Strength of the Sunday Sentiment.
An attempt has recently been made by the post-master in N. Y. city to deliver letters in that city by carriers on Sunday. A storm of indignation at once arose against the innovation. The carriers were forbidden by large numbers to leave their letters, and “even a Roman Catholic priest,” says the report, “refused to receive his letters, and told the carrier that of all the recent attempts which the devil had made to overturn Christianity, this would be received with the least favor, and would react with tremendous force against the infidelity and irreligion which he was seeking to establish in its stead.” An indignation meeting was about to be called, when the post-master, seeing the state of feeling, revoked his order, and stopped the delivery of mail matter on Sunday. On this the Christian Statesman of Jan. 16, 1875, has an article from which we make the following extract, to the closing statement of which we call the reader’s attention:— We hail with joy this evidence of regard for the Sabbath, and of the existence of a conscience among the inhabitants of our great and corrupt city. We see in the sudden reversal of this iniquitous order, an immediate answer to the united prayers of the Christian church. We recognize, too, the irresistible power of Christian public sentiment, when brought to bear with united energy upon the officers of the Government. There is in this result a demonstration that if the Christian people of the United States were to agree in the demand for the ceasing of the transportation and distribution of mails upon the Sabbath, instant compliance would follow. For New York city has probably a larger proportion of the foreign and anti-Christian element which is making war upon the Sabbath and other Christian features of our national life than any other part of the land. It is just as evident, also, that if our Christian citizens were to-day convinced of the importance of our Christian Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and would with one voice say, “It must and shall be adopted,” it would be carried in Congress, and in the Legislatures of the States with an enthusiasm such as characterized the adoption of the 15th Amendment.