In 1659 Sam Clarke, for
"Hankering about on men's gates on Sabbath evening to draw company out
to him," was reproved and warned not to "harden his neck" and be "wholly
destrojed." Poor stiff-necked, lonely, "hankering" Sam! to be so harshly
reproved for his harmlessly sociable intents. Perhaps he "hankered" after
the Puritan maids, and if so, deserved his reproof and the threat of
annihilation.
Sabbath-breaking by visiting abounded in staid Worcester town to a most
base extent, but was severely punished, as local records show. In Belfast,
Maine, in 1776, a meeting was held to get the "Towns Mind" with regard to
a plan to restrain visiting on the Sabbath. The time had passed when such
offences could be punished either by fine or imprisonment, so it was voted
"that if any person makes unnecessary Vizits on the Sabeth, They shall be
Look't on with Contempt." This was the universal expression throughout the
Puritan colonies; and looked on with contempt are Sabbath-breakers and
Sabbath-slighters in New England to the present day. Even if they committed
no active offence, the colonists could not passively neglect the Church
and its duties. As late as 1774 the First Church of Roxbury fined
non-attendance at public worship. In 1651 Thomas Scott "was fyned ten
shillings unless he have learned Mr. Norton's 'Chatacise' by the next
court" In 1760 the legislature of Massachusetts passed the law that "any
person able of Body who shall absent themselves from publick worship of God
on the Lord's Day shall pay ten shillings fine.
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