generations, religiously improving sa- Convention, and we do earnestly recred time in attending the means of quest those, who have hitherto delaygrace, storing the mind with christian ||ed, immediately to engage with us in knowledge, imbibing in their hearts the prosecuting the great object. principles and motives of the Gospel, and ripening for that Sabbath of Rest, which remains for the people of God, shall devoutly bless their memory. 4. That we recommend to Committees in the several towns, to hold frequent meetings, together with the Tithingmen, that, by mutual consultation, they may impart the information, prudence, and zeal of individuals, to the whole. 3. That we respectfully recommend to the friends of the sabbath, in other parts of this commonwealth, to form Conventions in each county, or in such We would express the most thank-other Districts as circumstances may ful approbation of the public spirit of render convenient, and to adopt measthe Committees in the several towns, ures for a general cooperation; and who have made extraordinary sacrifi- that we particularly request a corresces of time on the Lord's Day to assist pondence with all such Conventions. the Tithingmen, and of those Tithingmen, who have attended to the duties imposed by their oath of office. If these exertions be a little longer continued, and extensively spread, according to the spirit of this report, and of the resolutions that will be subjoined, the evil will be so far controlled, that 5. That we recommend to Tithingordinary vigilance will be sufficient. men and Committees, (reasonable pubIn order to keep the public mind fix-lic notice having been given,) to prosed on this great object, and to dissem-ecute, without distinction, and without inate useful information, the Commit- delay, all whom they may find traveltee have undertaken to prepare for ling, or laboriug on the Sabbath withpublication a pamphlet, containing the out sufficient reason, and particularly Laws of this Commonwealth and the to take measures to pursue and bring Report of the Legislature on the Sab- to justice, such as may refuse to give bath-minute directions to Tithing-account of themselves, when properly men, and others engaged in suppress-requested. ing violations of this day, how to pro6. That the Committees in the sevceed--some account of the proceed-al towns be requested to devise and ings of this Convention, and such in- adopt suitable measures to insure information, as can be procured, of sim-demnification to those, who may incur ilar exertions in other parts of our extraordinary expense in a prudent country. This proposal and the pre-and vigorous prosecution of offenders. ceding report, together with the subjoined Resolutions, are respectfully submitted. E. RIPLEY Chairman. Oct. 26, 1814. RESOLUTIONS. RESOLVED, 1. That the thanks of this Convention be expressed to those Committees, and Tithingmen, and other persons, who have exerted themselves to restrain violations of the Sabbath. That we again call the attention of the friends of the Sabbath, and particularly of Committees, to the impor tance of procuring the appointment of a sufficient number of discrect, judicious, benevolent, and firm Tithingmen; and that it be earnestly requested, that no person who is qualified for this office, decline it. The foregoing Report and Resolutions were then unanimously adopted, The Central Committee were then 2. That considering the high impor- directed to prepare, and publish the tance of co-operation, we are particu-pamphlet mentioned in their Report. larly anxious to see all the towns in this County entering with spirit and resolution into the measures of this Samuel Hoar Esq. of Concord, Dr. Rufus Wyman, of Chelmsford, Benjamin Rice Esq. of Marlborough, anđ Jeremiah Evarts Esq. of Charlestown, were then added to the Central Committee. The Convention was then adjourned to meet again at Concord, on the last Wednesday of January, 1815, at 10 o'clock, A. M. LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. An ACT providing for the due Observation of the Lord's Day, and repealing the several Laws heretofore made for that Purpose. SECT. 2. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no trayeller, drover, waggoner, teamster, or any of their servants, shall travel on the Lord's Day, or any part thereof (except from necessity or charity) upon the penalty of a sum not exceeding Twenty Shillings, nor less than Ten Shillings. SECT. 3. Be it further enacted, That no vintner, retailer of strong liquors, innholder or other person keeping a house of public entertainment, shall en. tertain or suffer any of the inhabitants of the respective towns where they dwell or others, not being travellers, strangers, or lodgers in such houses, to abide and remain in their houses, WHEREAS the observance of the Lord's Day is highly promotive of the welfare of a community, by affording necessary seasons for relaxation from labour and the cares of business; for moral reflections and conversation on the duties of life, and the frequent er-yards, orchards or fields, drinking or rors of human conduct; for public and private worship of the Maker, Governor and Judge of the world and for those acts of charity which support and adorn a christian society: And whereas some thoughtless and irreligious persons, inattentive to the duties and benefits of the Lord's Day, profane the same, by unnecessarily pursuing their worldly business and recreations on that day, to their own great damage, as members of a christian society: to the great disturbance of well-dispos-upon any conviction after the first, ed persons, and to the great damage of the community, by producing dissipation of manners and immoralities of life: spending their time, either idly or at play, or doing any secular business on the Lord's Day, or any part thereof, on penalty of Ten Shillings, payable by such vintner, retailer or innholder or person keeping such house of entertainment, for each person so entertained or suffered; and every person so drinking or aiding (except as aforesaid) shall pay a fine not exceeding Ten Shillings, nor less than Five Shillings; and every such licensed person, shall pay a fine of Twenty Shillings, and having been three times convicted, shall be debarred from renewing his license forever after. SECT. 1. Be it therefore enacted by And although it is the sense of this the Senate and House of Representa- Court, that the time commanded in tives, in General Court assembled, and the sacred scriptures to be observed as by the authority of the same, That no holy time, includes a natural day, or. person or persons whatsoever shall twenty-four hours; yet whereas there keep open his, her or their shop, ware- is a difference of opinion concerning house, or work-house, nor shall, upon the beginning and ending of the Lord's land or water, do any manner of labor, Day, among the good people of this business or work, (works of necessity Commonwealth, and this Court being and charity only excepted) nor be pre- unwilling to lay any restrictions which sent at any concert of musick, dancing|| may seem unnecessary or unreasonaor any public diversion, show or enter-ble to persons of sobriety and containment, nor use any sport, game, science : play or recreation, on the Lord's Day, SECT. 4. Be il therefore enacted by the or any part thereof, upon penalty of authority aforesaid, 'That all the foregosum not exceeding Twenty Shillings,ing regulations, respecting the due obnor less than Ten Shillings, for every servation of the Lord's Day, shall be offence. construed to extend to the time inclu a SECT. 9. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person shall serve or execute any civil pro-, cess, from midnight preceding to inidnight following the Lord's Day; but the service thereof shall be void, and the person serving the same shall be as liable to answer damages to the party aggrieved, as if he had done the same, without any such civil process. ded between the midnight preceding || that you will diligently attend to and SECT. 6. Be it therefore enacted, That any person, being able of body And every such Tithingman is hereand not otherwise necessarily prevent- by authorized and empowered to enter ed, who shall for the space of three into any of the rooms and other parts months together, absent him or herself, of an inn, or public house of entertainfrom the public worship of God, on the ment, on the Lord's Day, and the eveLord's Day (provided there be anyaing preceding and succeeding; and if place of worship at which he or she can such entrance shall be refused to any conscientiously and conveniently at-Tithingman, the lanlord or licensed tend) shall pay a fine of Ten Shillings. SECT. 7. Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person shall on the Lord's Day, within the walls of any house of public worship, behave rudely or indecently, he or she shall pay a fine not more than Forty Shillings nor less than Five Shillings. person, shall forfeit the sum of Forty Shillings for each and every offence. And the said Tithingmen are hereby further authorised and empowered, within their respective towns, to examine all persons whom they shall have good cause, from the circumstances thereof, to suspect of unnecessarily travelling as aforesaid, on the Lord's Day, and to demand of all such persons the cause thereof, together with their names and places of abode; and SECT. 8. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons, either on the Lord's Day, or at any other time, shall wilfully interrupt or disturb any assembly of peo-if any person shall refuse to give anple met for the public worship of God, within the place of their assembling, or out of it, he or they shall severally pay a fine not exceeding Ten Pounds or less than Twenty Shillings. swer, or shall give a false answer to such demand, he shall pay a fine not exceeding Fire Pounds nor less than Twenty Shillings; and if the reason given for such travelling shall not be satisfactory to such Tithingman, ke shall enter a complaint against the some SECT. 11. And be it further enacted, That the oath of any Tithingman shall be deemed full and sufficient evidence in any trial for any offence against this Act, unless, in the judgment of the Court of Justice, the same shall be invalidated by other evidence that may be produced. SECT. 12. And be it further enacted, That the special authority given by this Act to Tithingmen, for preventing the breaches thereof, shall not be construed or understood to exempt any Sheriff, Grand Jurors, Constables or other officers or persons whatsoever, from any obligation or duty to cause this act to be put in execution, but they shall be held to take due notice and prosecute all breaches thereof, such special authority notwithstanding. || Lord's Day, be and hereby are re- WHEREAS in the first, second, and SECT. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the penalties aforesaid be, and the same hereby are increased as follows, to wit: The penalties annexed to the offences described in the said first and second enact ing clauses, shall be not more than Six Dollars and Sixty-Six Cents, nor less than Four Dollars, for each of fence. And the penalties of Ten Shillings, annexed to the offences first SECT. 13. And be it further enacted, mentioned in said third enacting clause, That all the penalties and fines incurred shall be increased to Three Dollars and and paid for any of the offences afore-Thirty-Three Cents; and the said fine said, shall be for the use of the com- in the same clause, not exceeding Ten monwealth: And that all said offences, Shillings, nor less than Five, shall be the penalties against which exceed for- not less than Two Dollars, nor more ty shillings, shall be prosecuted by prethan Four, for each offence: and the sentment of the Grand-Jury, before the said fine of Twenty Shillings, last menCourt of General Sessions of the Peace tioned in the same clause, shall be Six in the county where the offence may Dollars and Sixty-Six Cents, for each be committed: But all offences, the offence; and the said fines of Ten Shilpenalty whereof does not exceed Forty lings, twice mentioned in the said fifth Shillings, (except the offender lives out enacting clause, shall be, for each ofof the county in which the offence fence in each case, Three Dollars and be committed) shall be prosecuted by Thirty Three Cents. Complaint before a justice of the peace SECT. 2. Be it further enacted, That in such county: But when the offender the fines and penalties aforesaid, shall lives out of such county, he may be be,-one moiety thereof to the town prosecuted by presentment as afore-wherein the offence shall be commitsaid, although the penalty does not ex-ted,and the other moiety thereof to any ceed Forty Shillings. may SECT. 14. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all laws heretofore made, so far as they relate to the due observation of the person of persons who shall inform and sue for the same; to be recovered by a complaint to a Justice of the Peace, with costs of suit, or the said fines may be recovered by pre |