«ni %. ^#.^'-^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // / V 4. ,> A / Mm 1.0 I.I L25 J^lilM 112.5 1^ 1^ mil 2.0 2.2 14 ill 1.6 V] "% V O^ ^"^. ^^V>> 23 WRST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V^ .A % '1;^ ,.' ' ^- -hicfstari'enn Mm'rr ^"' ™ • 1'"^, of Synod, I have learned, with much pleasure from Mr d coSinuirSaSh 't^y'"- ^"°^ Department, that^ he has always DeTardTnlrrSi ^ •^^"^^ ^"^ his own Department, and that since the Debjaidines Canal disaster, Sabbath traffic in general has been much soTnTncr thl'S '''' ^"''- ^"^ ^ ''""'''''y ^«P« ^b'^t the Company wm soonhnd themselves in a position to suppress all work both a\ reVarda repairs and running of trains on the Christian Sabbath ^ Hoping that you will excuse this intrusion, I am. Yours, very faithfully, Hamilton, June 19, 1857. ^- ■^^"^^• Insllnt • '° *^^ *°"«^^"g l«"er, copied from the Globe Newspaper of 26th SUNDAY TRAFFIC-SYNOD Dt^BATE. {To the Editor of the Globe.) }J?J^-, "^^ r,°*^ u ■>?">'.i«8"e of the 2and inst. has not proved sufficient- li the^ wI^'t.*^' allusion it makes to Mr. McMillan, the Super ntenTnt When I penned my letter of the 19th inst., I was so certain that a letter in my possession from Mr. Brydges made reference to both Avood and freight that I did not turn it up, which I ought to have done ; but on since referring to it, I find that it only mentions freight as being carried along the line on the Lord's day. I rejoice to find tliat I was mistaken in refarence to the wood traffic, and beg to say, witli all sincerity, that I am gladdened by the aaaurance on Mr. McMillan's part that lie has never been in llic liabit of de.-i|)atching wood trains on the Lord's day; wliicli fact, iiud I knowii it, I would have certainly mentioned in my speech, but now assure Mr. McMillan that he was not before my mind when I delivered that part of the speech which has given him offence. .1 am. Dear Sir, Yours, very faithfully, R. luvi.NK. Hamilton, ti.'ith June, 1857. In respect to his tirst letter : Note, first, — Tlio expression, " greater averngo," and consider what is an average. An average is simply a mean proportion, made out of unequal sums or quantities. Thus, if A loses 58, B 6s, and C 7s, the gross amount is 183, iha average ()S. How then there can be two averages of one an.1 the same gross amount, composed of several smaller amounts, as tlie llev. R. Irvine alleges by his expression, *' greater average," is certainly somewhat ditiicult to understand. Note, second, — lie says, there is a " greater average amount of Sabbath desecration on " each " (not " one ") Lord's day of the lifty-two, in connexion with the Railroads alone, than in connexion with the postal and canal departments taken together." It is very perceptible to every person, of even very scantj' education, that the gross " amount of Sabbath desecration on each Lord's day, in connexion with the Railroads alone," may, or may not be greater, than in connexion with the postal and canal departments taken together." And also, that there can be an average taken of the " amount of desecration " on several Sabbaths, " in connexion with the Railways;" and compared with the average taken of a like period of time, of the "amount of desecration, in connexion with the postal and canal departments taken together." But certainly, there cannot be an average on " one" day, or, as he " meant to utter,'" on " each day." — For it must always be borne in mind, that it is the period of time here, not the number of Railways, nor tlie canal and jiostal departments, (the latter being, to use his language, " taken together," and therefore, so must the Railways,) by which it is to be determined which of the terms, " average " or " gross," is the proper one. Note, Third, — He says, " all the accumulated wood and freight trains of the week are conveyed to their destination on the Lord's day." This is what he " meant to utter " in the Synod ; to which he adds, " for which statement I have good authority ;" this last sentence has reference to the time he v/as writing his letter. And in the very next sentence, he says, in 8 respect of Mr. McMillan, the Wood Superintendant, " that he has always discontinued Sabbath traffic in his own Department." There is, here, either a very gross contradiction of himself; or else, he is determined to " shew \ip " Mr. McMillan, the Wood Superintendant, in this, that notwithstand- ing McMillan's assertion to the contrary, he, the Rev. R. Irvine, " has good authority " for what he " meant to utter " at the Synod, which is in direct contradiction of McMillan's said information, which he, the Rev. R. Irvine, " learned with much pleasure " from him ; tlie " pleasure " being evidently the power of shewing hiiu up. Verily, a pretty hard rub for " Holy Willie " from his own Pastor. Note, Fourth, — The expression, '' haa always diHcontinued." The word " always,'" signifies perpetually, or throughout all time. The word, "discontinue," signifies to leave oft"; implying a previous habit or practice of something. How then, pray, could ho "always discontinue" that of which he wiis never guilty, and could not be. The word always, in point of lime, precluding him. Note, Fifth, — The wish he expresses, " and I sincerely hope that the Company will soo7i find themselves in n, position to suppress all work, Ac." What a Christian sentiment for a D.I). — a Doctor of Divinity — "to utter"! I ! If labour on Sabbath is sinful, it should be stopped at once. I wonder if this is a sample of that doctrine, which he, and other Ministers of his stamp of character in the " Free Church," call " Christian expediency." Note, Sixth, — The word "suppress." That word when used as here, in relation to the stopping of any Uiing, properly signifies to crush, to subdue, aa to suppress a rebellion, a riot,