Sunday Observance in Canada.
THE Conference of the Methodist church of Canada requested all their ministers to preach on Sabbath (Sunday) observance, on Sunday Jan. 17, 1875. There is, it appears, an organization in Kingston, Ont., called the Kingston Sabbath Reformation Society. The secretary of this Society, Dr. Mair, under date of Dec. 23, 1874, addressed the following letter to the N. Y. Witness, which will explain itself:— MY DEAR SIR: I am afraid, from what I see in an article in the Montreal Witness of the 20th ult., headed “Sabbath Observance,” that there is danger of your losing your Sabbaths in New York, if things go on as at present. Operas, theaters, military bands in full blast, low buffoonery, etc., with a spice of so-called sacred concerts; what a strange jumble! Yet this seems to be the order, or rather disorder, of the day of sacred rest in that great city! Can nothing be done to counteract this appalling state of Sabbath desecration? Let me solicit your attention to the annexed notice, trusting that you may deem it right to recommend preaching on “Sabbath Observance” by ministers of the United States on the day chosen by the Conference of the Methodist Church of Canada, viz.: the 17th of January, 1875. The preaching of ministers of different denominations, with the prayers of thousands of Christians on that day, could not fail to draw down rich blessings from “the Lord of the Sabbath” upon both countries. I remain, with esteem and respect, my dear sir, yours faithfully. JOHN MAIR. [We have already inserted Dr. Mair’s notice, and have the pleasure of assuring him that the Sunday theaters here are being closed up.—Ed. Wit.]