1839.7
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MA :Paper Sees Desecration in Older "Bat and Ball" Players
| Salience | Noteworthy |
|---|---|
| Tags | Holidays, Newspaper CoverageHolidays, Newspaper Coverage |
| Location | |
| City/State/Country: | Newburyport, MA, United States |
| Modern Address | |
| Game | "bat and ball""bat and ball" |
| Immediacy of Report | Contemporary |
| Age of Players | Youth, AdultYouth, Adult |
| Holiday | |
| Notables | |
| Text | . . . we must be permitted to say, when we see boys six feet high and thirty years old, desecrating the very hours of public worship to ‘bat and ball,’ or some other idle game, we feel pained that principle has fallen so low that even decorum is not preserved. For fuller text, see Supplemental Text, below |
| Sources | Newburyport Herald, Thursday, March 28, 1839 |
| Warning | |
| Comment | The text does not mention Fast Day explicitly. Newburyport MA (1840 population about 7000) is near the northeastern corner of the state, and 35 miles NE of Boston. As of 2020, this is the 6th pre-1840 reference to Newburyport in Protoball. Edit with form to add a comment |
| Query | Edit with form to add a query |
| Source Image | [[Image:|left|thumb]] |
| External Number | |
| Submitted by | Joanne Hulbert |
| Submission Note | Email of 4/22/2020 |
| Has Supplemental Text | Yes |
1839.7 MA :Paper Sees Desecration in Older "Bat and Ball" Players"
Comments
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Supplemental Text
Newburyport Herald, Thursday, March 28, 1839:
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 six feet high and thirty years old, desecrating the very hours of public worship to ‘bat and ball,’ or some other idle game, we feel pained that principle has fallen so low that even decorum 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.