebb, still the memory of 
 it was preserved. Read again the history of the 
 descent of the manna, in Exodus, and you will 
 find the Sabbath referred to, as a day whose 
 design was well known. A complaint was made 
 to Moses on the sixth day, that the people were 
 gathering twice the usual quantity, to which he 
 replied, "To-morrow is the rest of the holy 
 
20 DTVTNE AUTHORITY 
 
 Sabbath of the Lord your God." There is no 
 allusion to a new institution ; the law of the ten 
 commandments had not been given, yet he 
 speaks of the holy Sabbath as a season with 
 which they were familiar. Still, ^though it was 
 not wholly forgotten ; though the miseries they 
 endured in Egypt had not forced them wholly 
 to relinquish this precious heritage ; we may 
 suppose great ignorance prevailed as to its real 
 design, and the manner in which it was to be 
 observed. They needed instruction, and more 
 than this, they needed the high and holy sanc- 
 tion of a positive command, to induce them to 
 observe it as they ought. In what manner that 
 command was given and its demands upon us 
 for obedience, shall be the subject of my next 
 letter. 
 
 And here, my son, I would pause for a mo- 
 ment to remind you of the patience and long 
 suffering of our heavenly Father in promulgat- 
 ing that command. The Sabbath which was 
 given to man in Paradise^ as Heaven's choicest 
 gift, was mercifully continued to him after the 
 fall. On that day especially would the just and 
 holy God meet man again as a friend, and hold 
 communion with the penitent heart. Yet, al- 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 21 
 
 most the whole world disregarded and threw it 
 from them as a worthless thing ; and even 
 among the descendants of Abraham, the friend 
 of God, very few loved the Sabbath. Yet he 
 would not take it from them. He first shows 
 his own regard for it ; honoring it by a threefold 
 miracle, and then, with the most imposing sol- 
 emnity, promulgates a command to set apart 
 that day as holy ; a command, not for that na- 
 tion alone, but binding upon all people to the 
 end of time. Think on these things, my son, 
 value as your most precious heritage this type 
 of eternal rest ; and that the God of the Sab- 
 bath may so write his law in your heart that you 
 may remember to keep it holy, is the prayer of 
 your affectionate mother. 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 My Dear Son: — Before proceeding any far- 
 ther, I wish you to read again, with deep attention, 
 the 10th and SOth chapters of Exodus, and if you 
 are not impressed with deep reverence of com- 
 
22 DIVIxXE AUTIIORITY 
 
 mands given with such solemnity, words of mine 
 will avail nothing. There you will find it re- 
 corded, that the Lord descended upon Mount 
 Sinai, with thunderings and lightnings and the 
 voice of a trumpet, exceeding loud, so that all 
 the people of the camp trembled. One man alone 
 remained fearless and unmoved. Moses, calmly 
 relying upon the rectitude of his purposes, went 
 up to the mount, though it was enveloped in 
 smoke, because the Lord had descended upon 
 it in fire. He spoke, and the Lord answered 
 him by a voice, and audibly proclaimed that 
 holy law which was to be thenceforward the rule 
 of man's obedience. Ten commands were given 
 at this time, and among them we find the follow- 
 ing: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it 
 holy; six days shalt thou labor and do all thy 
 work, but the seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord 
 thy God, in it thou shalt not do any work : thou 
 nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, 
 nor thy maid-servant, thy cattle, nor the stranger 
 that is within thy gates. For in six days the 
 Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that 
 in them is, and rested the seventh day ; where- 
 fore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hal- 
 lowed it." 
 
or THE SABBATH. 23 
 
 It not only holds an equal place among the 
 other commandments, but it is guarded with a 
 special care; and there is a peculiar minuteness 
 in the details prescribing the portion of time to 
 be kept holy — those who were to rest on that 
 day, and the reasons of the command. That 
 law has never been annulled : it is as binding 
 upon us as the command, " Thou shalt not kill." 
 It was given before the ceremonial law, was 
 entirely distinct from it, and is the law to which 
 our Savior refers when he says, " I came not to 
 destroy the law but to fulfil ; and whosoever shall 
 break one of the least of these commands, and 
 teach men so, the same shall be called least in 
 the kingdom of heaven." 
 
 The perpetuity of the Sabbath is clearly taught 
 in Isa. 56 : 6, 8, " Every one that keepeth the 
 Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my 
 covenant ; even them will I bring to my holy 
 mountain, and make them joyful in my house of 
 prayer — for my house shall be called a house of 
 prayer for all people." You perceive from this, 
 that in the latter day, when the earth shall be 
 filled with the knowledge of the Lord, even then 
 it will be a duty to keep the Sabbath from pol- 
 luting it. During the whole of the Mosaic 
 
24 DIVINE AI/THORITY 
 
 dispensation it was regarded with deep venera- 
 tion. Read the Psalms, where it is said, "a 
 day in thy courts is better than a thousand." 
 Read the longing desires there expressed for the 
 public worship of Jehovah, if you would learn 
 to value it. And by the inspired prophets, no 
 duty is more strictly enjoined, than its observ- 
 ance, — no sin threatened with more awful 
 punishment than its neglect. All this is ac- 
 knowledged by many who yet maintain that under 
 the gospel it is abrogated. But I trust a few 
 words will suffice to show the futility of this 
 objection. I have already alluded to our Sa- 
 vior's declaration respecting the law, meaning 
 the law of the ten commandments, of which the 
 fourth is certainly one. In his practice, he 
 honored the Sabbath day. He went into the 
 synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath 
 day, and repeatedly, he is said to have taught 
 the people on that day. It is true, he removed 
 some of the restrictions, but they had been 
 imposed by the Jewish doctors of the law, and 
 formed no part of the original command. We 
 see it coming from his hand in its original sim- 
 plicity and beauty, as a precious gift bestowed, 
 not only to glorify God, but to promote the 
 
OF THE SABUATII. %5 
 
 holiness and the highest happiness of man. 
 Perfectly consistent with this original design of 
 the institution, was his exertion of miraculous 
 power to relieve the distressed ; showing his 
 glory and manifesting his divine mission. If 
 the Sabbath was soon to pass away, why did he 
 manifest such anxiety to rescue it from abuse ? 
 No such care is shown for the stated sacrifices, 
 though doubtless abuses had crept into these 
 also ; but they were soon to cease, therefore he 
 is silent respecting them. Not so with the Sab- 
 bath. That was a precious boon ; it was to 
 preserve the memory and the worship of the true 
 God ; on that day, the glad tidings of salvation 
 through an incarnate, crucified Savior, were to be 
 proclaimed to the end of time. It was to be a 
 day of giving good gifts to men, and therefore it 
 must be preserved inviolate ; cleansed from 
 the rubbish of error,and held up for grateful 
 adoration, as being indeed made for man ; for man 
 in his highest, noblest capacity, as an account- 
 able, immortal being, placed here to prepare 
 for a state of endless blessedness. One expres- 
 sion of Christ, I wish you particularly to notice, 
 as sufficient to answer every objection against 
 the Christian Sabbath. When speaking of the 
 3 
 
26 DIVINE AUTHORITY 
 
 destruction of Jerusalem, he says, "pray ye that 
 your flight be not in the winter, neither on the 
 Sabbath day,'' thus clearly intimating that the 
 Sabbath would remain when the Jewish institu- 
 tions were done away. 
 
 With regard to the change from the last to 
 the first day of the week, but one word will be 
 necessary. He who was Lord of the Sabbath 
 had surely a right to make such a change, nor 
 did it at all alter the spirit of the institution. 
 The proportion of time was the important point ; 
 and as the original Sabbath commemorated the 
 work of creation, surely the gospel dispensation 
 would lose much of its glory, if our Sabbath did 
 not commemorate that far more glorious work, 
 the redemption of man, and his new creation 
 through a crucified and risen Redeemer. 
 
 I hardly need refer you to the New Testament 
 for proof that the first day of the week, was from 
 the time of our Lord's resurrection, regarded as 
 holy time. Repeatedly is it mentioned that on 
 the first day of the week the disciples were 
 assembled. The Savior himself honored the 
 day by then appearing to his disciples — the 
 deeply interesting interview on the way to 
 Emmaus, when he opened to them the scriptures 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 27- 
 
 till their hearts burned within them, occurred 
 on that day. And the day of Pentecost, which 
 learned men have shown, occurred on the first 
 day of the week, set the seal of heaven upon its 
 sacredness; then the Holy Spirit descended, 
 and the last gift promised by the Redeemer was 
 bestowed upon man. Through the writings of 
 the Apostles, you will find frequent mention of 
 the Lord's day, and where the canon of the 
 Scripture was about to be closed and sealed up 
 forever, the disciple whom Jesus loved, now the 
 sole survivor of that little band, gave his dying 
 testimony to the blessedness of that sacred 
 season, "I was in the spirit on the Lord's day." 
 Thus, my dear son, I have rapidly sketched the 
 history of this sacred institution from the creation 
 to the close of the holy volume. At every step 
 it is invested with new sacredness, and higher 
 claims unon our love and reverence. Since 
 that period, Christians in all ages have united in 
 welcoming and hallowing the day of holy rest, 
 and many a humble believer has echoed the 
 words of the aged apostle, "I was in the spirit 
 on the Lord's day." Though they have not 
 seen the heavens opened, nor beheld the glitter- 
 ing crowns cast before the throne of him who. 
 
28 DIVINE AUTHORITY 
 
 on that glad day, triumphed over death and the 
 grave ; thoug'h the alleluias of the redeemed have 
 not rung on their ears, yet blessings, such as 
 God alone can give, have descended upon their 
 souls. 
 
 If under the comparatively dark and imperfect 
 dispensation of the Old Testament, the Psalmist 
 could say, " This is the day the Lord hath made, 
 we will rejoice and be glad in it," with what 
 emotions of holy joy and fervent gratitude, 
 should we hail the dawn of this sacred season. 
 To them it merely commemorated creation and 
 the deliverance of Israel — wonderful indeed, but 
 only a dim shadow of the redemption which we 
 celebrate. But there are other views of this 
 subject which should deepen our gratitude for 
 this inestimable gift. Its perfect adaptation to 
 the physical, intellectual and moral nature and 
 wants of man, is worthy of attentive consideration. 
 But these themes must be deferred to another 
 letter. In the meantime, I request your careful 
 attention to the passages of Scripture to which 
 I have specially referred, with prayer to God 
 that he would enlighten your understanding, and 
 incline your heart to keep his commandments. 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 29 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 My Dear Son : — I trust the few hints which 
 I have given are sufficient to convince you of the 
 sacred obligation to keep holy the Sabbath day. 
 But I love, when that blessed day dawns upon 
 me, to think of it as my Father's day, and as a 
 token of love from him. In this light I would 
 fain have you regard it ; and if you ever find 
 yourself feeling it to be a weariness, and wishing 
 its hallowed hours were ended — remember you are 
 despising your mother's choicest treasure. You 
 may perhaps recollect the time when sorrow 
 pressed heavily upon us, and our hearts were sad 
 while looking forward to a speedy separation. 
 Then every hour of the week was occupied by 
 toils and cares — my way was dark and thorny, 
 but I dared not pause to rest ; onward, onward I 
 was obliged to press, though pale and weary, and 
 my heart was faint within me. Then, how 
 sweet, how precious was the Sabbath, with its 
 holy rest and peace — its permission to forget my 
 toils and cares, and plans for the present wants, 
 and future welfare of my helpless little ones. 
 3* 
 
30 PHYSICAL BENEFITS 
 
 How sweet to turn my thoughts from this world 
 of weariness and pain to that rest which remain- 
 <Eth — of which those sacred hours were but the 
 type and emblem ; and when I could mingle my 
 prayers and praises with God's people in public 
 worship, I realized the fulfilment of that blessing, 
 " The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble ; the 
 name of the God of Jacob defend thee ; send 
 thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen 
 thee out of Zion." 
 
 But it is not merely to the children of sorrow, 
 that the Sabbath is a blessing, though others, 
 perhaps, cannot know all its value. Man is so 
 framed, that this period of repose from ordinary 
 duties is as necessary for him as his daily food. 
 Our physical organization is such, that long 
 continued exertion, even of a part of the body, 
 will weaken the energies of that part and finally 
 destroy them altogether. The Hindoo devotee^ 
 who keeps his arms raised constantly above his 
 head, for years, finally loses all power over them ; 
 they become shrunk and withered, and \\i fact 
 dead, while attached to a living body, simply 
 because no period of relaxation was given to the 
 muscles. This, it is true, is an extreme case, 
 but labor without repose, produces effects similar 
 
or Tiin sARBATir. 3| 
 
 in kind, thoujxh not equal in degree, " Night is 
 the time for rest," but it does not afford all the 
 rest required by our bodies, exhausted by days of 
 successive toil. The period is so short, that after 
 intense exertion, it but serves to relax the system 
 enough to make us conscious of weariness. But 
 the Sabbath does more. It takes the weary body 
 just where slumber left it, and restores its vigor 
 and tone, not merely by rest, but by sympathy 
 with the mind, in its peaceful thoughts and occu- 
 pations during the day. This is not mere theory. 
 Facts and investigations show beyond the pos- 
 sibility of doubt, that more physical labor is 
 performed by those who rest on the Lord's day, 
 than by those who disregard it. I say nothing 
 now of its intellectual or moral influences. I 
 take the lowest view of its benefits, and ]. 
 repeat without fear of contradiction, that such 
 is the nature of man, that he will accomplish 
 more labor if he does all his work in six days, 
 and rests the seventh, according to the com- 
 mandment. 
 
 Is it not strange my son, that men should 
 fancy themselves wiser than their Creator? — that 
 they should imagine they better understand their 
 own frames and their own necessities, than 
 
32 PHYSICAL BENEFITS 
 
 He who is the framer of their bodies and the 
 Father of their spirits ? He says, " Blessed is 
 the man that keepeth my Sabbath;" but man 
 says, " Nay, I want all the time for myself; I 
 cannot afford to rest. I am surrounded by wants 
 and necessities, and if I do not labor, I must 
 starve." He forgets, surely, that the blessing 
 of the Lord alone, maketh rich; that without 
 this, it will be in vain for him to rise up early, 
 and to sit up late, and to eat the bread of care- 
 fulness. In the sequel, I shall exhibit facts 
 illustrating this one grand truth — that the Sab- 
 bath is perfectly adapted to the frame and the 
 wants of man. One fact which fell under my 
 own personal observation, I will now mention, 
 as showing its adaptedness to the animal creation, 
 as well as to man. 
 
 When my home was among the hills of New 
 Hampshire, I was often interested in watching 
 the hardy teamsters trudging slowly by the side 
 of their heavily loaded wagons or sleds ; and in 
 the fierce winter storms which visit those regions, 
 my sympathies were often interested for them. 
 They are the sailors of the hill country, trans- 
 porting the produce of the rich mountain dairies 
 to the sea-ports, end bringing in return, the 
 
OF Tin: SABBATH. 33 
 
 productions of Europe and the Indies. One old 
 man, in particular, passed so regularly, that he 
 at length awakened my curiosity. His locks 
 were white, but his broad chest and shoulders 
 were still unbent, and his face always looked 
 bright and cheerful, even when he was compelled 
 to " Bare his teeth to the blast." I fancied too, 
 that his horses partook of the cheerful spirit of 
 their master, for they always looked sleek, and 
 toiled willingly, though the wheels creaked and 
 groaned beneath the heavy load. At length I 
 inquired respecting his history, and learned he 
 had pursued that life of hardship, for many years ; 
 and was one of the very few who had made it 
 profitable. Others, said my informant, lose so 
 many of their horses, that it takes off all their 
 profits ; but he has always been lucky. He says 
 it is because he always rests and lets his horses 
 rest when Sunday comes ; and I don't know but 
 he is in the right — certainly there is not such 
 another instance of health, vigor and uniform 
 good luck, among the whole of them. This, 
 my son, was the testimony of an irreligious man, 
 to the necessity and benefit of the Sabbath. 
 
 A far more impressive testimony was borne 
 a few years since in England. Through the 
 
34 INTELLECTUAL BENEFITS 
 
 influence of some individuals in Parliament, 
 who were deeply grieved by the profanations of 
 that day, a committee was appointed by that 
 body, to inquire into the subject and report 
 accordingly. They had power to send for per- 
 sons and papers, and were engaged eighteen 
 days in the investigations. At the close of that 
 period, they reported that such was the over- 
 whelming proof of the salutary effects and neces- 
 sity of that season of rest, that as patriots and 
 legislators, it was their duty to do all in their 
 power to preserve it from desecration. Their 
 report was voluminous, and comprised a vast 
 amount of valuable information, with which I 
 could wish you to make yourself familiar, for 
 the more you think on this theme, the more 
 deeply grateful will you be to your Father in 
 heaven, that he has given you his Sabbath. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 INTELLECTUAL BENEFITS OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 My cear son — You will think, perhaps, 
 that the Sabbath may not be equally necessary 
 to the man whose pursuits are purely intellectual; 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 35 
 
 that the iiiind cannot, in the same degree as the 
 body, need rest, and that the man whose business 
 it is to think, read and study during the week, 
 may safely pursue his avocations on the Sabbath 
 day also. This, however, is a great mistake. 
 The mind, though immaterial in itself, acts only 
 through the medium of bodily organs. When- 
 ever the mind is excited, there is a corresponding 
 increase of action in the brain, and when this 
 excitement is continued for a long period, in 
 defiance of the laws of our Creator, the most 
 fearful consequences often ensue ; and paralysis 
 or apoplexy, tells that not one of his laws can 
 be violated with impunity. True, the duties 
 appropriate to the gabbath do not suffer the 
 mind to lie wholly dormant, but the subjects 
 on which it is employed, are different from the 
 pursuits of the student during the week, so that 
 the same portions of the brain are not exercised. 
 Ministers of the Gospel, are, indeed, an excep- 
 tion. Their employments on the Sabbath are 
 the same as during the week, with only this 
 difference, that their toils on that day are still 
 more exhausting. But this only confirms the 
 truth I am trying to establish ; for it is a well 
 known and startling fact, that but a small 
 
36 INTELLECTUAL BENEFIT^ 
 
 proportion of our clergymen reach middle age. 
 Their lives are, upon an average, shorter by 
 some years, than thirty years since, when their 
 employments were more diversified, and the 
 labors of a little parsonage alternated with the 
 intellectual toils of the study and the desk. 
 Now they imagine public feeling, and the various 
 branches of duty which require their attention, 
 forbids this ; their minds are intensely occupied 
 on one class of ideas, and the result is, that 
 many, very many become old in early life, and 
 drop into premature graves, when their work 
 seems but just begun. 
 
 The seasonable and necessary rest which the 
 Sabbath affords to the mind, is, however, but 
 one among many ways, in which it is adapted 
 to the intellectual nature of man. He who 
 regards the spirit of the command, and keeps 
 the Sabbath from polluting it, will have his 
 thoughts employed on subjects the most enno- 
 bling to the immortal mind. I speak of them 
 now as regards their influence upon the intellect 
 merely ; and ask you, my son where can you 
 find themes to call into exercise your highest 
 and noblest powers, if not in the thoughts and 
 occupations suited to that day. You turn aside 
 
Ol' Tin: SAKflAlH. 64 
 
 from the beings ot" u day who are flitting before 
 you, to think of Him whose duration is eternal. 
 The wonders of creation and of providence, the 
 character and works of him who " has meted 
 out the heavens with a span," and who " hiyetli 
 up the depth in. store-houses," are on that day 
 open before you. But yet higher and sweeter 
 themes of thought may be yours, the mysteries 
 of redeeming love, the triumph of our Savior 
 over death arid the grave, things which even the 
 angels desire to look into, are on that day com- 
 memorated ; and would you have higher, more 
 ennobling themes than these ? Believe me, my 
 son, you may explore all the treasures of earthly 
 knov/ledge, and yet, if the Sabbath does not 
 duly, as it returns, turn your thoughts heaven- 
 ward, if you do not, especially on that day, 
 become conversant with the wisdom revealed by 
 tlie Lord of the Sabbath day, your thoughts will 
 be low and mean, and your pursuits will be 
 grovelling, like the earth-worm, that never raises 
 itself above the clod where it crawls, and with 
 which it must soon mingle. He who framed 
 your mind, with its lofty aspirations, knew what 
 would be necessary to satisfy its longings. In 
 the Bible he has given you themes which you 
 
38 
 
 INTELLECTUAL AUTHORITY 
 
 will not be able, through eternity, fully to com- 
 prehend ; and, blessed be his name, though you 
 are compelled to eat your bread in the sweat of 
 your brow, he has given you one seventh part of 
 time to become acquainted with those truths 
 which alone can make you wise unto salvation. 
 
 The testimony of Sir Matthew Hale, Lord 
 Chief Justice, in the reign of Charles II., is 
 well worthy of being repeated here. His em- 
 ployments were intellectual ; and so close and 
 diligent a student was he, that he was both a 
 learned and eminent lawyer, and a great divine. 
 '' I have found," says he, " by a strict and dili- 
 gent observation, that a due observing the duty of 
 the Lord's day, hath ever had joined to it a bless- 
 ing upon the rest of my time ; and the week that 
 hath been so begun, hath been blessed and pros- 
 perous to me. And, on the other side, when I 
 have been negligent of the duties of this day, the 
 rest of the week hath been unsuccessful and un- 
 happy to my secular employments ; so that I could 
 easily make an estimate of my successes in my 
 own secular employments the week following, 
 by the manner of my passing this day. And 
 this I do not write lightly or inconsiderately, 
 but upon a long and sound observation and 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 39 
 
 experience." In another place he says, "I 
 thank God, I have ever found, that in the 
 strictest observation of the times of his worship, 
 I ever met with the best advantage to my 
 worldly concerns, and that whenever my worldly 
 occasions encroached upon those times, I ever 
 met with disappointment, though in things of 
 the most probable success ; and ever let it be so 
 with me. It hath been, and ever shall be to 
 me, a conviction beyond all demonstration and 
 argument, that God expects the due observation 
 of his day ; and that, while I am thus dealt with, 
 God hath not given over his care of me. It 
 would be a sad presage to me, of the severe 
 anger of my Maker, if my inadvertance should 
 cast me upon a temporal undertaking on this 
 day, and that it should prosper." So spake this 
 learned and pious man, after a long and critical 
 observation of Divine Providence. 
 
 I have already spoken of its influence upon 
 individual character ; but it is no less visible in 
 its effects upon communities. Some years since, 
 there lived in a secluded parish in Vermont, a 
 Judge, who had not the fear of God habitually 
 before him. He reverenced intellect and learn- 
 ing ; but thought comparatively little of moral 
 
40 TX'rr.r.[.i:cTr.M. r.rxr.Fi 
 
 exrelleiicc. [lis practire accorded with liis 
 seiitini6Mit,.-< : he uit!iiio]<l Ids iiifliioiice and pecu- 
 niary aid from tlie pastor, and was seldom seen 
 in the house of j)rayer upon the Sabbath. Some 
 years passed in tliis manner^ when with his wife, 
 he spent some raontlis in travedling in the N. E. 
 and middle States. On their return, a change 
 was observed ; they were regular attendants on 
 public worship, and they cheerfully afforded to 
 the pastor the pocr.niary aid which devolved on 
 them. A neighbor expressed his surprise at the 
 change, Avhen the Judge replied, " I have seen 
 enough on my journey, to convince me that the 
 observance 'i' the Sa]>bath and public worship 
 are necessary ihr civilized man. After travelling 
 a few weeks, 1 could tell by the very aspect of 
 the people whoni we mot in the road, by their 
 manner of replying to the inquiries of a traveller, 
 whetlier they liad a pastor, and regarded the 
 Sab])at]). I saw in tiiose who enjoyed and prized 
 ihese privileges, a gentleness and kindness, and 
 a degree of intellertuai culture that I found no 
 where else." Tlic s(\|uel of their history, as 
 coni;ecrc.i w'li'i tli >;h' i"!--.!:-, is most instructive. 
 The God of the Sabbath day was pleased to 
 honor Ins own institution, and bless its observ- 
 
or THE SABBATir. 41 
 
 ance to their salvation. The wife became, while 
 yet in the meridian of life, totally blind ; but she 
 was not comfortless, for the Lord Jehovah was 
 her God, and he whose day and worship she had 
 thus remarkably been led to remember, sup- 
 ported her in that hour of darkness and trial. 
 Her bodily eye was indeed darkened, 
 
 "And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out," 
 
 but light from heaven illuminated her soul, and 
 all was joy and peace within. She has long 
 since joined the assembly of the redeemed, and 
 entered upon her endless Sabbath of blessed rest ; 
 and now that the seal is taken from her eye, and 
 she retraces, with unclouded vision, the way in 
 which she was led, how, think you, does she 
 regard that period when she first learned the 
 value of the holy day. 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 MORAL BENEFITS OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 My Dear Sox: — I come now to treat of the 
 moral benefits of the Sabbath, and its adaptation 
 to the moral nature and wants of man. And 
 4* 
 
•12 :VIOUAI. P.KNF.FITS 
 
 iiere so many thoughts crowd upon me, tliat I 
 know not what to select, for I feel that it lies at 
 the foundation of all that is pure and excellent 
 in the moral and religious character. One of 
 its most obvious efTects is, its softening and 
 liumanizing influence upon the heart. Where 
 tlie duties of that sacred season are regarded, 
 the asperities of t!ie ciiaracter are in some 
 hjeasure worn off. There is a feeling of bro- 
 therhood among tliose who vreekly assemble 
 under tlie same roof as children of one parent, 
 to supplicate blessings which all equally need. 
 It is, however, to man as an accountable, immor- 
 tal being, that it is especially valuable. During 
 the week, the things about us occupy all our atten- 
 tion. The wants of the body, and the common 
 duties of life, banish the thoughts of our eternal 
 destiny. We knov/ indeed, that we have a soul, 
 and sometimes a sudden and startling death 
 causes a thrill of fear that we may be called 
 unprepared ; but week-day cares clamor for 
 attention, and we forget the warning. We do 
 not love to think of it, for the heart is alienated 
 from God, and eternity is an unwelcome theme. 
 Qmv heavenly Father knew that it would be thus 
 h'cAk his rebellious, erring children, and therefore 
 
or th:: sAiJiiVTir. 4.'3 
 
 has he, one sevenlh p.irt of the liiiu^ released us 
 from tlie necessity ol' providing tor our future 
 bt)diJy wants, and commanded us to devote the 
 day to his service. Such being the case, would 
 you not expect, my dear son, to find keeping the 
 Sabbath day holy and moral, worth going hand 
 in hand. Such is the fact. Just in proportion 
 as that is disregarded, do the other institutions of 
 religion, and even of morality, fall into disrepute. 
 A Sahbath-hrea]<iiig , moral people, is what the 
 world never saw, and never will see. This sin, 
 more perhaps than any other, brings along with 
 it a fearful train. I wish especially to warn you 
 on this point, as you will be very liable to be led 
 into temptation and sin, before yon even ;^uspect 
 danger. Then let tliis truth, my son, sink deep 
 in your heart, that the Sabbath is so perfectly 
 fitted to your moral nature, tliiit yon cannct 
 disregard it and not be a sufferer in your own 
 soul. I speak not now of the remorse which 
 ever follows known sin. I speak of its effects 
 upon your moral character, and assure you with 
 tlie deepest conviction of its truth, that if you 
 allow yourself in ;my knov.n desecration of this 
 holy day, you are in the way tt) utter ruin, both 
 for time and eter litv. Ask tlie v/retched inmates 
 
44 MORAL BENEFITS 
 
 of our prisons — those abodes of living death — 
 what brought them there, and if they tell you 
 truly, they will say that one of their early steps 
 was Sabbath-breaking. That led them into 
 temptation ; that opened the flood-gates of in- 
 iquity ; that was like the letting out of water ; a 
 little rill at first, trickling silently along, but 
 gradually wearing a broader and deeper channel, 
 till it becomes an overwhelming flood. 
 
 A deeply interesting fact, furnished by a 
 foreign missionary, has a direct bearing on this 
 point, and may increase your gratitude for your 
 own privileges. In a foreign port, where is 
 stationed a seaman's chaplain from England, the 
 Bethel flag was hoisted, one Sabbath, on board 
 
 the American ship -. The congrecration 
 
 consisted of upwards of forty American and 
 English captains an(i seamen, all of whom lis- 
 tened, apparently with deep interest, to a plain 
 and faithful exhibition of the claims of the 
 
 Gospel, by the Rev. Mr. . The preacher 
 
 seemed unusually animated, and there was a 
 response to his own feelings, in the fixed and 
 solemn attention of his audience. 
 
 The ship was going to sea on the following 
 day, and immediately after the services, the crew 
 
wvYC ordered to work, in order to put tlic ves.-el 
 ill preparation for taking advantage of the early 
 ebb tide of the next morning. The captain, 
 though not a religious man, yet professed to 
 regard tlie Sa])bath day ; hut in this case, intere.-t 
 took the precedence of every other consideration. 
 At an evening hour, when the work was all 
 finished, and the men were leisurely eating their 
 evening meal on the forward deck, a passenger 
 who felt an interest in their spiritual condition, 
 went forth to hold some conversation with them 
 on the vast concerns of the soul. Their minds 
 seemed unusually obdurate, and it was some 
 time before they would quietly listen to a word 
 from his lips. At length the passenger succeeded 
 in getting them seated around him. He found 
 that their peculiar state of mind had been induced 
 by the fact that t/'tei/ had bren compclkd to work 
 oil the Sabbath day. 
 
 One of the hardiest among them, at length 
 made the following most affecting concession : 
 " That gentleman," said he, " did preach beau- 
 tifully to-day ; I must confess, I did, to-day, what 
 I have not done for twenty years before ; I shed 
 a tear, when that gentleman told us how great 
 sinners we arc: hut as yooii a.-: I irrnt down into 
 
40 MORAI< AT THORITY 
 
 tJie hold to work, it ivas all gone. There is no 
 chance for a man to attend to his soul in such 
 a ship as this." 
 
 While even the prodigal still remembers holy 
 time, and takes down his neglected Bible, and 
 goes to the house of prayer, there is yet hope for 
 him ; one sweet and sacred influence yet remains. 
 One day in seven, he will hear a gentle voice, 
 whispering "This is the v/ay, walk thou in it." 
 A case that came within my knowledge scrcie. 
 years since, illustrates this. 
 
 J was the son of a country pastor. At 
 
 an early age he left the parental roof, to seek 
 the boon so coveted by New England boys, a 
 collegiate education. After various toils and 
 vicissitudes, he was at length admitted to the 
 bar, and devoted himself to his profession, with 
 a determination to stand among tbe first. He 
 had been not only religiously but strictly nurtur- 
 ed,, and for a long time the hallowed influences 
 of home,, were sufficient to keep him from vice. 
 But now that the prize he had so long sought, 
 seemed within his grasp, one after another of his 
 early shackles, as he thought them, were thrown 
 aside. He became eminent, indeed, in his 
 profession ; the wealth and honors of this world 
 
OF THE SABBATH. 47 
 
 were heaped upon him, but in the sight of heaven, 
 he was throwing from him treasures that gold 
 can never purchase. The pure affections, the 
 kindly sympathies of early life were gone. He 
 became a libertine in principle and in practice; 
 ond while the unthinking were dazzled by his 
 brilliant powers, the good looked sorrowful at 
 the sound of his name. They cast their eyes 
 forward for a few years, and beheld him a lost 
 prodigal, a melancholy wreck of all he now was. 
 But amidst all this darkness, one ray of light 
 remained. The Sabbath he had never forgotten. 
 Indeed, strange as it may seem, his outward 
 manner of observing it, might have shamed many 
 a professed christian. At this period, I lost sight 
 of him for several years, and when I again heard 
 of him. Sabbath truths had shed their own 
 healing influence upon his soul, and he had 
 become a consistent, devoted christian. 
 
 Since that period, his course has been uniform, 
 and he has been distinguished for his efforts to 
 maintain the sacredness of that day, which was 
 the means of his salvation. This is merely one 
 instance among thousands, to show that the Lord 
 honors his own day; that it is emphatically a 
 day for giving good gifts to men — gifts, not of 
 
48 
 
 MORAL Bi;xi:-,rn's 
 
 gold, or silver, or hinds — no! these are given 
 to the toils of the other six days. This day our 
 heavenly Father reserves for heavenly gifts. 
 This day he gives a hope full cf immortality ; 
 possessions*in that house where are many man- 
 sions, and whither our Savior has gone to prepare 
 a place for us. It is indeed an earnest and 
 foretaste of heaven, and so necessary do I feel 
 it for myself, even at the comparatively advanced 
 stage of my homeward way, that were it now 
 struck out from my days, I should have little 
 hope of ever reaching my father's home. 
 
 And for you, my beloved son, separated as 
 you are from the dear domestic circle which 
 once crathered around our hearth-stcne, let this 
 blessed day of quiet, and rest and peace, remind 
 you of that home, where parting words are no 
 more heard. Let nothing tenipt you to rob your 
 J'^ather in heaven, of the time, w^hich for your 
 own best good, he permits you to employ in 
 his service. Does that service ever seem w'eari- 
 somc ? O ! remember it is the employment of 
 the just made perfect, of those bright spirits 
 around the throne, who have never sinned ; and 
 the more you love and prize this sacred season, 
 the nearer you approach to their exalted charac- 
 
OF THE SAHBATH. 49 
 
 ter. Whatever others may do, let this resolve 
 be firmly made in your heart, *' I will remember 
 the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" and if you 
 find you do not love its holy employments, take 
 the alarm at once, humble yourself before your 
 Father in heaven, and pray him to give you a 
 heart to love his day, and his service more than 
 all other days beside. I close with an extract 
 from a sermon by one of the most eloquent of 
 our divines. 
 
 *' The various means of grace, so abundantly 
 blessed of God, are all, by his own appointment, 
 brought into action on this holy day*. But for 
 the Sabbath, they would not once be thought of 
 on other days ; but for the Sabbath, they would 
 soon be erased from the recollections of men, 
 and blotted out from the record of human affairs. 
 Is the soul enlightened, convinced of sin, hum- 
 bled, renewed, invigorated, comforted, assisted 
 in its struiTgles with this conflicting world, 
 brought frrward on its spiritual pilgrimage, 
 sanctified, prepared to triumph over death and 
 the grave, made meet for heaven, clothed as an 
 angel of light, r.nd presented before the throne 
 of God with<,ut sp( t or wrijikle, cr any such 
 thiiicr' All this ligiit, and jnirity, ;:nd ccii;^.ola- 
 5 
 
50 MAiVJVEE. OF KEEPING 
 
 lion, and honor, and glory, she owes instru- 
 mnetally to the Sabbath. Is this the happy 
 allotment of the church of God collectively^ 
 Are such the possessions of the nations of the 
 saved, composed as they are, of a great multi- 
 tude, which no man can number, from every 
 kindred, and tongue, and people? With one 
 voice must they ascribe their inestimalile inheri- 
 tance to the influence of the Sabbath. Blot 
 out the Sabbath, and you bkt out the last 
 beam of hope from the troubled and desponding 
 heart. Blot out the Sabbath, and no longer will 
 the salutary lessons of the Bible, lead ungodly 
 men to repentance and salvation. No longer 
 will 'the silver clarion of the gospef, proclaim 
 liberty to the captives, and the opening of death's 
 prison doors to those that are bound. No longer 
 will the voice of supplication ascend from this 
 ruined world, to drav/ from heaven the blessing 
 now so munificently imparted by the hearer of 
 prayer," 
 
THE SABBATH. 51 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 MANNER OF KEEPING THE SABBATH. 
 
 My dear son r — It now remains that I give 
 you some general directions as to the manner in 
 which you should " remember the Sabbath day 
 to keep it holy." Mere rest from labor is not 
 sufficient ; it must be sanctified, set apart from 
 common and secular uses, and consecrated to 
 the service of God. Every thing unhallowed 
 should be removed from it; not only worldly 
 occupations, but worldly books, and words, and 
 thoughts, should then be laid aside, and you 
 should as far as possible, prepare your heart to 
 commune with the holy, all-seeing Jehovah. — 
 As I dwell on this theme, recollections the 
 most tender and sacred, rise before me. In my 
 father's home, the Sabbath was indeed a holy day 
 but it was far from being an idle or a melanchol}! 
 one. We considered it as commencing, like 
 other days, at midnight ; but the Saturday eve- 
 ning was in some measure a season of prepara- 
 tion. Though my father's labors, as a pastor, 
 were arduous, yet his sermons were almost uni- 
 
52 MANNER OF KEEPING 
 
 formly finished at an early hour on Satur(!ay 
 evening, that he too, might have a season of rest 
 and preparation with his family. Family wor- 
 ship was always attended at an early hour, that 
 even the little ones might not be excluded from 
 the privilege ; and then we gathered around the 
 domestic hearth, while a religious newspaper, 
 the Missionary Herald, with conversation on the 
 good tidings they brought us from distant re- 
 gions, employed the remaining hours, till we went 
 to our pillows with a soothing quiet upon our 
 spirits. On the Sabb?ith morning, my father 
 always rose, and wished us to rise, earlier than 
 usual, though there was little labor for us to per- 
 form, as clothing and food were prepared on the 
 previous day, so as to encroach as little as possi 
 ble on that sacred season. But it was never too 
 long a day for him ; and the look of heavenly 
 peace and serenity with which he always met us, 
 told that this was indeed to him, " The day the 
 Lord had made ; he would rejoice and be glad in 
 it." His public duties were exhausting to his 
 feeble frame, but he never permitted them to 
 preclude attention to his duties as a father and 
 master of a family. Hymns, the catechism, the 
 Bible, with plain and affectionate instruction. 
 
THE SABBATH. 53 
 
 occupied the hours after public worship; and 
 his prayers, when he bowed before the family 
 altar, told that he had been sitting at the feet of 
 Jesus, and learning of him who sought not his 
 own good, bed the good of others. We were not 
 permitted to read worldly books, nor to indulge 
 in worldly conversation ; yet such a variety did 
 my father infuse into our employments ; so deep, 
 and yet so cheerful, was his own interest in the 
 duties of the day, that the hours seldom seemed 
 wearisome to me. But I must check myself, 
 nor dwell longer on these recollections, pleasant 
 as they are, but proceed to explain what is 
 prohibited in the fourth commandment, and 
 mention some of the many ways in which the 
 Sabbath is profaned. 
 
 The command does not prohibit all labor, for 
 in that case, ministers must cease to preach the 
 gospel ; on the contrary, in its spirit, it is a type 
 and emblem of that glorious abode, where the 
 inhabitants "Rest not day or night, saying, 
 holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." But it 
 prohibits all labor which has not for its immediate 
 object, the glory of God, and the good of our own 
 souls, or the souls of others. Just fix this simple 
 rule in your mind, that you arc to do nothing on 
 
54 MANNER OF KEEPINO 
 
 that day inconsistent with directly serving God, 
 benefiting your own soul or the souls of others, 
 and you will seldom be perplexed as to the path 
 of duty. Cases may arise when a plausible 
 reason for violating this command will be placed 
 before you ; when this occurs, try this rule, and 
 I believe your doubts will cease. Let us apply 
 the test, remembering there must be nothing 
 inconsistent with either of the above named 
 obligations. 
 
 You are at school ; a moral, perhaps a relig- 
 ious theme is given you to write upon. You 
 are obliged to toil late and intensely over your 
 books, from the necessity of laboring a part of 
 the usual study hours, to supply your own wants. 
 On Monday, your theme will be called for ; the 
 Sabbath comes, and it is still unprepared. You 
 might, perhaps, have written it the past week, 
 by neglecting a favorite recitation, or a book in 
 which you were deeply interested; and now you 
 say to yourself, this is a good subject ; I know 
 not how I could more profitably employ my time 
 than in thinking and writing upon it. Stop, my 
 son, and before you put your pen upon paper, 
 tell me what you are doing. Are you serving 
 God ! or are you doing a pari of your six days' 
 
THE SABBATfT. OO 
 
 work, merely to escape ceusure fromi your in- 
 structors? "Six days shalt thou labor and do 
 all thy work, but the seventh is the Sabbath of 
 the Lord thy God." 
 
 Take an( iher case. Your mercantile em- 
 ployer wishes you to write some letters of business- 
 for him on the Sabbath, telling you it must be 
 done, or he shall be subjected to heavy loss. He 
 says to you, ** I regret it, but it is a case of 
 necessity; our Savior permits us to loose our 
 animals on that day and lead them to water, and. 
 I think, for the purpose of saving, property so' 
 necessary to my family, I may require this of 
 you." Such cases have frequently occurred^ 
 and they are trying ones. But are the cases 
 analagous ? In loosing the ox from the stall and 
 leading him to water, we directly serve God by 
 a work of necessity and mercy. The dumb 
 animals would suifer were this duty neglected ; 
 and the Lord will have mercy rather than sacri- 
 fice. In the case supposed above, there is no 
 positive suffering to be relieved; it is merely 
 doing week-day work, from the fear of losing 
 property which may, or may not, be necessary 
 for the comfort of some person concerned. In 
 instances of this nature, it is an easy matter for 
 
56 
 
 MANNER OF KEEPINQ 
 
 God SO to order events in his providence that the 
 property of the conscientious Sabbath-keeper 
 shall be safe ; and he often does this, as you will 
 see by reference to the facts at the close of this 
 volume, particularly the articles, " Hay Making" 
 and " The Traveller." But setting this question 
 aside, you know not how to refuse to do what is 
 required of you without violating your duty to 
 your employer. In ancient times, a question 
 resembling this arose, and the reply of the heroic, 
 yet quiet and obedient Apostle was, " Whether 
 it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto 
 you more than unto God, judge ye." You 
 would disobey the command of God, merely from 
 the fear of offending your employer ; and for the 
 sake of avoiding some temporal evil. In such a 
 case, do not hesitate. Mildly, but firmly, state 
 your objections ; obey God, let the consequences 
 be what they may ; and the God of the Sabbath 
 can and will take care that you do not ultimately 
 suffer for your obedience. Your employer has 
 no right to exact this of you. He who says to 
 the master, " Six days shalt thou labor," adds, 
 " In the seventh, thou shalt not do any work, 
 thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man- 
 servant, nor thy maid-servant, thy cattle, nor the 
 
Ttti: :iAiHi.\ltI. 57 
 
 stronger tiiat is withiii thy gates.' ^ How broad^ 
 and how merciful are the provisions of this day 
 of sacred rest. All are included ; even the poor 
 wearied animals, the innocent 'sufferers from the 
 penalty of the fall, may on that day, lie down in 
 safety and quiet. 
 
 This branch of the subject is so copious that 
 I cannot compress all I would say in one letter,, 
 but must defer the remainder to another. 
 
 LETTER VII, 
 
 My Dear Son : — ^We wilt now consider some- 
 other cases in which you maj be tempted to- 
 desecrate the Sabbath ; trying them by the 
 simple rale laid down in my fast letter. We 
 will Hrst look at a case whicli may doubtless 
 occur to you, in the life of toil and selt-depend- 
 ence Pro^ridence has marked out for you. Your 
 business during the week, confines you constantly 
 within doors, with scarcely an hour for exercise 
 and relaxation in the open; air. The Sabbath 
 morn arises briglit and balmy. You pine for 
 the air aud blessed sunshiii/e of heaven. You. 
 
58 MANNER OF KEEPING 
 
 envy the liberty of the birds that may roam and 
 warble 
 
 " At their own sweet will," 
 
 and while you bless God for the welcome relt of 
 that day, you inwardly add, " O that I had wings 
 like a dove, for then v»^ould I fly away." Just at 
 this moment, a friend steps in from an adjoining 
 room, saying, '' You look pale and sick; you are 
 absolutely dying for want of air ; come, let us 
 walk out two or three miles, and talk of good 
 things, and you will be all the better through the 
 day for it." If I were at your side, I think you 
 would turn to me v»'ith a beseeching look, and 
 say, " Had I better not go, mother f Let us 
 talk a little about it. While walking, you may 
 perhaps employ your own time profitably, but 
 that lad in the opposite dwelling, who has been 
 trying to find an excuse for stealing away to 
 some haunt of vice, will seize upon your example 
 as an apology for himself. You walk out; why 
 should not he ? and his reluctant parent, without 
 considering the different circumstances which 
 palliate your seeming offence, at length consents. 
 You see, then, that in this instance, there was 
 something inconsistent with the chfi/ you owe 
 
THE SABBATH. 59 
 
 the soul of your neighbor on that day ; and 
 the more moral and virtuous your general char- 
 acter is, the more pernicious will be your ex- 
 ample in tliis respect. I would then say, go 
 not with him, my son ; release yourself os soon 
 as possible from an occupation which is thus 
 undermining your health, but while you must 
 continue in it, obey God, *'And the peace of 
 God, which passeth understanding, shall keep 
 your heart ;'' and will do more towards preserv- 
 ing even your bodily health, than an indulgence 
 snatched from the hours belonging to your Father 
 in heaven. 
 
 You will at once perceive that the fourth 
 command, thus explahied, prohibits all travelling 
 on the Sabbath, for secular purposes. Cases 
 may, and do occur, when it is necessary for a 
 physician to travel many miles to visit a sick 
 person ; but he thereby serves God by ministering 
 relief to the suffering. A missionary, too, mayi 
 meet with such unexpected hindrances, that it 
 may be necessary for him to travel some distance, 
 to dispense the bread of life to people famishing 
 for lack of knowledge. But the ordinary travel- 
 ling on the Sabbath, which so disturbs its sacred 
 repose, on all our great thoroughfares, and makes 
 
60 MANNER OF KEEPING 
 
 our Inns places, where both masters and ** man- 
 servant and maid-servant" are compelled to labor 
 as on other days, is of a widely different charac- 
 ter. " I travelled all one Sabbath day," said a 
 lady who was a professed disciple of the Savior. 
 " We were absent on a journey, and thought we 
 could not afford to lose a whole day ; so I shut 
 up my eyes and meditated, and never enjoyed a 
 Sabbath bette/." I doubt not l^.pr sincerity, but 
 believe she grossly deceived herself. She forgot 
 that every one who passed them in the street, 
 added the item of their example to the already 
 long score against the sacred obligations of that 
 day. She forgot, that at every Inn she entered, 
 its rest was broken, and a new apology given 
 to the host for keeping his family from public 
 worship; and, more than all, she forgot, that 
 when she arrived at home, in that little circle 
 where the influence of woman is most deeply 
 felt, the example of that day would do its appro- 
 priate work on many a heart, which would forget 
 her mstructions and her prayers, almost as soon 
 as uttered. My son, remember you live not for 
 yourself alone ; you must have influence upon 
 others, either for good or for evil; and every 
 instance in which you violate the Sabbath, en- 
 
THi: SAHBATil. 61 
 
 courages others to do likewise. They see only 
 the act ; that tells upon their depraved hearts, 
 ready to catch at every excuse for evading the 
 strictness of God's commands, while the excuses 
 by which you silence your own conscience, can 
 be known to but few, ajid with those few, will 
 have, perhaps, but little weight. 
 
 Applying the test with which we began, how 
 must we view the practice of suiTering vessels to 
 sail out of port on the Sabbath, which is some- 
 times tolerated by owners who profess to fear 
 God. This is a violation more flagrant than any 
 of the foregoing, inasmuch as more individuals 
 are thus compelled to sin, and men who rarely 
 hear the sound of the ''church going bell" are 
 deprived of one day, when they might have 
 heard of the Savior. Let us look at an imdivid- 
 ual instance. The vessel has been waiting day 
 after day, for a favorable wind, in vain. Heavy 
 fogs have hung over the coast, or He who holds 
 the winds in his fist, has caused them to sweep 
 fearfully over the deep, so that both the owner 
 and the sailor have rejoiced that they \vere yet 
 in the harbor. At length the Sabbath morning 
 comes clear and bright, and a gentle breeze 
 invites the sails to be unfurled. No, rather it 
 
G2 MANNER OF KEEPING 
 
 invites alike the mariner and him wlio iias 
 embarked his all in that frail wanderer over the 
 ocean, to go to the house of prayer, and ere they 
 commit themselves to the mercy of the winds 
 and waves, where God alone can preserve them, 
 implore his protection and guidance. Have they 
 done so ? Ah no ! I fear not ; for the deck of 
 yonder vessel exhibits a scene of unwonted 
 bustle and confusion. The anchor is up, the sails 
 unfurled to the breeze ; they are filled with the 
 breath of heaven, and gleam brightly beneath 
 the cloudless sky ; and the vessel rides proudly 
 *' like a thing of life"' on the untamed and 
 mighty deep. It is indeed a beautiful sight, and 
 one of the proudest monuments of the power and 
 skill of man, as it swiftly cuts for itself a way 
 over the pathless ocean. But it is a little, a 
 very little thing — a mere speck in the sunbeam 
 — and as I trace its course, and remember 
 immortal beings are embarked there, I tremble. 
 I tremble to think how easily that God, whose 
 laM^s they despise, might " blow with his wind ; 
 the sea would cover them, they would sink 
 as lead in the mighty waters." Now, it is far 
 away on the verge of the horizon, and with solemn 
 .step the owner has gone up to the house of prayer. 
 
THE SABBATH. t)3 
 
 Tliink you lie can join in the petitions offered for 
 " our brethren who go down to the sea in ships ?" 
 Will not a feeling of remorse choke his " amen," 
 as he remembers he has that day sent men under 
 his control, out upon the waters, in defiance of 
 the laws of Jehovah? After such an example, 
 can he complain if his mariners should prove 
 unfaithful, disobedient and rebellious to those 
 placed over them? He sowed the seed himself; 
 and, as he sowed, he must expect to reap. — 
 Perhaps I have dwelt too long on this point; but 
 less I could not say, for I deeply feel that a 
 fearful responsibility rests on the owners and 
 captains of vessels for the example they set in 
 regard to the Sabbath. Perhaps you, my son, 
 may never be placed where you will be exposed 
 to this temptation, but among the readers of this 
 little book, there may be some, to whom these 
 hints, at some future period, may not be altogether 
 useless. 
 
 There are, likewise, in the domestic circle, 
 and even in well ordered families, many seem- 
 ingly trifling encroachments upon the sanctity 
 of the day, especially among females. What is 
 absolutely necessary for present comfort during 
 the day, may lawfully be done, and no more. Of 
 
(j4 .MANXKK UI' KL'KFIXU 
 
 course, this will vary very much in different 
 funilies, according to the different degrees of 
 hsalth, etc. Bat, in all cases, all that can be, 
 should be done on Saturday, to lessen the ne- 
 cessity for labor on the Sabbath, and no labor 
 performed on that day, which could be omitted 
 till another day. To make myself more clearly 
 understood, in some families it is customary to 
 bake on that day sufficient to supply the family 
 yeveral days; to do more sweeping, dusting, etc. 
 thr.n on other days; or, as the evening draws to 
 II close, to make preparations for washing on the 
 ensuing day. These may seem trivial things , 
 but in their effect upon the principles and the 
 heart, they are not trivial ; they are manifest 
 and open violations of its sacred rest, and their 
 influence upon the spirit must be evil, only evil. 
 One more remark upon the desecration of the 
 Sabbath, and I have done. It may be, and 
 often is, outwardly kept, while the spirit of the 
 command is broken, by reading, or intellectual 
 pursuits unsuited to holy time. Our simple rule 
 applied to Sabbath-day reading, would, I fear, 
 banish a gi-eat part of what is allowed even in 
 religious families ; history, the papers, periodicals, 
 and light reading of the day, are as unsuited to the 
 
THE SAERATir. 65 
 
 season given us to prepare for eternity, as any 
 secular employment whatever. So likewise is 
 the continuance of week-day studies, on that 
 holy day. Even the theological student, should 
 then turn from merely literary or critical discus- 
 sions, to subjects more purely devotional and 
 heavenly. 
 
 Your " Mother's Plea for the Sabbath," now 
 draws to a close, yet I cannot leave the subject 
 without once more directing your attention to its 
 inestimable value as a means of the soul's salva- 
 tion. This I shall do in an extract from Chal- 
 mers, who has expressed, with equal truth and 
 beauty, the christian's love for this precious 
 season. 
 
 " We never, in the whole course of our recol- 
 lections, met with a christian friend who bore 
 upon his character every other mark of the 
 spirit's operation, who did not remember the 
 Sabbath-day, to keep it holy. We appeal to the 
 memory of all the mothers who are now lying in 
 their graves, that, eminent as they were in every 
 other grace and accomplishment of the new 
 Creature, the religiousness of their Sabbath day 
 ?hone with an equal lustre, amid the assemblage 
 of virtues which adorned them. In every christ- 
 en 
 
<\6 MAXXER or Kr.r.piXG 
 
 iaii household, it will be found that the discipline 
 of a well ordered Sabbath, is never forgotten 
 amongst the other lessons of a christian educa- 
 tion ; and we appeal to every individual who 
 hears us, and who carries the remembrance in 
 his bosom of a parent's worth, and a parent's 
 piety, if, on the coming round of the seventh 
 d-iy, an air of peculiar sacredness did not spread 
 itself over that mansion where he drew his first 
 breath, and was taught to repeat his infant hymn, 
 and lisp his infant prayer. Rest assured, that a 
 christian, having the love of God in his heart, 
 and denying the Sabbath a place in his affections, 
 is an anomaly that is no where to be found. 
 Every Sabbath image, and every Sabbath cir- 
 cumstance is dear to him. He loves the quiet- 
 ness of that hallowed morn. He loves the church 
 bell sound which summons him to the house of 
 prayer. He loves to join the chorus of devotion, 
 and to sit and listen to that voice of persuasion 
 which is lifted in the hearing of an assembled 
 multitude. He loves the retirement of this day, 
 from the stir of worldly business, and the inroads 
 of worldly men. He loves the leisure it brings 
 along with it ; and sweet to his soul is the exer- 
 cise of that hallowed hour, when there is no eye 
 
MANNER or KEEPING THE SABBATH. 67 
 
 to witness him but the eye of heaven, and wlien 
 in solemn audience with the Father, who seeth 
 him in secret, he can, on the wings of celestial 
 contemplation, eave all the cares, and all the 
 vexations, and all the secularities of an alienated 
 world behind him." That such, my beloved 
 son, may be the language of your heart, that you 
 may so remember and love the Sabbath on earth, 
 as to be prepared for an endless Sabbath of rest 
 in heaven, where sin and sorrow, and sad feelings 
 are unknown, is the daily, fervent prayer of your 
 affectionate mother. 
 
A 
 
 MOTHER'S 
 
 PLEA FOR THE SABBATH. 
 
 PART SECOND. 
 
 NOTHING LOST EY KEEPING THE SABBATH. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY FACTS. 
 
 THE PRAYING SHIP. 
 
 The letter from which the following extract 
 is made, was written by a pious ship-master, to 
 a friend of his, but with no idea of its publication. 
 The statements made, are, however, too impor- 
 tant to be lost : 
 
 Dear Sir : — You recollect the time when I 
 
 first met you in Hospital. I then resolved, 
 
 tliat if the Lord raised me up to such health that 
 I 2ould again go to sea, I would endeavor to 
 })ecome useful toseam.en ; and I cannot but hope 
 that thi? desire had some influence when I 
 
KEEPING THE SABUATH. 09 
 
 sought to obtain the coumiaiid of a vessel. 
 While I was before the mast, the Lord permitted 
 me the privilege of havjug prayers daily in the 
 forecastle ; and while I was chief mate, I con- 
 ducted religious services in the cabin, on the 
 Sabbath. But this always appeared to me like 
 doing the work by halves, and served oidy to 
 increase my desire to have command of a vessel, 
 that the worship of God might be regularly 
 established on board. At length I had the 
 command, and on the first night out of New 
 York, when the watch was set, I told the men 
 that it was my wish that they should use no 
 profane language, as neither myself nor officers 
 made use of it. I also informed them that there 
 would be prayers in the cabin every morning 
 and evening, and that it was my request they 
 should all attend. I also told them that all hands 
 should be allowed Saturday afternoon, to wash 
 and mend their clothes, as I should have nothing 
 of that kind done on the Sabbath. To all this, 
 they very readily consented. On the afternoon 
 of the Sabbath, we all sat down together, and, 
 having read two or three chapters in course, we 
 studied them over with the Union Questions. 
 Every evening in the week, we employed the 
 
TO NOTHING I,OST BY 
 
 "dog watch," from six to eight o'clock, in the 
 instruction of all who were disposed, in naviga- 
 tion, &c., endeavoring thus to do good to the 
 bodies as well as the souls of men. I am now 
 on my third voyage, as master, and, during the 
 whole time, every thing has gone on with order 
 and quietness, and there is even more attention 
 to religion on this voyage, than I have seen 
 among the men before. Possibly some may think 
 there has been too much time spent in these 
 things, and that the interest of the owners might 
 suffer ; but I think I can prove to the contrary. 
 When I was about to sail from New York, on 
 my first voyage as master, there was a ship ready 
 to sail from Boston for the same port, and, as 
 she was a much swifter vessel, my owners were 
 fearful of her arriving first, and the profit of the 
 voyage depending, in some measure, on that, 
 they were anxious to get me away as quick as 
 possible. On Saturday night we were ready for 
 sea, and one of the owners, being in New York, 
 urged that we should sail on Sabbath morning, 
 as the wind was then fair. I remonstrated, in a 
 gentle manner, and prevailed, and went with 
 most of my crew, to the Mariner's Church. On 
 Monday, the wind shifted to the southward, and 
 
KEEI'INC THE SABBATH. 7 I 
 
 \vc could not get out, but the owner was so 
 anxious for me to sail, that he employed a steam- 
 boat in the afternoon of that day, to tow us out 
 to sea. But on reaching towards Sandy Hook, 
 the wind was very fresh at the south east, so that 
 I lay in the roads until Tuesday morning, and 
 then made sail. The Boston vessel, as I after- 
 wards found, sailed on Sabbath morning, getting 
 the start of us at least forty-eight hours, besides 
 being several degrees to the eastward of us. 
 " But the race is not to the swift, nor the battle 
 to the strong," but the battle is the Lord's, whose 
 servants the winds and waves are. I arrived at 
 
 , three days before the Boston ship, which 
 
 violated the Sabbath ; dischar^cf and took in my 
 return cargo, and sailed for Boston ; arrived in 
 the Vineyard Sound, after a passage of forty-nine 
 days. Thence I went to Boston and discharged, 
 took in another cargo for the same place, and on 
 my arrival home after the second voyage, found 
 that I was twenty-five days in advance of the 
 other ship. I mention this to show that there is 
 
 nothing lost by keeping the Sabbath. 
 
 G. S. H 
 
72 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 THE TRAVELLER. 
 
 FURNISHED BY A GENTLEMAN OF PORTLAND, MAINE. 
 
 There is not a truer declaration between the 
 two covers of the Bible, than this in the beautiful 
 1 anguage of the nineteenth Psalm, " In keeping 
 the commandments of the Lord, there is great 
 reward." It must be so in the very nature of 
 things, independently of any reward which may 
 be supposed to follow from the immediate and 
 direct intervention of Providence. These com- 
 mands were imposed upon us for our own good, 
 temporal, as well as eternal ; and nothing is more 
 self-evident, than that a cheerful and conscien- 
 tious obedience to them, must be attended with 
 *' great reward." It is not very uncommon to 
 see instances in which the " reward " follows so 
 closely upon the " keeping of the command," 
 that the doubter, even, is struck with the coinci- 
 dence ; but sometimes the faith of the believer is 
 put to the test, when he sees the scoffer prosper- 
 ing in the midst of his iniquities ; but it may 
 always be relied upon, that the testimony of the 
 Lord is sure, that, sooner or later, it will be 
 evident, that *' the righteousness of the righteous 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. lo 
 
 shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the 
 wicked shall be upon him." 
 
 A year or two ago, a case came to my know- 
 ledge, in which the " reward " followed so closely 
 upon the '' keeping of the commands," that I 
 think it worth relating ; and while the Sabbath 
 breaker may regard it as an ordinary coincidence 
 of circumstances, I am sure there are many who 
 will consider it an additional proof that the Lord 
 cannot lie, and that the promise, "In keeping 
 his commands there is great reward," will be 
 kept to the very letter. 
 
 A friend of mine determined to go to New 
 Orleans to seek his fortune, as there appeared to 
 be few opportunities of obtaining one here. He 
 invested his little all, therefore, in articles of 
 merchandise suitable for that market, and shipped 
 them on board a vessel bound for that port, 
 while he went by the way of Philadelphia, 
 Pittsburg, and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. 
 It was stipulated by my friend, with the master 
 of the vessel, on board which his adventure was 
 shipped, that on his arrival at New Orleans, 
 if he did not find him there, he should keep his 
 adventure on board a certain number of days,* 
 when, if he did not arrive, he should be at liberty 
 7 
 
74 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 to Store it. My friend was in the heart of 
 Pennsylvania, with a stage full of pleasant fellow 
 travellers, on the last day of the week, when he 
 introduced the question, as to the propriety of 
 travelling upon the Sabbath, which he was 
 resolved not to do. The question was discussed 
 with great animation, one of the passengers 
 siding with my friend, but the rest against him. 
 They endeavored to shake his resolution, by 
 setting before him the chances of a traveller upon 
 that route ; that if he stopped over the Sabbath, 
 thereby giving up his seat to Pittsburg, the suc- 
 ceeding stages might be full for several days in 
 succession, and unable to take him ; that on his 
 arrival at Pittsburg, he might find, by his delay, 
 he had lost his passage in the only boat which 
 would sail for New Orleans, in many days, and 
 on his arrival at Cincinnati, he might be delayed 
 again from a similar cause ; and that finally, on 
 his arrival at New Orleans, he might find that 
 his adventure had been stored, thereby adding to 
 it heavy charges of drayage and storage ; that 
 in that fluctuating market, the price of the 
 articles he had, might have had a sudden fall. 
 All these representations were calculated to have 
 a powerful effect upon a young man who was at 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. /O 
 
 the moment seeking a fortune ; but he recol- 
 lected the promises of God, to those who keep 
 his commandments, and he determined to rely 
 upon their fulfilment, at all events. 
 
 On the Sabbath morning, accordingly, the 
 stage drove off, leaving my friend and one fellow 
 passenger behind, to keep the Sabbath at a small 
 retired country Inn, in the interior of Pennsyl- 
 vania, where they had abundant leisure to reflect 
 upon the course they had taken, and to repent, 
 when it was too late, their want of worldly wis- 
 dom, or to rejoice that they had obeyed the law 
 of the Lord. It may readily be supposed, that 
 they felt no small anxiety about their prospect of 
 getting on without losing more than one day, 
 but their only alternative was to trust Providence, 
 that the stage which would arrive Sabbath night, 
 might have room for them; which, however, 
 proved not to be the case. They determined 
 not to be cast do^vn at the very outset, but to 
 put entire confidence in the declaration, that 
 " the testimony of the Lord is sure." The stages 
 continued to arrive, crowded with passengers, 
 much to their disappointment and chagrin, and 
 after a long delay, they succeeded in obtaining 
 a private conveyance, for about twenty-five 
 
76 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 dollars ; the cost, if they had kept on in the 
 stage, being about six dollars. My friend habit- 
 ually looks upon the bright side of things — and 
 he has besides, a firm, practical belief, in the 
 superintending care of Providence — and al- 
 though it did not seem a quick way of making a 
 fortune, to be delayed so many days upon the 
 road, when he had so many reasons for expedi- 
 tion, and to pay twenty-five dollars for six dollar's 
 worth of riding, yet he trusted without wavering. 
 On his arrival at Pittsburg, he found that his 
 fellow-passengers, the Sabbath-day travellers, had 
 arrived in time to take the only boat which was 
 to depart for many days, for Cincinnati. After 
 a long delay here, he obtained means of convey- 
 ance to Cincinnati, and on his arrival, he found 
 no boat ready to depart for New Orleans. The 
 water being very low, the departure of steamboats 
 was not a daily occurrence, as is the case under 
 other circumstances. But my friend's faith held 
 out, notwithstanding his acquaintances of the 
 stage-coach had taken their departure from Cin- 
 cinnati for New Orleans, several days before. 
 
 At last a boat was prepared to sail, and my 
 friend had no interruption to his progress during 
 the remainder of his journey. On his arrival at 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. 77 
 
 the point of his destination, he found the brig 
 had arrived before him; that the stipulated time 
 for keeping the freight on board had expired, 
 and that his goods were already stored, and what 
 seemed more unfortunate than all, the residue 
 of the cargo of the brig was all sold to one man, 
 who took it from the vessel, and who wanted that 
 part of it which belonged to my friend, at a 
 handsome advance on the cost and charges : but 
 as the owner was not present, nothing could be 
 done about it. 
 
 Such was the situation of affairs, when my 
 friend arrived at New Orleans. So far, every 
 thing had been adverse, since he left the regular 
 line of conveyance in Pennsylvania; he had 
 been subjected to frequent and expensive delays, 
 and to heavy extra travelling charges ; had lost 
 an opportunity to sell his adventure from the 
 vessel, at a handsome profit, which he would 
 have done had he kept on with his stage com- 
 panions, and in addition to all these disadvanta- 
 ges, his property was burdened with additional 
 charges for drayage and storage, which in New 
 Orleans, are considerable. But the catalogue 
 of misfortunes ends here. In a short time there 
 was a large advance on the articles which he 
 7* 
 
78 NOTHING LOST EY 
 
 had — and which he sold to great advantage — 
 and the purchaser of the cargo of the brig in 
 •which his freight came, failed before his notes 
 for it became due, and the cargo was a total loss. 
 Had my friend not been delayed upon the road, 
 in an extraordinary manner, he would have 
 arrived before the vessel discharged her cargo : 
 would have sold his adventure, consisting of all 
 his property, to the purchaser of the rest of the 
 cargo, and on the same time, and of course 
 would have lost the whole. Had he travelled on 
 the Sabbath, this would have been the result ; 
 and my friend takes pleasure in considering the 
 circumstances connected with this affair, as an 
 earnest that there is great reward in keeping the 
 commandments of God — either directly or indi- 
 rectly — and often in this world, as well as in 
 that which is to come. 
 
 THE TEAMSTER. 
 
 FROM A CLERGYMAN IN MAINE. 
 
 In the winter of 18 — , I removed with my 
 
 family from , in Vermont, to ■, in Maine. 
 
 The long journey was to be performed by land, 
 
KF.EPIiVG THE SABBATH. 7i) 
 
 and household furniture to be transported in the 
 same manner. There still lingers among the 
 hills, a class of men who will soon be swept 
 away by the canal and the rail-road. The 
 wealth of the teamster, for so is he called, 
 consists in his horses and the rude vehicle 
 constructed for transporting heavy loads over the 
 wild mountain passes, and through the deep 
 valleys. His life is a weary and toilsome one. 
 If diligent in his calling, he must be, for the 
 better part of his life, an exile from his home, 
 with little prospect of ease and rest in old age. 
 The profits are small ; the accidents to which 
 both he cmd his horses are expos-ed, are numer- 
 ous. Yet are they a hardy and cheerful race ; 
 day after day, in storm and in sunshine, they 
 trudge patiently along by the side of their wagons 
 or sleds, alternately whistling, singing, or if, as 
 is frequently the case, three or four are in com- 
 pany, beguiling their slow progress by the joke 
 or tale, coarse and dull perhaps, but yet sufficient 
 to call the merry laugh from hearts willing to be 
 happy. The greatest hardship of their lot how- 
 ever, is, that they are in a great measure, removed 
 from social and religious influences. The Sab- 
 bath often overtakes them far from the house of 
 
80 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 prayer, and their scanty earnings and the heavy 
 expense attending the rest of a whole day, with a 
 team of six or eight horses, are often made a 
 pretext for disregarding the rest of the holy 
 Sabbath. 
 
 The man whom I engaged to transport my 
 household furniture, followed this occupation. 
 The journey was- too long to be performed in a 
 single week. Saturday night came, and with 
 his weary horses he sought the shelter of an Inn. 
 Several brother teamsters were there, who were 
 on the same route. The next morning he arose 
 early to attend to the wants of his faithful 
 animals, and found, to his surprise, that the 
 others were harnessing their horses, and prepar- 
 ing to go on their way. ''How now; do you 
 travel to-day?" " To be sure," said one, "we 
 can't afford to lie still all day and pay for the 
 keeping of our horses while they do nothing ; 
 and look ye, there's a heavy snow-bank in the 
 south ; 'twill be heavy doings to-morrow, and if 
 you are wise, you will go too." " I think not," 
 said he dryly. " Why not, pray ? I think for 
 my part, the Sabbath was made for man, and 
 poor hard working folks like us, are not required 
 to lose one day in seven." "True; I am of 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. 81 
 
 your mind, but I can't afford to do otherwise 
 than rest. I think the Sabbath was made for 
 man, and I mean to make the most of it, by 
 resting and letting my horses rest too ; and as to 
 losing the day, I have never found out yet, that 
 I lost any thing by giving the Lord his due, any 
 more than by paying my neighbor what I owe 
 him." A contemptuous laugh, and the cracking 
 of whips followed, and they drove off, leaving 
 our teamster alone. 
 
 •The short winter day was soon over ; but long 
 before night, the snow fell in one continued 
 sheet ; and the traveller drew closer to the fire, 
 with the book he was reading, and thanked God 
 in his heart, that the storm had come on a day. 
 when it was right for him to rest. The next 
 morning, the storm had passed over ; when, 
 thinking the roads passable, he harnessed his 
 horses, and started off at a slow pace. Just 
 before night-fall, he espied a long line of loaded 
 sleighs in advance of him, toiling heavily onward, 
 and a quiet smile passed over his weather-beaten 
 face, as he thought it might be his companions 
 of the previous day. In a short time he overtook 
 them, and it was indeed the same. AVeary and 
 jaded, man and horsps, they had been all day 
 
82 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 breaking paths for him. He soon passed them, 
 with a kind *' How fare ye?" Some looked up 
 at his cheerful face and sleek horses, and scarcely 
 deigned an answer ; but the s}>eaker of the 
 previous morning, replied, " Well, parson, I 
 believe, after all, yours was the best policy, for 
 you and your horses look as bright as if you had 
 only just been to a merry-making, instead of 
 dragging all that ' housen-stuff ' through the 
 snow." 
 
 " Well, neighbor, I feel more light-hearted,' I 
 can tell you ; and let me tell you, the Sabbath 
 was made for man, and there is never any thing 
 lost in this world by keeping it. Good night;" 
 •and with a cheerful " chirrup " to his horses, he 
 drove forward, and left his weary companions to 
 adjust with themselves the policy of robbing their 
 Maker. 
 
 HARVESTING. 
 
 FROM RKV. A. C. 
 
 In the town of M , in Vermont, lived a 
 
 professor of religion, who, like many others, was 
 depending on the produce of his farm for the 
 purchase money which he was to pay for it. He 
 had a very extensive field of wheat, which he was 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. 83 
 
 intending to turn into money. About the time 
 it was ripe for the sickle, there was a season 
 of rainy and foggy weather, which continued so 
 long as to threaten the ruin of this kind of grain in 
 that region. On a Sabbath morning, the clouds 
 were all cleared away. It was a beautiful, lovely 
 morning. His first care was for his wheat. — 
 He moves betimes, and musters all the hands ho 
 could find willing to work, to cut down his wheat. 
 They engaged, and reaped a vast quantity. As 
 the day began to decline, there were appear- 
 ances of returning rain. They then proceeded 
 to bind it into sheaves, and conveyed what 
 they could into the barn ; the remainder they 
 " stooked up." The next fair day, he was under 
 the necessity of removing from the barn all he 
 had transported thither, and of unbinding and 
 spreading out in the sun, all that he had reaped. 
 The straw was mouldering and rotting, the 
 kernel had grown, and the whole was lost ; while 
 that which he left standing, suffered no material 
 injury. Had this man been employed in render- 
 ing thanks to God on that deliorhtful Sabbath 
 morning — had he gone to the courts of the 
 Lord, instead of going into his field — he would 
 have saved his property, and his soul would have 
 
84 NOTHING LOST liV 
 
 escaped the contamination of this dreadful guilt. 
 But, distrusting God's providence, the measures 
 he took to preserve his property, were the direct 
 cause of its destruction. It is to be hoped that 
 this man received his punishment in this world, 
 for he afterwards most feelingly lamented, and 
 humbly confessed his crime before the church. 
 
 HAY-MAKING. 
 
 FROM A CLERGYMAN'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 When I was about twelve years of age, my 
 father removed from the banks of the Connecticut 
 river, and took the pastoral charge of a parish in 
 the then District of Maine. Religion and mo- 
 rality were at a low ebb, and we were often 
 pained by the open violation of God's commands. 
 The Sabbath in particular, was shamelessly 
 desecrated. A large society of Friends, some 
 of which sect do not acknowledge the divine 
 authority of the Lord's day, occupied the centre 
 of the town, and their influence with regard to 
 the Sabbath, was most pernicious. A single 
 hour alone, was occupied in their silent meetings ; 
 then, in the season of haying and harvesting, it 
 
KEEPING THE SABBATH. 85« 
 
 was their uniform to practice to have some hay 
 or grain left in such a situation as to require 
 attention for an hour or two ; and afterwards 
 the hours of that sacred day were employed in 
 visiting from house to house. I know not what 
 may be their practice in other places ; I speak 
 only of them as I have seen and known them. 
 It may easily be supposed what an effect such 
 examples must have had in a community long 
 destitute of a settled pastor. " 
 
 We lived at some distance from the parish 
 church, and, as we rode along, on the bright 
 mornings of the holy day, all, but man, seemed 
 praising their Creator. The little birds warbled 
 His praises as they soared upwards. The mists 
 and vapors rose towards heaven in token of 
 adoration. The trees made glad music with 
 their rustling leaves, and the richly clothed 
 green sward reflected in beautiful lights and 
 shades, the beams of that sun which was but an 
 emblem of his goodness. Man alone withheld 
 his voice in this general chorus of grateful 
 praise ; young as I was, my heart ached to see 
 him marring the beauty of that day, by his im- 
 pious, worldly labor. I was pained, too, be- 
 cause a cloud would pass over my father's brow, 
 8 
 
'^6 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 generally so placid and happy on that day, "of 
 all the week the best." 
 
 That look and the half stifled sigh which I 
 often heard, when his eye followed these erring 
 ones, spoke volumes to my young mind of the 
 sin and danger of their practice. This was not 
 all. I saw his principles put to the test on an 
 occasion I shall never forget. The salary he 
 received was small ; insufficient for the support 
 of a numerous family. To increase his income, 
 he rented a small farm, of which h^iy was the 
 principal produce. With the avails, he hoped to 
 pay some debts which pressed heavily on him. 
 Early in the week, the weather promised well, 
 and the merry hay-makers were engaged to cut 
 down at once, a large quantity of grass, with the 
 prospect of having it ready to put in the barn 
 before Saturday. It was dried sufficiently to be 
 made into cocks, as they termed it, when the wea- 
 ther changed, and day after day of cloudy skies 
 followed, threatening the utter ruin of the hay. 
 Sabbath morning, the sun rose bright and clear, 
 and the man who had the care of the grass, 
 assured my father that it would be ruined if it 
 remained longer in its present situation, but a 
 few minutes' work in just opening the cocks to 
 
KESPING THE SABBATH. 87 
 
 the air, would save it. " Shall I not do it?" 
 said he. " No/' replied my father, mildly, but 
 decidedly. ''You will lose it all, and you know 
 Sir, you can but ill afford that. " " I know it, " 
 replied my father, "but I cannot disobey God to 
 save property. I would rather lose all I have, 
 than violate the Sabbath." The man went 
 away, muttcKing, "It's a clear tempting of prov- 
 idence," while my father, with a countenance 
 over which earthly cares seemed never to have 
 passed, turned to the delightful duties of the 
 day. I rode with him in the old fashioned fam- 
 ily chtiise, to meeting, and, as we passed the 
 fields of our neighbors, he sighed audibly, as he 
 saw that many had been out opening their hay 
 to the morning sun. I confess my principles 
 almost wavered ; and when I remembered how 
 troubled we had been with the debts which we 
 hoped this year to be able to pay, I thought for 
 a moment my beloved parent had been over scru- 
 pulous. 
 
 The services of the day were but thinly at- 
 tended. Men and women were too weary with 
 the labors of the week, to worship God in his 
 sanctuary. 
 
 As we returned home, a cloud was seen rap- 
 
88 NOTHING LOST BY 
 
 idly rising. It was borne swiftly on by the wind, 
 and before much of the hay which had been 
 opened in the morning, could be again secured, 
 it was so completely drenched, as to be nearly 
 ruined. The little which was put in the barns, 
 heated and moulded so as to be unfit for use. 
 The next day, my father went into the field, 
 expecting to find his hay not worth gathering 
 into the barn ; to his surprise, he found the mass 
 of it wholly uninjured, and he could but recall 
 the words of the Psalmist, " In keeping thy 
 commands, there is great reward." 
 
 INCIDENT FROM THE LIFE OF WESLEY. 
 
 SouTHEY, in his life of Wesley, tells us, that 
 John Nelson, a Methodist preacher, being once 
 desired, by his master's foreman, to work on 
 the Lord's day, on the ground that the king's 
 business required despatch, and that it was 
 common to work on the Sabbath, for his majes- 
 ty, when any thing was wanted in a particular 
 haste ; Nelson boldly declared, " That he would 
 not work upon the Sabbath, for any man in the 
 kingdom, except it were to quench fire, or some- 
 
KEEPING TKE SAliEATIf. 
 
 8^ 
 
 tiling that required immediate help." "Relig- 
 ion," says the foreman, has made you a rebel 
 against the king. "No, sir," he replied, " it has 
 made me a better subject than ever I was. The 
 greatest enemies the king has, are Sabbath-break- 
 ers, swearers, drunkards, and such like men ; 
 for these bring down God's judgments upon the 
 king and country." He was told that he should 
 lose his employment if he would not obey his 
 orders ; his answer was, " he would rather want 
 bread than wilfully offend God." The foreman 
 swore that he would be as mad as Whitefield, if 
 he went on. "What hast thou done," said he, 
 "that thou needest make so much ado about 
 salvation ? I always took thee to be as honest a 
 man, as I have in the work, and would have 
 trusted thee with any sum." " So you might," 
 answered Nelson, "and not have lost one penny 
 by me." " I have a worse opinion of thee, now," 
 said the foreman. "Master," rejoined he, "I 
 have the odds of you, for I have a much worse 
 opinion of myself than you can possibly have." 
 The issue, however, was, that the work was not 
 pursued on the Sabbath, and Nelson rose in the 
 good opinion of his employer, for having shown 
 a sense of his duty as a Christian." 
 8* 
 
90 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 NO SABBATH IN OUR BUSINESS. 
 
 FROM THE BETHEL MAGAZINE, 
 
 The terrible disaster, which occurred some- 
 time since, on board the steamboat Helen Mc'- 
 Gregor, by the bursting of the boiler, is, to the 
 present day, fresh in the minds of not a few. 
 It was on the morning of the 24th of February, 
 1830, on the Mississippi river, where the boat 
 stopped for a short time to deliver freight, and 
 to land passengers. A few minutes after she was 
 drawn off to proceed on her trip, the explosion 
 took place. The scenes of agony and distress 
 were indescribable ; nearly one hundred lives 
 were lost. 
 
 " I was on board that boat, " said a sailor to 
 me, the other day, "just before the sad catastro- 
 phe took place. It was wonderful how I was 
 led to quit the boat, at almost the very crisis of 
 the awful occurrence. I have thought of it a 
 thousand times, with gratitude to my Maker. 
 My captain ordered me to assist in handing 
 freight on the Sabbath. This, I told him, I 
 could not conscientiously do ; that I had never 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING, 91 
 
 done unnecessary v/ork on the Lord's day. The 
 captain replied," ''We have no Sabbaths here at 
 the West, in our business." Very well, I told 
 him; as for myself, I endeavored, wherever I 
 was, conscientiously to keep the Sabbath. "Pro- 
 cure some one in your stead," he then ordered. 
 I said, this I can't do, but pay me my wages^ 
 and I will leave the boat. The captain did so^ 
 and I left his employ. However, I was soon 
 urged to come back, with a proffer of higher 
 wages, I persisted in my refusal, and in a few 
 days, shipped at New Orleans for Europe. On 
 my arrival, the first newspaper I took up, con- 
 tained an account of the dreadful destruction of 
 life on board the Helen McGregor. I was truly 
 thankful for my escape. It has taught me a les- 
 son, always to be prompt and decided in refusing 
 to do wrong, whatever consequences may appear 
 likely to follow. 
 
9^2 RESULTS OF SABBATH EREAKING. 
 
 FACTS ILLUSTRATING THE RESULTS 
 OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 The following facts, collected from authentic 
 sources, are designed to exhibit the consequen- 
 ces which follow Sabbath breaking, in its influ- 
 ence upon the character, and secular interest, 
 and likewise to show that this heaven-daring sin 
 is frequently followed by peculiar manifestations 
 of the displeasure of God. I cannot better 
 introduce this part of the subject, than by the 
 following extract from an excellent article pub- 
 lished some years since in the Christian Mirror, 
 written, it is believed, by a clergyman, alike 
 eminent for piety, candor and discretion. 
 
 "Whoever should seriously read the fourth 
 commandment, and weigh well each separate 
 clause, must be impressed with its solemnity, 
 and the importance of the object it was in- 
 tended to secure. The form of injunction is 
 peculiarly solemn, and the particularity with 
 which all servile employments are prohibited, 
 and " the reasons annexed," cannot fail to con- 
 vince lis that the breach of it must be regarded 
 with peculiar displeasure by the Lawgiver. He 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 9'3 
 
 seems to have set a double guard, so to speak, 
 about this comniandment, invariably following 
 the reverential observance of it with blessings, 
 and frequently accompanying the violation of it 
 with appalling judgments. The advantages 
 which result to society, from the public religious 
 observance of the Sabbath, are seen and ac- 
 knowledged by many, who have no particular 
 relish for the pleasures of worship ; but, like 
 true patriots, they generally make their appear- 
 ance in the house of God, from a sense of what 
 they owe to their country, and to society, and 
 would, even if the services were disgusting and 
 painful. And even this external observance^ 
 does not go without its reward. Such persons 
 are usually favored with a large share of world- 
 ly prosperity. On the other hand, th^ curse of 
 God may be seen to follow habitual Sabbath 
 breakers, even in this life. Every attentive ob- 
 server, can doubtless recollect instances which 
 have passed within his own personal observa- 
 tion, confirming the truth of this assertion. 
 And what a melancholy story would that be, 
 which should be filled up with a detail of all the 
 parties that have sailed for pleasure, or gone 
 into the water for diversion, on God's holy day ! 
 
94 RESULTS OP SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 Probably more, while thus engaged, have been 
 drowned on the Sabbath, than on all the other 
 days of the week. The fate of Sabbath break- 
 ers occupies a large paragraph in the ^'chapter 
 of accidents." 
 
 It is a delicate, if not a presumptuous employ- 
 ment, for a mortal to undertake to weigh sins, 
 and estimate their relative guilt ; yet the scrip- 
 tures do afford a warrant for saying that " some 
 sins in themselves, and by reason of several 
 aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of 
 God, than others." Among these,may be classed 
 Sabbath breaking ; certainly if extreme horror of 
 conscience on a review of sin committed, be 
 evidence of extreme guilt. The master of a 
 vessel, in a neighboring town, who was hopeful- 
 ly brought into the liberty wherewith Christ 
 makes free, was, while under conviction, filled 
 with anguish, oii the remembrance of a particu- 
 lar violation of the Sabbath. Once, while in the 
 West Indies, he employed his crew, and others 
 whom he hired for the purpose, in loading his 
 vessel, on the Sabbath. The pretence by which 
 he then tried to justify himself, was, that the 
 sickly season was fast approaching, or some oth- 
 er about as plausible, and which would, doubt- 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 95 
 
 less, have satisfied the consciences of nine out 
 of ten in the same situation. But this sin caus- 
 ed him many a pang, many hours of agoni- 
 zing reflection, and " fearful looking for of judg- 
 ment. " 
 
 This anecdote was recently related in a circle 
 of christians, several of whom declared that the 
 profanation of the Sabbath, was the sin that dis- 
 tressed them most, during the period of their 
 convictions. It is certain, that God has a most 
 bitter punishment for this sin, even for those who 
 escape visible punishment, and are not visited 
 with any externally awful tokens of God's wrath. 
 What an impressive warning should this be to 
 those who pursue worldly conversation on the 
 Sabbath ; what a warning to those young per- 
 sons who employ the hours of intermission, and 
 of going to and from the house of worship, in 
 making arrangements for visits, parties, balls, or 
 other diversions, and methods of dissipating 
 time. The Lord of the Sabbath sees them ; and 
 ere long they will feel the tormentor within, if a 
 future season of reflection is allowed them ; for 
 in punishing this crime, God sometimes deals 
 in a more summary way. 
 
96 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 THE YOUNG SERVANT GIRL. 
 
 Mr. Whitecross a Scottish clergyman, re- 
 lates that a young person who had been a Sab- 
 bath school scholar, went to live in a family, in 
 which religion was wholly neglected. On the 
 other side of the street a pious family resided, 
 who strictly observed the Sabbath. The young 
 woman perceived that the servants were allowed 
 to attend public worship twice on the Lord's day, 
 while she could not go once to church, as her 
 master generally invited company to dinner on 
 that day. She reminded her mistress of this cir- 
 cumstance, and requested that she might go to 
 chapel one part of the Sabbath. This was refus- 
 ed, on the ground that she could not be spared. 
 She then resolved, that if any vancancy occurred 
 in the family opposite, she would offer herself. 
 This happening soon after, she waited upon the 
 lady, who observed, *' I am afraid that as you 
 have higher wages where you live, my place will 
 not suit you, as I give but five pounds a year ; 
 but if you will come for that, I will try you." 
 The young woman consented, and entered the 
 family. A gentleman visiting in the house, be- 
 ing made acquainted with the case, presented her 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 97 
 
 with a Bible, on the blank leaf of which he 
 wrote, "Verily I say unto you, there is no man 
 who hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or 
 wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 
 who shall not receive manifold more in this pres- 
 ent time, and in the world to come, life everlast- 
 ing." 
 
 INCIDENTS FROM THE LIFE OF 
 KILPIN. 
 
 The father of the Rev. Samuel Kilpin was an 
 iron-monger, and kept a general retail shop, in 
 that line. One circumstance in relation to the 
 Sabbath, which made a deep impression on the 
 infant mind of Samuel, deserves to be mentioned. 
 A nobleman in the neighborhood, was among 
 his best customers. One Sabbath morning, the 
 steward came to the house, and said with an 
 insolent sneer, "are you afraid of the devil, Mr. 
 Kilpin ?" " No," replied the good man, "I am 
 not. " "Will you, then, sell me some articles to- 
 day? " " No, I will not ; it is the Sabbath day, 
 and the God of the Sabbath, I both love and fear. 
 To-morrow I shall feel much obliged by execu- 
 
98 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING'. 
 
 ting his lordship's command's." "Very well, if 
 you will not serve me to-day, you shall not to- 
 morrow, nor on any other day." The steward 
 then retired in a violent rage. This scene was 
 never forgotten by the young family group ; and 
 it is pleasing to add, that the nobleman increas- 
 ed Ms favors, when told of the circumstance. 
 The effect of the example was seen long after- 
 wards in the life and spirit of Samuel, then a 
 little child. It is related of him, that, after he 
 entered the ministry, he was always very anxious 
 to promote the right observance of the Sabbath. 
 In the neighborhood where he resided, in Exeter, 
 he saw much of the dreadful effects resulting 
 from the neglect of that holy day ; and he used 
 his best endeavors to check the torrent of in- 
 iquity. Exertions of this nature became the 
 more needful, as many, even professedly relig- 
 ious people, discontinued the due observance of 
 the Sabbath. In Mr. Kilpin's family, the prep- 
 aration commenced on Saturday evening, when 
 the neighbors were invited to the little chapel, 
 that the mind might be relieved from worldly 
 cares, and prepared for the approaching festival. 
 On descending from the pulpit, one Sabbath 
 morning, a stranger very politely requested him 
 
UESULTS or SABBATH BREAKING. 99 
 
 to dine with him, at the Inn. He replied, "Dine 
 with you. Sir, at an Inn in Exeter, on a Sabbath 
 day ! No, sir, not if you would give me the city. 
 A minister, who has to address souls on the sub- 
 jects connected with eternity, dine at an Inn 
 with company on the Sabbath day ! No, sir ; 
 except from necessity, I never sit with my fami- 
 ly but at a short meal on the Sabbath. I have 
 to preach to myself, as well as toothers. Excuse 
 my firmness ; I feel obliged by your kindness." 
 Will not parents feel that nothing is lost, but 
 much gained to their dear children, by a con- 
 scientious observance of the Sabbath ? 
 
 THE CONVICT. 
 
 FROM AN AGED CLERGYMAN IN PORTLAND, ME. 
 
 Many years since, I was called to visit a man, 
 under sentence of death for murder. He was 
 scarcely 25 years of age, handsome, and intelli- 
 gent, beyond what was then usual among me- 
 chanics. When I first visited him, he had strong 
 hopes of pardon ; and I could not succeed in 
 awakening any remorse for the past ; and to all 
 
iOO RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 ray inquiries as to what had brought him into 
 that state, he returned evasive answers. He was 
 professedly aUniversalist ; and while the hope of 
 life lasted, he still clung to this delusion. But 
 at length, every hope of life was taken away ; he 
 found that he must die ; and deep remorse 
 began to prey like the undying worm upon his 
 heart. I seized this opportunity, to renew my 
 inquiries as to the cause of his wicked course, 
 and what was his first step in vice. He replied, 
 *' It was Sabbath breaking. Till I was fourteen 
 years old, I conducted well. I was brought up 
 to regard the Sabbath and attend meeting regu- 
 larly. But about this time, I began to absent 
 myself from meeting, and spend the Sabbath, in 
 amusement. This quickly brought me into vi- 
 cious company. I went on from bad to worse, 
 till every virtuous restraint was removed, and I 
 lost all control over my own temper and passions. 
 Still I served the time of my apprenticeship reg- 
 ularly, and afterward engaged to work as a jour- 
 neyman. There a quarrel arose between my 
 master and another man. It was no concern of 
 mine, but evil passions had now the mastery of 
 my reason, and when the officer came to arrest 
 my master, I opposed him ; a scuffle ensued, in 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BRKAKING. 101 
 
 which I struck the officer a blow on the head, 
 which fractured his skull and proved fatal." 
 Such was, in this case, the fearful, bitter fruit of 
 Sabbath breaking : that was the first step in the 
 career of crime which hurried him to the gal- 
 lows, at the early age of twenty-five. 
 
 ABUSE OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 The son of a professor of religion, in affluent 
 circumstances, began, about the age of fifteen, 
 to be intimate with a circle of youth who v/ere 
 remarked for their thoughtlessness and lightness 
 of behavior on the Sabbath. They devised vari- 
 ous methods of passing* away, what they thought, 
 the dull hours of worship. They used their 
 penknives, read fragments of newspapers, and 
 committed little impositions on their seat-mates. 
 In all this, he soon learned to be foremost, and 
 gloried in his freedom from superstition. He 
 arrived at manhood, and entered the family state ; 
 but, heedless and reckless in his character, he 
 Avas uncomfortable to his friends, and quickly 
 squandered the inheritance he had received from 
 9* 
 
102 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 his father. He forsook his family, and some few 
 years after, was seen by an acquaintance, who 
 visited one of our southern cities, in a state of 
 abject and hagard poverty. He has not been 
 heard from since, and doubtless, ere this, he has 
 died, a sad witness to the guilt of choosing com- 
 panions who violate God's holy day. 
 
 DEATH-BED VIEW OF THE SABBATH. 
 
 FROM INNES, ON DOMESTIC DUTIES. 
 
 A GAY and thoughtless young man, who had 
 often opposed a pious father's wishes, by spend- 
 ing the Sabbath in idleness and folly, instead of 
 accompanying his parents to the house of God, 
 was taking a ride, one Sabbath morning. After 
 riding for some time, at great speed, he sudden- 
 ly pulled up his horse, while the animal, by 
 stopping more suddenly than he expected, gave 
 him such a sudden jerk, that it injured the spinal 
 marrow : and when he came to his father's door, 
 he had totally lost the use of the lower extremi- 
 ties of his body. He was lifted from his horse, 
 and laid on that bed, which was destined to prove 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 103 
 
 to liim the bed of death ; and there, he had 
 leisure to reflect on his ways. It was, when in 
 this situation, I was asked to visit him, and he 
 then discovered the deepest solicitude about the 
 things that belonged to his eternal peace. He 
 eagerly listened to the representation that was 
 given him respecting the evil of sin, its dreadful 
 consequences, and the ground of hope to the 
 guilty. He seemed much impressed with a 
 sense of his need of pardoning mercy, and 
 thankfully to receive it in the way that God had 
 revealed. Many parts of the conversations I 
 had with him have now escaped my recollection, 
 but some of his expressions, I shall not easily for- 
 get. On one occasion, when referring to his 
 past life, and finding himself now unable to at- 
 tend public worship, he exclaimed, " O ! what 
 would I now give for some of those Sabbaths I 
 formerly treated with contempt." He seemed 
 deeply to feel and to deplore his guilt, in having 
 so heinously misimproved the precious opportu- 
 nities of waiting on the public ordinances of 
 religion, which, in the day of health, he had 
 enjoyed. 
 
104 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 THE INFIDEL'S SABBATH. 
 
 FROM WHITECROSS' ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 A society of infidels were in the practice of 
 meeting together, on Sabbath mornings, to ridi- 
 cule religion, and to encourage each other in all 
 manner of wickedness. At length they pro- 
 ceeded so far, as to meet, by previous agreement, 
 to burn their Bibles ! They had lately initiated 
 a young man into their awful mysteries, who was 
 brought up under great religious advantages, and 
 had seemed to promise well ; but, on that occas- 
 ion, he proceeded as far as his companions, 
 threw his Bible into the flames, and promised 
 with them, never to go into a place of religious 
 worship again. He was soon afterwards taken 
 ill. He was visited by a serious man, who found 
 him in the agonies of a distressed mind. He 
 spoke to him of his past ways. The poor crea- 
 ture said, "It all did well enough while in health, 
 and while I could keep off the thoughts of 
 death ; " but when the Redeemer was mentioned 
 to him, he hastily exclaimed, ''What's the use 
 of talking to me about mercy ?" When urged 
 tolooktoChristjhesaid, "I tell you it's of no use 
 
RESULTS OP SABBATH BREAKING. 105 
 
 now ; 'tis too late, 'tis too late. Once I could 
 pray, but now I can't." He frequently repeated, 
 "I cannot pray, I will not pray." He shortly 
 afterwards expired, uttering the most dreadful 
 imprecations against some of his companions in 
 iniquity, who came to see him, and now and 
 then, saying, " My Bible ! oh the Bible !" 
 
 COST OF SABBATH-BREAKING. 
 
 FROM pastor's JOURNAL. 
 
 The following is substantially the statement 
 of a man, who for years, had been living a stran- 
 ger to the sanctuary, and utterly neglectful of 
 all religious concerns It was made without any 
 inquiry or knowledge of the facts, till he stated 
 them. "I am determined on one thing," said 
 he, " to break the Sabbath no more. I believe 
 the judgments of heaven will follow the Sabbath- 
 breaker. I believe they have followed me. I 
 will state my case. My sloop, loaded with wood, 
 got aground. There was no danger, and no 
 necessity, as she was in a safe harbor, but I 
 worked most of the Sabbath to get her off; I 
 
]06 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 succeeded, but she grounded again, and I lost a 
 week before she would float once more. But 
 few hours from port, she went ashore in a squall, 
 
 on N Island, and there another week was 
 
 lost. Getting off, and into a neighboring harbor, 
 a gale drove her ashore again, where she lay 
 
 another week. I reached the port of N , but 
 
 so late as to be frozen in, and another week was 
 lost. Returning home, and just entering the 
 harbor, a heavy easterly gale drove the sloop to 
 sea; and after a dreadful night of suffering and 
 danger, the vessel was driven high and dry upon 
 the rocks, on the opposite side of the bay. She 
 could not be got off, and was sold for a trifle. 
 Thus, to save one day, by working on the Sab- 
 bath, I lost more than thirty, lost my vessel, and 
 came near losing my life and with it, my immor- 
 tal soul ! I shall take care how I violate the 
 Sabbath hereafter. These events have produced 
 more reflection in my mind, upon the subject of 
 religion, than all the rest of the events of my life. 
 There are cases on record so well authentica- 
 ted, that we cannot doubt their truth, where the 
 wrath of Heaven has manifestly, and in a most 
 remarkable manner, fallen upon the daring 
 violation of the Lord's day. Of this class, are 
 
Ri:SULTS OF SA15BATH BREAKINO. 107 
 
 the following, which must make a solemn im- 
 pression even upon those who deny the retribu- 
 tive justice of God, in such cases ; for who would 
 wish to be called into the presence of his Maker, 
 while openly bidding defiance to his commands? 
 
 THE DAUGHTER. 
 
 FROM THE NEW YORK OBSERVER. 
 
 As I was walking down street, on my way to 
 church, I saw a party of young people going 
 on before me, whose volatile manners ill accord- 
 ed with the sanctity of the day ; and just as I 
 was passing them, I heard one say, ^'Indeed, I 
 think we shall do wrong ; my conscience con- 
 demns me ; I must return." "There can be no 
 harm," replied another, " in taking an excursion 
 on the water ; especially as we have resolved to 
 go to church in the evening." "I must return," 
 rejoined a female voice, *' My conscience con- 
 demns me ; what will my father say, if he hear 
 of it ? " By this time, they had reached the 
 water, and one of the party was busily engaged 
 with a waterman, while the rest stood in close 
 
108 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 debate, for the space of five minutes, when they 
 all moved towards the water. 
 
 I watched them going down the stairs, and 
 thought I perceived an air of peculiar melan- 
 choly in the countenance of the female who had 
 objected to the excursion, but whose firmness 
 had given way to the importunity of her com- 
 panions. Two of the gentlemen stepped into 
 the boat ; two more stood at the water's edge, 
 and the females were handed in, one after anoth- 
 er ; but still I could perceive great reluctance 
 on the part of the one who had previously objec- 
 ted ; till at length, being surrounded by all the 
 gentlemen of the party, she yielded, and the 
 boat pushed off. It was a fine morning, though 
 rather cold ; the tide was running at its usual 
 rate ; many were gazing on them, like myself, 
 when a naval officer, standing near me, called 
 to them and said, "A pleasant voyage to you." 
 One of the gentlemen suddenly arose to return 
 the compliment; but, from some cause that I 
 could not perceive, he unfortunately fell into the 
 water. The disaster threw the whole party into 
 the utmost consternation ; and each one, instead 
 of retaining his seat, rushed to the side of the 
 boat, where their companion had fallen, which 
 
RESULTS OP SABHATII BREAKING. 109 
 
 upset it, and all were plunged into the deep. 
 The shriek the spectators gave, when they be- 
 held the calamity, exceeded any noise I had ever 
 heard. Boats were immediately put off, and in 
 a few minutes I saw the watermen rescuing one, 
 and another, and another, from a watery grave. 
 Having picked up all they could find, the differ- 
 ent boats rowed ashore, where some medical 
 gentlemen were in waiting ; but when the party 
 met together, no language can describe the hor- 
 ror that was depicted on every countenance, 
 when they found that two were missing, — 
 *' Where's my sister ? " said the voice which had 
 said only a few minutes before, " There can be 
 no harm in taking an excursion on the water, 
 especially as we have resolved to go to church 
 in the evening." " Where's my Charles? " said 
 a lady, who had appeared the most gay and 
 sprightly, when first I saw them. 
 
 At length the boats, which had gone a consid- 
 erable distance up the river, were seen returning ; 
 and on being asked if they had picked up any 
 one, replied, " Yes, two." The reply electrified 
 the whole party ; they wept for joy, and so did 
 many others who stood around them. " Here's 
 
 a gentleman," said the waterman, as he was 
 10 
 
110 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 coming up the foot of the stairs, " but I believe 
 he's dead." *' Where's the lady?" said her 
 brother; "Is she safe?" "She's in the other 
 boat, sir." "Is she alive? has she spoken?" 
 She has not spoken, sir." "Is she dead ? O ! 
 tell me." "I fear she is, sir." 
 
 The bodies were immediately removed to a 
 house in the vicinity, and every, eifort was made 
 to restore animation, and some faint hopes were 
 entertained, by the medical gentlemen, that they 
 should succeed. In the space of little more than 
 ten minutes, they announced the joyful news 
 that the gentleman began to breathe, but they 
 made no allusion to the lady. Her brother sat 
 motionless, till the actual decease of his sister 
 was announced, when he started up, and became 
 almost frantic with grief; and though his com- 
 panions tried to comfort him, yet he refused to 
 hear the words of consolation. 
 
 "O ! my sister, my sister ! would to God I had 
 died for thee ! " 
 
 They were all overwhelmed, and knew not 
 what to say. "Who will bear the heavy tidings 
 to our father 1 " said the brother, pacing back- 
 wards and forwards in the room, like a maniac. 
 " O ! who will bear the heavy tidings to our 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. Ill 
 
 father?" He paused; a death-like stilhiess 
 pervaded the whole apartment; he again burst 
 forth in the agonies of despair," " I forced her 
 to go, against the dictates of her conscience ; I 
 am her murderer ; I ought to have perished, and 
 not my sister. Who will bear the heavy tidings 
 to our father?" ** I will," said a gentleman 
 who had been unremitting in his attentions to 
 the sufferers. " Do you know him, sir ? " "Yes, 
 I know him." '*0 ! how can I ever appear 
 again in his presence? I enticed the best of 
 children, to an act of disobedience, which has 
 destroyed her." 
 
 How the old man received the intelligence, 
 or what moral effect resulted from the disaster, 
 I never heard ; but I would say to the young, 
 resist the first temptation to evil, or your ruin 
 may be the consequence. 
 
 THE PLEASURE PARTY. 
 
 FROM THE LONDON BAPTIST MAGAZINE, 
 
 Six young men belonging to the town and 
 vicinity of Ulverstone, Lancashire, resolved on 
 having a pleasure excursion, in a boat, on the 
 Lord's day. They set off from Ulverstone, very 
 
112 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 early in the morning, and intended to proceed 
 down the bay of Morecambe, and visit the south- 
 ern extremity of the island, called Walney. — 
 The evening passed over, the night arrived, and 
 they did not return. On Monday, their friends 
 were extremely anxious concerning their safety, 
 and made inquiries, in all directions, but to no 
 purpose. The result proved, alas ! too plainly, 
 that all had perished : not one having escaped to 
 communicate to their friends, the tidings of woe, 
 or relate the particulars of the fatal accident. 
 It is supposed a squall had upset the boat, — which 
 was found empty, — and precipitated all within, 
 into the deep. Four of the bodies were found. 
 The writer of this, was called on to discharge 
 the painful duties of the funeral service, at the 
 interment of one of them. He was a young 
 man, about thirty-one years of age, the son of 
 religious parents, members of the independent 
 church at Ulverstone. They accustomed him, 
 from his infancy, to attend the house of God ; 
 but when he arrived at manhood, he broke 
 through the restraints of education, associated 
 with the profligate, and became himself a prof- 
 ligate character. Not long before the awful 
 catastrophe, in conversation with a pious relative. 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 113 
 
 he expressed himself, to this effect: *' What is 
 there," said he, " of pleasure, that I have not 
 tried ? yet I cannot obtain happiness. I know 
 the good man is the only happy one. I would 
 give the world to be such ; but I cannot pray." 
 
 His relative wished him to attend public ser- 
 vice, in the chapel. " I would," he replied, 
 *' do any thing almost, that you wish me to, ex- 
 cept attending there ; that I cannot do." Such 
 were the sentiments of his heart, and such the 
 despairing condition he had brought himself into 
 by his sins. Did he find satisfaction in his in- 
 iquity ? No, he confessed the contrary ; he was 
 wretched ; he honestly acknowledged that ; for, 
 with all his crimes, he abhored deceit, and urged, 
 as one reason why he could not attend the house 
 of God, that he should seem, by hypocrisy, to 
 disgrace the cause of religion. His Sabbaths^ 
 of course, were misspent, and it is said, some 
 former escapes from a watery grave, might have 
 taught him wisdom. Being an excellent swim- 
 mer, he thought himself always secure ; but the 
 time was come when divine forbearance grew 
 weary. He was found at a great distance from 
 the place where it is supposed the boat was up- 
 set, and probably sunk, after contending with 
 10* 
 
114 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 the waves for a long time. He was naked, and 
 so disfigured as scarcely to be recognized by 
 his relatives. Had it been another day, and not 
 the Sabbath, his skill in swimming might have 
 availed to save him ; but probably, in this case, 
 as in many other cases of drowning on the Lord's 
 day, where it has seemed as if they might easily 
 have been saved, the consciousness of guilt made 
 him poiverlcss. 
 
 Reader, remember if thou contendest with 
 the Almighty, thy skill and courage will avail 
 thee nothing ; remorse will render thee helpless 
 as an infant, and thou wilt sink as lead in the 
 mighty waters. 
 
 THE LAUNCH. 
 
 FROM A CLERGYMAN IN MAINE. 
 
 During the late war, the writer had his resi- 
 dence within an hour's walk of one of the 
 United States navy yards. He was one of many 
 thousands who resorted thither to witness the 
 launching of a seventy-four gun ship. It was 
 on Saturday. The bridges, the tops of houses, 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. H'^ 
 
 the neighboring eminences and wharves, were 
 thronged witli spectators ; besides a great many 
 acres of water, literally covered with small ves- 
 sels, and boats filled with people. A few minutes 
 before the expected time, this elegant and most 
 sublime and wonderful work of art, began to 
 move slowly towards its destined element ; but, 
 to the inexpressible disappointment of thousands, 
 she stopped on her loay^^, and did not float -that 
 day. 
 
 The next day, (Sabbath) all hands, or as many 
 as could be employed, were summoned to work, 
 and prepare to *' get her off." Before night, the 
 master, in a particular department of the work, 
 was suddenly killed, by something falling upon 
 his head from above. These facts were of pub- 
 lic notoriety, but the writer was afterwards told 
 that this man was a professor of religion, a 
 communicant in a Methodist church, and hope- 
 fully a religious man ; that, on the morning of 
 this Sabbath, he had most distressing conflicts 
 of mind, and hesitated a long time, whether to 
 go or not. But he thought he could ill be 
 spared, as he was a master-workman ; that, if he 
 should fail to go, he should certainly lose his 
 place, and in that case he knew not how he 
 
116 
 
 RESULTS OF SAEBATH BREAKING. 
 
 should provide for his family, who were depen- 
 dent upon his labor for subsistence. He went, 
 but did no more for the support of his family. 
 The writer puts the more confidence in the cor- 
 rectness of this statement, because the circum- 
 stances were told him by a man belonging to the 
 same communion, and the same particular church 
 with the deceased. It is believed, too, that this 
 man was the only professor of religion, engaged 
 on the vessel that day. 
 
 When will professors learn to '' trust in the 
 Lord, and do good?" But if judgment first 
 begin at the house of God, what shall be the end 
 of them that obey not the gospel '^ 
 
 THE MURDERER'S CELL. 
 
 The editor of the Missouri and Illinois Tem- 
 perance Herald, gives the following sketch of a 
 visit to Buchanan, who was hanged at St Louis, 
 on the third of March, 1840. 
 
 We were met at the entrance, by a good look- 
 ing man of three or four and thirty, attired in 
 the garby and having the deportment of a gea- 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 117 
 
 tleman. As we surveyed his features, and 
 discovered not the least expression of savage 
 malignity, but, on the contrary, what we consid- 
 ered the fair index of benevolence and kindness, 
 we could not but exclaim, is this the man that 
 on Friday next, is to expiate the guilt of murder, 
 upon the gallows ! He appeared dejected, in 
 view of his awful condition, but was communi- 
 cative. In answer to our inquiries, he stated 
 that he was a native of Princeton, N. J., where 
 he was brought up. When he was a child, he 
 went to Sunday school, for several years, and 
 had faithful teachers. He lived in the family of 
 Judge Bayard, where they worshiped God, daily, 
 morning and evening. The ladies of the family 
 would instruct him on the Sabbath, out of the 
 Bible. His mother was a godly woman, and is 
 still living, an aged and deeply afflicted widow. 
 He has not seen her for three years. He showed 
 us letters he had received from her, since his 
 imprisonment, in which she mentioned the 
 mournful fact, that a younger son had become 
 insane, since his brother's melancholy fate had 
 been decided. 
 
 The priisoner was brought up to the trade of 
 hat-making. It injured his health, and he was 
 
118 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 advised, by his physician, to engage in some 
 light occupation. He accordingly engaged as 
 bar-keeper, at the age of twenty-five years, and 
 then, said he, " I barely knew what liquor was. 
 I soon began to taste a little, but for the last three 
 or four years, I kept stimulated most of the time, 
 though I took care not to drink enough to show 
 it." After various changes, he came to St. Louis, 
 as bar-keeper, and remained in that employment, 
 till the 28th of July, the day he murdered Brown. 
 They had been on good terms. He had nothing 
 against Brown, and did not know that Brown had 
 any thing against him. It was sunday. There 
 was more drinking on that day than any other. 
 It was generally our best day. There were six 
 or seven boarders ; all but one had been drink- 
 ing, and were so intoxicated, that when they 
 came to testify, they did not know much about 
 it. Brown had had two fights, one below, and 
 the other above stairs. Prisoner had parted him 
 from his antagonist, both times. He was not 
 in the habit of carrying pistols, but during the 
 fracas, he had picked up the pistols and put them 
 in his pocket, for fear mischief might be done 
 with them. Brown was angry with prisoner, 
 because he had interfered, came u^) to the coun- 
 
RESULTS OP SABBATH BREAKING. 119 
 
 <er, drew a knife from his pocket, and swore he 
 Mould kill him. Prisoner instantly drew a pistol 
 from his pocket, and shot him. " I was intoxi- 
 cated," said he, " but not drunk ; if I had not 
 been intoxicated, and engaged in that business, 
 I would never have been here." And may we 
 not add, if he had not been trampling on the 
 laws of Jehovah, he might not have been left to 
 bring, by the indulgence of ungoverned passion, 
 such a fearful doom upon himself ! 
 
 THE KENNEBEC DAM. 
 
 A few years since, when the prosperity of the 
 eastern section of our country was at its height, 
 a company was formed with a large capital, for 
 the purpose of constructing a dam across the 
 Kennebec, just above the flourishing village of 
 Augusta. It was a daring attempt, and marked 
 the spirit of enterprise, which distinguishes the 
 hardy sons of Maine. The noble river, which 
 bears to the ocean the gathered waters of a wide 
 tract of country, had hitherto rolled on in quiet, 
 undisturbed, except by the numerous vessels 
 which were wafted on its bosom. The village 
 
120 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 is built, in part, upon a narrow strip of land, 
 between the hills that rise, abruptly, a short dis- 
 tance from the river. When the rains are heavy, 
 and the snow melts rapidly, in the spring of the 
 year, the river is liable to a sudden rise of its 
 waters, from the mountain torrents that pour 
 into it, in the early part of its course. It then 
 acquires a tremendous power, which might well 
 deter the boldest, from attempting to stay its 
 progress. But the attempt was made, and a man 
 of great energy of purpose, undertook the super- 
 intendence of the work. It proved even more 
 difficult than had been anticipated, and the archi- 
 tect began to fear he might not accomplish it 
 before the river should again rise in its strength, 
 so that it could not be pursued. Great interest 
 was felt in the undertaking, and the papers in 
 the vicinity, reported its progress, and speculated 
 on its probable success. In this state of affairs, 
 the manager told his men, that the work must 
 proceed on the Sabbath. It was done ; and for 
 weeks, the scene of action resounded with the 
 din of labor, on that holy day. Multitudes of 
 the idle and thoughtless were attracted thither, 
 and the day was desecrated by numbers who had 
 hitherto kept it holy. The hearts of those who 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 121 
 
 loved the Sabbath, were deeply pained, and many 
 predicted that a work thus prosecuted in open 
 violation of the command of Jehovah, could not 
 prosper. At length the stock holders interfered, 
 and forbade any further labor on the Lord's day. 
 The Dam was finished ; the proud river was 
 arrested in its course, and compelled to obey the 
 bidding of man ; and the proprietors, as well as 
 the artificers, exulted in their success. In a 
 short time after its completion, the river rose 
 unusually high, and fears were excited for the 
 safety of the work. Some slight injury was 
 sustained, but it resisted so firmly, that it was 
 proudly pronounced safe ; able to sustain any mass 
 of Avater that could be brought to bear upon it. 
 But he who tramples the law of God under 
 foot and boasts that he has escaped with impun- 
 ity, must learn sooner or later, that he has known 
 but " a part of his ways." A large mill of 
 excellent workmanship, containing six saws, had 
 been completed, and they were just ready to 
 commence operations, when by rain of several 
 days continuance, the river was suddenly raised 
 to an unusual height. The rush and roar of the 
 water was fearful, but still the dam resisted and 
 
 bore it unmoved. But the purposes of Jehovah 
 11 
 
122 RESULTS or SABKATH KREAKINCV 
 
 were not to be thwarted ; and the elements were 
 to " accomplish that whereto he had sent them." 
 The river, at his bidding, left its old channel, and 
 cut a new one, carrying with it houses, gardens, 
 shrubberies, mills, and the solid walls on which 
 they stood, destroying property to a large amount, 
 forming a frightful chasm, nearly a hundred feet 
 in depth, and leaving the dam a useless, solitary 
 tiling. 
 
 It was an appalling scene ; and what rendered 
 it the more thrilling, was the circumstance, that 
 the work of desolation teas completed on the 
 Sabbath, and on that day, men were employed 
 in tearing down and removing an elegant man- 
 sion, belonging to some of the stock-holders, to 
 save it from being carried away by the flood. 
 
 The public prints of the day, describe this 
 scene, as one of desolation and terror to bystand- 
 ers, and involving an immense pecuniary loss to 
 the proprietors of the dam. It is not for us to 
 say, how far this was a retribution, for permitting 
 so gross a violation of the Sabbath, but certain 
 it is, that the elements, under the control of the 
 God who said, " Remember the Sabbath day to 
 keep it holy," fought against the work in a ter- 
 rible and unprecedented manner. 
 
RESULTS OV SABBATH BREAKING. 123 
 
 SCENE IN NANTUCKET. 
 
 FROM THE N. Y. EVANGELIST. 
 
 " The sea is his, and he made it/' Psalms. 
 
 The Joseph Starbiick was one of the most 
 beautiful and perfect ships that ever sailed from 
 any port. On the last Sabhath in November, 
 184*2, this ship was towed out of the harbour of 
 Nantucket, and across the bar, to be taken to 
 the port of Edgarton, about thirty miles distant, 
 on Martha's Vineyard, there to be loaded for a 
 voyage of four years, round Cape Horn. About 
 thirty seamen were on board the ship, and five 
 ladies, relatives of the officers, were in the cabin, 
 accompanying their friends to Edgarton, to re- 
 main with them, for the two or three weeks, 
 during which they would be receiving their stores 
 into the ship, for their long and adventurous 
 voyage. Soon after crossing the bar, the wind 
 freshened, and blowing directly against them, 
 impeded their progress, and at eleven o'clock, it 
 was so strong that the steam boat could not tow 
 the ship against it ; and it became necessary for 
 the boat to return to the harbour, and for the 
 ship to cast anchor till the wind should abate. 
 
124 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 The wind, however, continued to increase, and 
 in the afternoon it was blowing almost a gale. 
 The latter part of the afternoon, a small coasting 
 vessel which ran into the harbour for protection, 
 brought the intelligence, that the ship had parted 
 one of her chain cables, and that she was then 
 riding by one anchor only. Great apprehension 
 was consequently felt for the fate of the ship and 
 those on board. But no relief could be afforded 
 them. As the darkness of the night closed down 
 around us, shutting out the distant ship from the 
 reach of any glass, the cold and freezing wintry 
 gale seemed inspired with new fury. It rushed 
 with awful, with terrific power over our sea-girt 
 island, and seemed actually to howl and yell, as 
 it shook the very foundations of our dwellings. 
 Few slept that night who were aware of the sit- 
 uation of the ship ; and while longing for the 
 dawn of the morning, they almost dreaded its 
 approach from fear of the revelations they felt 
 assured it must make. 
 
 Early in the morning, I went upon my house- 
 top with a spy-glass, and immediately saw the 
 ship four miles off, driven upon the bar, a mel- 
 ancholy wreck. It was intensely cold, the gale 
 still raged with unabated fury, and the ship was 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 125 
 
 lying on her side, about a mile from the nearest 
 shore, evidently bilged and full of water, her 
 mizzen-mast gone, and the terrible billows of 
 the ocean breaking over her, and throwing the 
 spray topmast high. As I saw the ship rolling 
 in those dreadful breakers, every wave apparently 
 sweephig the deck with resistless power, the 
 frozen sails floating in the gale, and the shrouds 
 coated with ice, I thought it impossible that a 
 single individual could have survived the horrors 
 of the night. Soon learning that an attempt was 
 to be made with the steam boat Massachusetts, to 
 go to the wreck, as I had personal friends on 
 board the ship, I could not resist the desire to 
 accompany those who were bound to the rescue. 
 The maddened wund rushed with but slightly 
 abated fury, over the ocean, as the steamer left 
 the wharf, and battling its way out of the har- 
 bor, faced the storm, and plunged through the 
 foaming billows. As we drew near the wreck, 
 hardly a hope remained, that any one on board 
 could be living. The ship was lying upon her 
 side, on the north-east end of the bar, a mile 
 from the shore, evidently bilged and full of 
 water, her shattered spars and rigging dashing 
 in the foam around her, every thing swept from 
 
126 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 the deck, the shrouds coated several inches thick 
 with ice, the sea washing over her, and often 
 breaking topmast high, and occasionally a wave 
 of great magnitude would lift up the ship, and 
 dash her against the bottom with indescribable 
 fury. Some said, "it is impossible that any one 
 can be living." Others said, " if there be any 
 survivors, we can afford them no help, it will be 
 impossible to take them from the wreck, in the 
 midst of these breakers." There was sufficient 
 depth of water between the bar and the shore 
 for the steamer, and moving in that direction, 
 we soon discovered a number of the crew, 
 drenched with the waves and clinging to the 
 icy rail of the ship, thus slightly protected from 
 the fury of the sea. Many of them were bare- 
 footed, and but slightly clothed, probably thus 
 prepared to attempt to swim, as the only resort 
 left them, should the ship go to pieces, as was 
 momentarily feared. When the ship struck the 
 bar, she fell upon her side, with her deck towards 
 the shore, the lower rail being entirely under 
 water, and the upper rail high in the air. It 
 was under this upper rail, over which the sea 
 was continually breaking, that the drenched and 
 half frozen crew were clustered, clinging to it 
 
RKSULTS or SABBATH BREAKING. 127 
 
 in constant danger of being washed down the 
 steep and slippery deck. The steamer, when 
 opposite the ship, turned at right angles with it, 
 and ran her bow directly upon the wreck, crush- 
 ing the lower rail which was under the water, 
 and a cable being immediately thrown over, the 
 men on board the wreck siezed it, and made it 
 fast to the capstan. While this was doing, we 
 heard the cheering intelligence that all were 
 living, and we saw standing in the companion- 
 way, the entrance to the cabin, the ladies clus- 
 tered together with drenched bonnets and dishev- 
 elled hair, and faces pallid with anxiety and 
 suffering. The mom.ent the engine stopped, as 
 we threw over the cable to the crew, the gale 
 blew the steamer with great rapidity from the 
 wreck, and we were soon riding some twelve 
 rods distant, held to the wreck by the cable. 
 
 A large surf-boat was then launched from the 
 deck of the steamer into the boiling surges of 
 the agitated ocean, and a select crew of hardy 
 men, familiar with such dangers, leaped on 
 board. No pen can describe the sublimity of 
 the scene as they were " borne like a bubble 
 onward," over these magnificent billows. At 
 first they attempted to reach the deck in the face 
 
1*28 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING, 
 
 of the gale, by pulling themselves along by the 
 cable. But now a wave would lift them high in 
 the air, above the cable, or dash them against it, 
 and again sinking in the trough of the sea, the 
 straightened cord would be vibrating far above 
 them. No advance could be made in this way, 
 and they therefore resorted to their oars. Slowly 
 they made headway towards the wreck, and 
 passing to and fro five several times, succeded 
 in removing all the sufferers safely on board the 
 steamboat. Even now I can hardly conceive 
 how it was possible, in the midst of the dashing 
 billows of that stormy sea, to have made the 
 transfer of those helpless ladies. One after 
 another, however, they were all drawn up the 
 side of the steamer, and made as comfortable as 
 circumstances would permit in the warm cabin. 
 
 * ^ :^ * 4^ * 
 
 As we drew near the wharf, apparently every 
 male inhabitant of Nantucket, was there, to hear 
 the tidings from the ship. We are not a 
 noisy people, and the intelligence that all were 
 saved, was silently, but gratefully received. 
 Soon the rescued sufferers were conveyed to the 
 firesides of their anxious friends. 
 
 Such, as given by a writer of undoubted 
 
RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 129 
 
 veracity, is this thrilling talc of the sea — a 
 region over which, in a peculiar manner, Jeho- 
 vah reigns alone — and where man, even when 
 riding the billows, in the proudest work of his 
 hands, must feel, that when God works, " none 
 may stay his hand, or say to him, what doest 
 thou. " Far be it from me to say, that the wreck 
 of that beautiful vessel, which on the morning 
 of the Lord's day, " walked the waters like a 
 thing of life, and the sufferings and peril of its 
 crew, were a retribution for not remembering 
 the command of him who has said, " The sea is 
 his, and he made it." The same disaster might 
 have occurred, had it been " towed out of the 
 harbor and over the bar * ' on some other than 
 God's own day. But I must believe, that had 
 the hearts of those mariners been open to our 
 view, during that night of horrors, we should 
 have heard conscience whispering, " would that 
 we had remembered the Sabbath day, to keep it 
 holy;" and methinks the stoutest hearts must 
 have recoiled from the thought of beins; called 
 into the presence of their Judge, while in the 
 very act of breaking his command. How much 
 influence such a consciousness of wrong doing 
 might have, in paralyzing exertion in such a 
 
130 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 scene, we cannot know ; but this we know, that 
 mind and body have their " fullness of strength " 
 only when the conscience is at peace ; only when 
 we can say, with the consciousness that the all- 
 seeing eye is upon us, we are in the path of duty. 
 This thought reminds me of another fact, of 
 undoubted truth, which most forcibly illustrates, 
 at least, the power of conscience over the work- 
 ings of the intellect : an intellect, too, which had 
 been trained, by years of arduous application, to 
 obey the mandates of the will. 
 
 THE LAWYER AND THE SABBATH. 
 
 The late Rev. James P. Wilson, D. D., of 
 Philadelphia, stated in a company of gentlemen, 
 that when he was a lawyer in the State of Dela- 
 ware, he generally made his briefs on the Sab- 
 bath, and that, when he did so, he almost without 
 an exception, lost his case on Monday. At 
 length he began to inquire why it Avas so ; and 
 came to the conclusion that it was because he 
 broke the Sabbath by making out said briefs. He 
 at once resolved never again in his life to take ^.av 
 
RESULTS OF SARRATIT RREAKTNO. 131 
 
 part of that holy day, and devote it to the cause 
 of his client. And he affirmed, that he never, 
 after that, while in that profession, lost a case on 
 Monday. This was before he became a Christ- 
 ian. 
 
 My son may, perhaps, after reading this, glance 
 at some work of science, or of general literature 
 which he has been tempted to open on the holy 
 day, and ask, with a smile whether memory will 
 not do its office? whether it will refuse to in- 
 scribe those beautiful thoughts, or those profound 
 investigations on its imperishable tablets, because 
 it chanced to be read upon the first day of the 
 week? Or some young Tyro in the law, who 
 has not yet traced its pure stream high enough 
 to learn that all law proceeds from the throne of 
 God, and derives all its power from the Divinity 
 enshrined within us, may ask with a sneer, 
 whether the great Lawgiver would stoop to blast 
 his hopes, and render his efforts fruitless, just 
 because he had written a few lines upon the 
 Sabbath day? No, this I would not say. Bui 
 this I do assert without fear of contradiction 
 from any one who has bestowed a single thought 
 on the mysteries of our being, that the human 
 soul is an instrument of the most delicate and 
 
132 RESULTS OF SABBATH BREAKING. 
 
 complicated structure ; and that it is only when 
 kept in perfect harmony, that it gives forth at 
 the bidding of the will, those tones of eloquence 
 and power which Avill bow and subdue other 
 minds and hearts to its sway. That perfect har- 
 mony and nice adjustment of its faculties is lost, 
 when conscience, the rightful sovereign, is diso- 
 beyed. Then the baser passions, which are 
 continually striving for the mastery, gain ascen- 
 dency, and the nobler powers of the intellect are 
 crushed and trampled upon by their usurped and 
 degrading authority. 
 
 No wonder, then, that the lawyer who made 
 his briefs on the Sabbath, lost his case on Mon- 
 day. The harmony of his soul was destroyed ; 
 there was an insurrection within that little, but 
 wonderful world, the human heart, and it was 
 in vain that he strove to give the full strength of 
 a vigorous intellect to the subject before him, 
 when his powers suffered a mutiny, and half his 
 moral strength must be expended in vain effortg 
 to restore peace to the perturbed spirit. 
 
TnE BLESSING OF ONK SABBATH. 133 
 
 It is cheering to turn from the sad instances 
 of the vengeance of Heaven, upon those who 
 violate the holy day, to contemplate some cases, 
 where God, in mercy, has peculiarly honored his 
 own institution, making it the means of salvation 
 to those who had long disregarded its sacred 
 claims. 
 
 The following instance, from a member of the 
 Theological Seminary, Andover, will be read 
 with deep interest ; and oh 1 that it might prove 
 an encouragement to those who have hitherto 
 lived in the neglect of worship, on the holy 
 Sabbath, to turn their steps to the sanctuary, 
 where a blessing may await them also : 
 
 THE SABBATH-BREAKER REFORMED. 
 
 In a recent excursion, I became acquainted 
 with a young gentleman, who is a warm friend 
 to tracts and all eiforts to increase their circula- 
 tion. He was possessed of that disposition, I 
 hope, which would dispose him to regard all the 
 benevolent and christian eiforts of the day, with 
 pious approbation ; but the cause of tracts, 
 seemed to call forth his warmest feelings. The 
 reason of this, I soon learned. A few years since, 
 
134 THE BLESSING 
 
 he taught school in the town of H , New 
 
 York, and was the happy instrument of exciting 
 the religious attention of a man and his wife, by 
 reaching them a tract. They had treated him 
 with attention and kindness, and he esteemed 
 them as personally his friends ; they were re- 
 spectable in society, and carefully sought a 
 present and temporal interest, but were negligent 
 of a future and eternal one. They especially 
 showed how far a worldly mind was leading them 
 astray, by their treatment of the Sabbath. That 
 was the day with them, as with too many others, 
 to participate in the more respectable kinds of 
 amusement. Instead of attending worship with 
 the children of God, they used to ride oflf a few 
 miles, in good weather, to visit their relations. 
 This was a cause of pain to him, and he resolved 
 to make a feeble effort to show them their error, 
 and lead them to reform. On a Saturday morn- 
 ing, when othe.r engagements would allow him 
 to spend but a few moments with the family, he 
 called upon them, and having done some little 
 errand, as a pretext for calling, he proposed to 
 read to them a tract, from a collection of bound 
 volumes which he carried with him. He began 
 to read, doubting whether the man would attend, 
 
OF ONE SABBATH. 135 
 
 till he should close. The tract he had selected, 
 was "A Persuasive to Public Worship." He 
 was himself much interested, and read with 
 spirit, and soon found he had the close attention 
 of the man and his wife. As he closed the tract, 
 which near the end, entreats the reader or hearer, 
 to be with the people of God ,o.u the very next 
 Sabbath, he left the house. He was affected ; 
 he felt that he had performed a duty of expostu- 
 lation and reproof, which he could not have done 
 so satisfactorily by his own remarks, and he felt, 
 as every one should feel, who attempts to give 
 reproof, the need of divine assistance. He 
 walked but a few rods, and gave vent to his 
 burdened mind, by earnest prayer that a blessing 
 might attend his feeble effort. On the morrow, 
 he was agreeably surprised to see the man at 
 meeting; and soon, too, he learned that both 
 the man and his wife were earnestly inquiring 
 the way of reconciliation with an offended God. 
 The way was shown them as it is hoped, by the 
 Holy Spirit, and in one month from the time 
 when they first entered the house of prayer on 
 the Sabbath, they were joyfully hoping in Christ. 
 
136 THE BLESSING 
 
 SABBATH EVENING AT HOME. 
 
 A young man, in giving an account of his 
 conversion, says, " One Sabbath, after attending 
 divine service, and after the rest of the day spent 
 in awful transgression, I returned home in the 
 evening and joined the family, to whom my 
 sister was reading a tract aloud. Contrary to 
 my usual practice, I remained to hear it, and 
 with my sin fresh in my remembrance, I listened 
 with deep emotion to its awful truths. It was 
 entitled " The End of Time." The passages 
 which particularly struck me, were these : " The 
 end of time." When shall the sinner's heart 
 give up its last hope? None are completely 
 miserable before death ; indeed, the vilest men 
 are often the most merry ; but it will not be 
 always so. Their joy will be turned into heav- 
 iness. Imagine the Judge upon the throne, 
 calling you to answer these inquiries at his bar. 
 " How have you spent the many Sabbaths I have 
 afforded? Did you improve your time well?" 
 " Time shall end ! " How valuable then, while 
 it lasts, particularly to the unprepared ! Every 
 hour you have is a merciful respite. Go forth 
 
OF ONE SABBATH. 137 
 
 and meet your offended Sovereign ! Seek him 
 while he may be found ; call upon him while he 
 is near. Go in the name of Jesus ; plead his 
 righteousness, his blood, his death, his inter- 
 cession, and say, ' God be merciful to me a 
 sinner!'" 
 
 The young man read the tract, and prayed 
 over it. The Lord was pleased to open the eyes 
 of his understanding, and to begin a good work 
 in him. He is now a candidate for the ministry, 
 and a consistently pious character. 
 
 THE POOR FISH WOMAN. 
 
 FROM WHITECROSS' ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 The Rev. J. Patteson, of Edinburgh, having 
 occasion to preach on a Sabbath-day, in Dundee, 
 had, previously to his leaving home, laid aside 
 and ordered to be packed up, with some neces- 
 sary articles, a certain note-book, which con- 
 tained the sermon he wished to preach. On his 
 arrival in Dundee, however, which was not till 
 the Saturday evening, on examining the contents 
 
 of his valise, he found the note-book wanting, 
 1-2* 
 
1^ THE BLESSING 
 
 nor had any other been substituted in its place. 
 He was, therefore, late as it was, obliged to 
 make choice of a new subject, but so defective 
 was his preparation, that he feared he should not 
 only disgrace himself, but the christiarr ministry 
 likewise. But " Not by might, nor by power, 
 but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." It happened 
 on the afternoon of that very Sabbath, that a 
 poor fish-woman, notorious for clamor and pro- 
 fanity, blundered into the meeting, and such was 
 the subduing effect of the sermon, upon her soul, 
 as immediately to produce the most marked 
 change in her spirit and conduct. On Monday, 
 she attended, with her fish-basket, at market as 
 usual ; but oh, how changed ! Instead of her 
 former noise and profanity, she was quiet and 
 calm as a lamb ; instead of asking from her 
 customers, double or triple the value of her fish, 
 she spoke to them with discretion, and told them 
 the lowest price at once. Surprised at this new 
 behaviour of the woman, some who were present, 
 judging she might be indisposed, began to 
 inquire for her health. One of them, in partic- 
 ular, said to her, " Dear Margaret, what is the 
 matter with you ? you are not at all as you used 
 to be." • " No," replied Margaret, " and I hope 
 
OF ONE SABBATH. 139 
 
 i never shall be. It pleased God, to lead me, 
 yesterday, to Mr. M'Ewen's meeting-house, 
 where I heard words I will never forget, and 
 found something come over me, the like of 
 which I never knew before." The woman lived 
 to give the most satisfactory evidence of the 
 soundness of her conversion, by a walk and 
 conversation becoming the Gospel. 
 
 THE UNKNOWN. 
 
 FROM THE LIFE OF KILPIN. 
 
 A lady in high life, introduced herself to his 
 study with the apology that she thought it her 
 duty to inform him that, some years before, she 
 was passing the street as a stranger, on the Sab- 
 bath, when, seeing many persons enter a passage, 
 she followed them, and found herself within his 
 chapel. Every object was new ; but she listened, 
 and was interested in the sermon. Immediately 
 after, she left England, and with some young 
 friends, became the inmate of a convent of 
 France, to finish her education. While there, 
 every argument was employed to convert them 
 
140 THE BLESSING 
 
 to the Roman, Catholic religion. Her English 
 associates were overcome by these persuasions. 
 " Your discouse, sir," said she, ''which I could 
 never get from my mind, has been my preserva- 
 tion from that period to the present, though I 
 have been beset with every snare from family 
 connections," &c. Mr. Kilpin recommended 
 suitable books to her attention, and devoutly 
 committed her to the God of heaven, while she 
 knelt by him, bathed in tears. Her name or 
 residence he knew not, but we may hope that in 
 glory she will be among those who will bless the 
 Lord, that, while here on earth, he gave them 
 his Sabbaths. 
 
 THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE. 
 
 FROM THE EPISCOPAL RECORDER. 
 
 The particulars of the following very striking 
 incident, were lately told us by a friend, as a 
 fact falling within the range of his personal 
 knowledge ; and having the 'most perfect confi- 
 dence in his veracity, we scruple not to give it 
 as such to our readers. 
 
OF ONE SABBATH. 141 
 
 In a seaport town on the west coast of England, 
 some years ago, there was notice given of a ser- 
 mon to be preached, on Sunday evening, in a dis- 
 senting chapel there. The preacher was a man of 
 great celebrity in his calling ; and that circum- 
 stance, together with the pious object of his dis- 
 course, to enforce the duty of a strict observance 
 of the Sabbath, attracted an overflowing audience. 
 
 After the usual prefatory prayer and hymn of 
 praise, the preacher gave out the text, and was 
 about to proceed, when he suddenly paused, 
 leaned his hand on the pulpit, and remained 
 silent for a few moments. It was imagined that 
 he had become indisposed, but he soon recover- 
 ed himself, and, addressing the congregation, 
 said, that before entering on his discourse, he 
 begged to narrate to them a short anecdote. 
 
 "It is now exactly fifteen years," said he, 
 since I was last within this place of worship ; 
 and the occasion was, as many here may remem- 
 ber, the very same which has now brought us 
 together. Among those that came hither that 
 evening, were three young men, who came not 
 only with the intention of insulting and mock- 
 ing the venerable pastor, but even with stones 
 in their pockets to throw at him, as he stood in 
 
143 THE BLESSING 
 
 the pulpit. Accordingly, they had not listened 
 long to the discourse, when one of them said, 
 impatiently, 'Why need we listen any longer to 
 the blockhead ? throw !' But the second stopped 
 him, saying, 'Let me first see what he makes of 
 this point.'* The curiosity of the latter was no 
 sooner satisfied, than he cried, 'Aye 1' confound 
 him, it is only as I expected ; throw now 1' 
 But here the third interposed, and said it would 
 be better altogether to give up the design which 
 brought them there. At this remark, his two 
 associates took offence, and left the church, 
 while he himself remained till the end. 
 
 "Now mark, my brethren," continued the 
 preacher, with much emotion, " what was after- 
 wards the fate of these young men. The first 
 was hanged at Tyburn, for the crime of forgery ; 
 the second is now lying under sentence of death 
 for murder, in the jail in this city. The third, 
 my brethren " — and the speaker's agitation be- 
 came excessive, while he paused and wiped the 
 large drops from his brow — " The. third, my 
 brethren, is he who is about to address you ! lis- 
 ten to him." 
 
OF ONi: SABRATH. 143 
 
 HOPE, AND TRY AGAIN. 
 
 The following facts, communicated by Rev. 
 Br. Matheson of England, to the New York 
 Evangelist, furnish encouragement for effort in 
 cases apparently hopeless. A poor man, who 
 was a slave to strong drink, came home one 
 Sabbath evening intoxicated and found his child 
 dead. Notwithstanding his degraded condition, 
 he was not wholly lost to the feelings of nature, 
 and the event deeply affected him. After some 
 time his wife persuaded him to go and order a 
 coffin. On his way, passing a place of worship, 
 he was attracted by the music, and thought he 
 would just go in and hear the singing, promising 
 to himself that he would stay no longer, lest he 
 should hear something which would make him 
 feel worse. But after the singing, he thought 
 he would hear the text. This was," Prepare to 
 meet thy God." He was alarmed at the very 
 sound and left the house. As he was turning 
 the street, a young man handed him a small pa- 
 per, saying it was very short, it would not 
 take him long to read it, and it might do 
 him good. But what was his astonishment, 
 
144 THE BLESSING. 
 
 to find at the head of the paper, the very same 
 words which had just created so much alarm, 
 *Trepare to meet thy God ? " This very much 
 increased the impression on his mind, and that 
 night he began to pray. For some time, he was 
 on the bordersjof despair, till, at length, he call- 
 ed on one of the secretaries of the society that 
 published the tract, and received such directions, 
 as, by the blessing of God, led him to the Savior, 
 and he is now an humble follower of Jesus, and 
 a consistent member of the church.