Volume III Part 2 (1/2)
Correspondence of the Salem Gazette.
BOSTON, Aug. 5.
About 1804 your Selectmen ordered that after a given date no barber's shop should be kept open on Sunday morning. There was no appeal from their mandate. The fatal last Sunday arrived; the customers of the esteemed Benj. Blanchard, whose shop was at the upper part of Ess.e.x street, opposite the Endicott and Cabot mansions, came as usual to have their hair tied; it was the epoch of queues, and it was necessary to their aspect in church that their back hair should be artistically bound with ribbon and their heads nicely pomatumed, even though, like Bonaparte, they shaved their own beards. This last Sunday it was observable that each gentleman, in his turn, after being barbered, instead of hurrying off as usual, resumed his seat. As the second bell began to ring, the last customer was accomplished, and the whole company rose from their chairs, filed out into Ess.e.x street, formed a line in front of Mr. Blanchard's shop, and gave three rousing cheers; then, like Burns's ”Twa Dogs, each took off his several way,” some to Dr. Barnard's North Church, some to Dr.
Hopkins's, Dr. Bolles's, or Dr. Prince's First Church.
_Salem Gazette_, August, 1885.
The Middles.e.x Sabbath a.s.sociation meet in November, 1815, but find nothing to do. No Sabbath-breakers reported, probably.
SABBATH a.s.sOCIATION.
WHEREAS the a.s.sociation in the county of Middles.e.x, for aiding in carrying into effect the Laws of this Commonwealth against the violation of the Sabbath, met at Concord in November last,--and finding nothing which required further proceedings at that time, thought fit to adjourn. This is to give notice, that the meeting of said a.s.sociation stands adjourned, to meet at Concord, at the former place of meeting, in Hamilton's Hotel, on the first WEDNESDAY in February next, at ten o'clock A.M.
A general attendance is requested.
CHARLES STEARNS, _Per Order_.
_Lincoln, January_ 11, 1816.
_Columbian Centinel_.
The following notice from the ”Columbian Centinel” shows that rapid driving on the Lord's Day was forbidden in Boston as lately as 1817:--
POLICE OFFICE.
_Boston, July_ 12, 1817.
COMPLAINTS having been made at this office of dangers and disturbances arising from the rapidity with which carriages are driven on the Lord's Day, special persons have been selected to take notice of this indecorous conduct, that the law on the subject may be rigidly enforced. It is forbidden to drive, during Divine Service, or while the inhabitants are going to or returning from their several houses of public wors.h.i.+p, any carriage at a greater rate than a walk or moderate foot pace; and masters and mistresses are responsible, if the servants are unable to pay the penalty incurred by them in this offence.
NEH. FREEMAN, _Superintendent._
Making hay on Sunday is here condemned in some very choice lines.
--> There is much more PIETY than POETRY in the following stanzas:--And though the employment condemned, cannot occur for a season at least, the MORAL inculcated we trust, will have a tendency to prevent other breaches of Holy Time.
_THE PIOUS FARMER._
SHOULD it rain all the week and the Sundays prove fine, Though others make hay, yet I'll not work at mine; For, I don't think, for my part, such sun-s.h.i.+ne was given, Us mortals to lure from the path-way to heaven.
Some to work on the Sabbath will make a pretence, That taxes are high, and they can't pay their rents; But my rents and my taxes I'll still hope to pay, Though on sun-s.h.i.+ny Sundays I do not make hay.
For this shall my heart never call me a sinner, While I still hope in G.o.d I shall ne'er want my dinner; To lay up a store, I'd try every fair way, But on Sundays, though sun s.h.i.+nes, I will not make hay.