Lye began his diary by writing:
“A Diary of my Daily occupations and a few remarks that do not
relate to them, and a record of what deaths and marriages come to my
knowledge.”
“Let not ambition mock my useful toil,
My humble joys and destiny obscure,
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile
The simple annals of the poor.”
Lye thought much upon spiritual matters. He wrote in his diary
frequently of his attendance at church and of his views of religious
subjects. He worked leisurely and had time to reflect upon the meaning
of life and its highest ideals. It may be his view of life has been
lost among men of today, intent upon their affairs of the moment. The
point is worth looking into, for the solution of many serious problems
of business, labor and society is coming through Christianity and its
interpretation by men.
Lye wrote in his diary many records of his acts and views of
Christianity, and some of his records are these:
“Sunday, Nov. 23. This day attended the meeting at the meeting house
in Lynn, heard Rev. Mr. Brown preach from Luke 23, 61-62 verse. In the
afternoon from Matthew 26, 24-27 verse.”
Lye went to church twice Sunday. Many of today do not go to church once.
“Sunday, Nov. 30. Rainy and warm. In the forenoon attended public
worship, heard Mr. Brown, of Charlestown, preach a sermon from
2 Corinthians, 2 chapter, 15th verse and part of 16th. In the
afternoon from Paul 39, 4th verse.”
Rain did not keep Lye from going to church twice. Rain keeps many a
churchgoer away from church these days.
“Thursday, Dec. 25. Christmas. Rev. Hosea Ballou was installed pastor
of the Second Universalist meeting in Boston.”
Christmas Day and no mention of Christmas joys. Puritans frowned on
Christmas celebrations. Lye knew no Christmas cheer as do people of
these days.
“Sunday, Jan. 18th. Read one of Laurin’s sermons in the forenoon. In
the afternoon attended divine worship in Chelsea. Heard an excellent
sermon by the Rev. Mr. Tuckerman.”
Lye could not go to church Sunday morning, so he read a sermon. Men of
today read the newspapers Sunday morning, or play golf, or motor.
“Jan. 1, 1818. Fine day for the new year. Walked on foot to Chelsea,
engaged a seat of Capt. John Tewkesbury in Rev. Mr. Tuckerman’s
meeting house.”
[Illustration: THE TAPLEY OR LYE SHOE SHOP OF A CENTURY AGO]
Lye walked to Chelsea, a distance of eight miles, to church. Few of
today will walk a mile to church.
A time of woe to Lye was in February and March of 1818, when he
recorded in his diary:
“Sunday, Feb. 22. Attended public worship at the old meeting house.
Sermon by Rev. Mr. Morse, son of D. Morse, of Charlestown, from the
passage, ‘Be ye reconciled to God.’ The sermon was the true essence of
Calvinism, very uncharitable, cruel as the grave, profitable to no one.”
“Mar. 22. Staid at home this day, rather than to hear a Calvinistic
preacher at the First church.”
Lye was evidently a man of strong convictions.
A time of joy to him was in the early part of the year 1822, when
he helped to form a Congregational church at Lynn and worked on its
meeting house. He records:
“Tuesday, Nov. 5. Assisted in erecting two stages for the
accommodation of the committee, clergymen and singers for the
dedication of the new meeting house.
“In the afternoon was laid the corner stone of the Second
Congregational church (Unitarian) with appropriate ceremony. The
treasurer, William Badger, having deposited under it a 25 cent piece,
one half cent, a ten cent piece, an American coin and some newspapers
of the day, and the copper plate with the inscription: ‘There is one
God, one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ. God
is no respector of persons but in every nation he that feareth Him
and worketh righteousness is acceptable.’ The other side: ‘Second
Congregational society of Lynn, maintaining in their fullest extent the
right of conscience and private judgment in Religion and the principles
of Universal Charity was established, and this house devoted to the
worship of the only true God, the Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
founded under their patronage in the year of the Christian Era 1822.
May God give thee increase.’”
Deep interest in religion was common among shoemakers of the time of
Lye. The Bible was kept in many a shop. The Sunday sermon was a chief
topic of debate among the shoemakers. The minister himself often called
at the shop. But these days there is no room in the shop for the Bible
and the minister never calls. There may be business wisdom in the
remark of a shoe man that each large manufacturing organization should
have a minister on its staff.