SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3454, 18 March 1874, Page 3

SABBATH OBSERVANCE.

A. meeting of ministers and those interested ini Sabbath observance was held in the First Church this afternoon. There was only a small -attendahee, which was accpjplfidipr hyJ)Qtfi4yJ>'eing,'iDmi day, which fact had been overlooked by the ’Convenerir The Mayor occupied -the. chair, and the foljbVfmg miniateffc were prcgeiit ,*A-Heys.' Dra Stuart* Roseoy Mesers tiiley and Maxwell. The Rev. Mr Ryley proposed,, and the; Rev. Mr Maxwell seconded the following resolution, which was carried unanimously :

“ That as theweekly day. of rest is every man’® inalienable right, and is economically, socially, and- morally an blessing to the community, it is therefore the duty of all who wish well to their country to make every effort to secure this privilege to their fellow-colonists, Kesolved—That this meeting earnestly requests the Churches of the Province to unite in memorializing the Provincial Council to arrange the mauof the railways: as tq preserve to tp® employees the Lord!® Day lor rest and ■worship'.” The Rev. Mr Ryley moved and the Rev. Dr Stuart seconded the adoption of the following memorial for circulation for signature;—

-To the Hon. the Provincial Council of Otago.—The petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth, That your memorialists are deeply impressed with the evil results of the tpflip, carried on at present pn th 6 Dunedin pud Port Chalffiers 7 Tail way «n the Lord’s Day.- That it interferes with the Sabbath rest of a large number of persons employed, and necessarily shuts this branch of the public service against those who are resolved to use the Sabbath for the purposes of rest and worship. That it presents inducements to many people, such as. hotel-keepera. shop-keepers, cab proprietors, and others to follow their business on ; that day. That it offers a temptation to the coasting steamers to arrange their ar-

rivals and departures from Port Chalmers on the Sabbath, which : would not otherwise exist, whereby the amount of Sabbath labor is Vastly increased, and likely to become still more so. Your petitioners earnestly hope you will take the premises into your consideration, and devise such measures as in youp wisdom may seem beat for'remedy idg evils,-- and your memorialists, as iu duty’bound, will ever pray.” The resolution was carried, Mr J. G. S. Grant being the only dissentient. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.