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<p> </p> <p><span><em>Newburyport Herald,</em> Thursday, March 28, 1839: </span></p> <p><span>It is exceedingly grating to our feelings to behold an increasing practice, which, we fear, will make this day a farce and a mockery, - the practice of so many youth spending the very time of public worship in games – to say the least – only suitable to the gayest festival. It this right? Is it decent? Is it calculated to preserve the spirit of New England institutions? We would not claim for this day the sanctity of the Sabbath; and we wish to force upon the young no needless austerities; but we must be permitted to say, when we see boys</span><em> six feet high and thirty years old,</em><span> desecrating the very hours of public worship to ‘bat and ball,’ or some other idle game, we feel pained that </span><em>principle</em><span> has fallen so low that even </span><em>decorum</em><span> is not preserved. We would respectfully suggest to all our youth, who are old enough to lay aside childish things, whether they do not owe it to themselves, to the memory of their fathers, to the institutions of their country. (to say nothing of their duties to god), to spend at least the hours of worship in the walls of the sanctuary. Every man has sins this day to lament and blessings to implore: let him repair to the house of god to swell the general prayer, which, through his mercy, must save the nations. Let it be such a fast, as the Father of Mercies has chosen.</span></p>
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