It was on a Lord’s day in _August_ 1757, that in a small company, who were met for prayer and religious conversation, mention was made of the gross and open profanation of that sacred day, by persons buying and selling, keeping open shop, tippling in ale-houses, and standing or sitting in the streets, roads or fields, vending their wares as on common days: especially in _Moorfields_, which was then full of them every Sunday, from one end to the other. It was considered, what method could be taken, to redress these grievances? And it was agreed, that six of them should in the morning wait upon Sir _John Fielding_ for instruction. They did so. He approved of the design, and directed them how to carry it into execution.
2. They first delivered petitions to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and the court of Aldermen, to the Justices sitting at _Hick’s-Hall_, and those in _Westminster-Hall_. And they received from all these honourable benches much encouragement to proceed.
3. It was next judged proper, to signify their design to many persons of eminent rank, and to the body of the clergy, as well as the ministers of other denominations, belonging to the several churches and meetings, in and about the cities of _London_ and _Westminster_. And they had the satisfaction to meet with an hearty consent and universal approbation from them.
4. They then printed and dispersed, at their own expence, several thousand books of instruction, to constables and other parish-officers, explaining and inforcing their several duties. And to prevent, as far as possible, the necessity of proceeding to an actual execution of the laws, they likewise printed and dispersed, in all parts of the town, dissuasives from sabbath-breaking, extracts from acts of parliament against it, and notices to the offenders.
5. The way being paved by these precautions, it was in the beginning of the year 1758, that after notices delivered again and again, which were as often set at nought, actual informations were made to magistrates, against persons profaning the Lord’s day. By this means they first cleared the streets and fields, of those notorious offenders, who without any regard either to God or the King, were selling their wares from morning to night. They proceeded to a more difficult attempt, the preventing _tippling_ on the Lord’s day, spending the time in ale-houses which ought to be spent in the more immediate worship of God. Herein they were exposed to abundance of reproach, to insult and abuse of every kind: having not only the tipplers and those who entertained them, the ale-house-keepers, to contend with, but rich and honourable men, partly the landlords of those ale-house-keepers, partly those who furnished them with drink, and in general all who gained by their sins. Some of these were not only men of substance, but men of authority; nay, in more instances than one, they were the very persons before whom the delinquents were brought. And the treatment they gave those who laid the informations, naturally encouraged _the beasts of the people_, to follow their example, and to use them as fellows not fit to live upon the earth. Hence they made no scruple, not only to treat them with the basest language, not only to throw at them mud or stones or whatever came to hand, but many times to beat them without mercy, and to drag them over the stones, or through the kennels. And that they did not murder them, was not for want of will; but the bridle was in their teeth.
6. Having therefore received help from God, they went on to restrain _Bakers_ likewise, from spending so great a part of the Lord’s day, in exercising the works of their calling. But many of these were more noble than the victuallers. They were so far from resenting this, or looking upon it as an affront, that several who had been hurried down the stream of custom, to act contrary to their own conscience, sincerely thanked them for their labour and acknowledged it as a real kindness.
7. In clearing the streets, fields and ale-houses of sabbath-breakers, they fell upon another sort of offenders as mischievous to society as any, namely, _Gamesters_ of various kinds. Some of these were of the lowest and vilest class, commonly called _gamblers_, who make a trade of seizing on young, and unexperienced men, and tricking them out of all their money. And after they have beggared them, they frequently teach them the same mystery of iniquity. Several nests of these they have rooted out, and constrained not a few of them, honestly to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, and the labour of their hands.