A CIRCULAR LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE CLERGY IN READING, MARCH, 1794. Sir, ALTHOUGH learning and science are sufficiently encouraged in Pennsylvania, yet the government has never made the improvement of the heart, and the morals of youth, a particular object of attention. Like other governments, they have left to parents, and to the public teachers of our holy religion, the duty of instructing the rising generation, in the first principles of Christianity, and moral rectitude. Our laws therefore do not interfere in the business of education, any further, than by prohibiting a variety of overt acts, which are also forbidden by religion, and are, at the same time, of evil example, and immoral tendency. And these, like other legislative prohibitions, extend to the old, as well as to the young. Thus our law, which forbids swearing in common conversation, includes both old and young. The same law, which says, Thou shalt not drink or tipple in taverns on the Sabbath day, extends equally to all persons. In the same manner, our law, when it says, Thou shalt not make use of, or practise any game, sport, or diversion on the Sabbath, comprehends persons of all descriptions, the old, the middle aged, and the young. It is in this way, our laws have protected the general interests of religion and morality, without explicitly specifying any age, rank, or class in society. It is universally acknowledged, that the most permanent impressions are made upon the mind, in the early periods of life. The habits that are then acquired, are seldom or ever changed, and generally constitute the character of the man. What can be expected, where children are suffered to grow up, in the daily violation of the laws of both GOD and man, unadvised and unrestrained by their parents and masters, but a continuance in the same vicious course, after they have attained to maturity! The wise man tells us, "train up a child in the way he should walk, and when old, he will not depart from it." The truth is, the heart is a rank soil, producing spontaneously, and with strong luxuriance, noxious weeds of every kind; hence the difficulty that attends this species of moral husbandry; for the finest shoots will quickly be choaked by vicious inclinations, and the influence of bad example, unless cultivated by the unceasing hand of care and industry. These and other reflections on the subject, have induced us to address you at this time, and to suggest the idea of using our joint endeavours-you as a minister of the gospel, and we as Christian magistrates-to check such open irregularities of the youth in this town, as are transgressions both of the laws of God and man. We, therefore, Sir, now call upon you, to co-operate with us in our efforts, to restrain the young people in Reading, from the breach of the Sabbath. It is with con1cern we mention, that our streets exhibit on that day, crouds of boys engaged at marbles, pitch-penny, and other sports and plays, N while our ears are frequently wounded, with dreadful oaths and curses. It is surely a very singular fact, that children who can scarcely otherwise utter a syallable in English, are yet perfectly skilled in all the variety of impious and blasphemous expressions which that language can afford. In our sincere apprehension, there is not so much tumult and uproar so much gross profanity, and indecent violation of the Sabbath, exhibited in all the streets of Philadelphia, as in the small borough of Reading; a circumstance that reflects equal discredit upon the police of our town, and the religious character of its inhabitants. We have determined therefore, that we will no longer remain indifferent. spectators of such conduct; and have come to a resolution, to go as far as the laws will support us, in putting a stop to it. For this. purpose, we shall order the constables to patrole the streets on Sundays (to begin on Sunday the 30th day of this month) with authority to apprehend all persons, that may be found guilty in the premises, that they may be dealt with as the law requires. We do assure you, Sir, we wish not to give offence to any body. Nor is it our desire to see any person punished, much less the young. It is far more agreeable to us, to prevent the commission of crimes, than to punish them. You will therefore observe, we have fixed upon so distant a day, as Sunday the 30th of the month, for the execution of the law, in hopes that your notifying your congregation of it (which we request you will do) joined to your pious exhortations to parents and masters, to restrain their children and apprentices, may be the means of producing the intended reformation, without obliging us to have recourse to the harsher correction of the law. If we sustained no other relation to society, than merely that of public magistrates, yet we should rejoice to see the doctrines and principles of Christianity universally prevail'; because we are persuaded, they are the only solid ground of all morality, and consequently of good government. Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people, and leads not less certainly to national ruin. and destruction, than to individual misery, both here and hereafter. We are, |