Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-24
THE RECTOR'S LETTER.
He spends Very Pleasant sunday in
Toronto.

Toronto.
Toronto is the capital city of the
province of Ontario, Canada. The pop
ulation is about something
more than that of indianapolis. and il
is forty-five miles north of Niagara
Falls, n. u, being fifteen miles across
Lake Ontario, at the west end of the
lake. 1t is very handsome, homelike
and substantial city, extending few
miles along the lake shore, on gently
rising ground and the waters of the
lake are very beautiful to the southeast
ward. Lines of trolley cars run some
six miles eastward, six westward and
four miles nOrthwsrd. Munro park is
east, High park west and Horticultural
park central.
My first visit to Toronto was by boat
from Niagara, Aug. 3, 1900 1t is in no
way very different from our best home
cities and only few things remind us
that we are not in the United Ststes.
The first thing as we 60 ashore, we
must open trunk or vslise for the in
spection of the custom house officer to
see whether we have goods on which
duty must be paid when they are taken
from one country into another. Next
our nickel change is soon gone and we
are using instead the little silver half
dimes, which we see occasionally in the
states. The Canadian one cent piece is
sbont three times as large as our little
coin. And then the flags and banners
are altogether of a different construc-
tion and cOlors, quite plentiful and
varied now on the occasion of civil hcl-
idays, and the Boer wer The absence
of the stars and stripes gives US strange
feelings.
Before | went to Toronto | gained
some local information from the Rev
Edward A. Welch, rector of st. James
cathedral, whom | called upon at the
rectory sOoD after my arrival. He takes
his vacation in a trip TO England, his
native land.
The most conspicuous structures in
Toronto, aside from large hotels and
stores are the parliament buildings, the
court house, csthedrsls, churches and
school buildings. 1t is a church and
school town, seminsries and houses of
worship are very numerous. On
Church street is St. James cathedral
and chapel, occupying two squares;
also st. Michsels cathedral Roman
Catholic, very large and beautiful
within and without, and between the
two cathedrsls magnificent Methodist
church, having square of ground.
Immense Baptist and Presby terian
churches are also near by and all multi
piled throughout the city. Almost
without exception the hours of service
are at II a. N. and p. N.
My object in remaining over Sunday
was that | might attend services Of the
church of England. The Canadian
usage is not much different from ours.
l started in good seast n from the Avon
more, where [ was boarding, and
walked the mile distance leisurely. |
found Sunday school in session in the
chapel and hall on ST. James ground,
the vacation season taking away half
the scholars. Each teacher sits by
solid stand with drawers in il for books
and pencils, mem bers of the class being
in front and on each side. There was
good attention to lessons and hearty
singing. Going thence TO the spacious
vestibule of the cathedral saw this no.
tice: strangers will please request the
sidesmen to find them seats" In the
church on the walls on every side were
memorial tablets, one of these tablets
being in memory of one of these sides
men.
In the evening | went to st. Thomas
church in the northwest part of the
city by belt-line street car. 1t was
very pleasant service, in church build
ing quite like our ideal for st. Thomas,
Plymouth.
saw very few bicycles on Sunday,
no newspapers on sale during the day
and devout manifestation throughout
the city. No Sunday excursions or di-
versions were announced, nor would |
they have had any patronage. There
were some gatherings in the beautiful
Horticulture park, particularly towards |
the close of the warm day. L can con-
fidently recommend Toronto to any
who may like to visit religious Sun
day city. 1t would be good model for
some others to pattern after. The
whole world would grow decidedly bet
ter in character if the Lords day was
observed by all residents in
the cities. w. w. RAYMOND.