Advocacy chain letter. Sabbath observance. Published by Donald Wickets. Bad luck addition. Copy quota seven. US, 1902?
THE PRAYER CHAIN

O Lord, we Thy servants pray that You will save our country. Satan himself has come to rule. A man in New York, calling himself Mr. Proctor, and another named Tony Pastor, are trying to open the doors of their theaters on Sundays. Beer guzzling is rampant . . .

[Some omitted here, "the Almighty being duly advised of sin's dire encroachments." The chain letter concludes:]

Now, within seven days after you receive this letter, make seven copies of it exactly as it is written and send these to your friends. By this united prayer chain, God will see that we are one and He will answer our prayers . . .

[Later the following was added to the letters in capitals:]

IF YOUR BREAK THIS CHAIN, GOD WILL CURSE YOU WITH AN AWFUL CURSE. SICKNESS, ACCIDENT, AND SUDDEN DEATH WILL BEFALL YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES. BEWARE! DO NOT BREAK THE CHAIN.

Donald Furthman Wickets, Liberty, July 20, 1935. Says chain letters trace back to "shortly after the turn of the new century - and likely before that." Early 1902 is a likely date for the above, based on the number of entries concerning "Sunday Opening" in the New York Times Index. Wickets' comments above in brackets. NOTE: "Donald Furthman Wickets" was a pen name for George Sylvester Viereck. No evidence of this chain letter was found using newspapers.com and newspaperarchive.com. 

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