A BRIEF HISTORY OF LAWS, PETITIONS, REMONSTRANCES AND REPORTS, WITH FACTS AND ARGUMENTS, RELATING TO THE CHRISTIAN SAВВАТН. BY HARMON KINGSBURY. "If thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall "The profanation of the Sabbath is an offence against God and_Religion."- NEW YORK: ROBERT CARTER, No. 58 CANAL STREET. Andover The net avails of this work are devoted to the cause of the Sabbath. The Gift Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1840, by in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York. 754 S. W. BENEDICT, PRINTER, 128 FULTON STREET. 33 PREFACE. THE following pages contain a brief history of laws, petitions, remonstrances, and reports, and some of the published articles of the author, relating to the desecration and sanctification of the CHRISTIAN SABBATH. The occasions on which his own essays appeared were vari ous. Sometimes the object was to meet particular objections, urged by others; sometimes to awaken the church to her responsibilities in this matter; sometimes to warn of danger; at others to record a fact, to recommend a plan, or to awaken sympathy in the great cause. As the articles were not written for a book, but for particular emergencies, they will be found often more practical than argumentative. The great design was to unfold the means of restoring the Sabbath to its pristine purity, and to incite to vigorous efforts to accomplish speedily this very desirable object-to excite the friends of Sabbath reform to correct, systematic, cordial, united, and persevering action; and, as far as possible, by presenting facts and arguments, to harmonize their views in regard to the time and manner of observing the day of Rest. When the reader remembers that the matter was prepared on different occasions, at different times, and in different places, he will not be surprised to find the same shade of thought occurring more than once. Modern infidels, in this country and in Europe, have exhausted their resources in fruitless attempts to prove that the Sabbath was not made for man for all mankind. It is not chiefly for this class, however, that this book is published, but for those who may be misled by their influence and their sophistry, who yet are willing to learn and to do their duty. Had Newton, or Bacon, penetrated the lonely cell of Caspar Hauser, and labored to convince him that he had seen the bright luminary of day, the arguments would have been unavailing, as long as the wretched inmate of the prison had neither the inclination to hear, nor the knowledge necessary to understand and believe. So it is with infidels on this subject. Their eyes are closed against the light, their ears deaf to argument, and their consciences callous to conviction. They hear to scoff, read to reject, talk to differ, cavil to confound, and ward off to disbelieve. With such, is it not best and sufficient to take the law of the Sabbath, recorded in Ex. xx., and call on them to obey, considering it settled that this merciful and moral institution was established in Eden, and is necessary for all men, in every age of the world, and obligatory on them? The divine authority of the Scriptures is before them, urged by all the motives of self-interest, humanity, patriotism and gratitude; and if they continue to reject, they do it at their peril. The opinions of others have often been introduced, in order to increase the weight and influence of the work: and although the subject is prolonged, it is presumed to be sufficiently diversified to secure the attention of those who care for the Sabbath. That the Lord of the Sabbath may, by this humble effort, greatly promote the observance of His day, is the sincere prayer of the Cleveland, Ohio, 1840. AUTHOR. CONTENTS Petitions and Remonstrances against Sunday Mails, ac- companied with Committees' Reports, &c., Citizens of Philadelphia and New- |