Author: New York Sabbath Committee; Beekman, James W. (Recording Secretary); White, Norman (Chairman).
Title: New York Sabbath Committee Documents. Complete Set of the First 12 Documents of the Committee.
Description: New York: Edward G. Jenkins, 1858-1860. 1858-1860. - Octavo, 8 inches high by 5-1/4 inches wide. Hardcover, bound in floral decorated brown cloth, titled in gilt on the spine. The spine is heavily chipped and the cloth is splitting along sections of the rear joint. 280 pages in all, consisting of pages [1]-16, [1]-16, [1]-16, [1]-8, [1]-16, [1]-24, [1]-16, [1]-40, [1]-24, [1]-24, [1]-16, [1]-24, [1]-32, [1]-4 & [1]-4. The rear hinge has been reinforced with archival document tape. There is dampstaining to the bottom front corner of the pages and a few pages age toned or darkened. There is a short tear to page 7 of document 5 as well as to the front edge of the last page of the book. Good.

"In the mid-1800s, some citizens of New York became alarmed at the neglect of the 'Sabbath Day' believing that with the increased number of immigrants to the city, it was being outstripped in its capacity to meet the needs of a moral and religious culture. They believed that the government and its laws were also not working towards the continued reverence of the Sabbath. The first meeting of the New York Sabbath Committee took place on April 1, 1857. The group consisted of about twenty members, including a number of leading Christians connected with eight denominations. The group did not have plans to undertake extreme measures in society; their primary goal was to remind the citizens of the importance of the Sabbath Day. They would do this via the pulpit, the press, and personal influence." - [Quoted from an article published by Columbia University Libraries].

The contents of the volume are as follows:

A) THE SABBATH IN NEW YORK. 1. History of Sabbath Observance; 2. Existing Desecration; 3. Causes of Declension.

B) RAILROADS AND THE SABBATH. 1. Statistics on Sunday Traffic on Railroads & Canals; 2. The Moral Influence of Railroads; 3. Economical Motives for Sabbath Observance; 4. Religious and Civil Relations of the Sabbath.

C) NEWS-CRYING AND THE SABBATH. 1. Memorial of Citizens. 2. Action of the Municipal Authorities. 3. The Daily Press on the Memorial and its Results. 4. The Religious Press on the Memorial. 5. The Sunday Press on the memorial.

D) THE SABBATH IN EUROPE: The Holy Day of Freedom - The Holiday of Despotism.

E) THE SUNDAY LIQUOR TRAFFIC: 1. Extent and Accessories. 2. Illegality. 3. Wastefulness. 4. Engenders Pauperism. 5. Causes Crime. 6. Promotes Lawlessness. 7. Tends to Irreligion. 8. Remedies Suggested.

F) A YEAR FOR THE SABBATH. The First Annual Report of the New-York Sabbath Committee.

G) MEMORIAL MEMORANDA. 1. Memorial as to the Sunday Liquor Traffic. 2. Basis of Memorial - Presentment of Grand Juries. 3. Laws and Ordinances respecting the Traffic. 4. Comments of the Daily Press on the Memorial. 5. The Germans and the Memorial. 6. Public Drinking Fountains.

H) PETITION WIDER DEN SONNTAGSHANDEL MIT BERAUSCHENDEN GETRANKEN: NEBST BEILAGEN. 1. Vorwort. 2. Die Petition. 3. Grundlage der Petition. Ausspruche der Grand-Jury. 4. Gesetze und Verordnungen in Betreff des Sonntagshandels mit berauschenden Getranken. 5. Auszuge aus den New-Yorker Zeitlungen.

I) DIE DEUTSCHE VERSAMMLUNG ZUR FORDERUNG DER CHRISTLICHEN SONNTAGSFEIER: gehalten im Cooper Institut zu New-York, am Sonntag Abend, den 16. Oktober 1859: mit den Reden von Past. Guldin, Dr. Adams, Prof. Dr. Schaff, Prof Hitchcock, Dr. Spring, und den Beschlussen der Versammlung.

J) THE BRODERICK SUNDAY PAGEANT.

K) SUNDAY THEATRES, "SACRED CONCERTS" AND BEER-GARDENS. 1. Diminution of Crime by Suppression of Sunday Liquor Traffic - Statistics of Police Department. 2. Extent and Character of Sunday Theatricals. 3. Sunday Lager-Beer Trade. 4. "Sacred Concerts" Unmasked. 5. The Lager-Beer System in other Cities. 6. The "National Custom" Plea Examined. 7. American Customs Vindicated. 8. Effects of Holiday Sunday Illustrated - Mexico. 9. Constitutionality and Adequacy of Sunday Laws. 10. German Sentiment on the Sunday Question.

L) PROGRESS OF THE SABBATH REFORM. 1. Suppression of the Sunday Liquor Traffic - History and Results. 2. Sunday News-Crying Abolished. 3. The Broderic [sic] Sunday-Pageant - Protest. 4. Sabbath Sentiment and Labors among the Germans - Volk's Garden and Cooper Institute Meetings. 5. German Theatres, Sacred Concerts and Beer-Gardens. 6. Co-operation of the Periodical Press. 7. Opposition of the Sunday Press. Constitutionality of Sunday Laws. Morality of the Sabbath. 8. Progress in other cities, and in Europe. 9. Conclusion - Narrow Issues - Quiet Methods - Opposition Unmasked - Manly Action Invoked. 10. Great Public Meeting - Proceedings and Addresses

Sabbath Leaflets, No. 1: THE SABBATH AND GERMAN BEER-GARDENS.

A concluding 4-page pamphlet is titled "Sunday Vice and Crime". Good .

Keywords: AMERICANA; RELIGION; NEW YORK SABBATH COMMITTEE DOCUMENTS; BLUE LAWS; NORMAN WHITE; JAMES W. BEEKMAN; THE SABBATH IN NEW YORK; RAILROADS AND THE SABBATH; NEWS-CRYING AND THE SABBATH; THE SABBATH IN EUROPE; THE SUNDAY LIQUOR TRAFFIC; PETITION WIDER DEN SON

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