Connecticut western news., 1883-05-23
SUNDAY TRAINS.

The sermon preached last Sunday by Rev D. Phillips at the Methodist church, was on the "Desecration of the Sab bath" The scripture lessons read were from Nehemiah xiii, 15 to 23, also 8 DOT tion of the 56th chapter of Isaiah and 18th chapter of Matthew, to 15 verses. We have not space to give even brief outline of this eloquent and -epportune sermon. The text was Exodus xx, 8. Mir Phillips called. attention to the many different ways in which the Sab bath was desecrated, but dwelt more particularly on the practice of running Sunday trains on the railroads of this country, and gave brief review of the action now being taken by the churches and by the leading citizens in every town on the line of the Housatonic rail road regarding the running of the pas senger and newspaper train on Sundays, over said road. At the close of the ser vice, petition to have the train discon- tinued was circulated. It was signed by many who were present and said pe- tition is now being circulated in this village and in Ashley Falls. The fol- lowing is copy of the petition:
 To the President, Directors and Company of
 the Ho4satonic Railroad:
 The undersigned citizens of Canaan, Conn, do hereby respectfully represent to you that we view with regret and serious alarm the establishment of the new Sunday Passenger Train" " over your road.
 In our judgement, the public good does not require this train neither is it demanded by any consideration of "ne- cessity or charity
 On Me contrary, we must regard 1t as fragrant violation of the sanctity of the Holy Sabbath as certain to disturb the peace and quiet of hosts of Christian worshipers and sure to be pernicious to the morals of all the region through which it passes.
 We fully appreciate your efforts to accommodate the public hitherto, and hare rejoiced aoith pardona6le pride in tho success of an institution with which we are closely identified, but greatly re- gret that you have adopted measure, which seems to us so highly prediudi- cial to our mutual interests.
 Looking at this subject in all it's bear ings, we cannot do otherwise than most respectfully protest, and urgently remom- Strdte against the further running of said train.
 We earnestly desire that you will re- ceive this protest in the kindly spirit with which we make it, and that you will grant us our petition; thus saving us the necessity of pressing our suit any further.
 It is earnestly hoped that the officers of the Housatonic railroad will grant the petitions that are being presented to them from the towns along the line of their road. Should they do so, their action would not be without precedent, as will be seen by the following item, which recently appeared in New York paper:
 SUNDAY TRAINS PROHIBITED.
 Indianapolis, May 5.-A good deal of talk has been occasioned by an order from President Young of the Louisville, New Albany and Chicago railway, pro- hibiting the running of any trains on Sunday except those absolutely neces- sary. The Methodisits have for years maintained camp meeting at the Tip pecane battle ground, on the line of the road, and the principal share of the receipts has been from the gate fee of 10 cents from persons carried on Sunday excursion trains. Other camp meetings in the state had made similar arrange ments. MT Young's order says:
 "You will, Tn future, run no excursion trains of any kind on the Sabbath. This order applies to camp, meeting trains. If Christians cannot find other places to worship, this company will not violate divine and civil law and deny it's en- ployees the essential rest of the Sabbath to carry them to camp meeting grounds !"
 If any employee has conscientious scruples against Sunday work he is to be relieved absolutely.
 CONNECTICUT WESTERN ROAD. Rasifying 2 Legislative Act-An Hn-