PROGRESS TOWARD THE UNIVERSAL SUNDAY LAW.
The New York Independent summarizes some of the good results which the Sabbath rest agitation has produced in European countries. In Germany, where formerly the business houses were closed only for a few hours each Lord’s day, they are now by law allowed to be open only a few hours. In many of the Swiss cantons comparatively rigid laws have been enacted, while in others the old laxness still prevails. In Italy no less than thirty-six cities have9passed special Sabbath laws since 1892. In France progress has been made, and in Paris there is no mail delivery except in the early hours of the morning, and every post-office official has a Sabbath free once a month. In Belgium only those packages and letters are delivered which are not marked “Not to be distributed on the Lord’s day.” In Holland no Sunday papers are published. In Norway no alcoholic drinks are allowed to be sold from Saturday afternoon at 5 o’clock to Monday morning at 8. In Russia the post-offices are open for a short time only, at 2 P. M.—Pacific Ensign.